Over 45 Years of Imprisonment Confirmed for Three Political Activists in Appeals Court; Informed Source: They Have Committed No Crime

According to documents obtained by Voice of America, the Tehran Appeals Court has sentenced three political prisoners held in Evin and Qazalhesar prisons to a total of more than 45 years in prison plus fines. The report states that Reza Mohammadi, a political prisoner held in Qazalhesar in Alborz province, along with Mahboubeh Rezaei and Samaneh Nowruz Moradi, two political prisoners held in the women's ward of Evin prison, faced charges including 'propaganda against the Islamic Republic,' 'membership in opposition groups,' 'insulting religious sanctities,' and 'removing the hijab.' Based on documents available to Voice of America, Branch 36 of the Tehran Appeals Court has ultimately sentenced these three constitutionalist political activists: Reza Mohammadi to '14 years and six months in prison and a fine,' Mahboubeh Rezaei to '19 years and nine months in prison and a fine,' and Samaneh Nowruz Moradi to '11 years in prison.' An informed source told Voice of America that the issued sentences are 'unjust' and emphasized that these three political activists 'have committed no crime' and their activities were 'only for the sake of freedom' and within the framework of 'freedom of expression.' According to the details of the ruling communicated to these political prisoners, Reza Mohammadi was sentenced to 'six years and three months in prison considering previous detention' for 'membership in opposition groups aimed at undermining national security,' and 'six years and three months in prison' for 'conspiracy to commit a crime against national security,' 'one year in prison' for 'propaganda against the Islamic Republic,' 'restitution of double the original amount to the state' for 'illicit gain,' and 'one year in prison' for 'disobedience to officials during duty.' The judiciary also sentenced Mahboubeh Rezaei to 'six years and three months in prison considering previous detention' for 'membership in opposition groups aimed at undermining national security,' 'six years and three months in prison' for 'conspiracy to commit a crime against national security,' 'one year in prison' for 'propaganda against the regime,' 'six years and three months in prison' for 'insulting Islamic sanctities,' and a fine of eight million tomans for 'removing the hijab and showing corruption in cyberspace.' The ruling from Branch 36 of the Tehran Appeals Court also states that Samaneh Nowruz Moradi was sentenced to 'five years in prison considering previous detention' for 'membership in opposition groups aimed at undermining national security,' 'five years in prison' for 'conspiracy to commit a crime against national security,' and 'one year in prison' for 'propaganda against the regime.' According to the Appeals Court ruling and based on 'Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code,' the harshest punishment, i.e., the highest penalty among the issued sentences, is applicable for each of these three political activists. The issuance of heavy sentences for these three constitutionalist political activists comes while human rights organizations have repeatedly warned about the attribution of 'groundless and baseless' charges by the authorities of the Islamic Republic to freedom-seekers and political and civil activists in Iran. According to the primary court ruling held in Branch 28 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran, these three political activists were sentenced to a total of more than 61 years in prison. In recent days, Pouran Nazemi, a human rights activist in Iran, told Voice of America that the Islamic Republic has no intention of yielding, reforming, or retreating regarding civil and political activists and public protests. According to her, the Islamic Republic cuts off the economic lifeline of activists and political prisoners; however, the world remains indifferent to this issue, and a government that is the largest violator of human rights occupies the most significant human rights seat in the world.