Second Court Session for Eight Defendants in the Case Known as 'Ekbatan Town' Held

The second court session addressing the charges against eight defendants in the case known as 'Ekbatan Town' and those arrested during the nationwide protests of 2022 was held on Saturday, January 6, in Branch 13 of the Tehran Criminal Court. Milad Arman, Alireza Kafayi, Amir Mohammad Khosh-eqbal, Alireza Barmarz Poornak, Mohammad Mahdi Hosseini, Hossein Naimati, Mehdi Imani, and Navid Najaran are accused of 'participating in the murder' of a Basij force member named 'Arman Ali-Vardi'. According to the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, HRANA, the case has been divided into two parts, one referred to Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran presided over by Judge Abolqasem Salavati, and the other to Branch 13 of the Tehran Criminal Court. No verdict has yet been issued for these individuals, whose case involves security charges and moharebeh (waging war against God) in the Revolutionary Court. The first session addressing the charges against these citizens was held on Saturday, October 7. Recently, following four court sessions, the court did not send the case for further investigation to the prosecutor's office, and Branch 13 of the Tehran Criminal Court intervened to expedite the proceedings and clarify the status of the defendants. In early November 2022, during the nationwide protests and after the death of a Basij member named 'Arman Ali-Vardi' in Ekbatan Town, at least 50 young residents of this town were arrested, among whom indictments were issued for 14 individuals. In May of this year, the spokesperson for the Judiciary of the Islamic Republic announced the charge of 'moharebeh through the use of cold weapons and actions against national security' for three of the defendants in this case. According to the issued indictment, Milad Arman, Mohammad Mahdi Hosseini, and Mehdi Imani are charged with 'moharebeh', while Alireza Kafayi, Amir Mohammad Khosh-eqbal, Alireza Barmarz Poornak, and Hossein Naimati face charges including 'participating in intentional murder' and 'disruption of public order and tranquility'. No information has yet been obtained regarding the charges against Navid Najaran, who was recently arrested in relation to this case in Ahvaz. These individuals have been transferred from Rajai-Shahr Prison to Qazalhasar Prison in Karaj since August 1 of this year. The case has 'numerous fundamental and serious flaws'; the court for the defendants in the 'Ekbatan Town' case was held. The court session for the defendants in the case known as 'Ekbatan Town' will be held on October 7. The defendants in the case known as 'Ekbatan Town' have been transferred to Qazalhasar Prison. The Dadban website reported that one of the defendants in the 'Ekbatan Town' case was not present during the beating of the killed Basij member. The Dadban website also reported the arrest of a new suspect in the 'Ekbatan Town' case.