New Conviction for Mashallah Karami, Father of a Prisoner Seeking Justice: Approximately 9 Years in Prison, 1.9 Billion Tomans Fine, and Asset Seizure

Mashallah Karami, the father of a prisoner seeking justice, has been sentenced to approximately 9 years in prison, asset seizure, and a monetary fine. According to the human rights organization 'Hengaw', the Criminal Court of the second district of 'Nazarebad' has sentenced the father of Mohammad Mahdi Karami, an executed protester, to 8 years and 10 months in prison, a fine of 1.9 billion tomans, and confiscation of assets on charges of 'money laundering and acquiring illicit funds'. In this regard, Shahla Orooji, a lawyer, stated in an interview with 'Sharghe Network' that 'the issued verdict has multiple legal and judicial flaws from the perspective of the case lawyers.' Ms. Orooji said: 'The evidence proving the charges against Mr. Karami, according to the court's ruling, mainly consists of statements from other defendants in the case. The court has also considered the registration of a vehicle and a property in the name of Mr. Karami's relatives as evidence of the crime, and unfortunately, our defenses have not been adequately considered.' She added: 'The harsher sentence issued by the Criminal Court of Nazarebad is heavier than the sentence issued by the Revolutionary Court. Nevertheless, the lawyers of the case will appeal the ruling in due time, and we hope the appellate court will address the flaws in the case.' The new ruling against Mr. Karami has faced significant criticism from social media users. Mashallah Karami, who has been in detention for the past year, was previously sentenced by the second branch of the Revolutionary Court in Karaj to six years in prison and asset seizure on charges of 'gathering and colluding to commit a crime against national security' and 'propaganda against the regime.' The lawyer of this imprisoned father recently announced an appeal against the ruling of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Karaj, stating that 'the charges attributed to Mr. Karami do not align with his actions, and the material and moral elements of the crime have not been realized.' Ali Sharifzadeh Ardekan, criticized the ruling for asset seizure against his client for security charges, stating that 'these assets have no role in the charges of gathering, colluding, and propaganda against the regime.' This lawyer emphasized that the mentioned assets were 'purchased through public donations' and that 'people donated these assets to Mr. Karami, who was engaged in labor, with good intentions.' The legal consulting website 'Dadban' criticized the conviction for asset seizure of Mashallah Karami, emphasizing that 'he had no access to any state or public financial sources' and that 'the payment of money by others was made with full consent, and there is essentially no complainant to file a complaint against him for fraud.' After Mashallah Karami's arrest on August 22, 2023, agents of the Islamic Republic seized all his electronic devices and blocked his family's bank cards. Reports indicate that during Mashallah Karami's detention, his family has repeatedly faced harassment from the security forces of the Islamic Republic. Human rights organizations have consistently criticized the actions of the intelligence and judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic in applying pressure on claimants and the families of victims of nationwide protests. Mohammad Mahdi Karami was arrested during the nationwide 'Women, Life, Freedom' protests and was executed on January 6, 2023, in the case related to the killing of Rouhollah Ajamian, a member of the Basij. The issuance of the asset seizure ruling against Mashallah Karami by the Revolutionary Court; the lawyers' request for an in-person session of the appellate court; government pressure on the families of claimants; Maryam Mehrabi was sentenced to six years in prison; continued pressure on claimants; the summoning of the father of Abolfazl Adinehzadeh and Mashallah Karami's deprivation of the right to medical treatment in prison. Following Mashallah Karami's conviction, his former lawyer in the case has also been sentenced to imprisonment.