New Case Against a Supporter of Erfan Halqeh; Abolfazl Pourhosseini is Deprived of Family Visits

Abolfazl Pourhosseini, a sculptor currently imprisoned in Karaj Central Prison, has been banned from family visits following a hunger strike protesting his "unjust conditions." According to human rights sources, Pourhosseini, a "sculptor and graduate of Tehran University of Art," is serving a five-year sentence, which includes three years of imprisonment and two years of suspended sentence. He began his hunger strike in early Bahman 1402 (January-February 2023) in protest against the fabrication of charges and the assignment of "new accusations and unjust conditions." As reported by the legal advisors group Dadban on Thursday, Farvardin 2, following his hunger strike, prison authorities transferred this political prisoner to solitary confinement, and since the end of the hunger strike, "his wife and children have been banned from visiting him for about two months and are in a state of uncertainty." Herana, a media outlet for human rights activists, identified Pourhosseini as "a supporter of Erfan Halqeh" and reported that his arrest occurred on Khordad 23 last year while distributing a statement related to Erfan Halqeh. An informed source told Herana that in the new case formed against this political prisoner in prison, he was sentenced by the third branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Karaj to "four years in prison, two years of exile, a fine of 30 million tomans, a travel ban, and a ten-year deprivation of social rights" for the charge of "propaganda against the regime and inciting and provoking people to disrupt the country's security." According to this report, the court for the recent case was held in early Bahman, and this sentence was communicated to Abolfazl Pourhosseini on Sunday, Esfand 27, in prison. In his previous case, this political prisoner was sentenced to three years of imprisonment and two years of suspended sentence, and he is currently serving the related sentence in prison. Abolfazl Pourhosseini, born in 1355 (1976), residing in Karaj, and a father of two, had previously been arrested in 1401 (2022) for participating in Erfan Halqeh classes in Qom and was later released on "bail." Mohammad Ali Taheri, the founder of "Erfan Halqeh," was arrested on Ordibehesht 14, 1390 (May 3, 2011) and was initially sentenced to death by the 26th branch of the Revolutionary Court. After his lawyer's appeal and the annulment of this sentence by the Supreme Court, this political prisoner was sentenced to five years in prison by the 15th branch of the Revolutionary Court. Mr. Taheri, who had been on Nowruz leave since Esfand 28, 97 (March 18, 2019), was released unconditionally on Tuesday, Ordibehesht 3. However, his supporters continue to be sentenced to prison for various charges, including "propaganda against the regime" through membership in Erfan Halqeh. The U.S. Department of State has repeatedly pointed out the violation of the rights of religious minorities and the repression of individuals due to their beliefs in its reports on human rights in Iran.