Mustafa Tajzadeh's Lawyer Reports New and Unknown Charges Against His Client

The lawyer of Mustafa Tajzadeh, a political prisoner, announced the formation of a new case against his client. Houshang Pourbabayi said on Tuesday, May 14, that Mr. Tajzadeh is currently serving his sentence due to previous charges for which he has received a prison sentence, but now a 'new charge has been considered for him, the type and reason of which we are unaware.' This lawyer emphasized that since Mr. Tajzadeh is currently in prison, the investigator can issue a bail order and notify him. He continued, saying: If the charge is directed at Mr. Tajzadeh and an order is issued, and he does not post bail, it will lead to his detention; however, he is already in custody, and we do not have a harsher order than detention. Mustafa Tajzadeh was summoned to the prosecutor's office for a new case while in Evin Prison. This lawyer also mentioned the latest status of Mr. Tajzadeh in prison, stating that he explains the situation over the phone and that despite being detained since July 2022, he has not taken a single day of leave; while Mr. Tajzadeh believes that leave is a right of prisoners. Mustafa Tajzadeh, a reformist political activist, has been arrested multiple times and has received heavy sentences since 2009. He was last sentenced to five years in prison in October 2022 for charges of 'collusion against national security,' 'spreading falsehoods,' and 'propaganda against the regime,' and is currently in prison. Meanwhile, this political prisoner was summoned in March 2023 for charges of 'gathering and collusion to act against national security' and 'propaganda against the Islamic Republic.' In response, Mr. Tajzadeh stated that 'I will not appear in the prosecutor's office or court, and the judiciary can convict me in absentia to several years of new imprisonment and break the record of 15 years in prison for criticizing the destructive performance of the leader of Iran.'