Reza Shahini Threatens Hunger Strike Until Death If His 18-Year Prison Sentence Is Not Overturned

The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran reported, citing an 'informed source,' that Reza (Robin) Shahini, an Iranian-American citizen, has threatened to go on a hunger strike until death if his 18-year prison sentence is not overturned by the appeals court. This 'informed source' described the 18-year sentence as 'unjust and strange' in an interview published on Thursday, November 6, stating that Shahini has declared, 'If the sentence is not overturned, I will go on a hunger strike until death because I cannot bear this heavy sentence.' According to the source, security agents had 'promised' Shahini's family that he would be released if they 'remained silent' and did not speak to the media. Reports indicate that Shahini is being held in Amirabad prison in Golestan, 'sharing a cell with dangerous criminals convicted of offenses such as murder and drug trafficking, which undoubtedly affects his nerves and morale.' Shahini, 46, was arrested on July 21 by the Intelligence Ministry agents at his mother's home in Golestan and was sentenced to 18 years in prison on October 24 by the Revolutionary Court of Golestan Province. The charges against Shahini include 'collaboration with hostile governments through cooperation with Voice of America,' 'propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran,' 'membership in opposition groups or quasi-groups including monarchists,' 'inciting and provoking people with the intent to disrupt national security,' and 'insulting Ayatollah Khomeini and Ayatollah Khamenei.' According to the informed source, Shahini's lawyer argued in court that the accusation of 'collaboration with hostile governments' was 'invalid' based on a Supreme National Security Council resolution stating that 'Iran is not in a state of hostility with any country,' but the judge 'did not pay attention' to this defense and issued a 9-year sentence for this charge. The report states that photos of Shahini with Reza Pahlavi, Abolhassan Banisadr, and Akbar Ganji published on his Facebook page were among the evidence used to issue the sentence against him. On November 3, Shahini rejected the charges of espionage and collaboration with a hostile government, calling the sentence 'ridiculous.' He stated that Iranian judicial authorities accused him of supporting protests against the results of the 2009 presidential election, citing images and posts from his Facebook page and personal blog as evidence. Shahini graduated with a degree in 'International Security and Conflict Resolution' from San Diego University and has lived in the United States for 16 years. He has not traveled to Iran in the past seven years but had frequently visited in earlier years, with his last stay in Iran being for several months in 2009 before his trip in July of this year. John Kirby, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, stated on July 31 that they are reviewing reports regarding Shahini's detention in Iran. Meanwhile, the informed source has requested that the U.S. government take this case seriously and work for Shahini's release. According to this source, Shahini holds the government of Hassan Rouhani responsible for repeatedly inviting Iranians abroad to return but failing to ensure their safety. Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, stated on July 9 that 'the reverse movement of elites returning to Iran' has begun, and in recent months '200 elites, about 50 of whom studied at the top ten universities in the world, have returned to the country.' In recent years, some Iranian specialists, including Omid Kokabi, a PhD student in physics at the University of Texas at Austin, and Hamid Babaei, a PhD student at the University of Liège in Belgium, have been imprisoned after returning to Iran. In recent months, several dual citizens have also been arrested and imprisoned in Iran, including Nazanin Zaghari and Kamel Foroughi, two Iranian-British citizens, and Siamak Namazi and his father Baqer Namazi, Iranian-American citizens. Nazanin Zaghari has been sentenced to five years in prison, while her husband states that her exact charges are unclear. Siamak Namazi and Baqer Namazi have each been sentenced to ten years in prison. Several political activists and journalists residing abroad have also traveled to Iran after the Rouhani administration took office, only to be arrested and imprisoned upon their return. Among these individuals are Hossein Nourani-Nejad, Serajeddin Mirdamadi, Saeed Rezavi Faqih, Sajedeh Arab-Sorkhi, and Mostafa Azizi.