Saeed Madani, Ali Akbar Baghaani, and Mohammad Reza Aali Payam Released

Reports indicate that Saeed Madani, a researcher and civil activist, Ali Akbar Baghaani, a labor activist, and Mohammad Reza Aali Payam, a satirical poet, have been released from prison. According to the Khabar Online website on Wednesday, Saeed Madani was released from Evin Prison under conditional release and the execution of Article 134 of the Consolidation Law, but his exile sentence was immediately enforced. He had previously been sentenced to two years of exile in Bandar Abbas. Mr. Madani was transferred to Ward 209 of the Ministry of Intelligence in Evin Prison in January 2012 following a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence in exile, and after a year of interrogation and pressure, he was sent to Ward 350. In 2013, he was sentenced to six years in prison and ten years of exile to Bandar Abbas by the Court of Appeals. Saeed Madani has a history of membership in the Council of National Religious Activists, the Committee for Defending Free, Fair, and Just Elections, the Committee for Following Up on Arbitrary Arrests, and the Executive Council of the Human Rights Defenders Association. According to Khabar Online, Mr. Madani has conducted research on poverty in Iran, and his recent book titled 'The Necessity of Fighting Poverty and Inequality in Iran' was published by Agah Publications. Reports also indicate that Mohammad Reza Aali Payam, who was sentenced to 15 months in prison for writing satirical poetry, was released on Wednesday. Mr. Aali Payam, who published his poems under the pseudonym Halo, was arrested in May of this year. Khabar Online also reported that Ali Akbar Baghaani, a member of the Teachers' Trade Association who has been imprisoned since June of this year, was released on Wednesday on bail. Mr. Baghaani was sentenced to one year in prison and exile to Zabol for his membership in the Teachers' Trade Association and participation in labor protests. Reports indicate that according to the Tehran prosecutor's office, this labor activist will head to Zabol to serve his exile after a short leave.