2281 Days in Detention for a Journalist

The suspended sentence of six years, three months and 1 day that was passed for Hengame Shahidi, has create a frenzy among other political and media activists who have not been sentenced or who are going through trial. At the same time, Abdollah Ramezanzadeh’s rejection of the charges brought against him in court, the detention of Milad Assadi and the objections that were raised over the trial of Atefe Nabavi who received a four year suspended sentence were the headlines related to political and media prisoners in Iran.

Prison for Hengame Shahidi

Hengameh Shahidi’s defense attorney, Mohammad Mostafai, announced on Monday that her client had been received a suspended sentence of six years and 91 days. On his weblog, the defense attorney wrote that Hengameh had been charged with acting against national security, engaging in propaganda against the regime, and insulting the president by the 26th branch of the revolutionary court.

According to Mr. Mostafai the court had sentenced Hengameh to 1 year of suspended prison for engaging in propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran, to 5 years for conspiracy, assembly and membership in an organization against the security of the state, and to 91 days for insulting the president.

Hengameh Shahidi was a journalist and human rights activist who was arrested on June 30, this year but was released on a 90,000 Dollar bail. Mostafai wrote on his web page, “the confessions that have been obtained from my journalist client were all under duress.” He also wrote that he would be appealing the judgment within the next twenty days.

The Interrogator’s Adamance Over Hosseinzadeh

While it was earlier said that journalist Mehdi Hosseinzadeh would be released at the end of his interrogations until his trial, the interrogator in the case has objected to Hosseinzadeh’s release. And even though bail had been set and met for this detainee, the interrogator in the case had ruled against the release citing the comments that Hosseinzadeh’s brother had made in an interview with a newspaper. Hosseinzadeh has continued to reject the accusations and charges brought against him despite being subjected to psychological and physical pressure.

Ramezanzadeh Rejects his Charges

Abdollah Ramezanzadeh who was the spokesperson during Mohammad Khatami’s presidency, formally rejected the charges that have been brought against him on Monday. This member of the Mosharekat Front who has spent the last 170 days in prison has been charged with the revolutionary court with engaging in propaganda against the state, acting national security and possessing classified documents.

Ramezanzadeh’s attorney revealed that his client had been tried in a closed court session in branch 15 of the revolutionary court. The session lasted for four hours. Ramezanzadeh spoke with ISNA student news agency and said, “My client and I have submitted our written defense to the court.” Attorney Abbas Shiri rejected the charges brought against his client and said, “I have requested that the case be dismissed.”

Milad Assadi Arrested

Milad Assadi, a member of the central council of Daftare Tahkim Vahdat, Iran’s largest student organization, and a student at Khaje Nasir University was arrested on Monday by security agents. Agents went to the student’s house and after searching his residence arrested him. According to Advar News, the newsletter of the Alumni association, 3 other members of the central council of this student group, Mehdi Arabshahi, Bahareh Hedayat and Fardi Hashemi have been summoned to the revolutionary court, while their colleague, Abbas Hakimzadeh, who is the political secretary of the group, has been in detention for 11 days now.

Complaint Over the Trial of Atefe Nabavi

The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran had requested that officials of the Islamic republic of Iran to reconsider the prosecution and judgment against Atefe Nabavi. Nabavi was sentenced to four years of suspended prison and is currently in jail. She has been charged with engaging in propaganda against the state, disrupting public peace and assembly with the purpose of disrupting the security of the state. She was acquitted of two of these charges.

In this regard, Mr. Hadi Ghaemi, the spokesperson for the Human Rights Commission on Iran said, “The process through which Atefe Nabavi was sentenced was so mixed with violations of human rights principles that its outcome is nothing but illegal and lacks legal basis.” Nasrin Sotudeh, Nabavi’s defense attorney told the International Commission on Human Rights in Iran that Atefeh had been arrested along with 7 other of her friends on the basis of a single warrant issued by judge Mortezavi, whose legality are under question.

Sotudeh said that most of the trial time was spent on issues related to the political background of her family members which had nothing to do with Atefeh or the charges raised against her.