In a recent ruling by Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, eight political prisoners have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms and exile. These individuals, including Nasim Gholami Simyari, Hamidreza Sohailabadi, Amin Sokhanvar, Ehsan Ravazjian, Ali Herati Mokhtari, Hossein Mohammad Hosseini, Amir Shah Velayati, and Shahin Zahmatkesh, face harsh sentences.
Several of these prisoners have been held in temporary detention at Evin Prison for over a year. Nasim Gholami Simyari, currently detained in Evin’s women’s ward, has been sentenced to six years in prison, 74 lashes, and 20 years of internal exile in Angouran, Zanjan Province. The court emphasized that her exile should be carried out in isolation from any form of social interaction.
Case of Nasim Gholami Simyari
Nasim Gholami Simyari, born on July 13, 1988, was arrested on May 18, 2023, by agents of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Tehran. After five months of detention, she was charged with assembly and collusion, propaganda against the state, and rebellion, following interrogations by Judge Nasser Jalayer in Evin Court.
Other Sentences
Hamidreza Sohailabadi, also detained in Evin Prison, was sentenced to three years and seven months of imprisonment, followed by five years of internal exile in Shazand, Arak Province, with similar restrictions on social interaction. Amin Sokhanvar has been sentenced to seven years and seven months in prison, four of which are to be served. Ehsan Ravazjian was sentenced to six years and seven months, with three years and seven months of his sentence to be enforced. Ali Herati Mokhtari received a three-and-a-half-year sentence, of which two years are enforceable.
Hossein Mohammad Hosseini was sentenced to two years in prison, but this sentence was converted to a monetary fine of 165 million tomans. Similarly, Amir Shah Velayati, who suffered an eye injury during the nationwide protests of 2022, was sentenced to two years in prison, later reduced to a fine of 80 million tomans.
The Case of Amir Shah Velayati
Velayati was severely injured during the protests when security forces shot him with pellet bullets, causing significant damage to his eye. He was arrested on May 18, 2023, near his residence in Tehran. Following his arrest, security forces raided his home, seizing personal belongings. Although initially released on bail, Velayati was rearrested on January 23, 2024, and transferred to Evin Prison. After continued efforts by his family, he was released on March 11, 2024, on a substantial bail of 5 billion tomans.
The cases of other political prisoners, including Siamak Tadian and Farid Golshani, remain unresolved, with the court mandating that they, too, be isolated during their periods of exile. Despite their prolonged detention, these individuals continue to face uncertainty, pending further judicial proceedings.
This series of harsh sentences highlights the ongoing crackdown on political dissent in Iran, with the authorities employing prison terms, physical punishment, and internal exile to suppress opposition figures and protesters.
