Trial of 11 Political and Civil Activists on Charges of 'Conspiracy' and 'Insulting' Khamenei and Khomeini

The court hearing for the charges against 11 political and civil activists was held on Tuesday, December 25, in Branch 26 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran. According to the Human Rights Activists in Iran, the activists Arsham Rezaei, Vahid Ghaderzadeh, Ali-Asghar Hosseini-Rad, Saman Rezaei, Payam Bastani Parizi, Hojjatollah Rafei, Kazem Ali-Nejad Baranlou, Vahid Sarkh-Gol, Mohammad-Reza Kamrani-Najad, and Fatemeh Haqparast were tried in Branch 26 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran, presided over by 'Iman Afshari.' The charges against these constitutionalist activists include 'conspiracy to commit a crime against internal and external security,' 'propaganda against the regime,' 'insulting' Ali Khamenei and Ruhollah Khomeini, the current and former leaders of the Islamic Republic, and 'encouraging the public to commit crimes against internal and external security.' Among the 11 constitutionalist activists facing these charges, 10 are currently imprisoned, and one has been released on bail. Ali-Asghar Hosseini-Rad, Meysam Gholami, Vahid Ghaderzadeh, and Vahid Sarkh-Gol were arrested in August in various cities. Hojjatollah Rafei, Mohammad-Reza Kamrani-Najad, Saman Rezaei, and Payam Bastani Parizi were arrested in September. Additionally, Arsham Rezaei was arrested on October 17 in Fardis, and Kazem Ali-Nejad Baranlou was arrested on November 20 in Islamshahr. Fatemeh Haqparast had previously been temporarily released on bail. Earlier, on August 16, an informed source told the Persian section of Voice of America that a joint case had been opened by the Intelligence Organization of the IRGC against six constitutionalist civil activists in Branch 3 of the Evin Prosecutor's Office with charges of 'conspiracy' and 'propaganda against the regime.'