Summoning a Civil Activist to the Revolutionary Court in Aliabad Katul on Charges of Propaganda Against the Islamic Republic

Behrouz Izadi Rad, a civil activist and former political prisoner, has been summoned to Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court in Golestan Province on charges of 'propaganda against the Islamic Republic.' According to a report received by the Persian section of Voice of America on Thursday, March 3, Behrouz Izadi Rad, 33, from Aliabad Katul County, received a written notice stating that he must appear on March 13 to address his charges. The notice, issued by Abolfazl Fandreski Nejad, the head of the Criminal Court Office of Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court in Golestan, identifies the plaintiff as the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor's Office of Aliabad Katul County. It states that 'the prosecutor has filed a complaint against you for propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran through Instagram, using provocative posts and inciting people to riots against the government via Instagram.' The term 'riots' is a keyword that Iranian officials use to describe peaceful protests by the people of Iran. Behrouz Izadi Rad has been previously arrested and, according to an informed source, has two other open cases and is awaiting their verdicts. The summons of this civil activist is likely related to his previous statements on Instagram, where he announced that he would not participate in the elections. Javaid Rahman, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, recently stated in a detailed interview with Voice of America that the continued operation of the Revolutionary Courts is one of the human rights violations by the Islamic Republic, emphasizing that 'most executions and the majority of punishments against opponents of the Iranian regime are issued by these Revolutionary Courts.' Pressure on civil and political activists in Iran by the Islamic Republic continues, with recent reports indicating that a death sentence has been issued for another protester. Additionally, see: A death sentence issued for another protester; Shahin Vossaf has been accused of 'spying for Israel.' A journalist has been sentenced to pay a fine; Hadi Kasai Zadeh: 'I was imprisoned next to the toilet.' The court opposed the release of environmental prisoners. Gohar Eshghi and Kamal Jafari Yazdi: There is not much time left for the people to settle accounts with the agents of repression. The Syndicate of Workers of the Bus Company criticized security officials for opposing medical leave for Reza Shahabi. There is no news about the imprisoned journalist; the family of Mehdi Afshar Nik is worried. Nahid Khodajoo, a labor activist, has been arrested and transferred to Evin Prison. Exclusive to Voice of America; Javaid Rahman: The people of Iran have the courage to resist the Islamic Republic. Sentences have been issued against dozens of journalists from Voice of America and other Persian-language media outside Iran by the Revolutionary Court.