Four civil rights activists were sentenced to a total of 45 years behind bars and eight years in internal exile for holding a ceremony marking “International Native Language Day” in 2015.
The activists’ names and sentences are:
- Akbar Azad, journalist, 10 years behind bars and two years in internal exile in DareShahr city of Ilam Province, west of Iran.
- Alireza Farshi, 15 years behind bars and two years in exile to Baghmalek city of Khuzestan Province, southwest Iran.
- Behnam Sheikhi, 10 years behind bars and two years in internal exile in Masjed Soleiman city of Khuzestan Province.
- Hamid Manafi, 10 years behind bars and two years in internal exile in Lorestan Province, also west of Iran.
