Mehdi Rahmati, a political prisoner and one of the detainees from the nationwide protests of 2022, has been sentenced to six years in prison and 30 lashes. He is currently serving his sentence in Qezel-Hesar Prison in Karaj.
Rahmati was arrested by security forces in Tehran during the 40th-day memorial ceremony for Mahsa Amini. He was subsequently transferred to the detention center of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), where reports indicate that he was subjected to severe physical and psychological torture. After his interrogation period, he was moved to Qezel-Hesar Prison.
Rahmati was tried in the Revolutionary Court and the Criminal Court on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security” and “disrupting public order and possession of explosive materials.” His case was heard in Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court of Karaj, presided over by Judge Salavati, and in Branch 1147 of the Tehran Criminal Court. Ultimately, the courts sentenced him to six years in prison and 30 lashes. The Court of Appeals in Tehran (Branches 36 and 34) upheld the sentences without any modifications.
In addition to his heavy sentence, Rahmati suffers from multiple medical conditions. His family requested his temporary release on bail of 2 billion tomans for medical treatment, but their request was denied by the case authorities. The lack of medical care for Rahmati has raised serious concerns about his health.
Rahmati, 38 years old, single, and a resident of Tehran, is one of many political prisoners facing inhumane conditions in Iranian prisons. His case highlights the systematic violation of fundamental rights in the country’s judicial system.
