Three Protesters Against Death Sentences for 'Akbatān Children' Arrested

Iranian intelligence forces arrested three civil activists, Sohrab Hassan Khani, Masoud Vazifeh, and Mojtaba Ebrahimi, who were protesting against the death sentences issued for six defendants in the case known as the 'Akbatān Children' by staging a sit-in and hunger strike in front of the Human Rights Organization of the Judiciary. According to an exclusive report by VOA, a source close to the detainees stated on Sunday that the three were arrested on Saturday, December 8, while protesting the death sentences for the accused. Sohrab Hassan Khani, a former political prisoner and constitutional activist, announced in a brief call with his family that he had been taken to Evin Prison and was 'in the custody of Branch 3 of the Evin Prison Investigation.' Hassan Khani had previously declared in a video message that he would stage a sit-in and hunger strike in support of the 'Akbatān Children' and in protest against their death sentences. Masoud Vazifeh, another constitutional activist, also announced a similar hunger strike and sit-in in front of the government agency. Reports indicate that Mojtaba Ebrahimi, a civil activist who was with the two constitutional activists during the protest, was also arrested. The 13th branch of the Tehran Criminal Court sentenced six detainees in the case known as the 'Akbatān Children' to death in connection with the killing of a Basij member named Arman Ali Vardi. This case was returned to the court for what was called 'removing deficiencies and errors' and was sent back to Branch 13 of the Tehran Criminal Court and Branch 15 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court. Reza Shafakhah, one of the lawyers for the defendants, emphasized that there are no witnesses in this case, stating, 'We were not even present as a witness for the Akbatān Children, let alone as defense lawyers.'