The 13-month and 15-day prison sentence of the father of activist Pouya Bakhtiari confirmed by the Court of Appeals

The 13-month and 15-day prison sentence of Manouchehr Bakhtiari, the father of activist Pouya Bakhtiari, who was killed during the November 2019 protests, was confirmed by the first branch of the Court of Appeals in Qazvin Province. According to the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, Hrana, the court confirmed this ruling on July 2nd, citing the charge of 'spreading falsehoods,' and Mr. Bakhtiari's lawyer was informed six days later. The case was opened during Manouchehr Bakhtiari's imprisonment, and the court session to address the charges took place on April 17 of this year via conference in Branch 110 of the Qazvin Criminal Court. Manouchehr Bakhtiari was previously arrested on April 28, 2021, by Islamic Republic agents with violence at his home. He was ultimately sentenced by the Revolutionary Court to three years and six months in prison, two years and six months of exile, and a two-year travel ban, and was transferred from the central prison of Karaj to Chubindar prison in Qazvin in July 2022. The father of activist Pouya Bakhtiari was also sentenced to six months in prison last November due to another case opened against him during his imprisonment, which was confirmed by the sixth branch of the Qazvin Court of Appeals in February of that year. Mr. Bakhtiari was also sentenced to 18 years in prison and 74 lashes by the first branch of the Revolutionary Court in Karaj last December for another case opened against him during his imprisonment; this ruling was overturned by the Court of Appeals of Alborz Province in early May of this year and referred back to the Revolutionary Court in Karaj for reconsideration. Pouya Bakhtiari was killed by armed government agents during the protests against the rise in gasoline prices in November 2019 while he was with his mother and sister in Phase 4 of Mehrshahr, Karaj. According to Manouchehr Bakhtiari, the bullet hit Pouya's skull, and he lost his life before reaching the hospital. Mona Bakhtiari announced an assassination attempt on her mother, Nahid Shirpijeh, in prison and called for the immediate release of her relatives. The Court of Appeals overturned Manouchehr Bakhtiari's 18-year prison sentence. Manouchehr Bakhtiari was sentenced to an additional 13 months and 15 days in prison due to 'case fabrication in prison.' Manouchehr Bakhtiari, a political prisoner, was tried again. The wife of Manouchehr Bakhtiari stated that the life of this activist prisoner is 'in danger.'