Prison Sentences Issued for a Journalist and a Labor Activist in Iran; Pressures on Civil Society Continue

Despite widespread global criticism, the Iranian government continues to exert pressure on media and civil activists. According to human rights organizations, a journalist has been sentenced to two years of suspended imprisonment and another labor activist to three months of prison. According to Hengaw Human Rights Organization, Iraj Mohammadzadeh, a journalist and civil activist from the town of Javanrud in Kermanshah province, has been sentenced to two years of suspended imprisonment. The ruling against Mr. Mohammadzadeh was issued by Branch 101 of the Javanrud Criminal Court, presided over by Judge Hadi Cheraghi, on charges of 'disturbing public opinion and spreading falsehoods.' The 45-year-old journalist was arrested on April 8 of this year after being summoned to the Javanrud court and detained by security forces. Iraj Mohammadzadeh, a doctoral student in political science in Tehran, was temporarily released on bail on April 12 until the conclusion of the legal proceedings. This media activist and manager of the Telegram channel 'Titr Gharb' has been summoned and interrogated multiple times by security agencies due to his media and civil activities over the years. In Urmia, Karim Bostanchi was sentenced to three months in prison, a monetary fine, confiscation of his mobile phone, and deletion of his Instagram page. According to the news agency of human rights activists in Iran, Hrana, this teacher's sentence was issued by Branch 23 of the West Azerbaijan Court of Appeals. Mr. Bostanchi was fined 15 million tomans to be paid to the government fund for 'spreading falsehoods with the intent to disturb public opinion in cyberspace' and had his mobile phone confiscated in favor of the government. He was also sentenced to three months of prison for 'propaganda against the regime in favor of opposing groups,' with previous detention time counted. This labor activist, married and 50 years old with 27 years of service, had previously been forced into retirement with a reduction in rank by the Administrative Violations Board of West Azerbaijan Education. Mashallah Karami, a father seeking justice, was sentenced to six years in prison and confiscation of property by the Islamic Revolutionary Court. Government forces prevented the families of those executed in the 1980s from attending a memorial in Khavaran. A citizen from Boukan was sentenced to prison for 'supporting Israel' and 'insulting the leadership.' Abbas Vahidian Shahroudi was once again banned from visits. A report by Front Line Defenders indicates that the harassment of human rights defenders by the Iranian government continues. Punitive measures have been taken against Zia Nabavi and Ahmadreza Haeri for informing about the situation of prisoners. Charges of 'rebellion' have been attributed to five political prisoners, and they have been transferred to the quarantine section of Evin Prison.