Revolutionary Court Initiates Another Case Against Political Prisoner Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab

A source close to political prisoner Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab told Voice of America that the judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic have initiated another case against him to keep this prominent opponent of the regime in prison. This comes as Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab has completed one-third of his prison sentence and, according to the laws of the Islamic Republic, could have been released. On Sunday, October 8, the source stated that on September 7, 2024, one-third of the three years and nine months sentence for this political prisoner, based on charges of 'conspiracy and propaganda against the Islamic Republic,' ended, and according to the law, he could benefit from freedom. The source mentioned that Mr. Ahmadi Raghab wrote in a letter to the execution office that 'based on law and humanity, I should be unconditionally freed,' which was agreed upon, but immediately the Revolutionary Court of Shahriar, in collaboration with security agencies, initiated a one-year prison sentence. The source explained that the one-year prison sentence for 'propaganda against the regime' was due to 'his request for the release of political prisoners and participation in the campaign against the Islamic Republic and against executions,' and judicial authorities activated this sentence to prevent his release. Mr. Ahmadi Raghab, who is a signatory of the '14th Statement' calling for Ali Khamenei's resignation and a transition from the Islamic Republic, was sentenced in the Islamic Revolutionary Court to 'one year in prison, two years of exile to Khodabandeh County in Zanjan Province, and two years of residency prohibition in Tehran and Alborz Provinces' based on a case formed against him in prison for 'propaganda against the regime' and 'for publishing an audio file.' The source described the enforcement of another year of imprisonment for Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab to prevent him from enjoying freedom as a 'clear violation of human rights' and emphasized that due to his civil and human rights activities, the authorities of the Islamic Republic have forcibly taken away his job as a firefighter for seven years. The source also told Voice of America that Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab, in a call on Saturday, October 7, coinciding with 'Firefighter's Day,' congratulated all firefighters and wished them health and victory. The source added that this imprisoned human rights activist, who considers himself a 'seeker of his lost job,' expressed condolences from prison to the families and survivors of the miners who lost their lives in Tabas and announced that 'his two children, Shahin and Zartosht Jr., have also been deprived of continuing their education due to the injustices faced by their father.' Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab was last arrested on March 7, 2023, when he intended to participate in a teachers' protest against the serial poisoning of students, and he was 'beaten' during his arrest. The judiciary of the Islamic Republic has sentenced this human rights activist to 'three years and nine months in prison.' Since then, Zartosht Ahmadi Raghab has faced multiple cases and has gone on hunger strikes several times in protest against human rights violations.