Three human members of Gonabadi Dervish community were sentenced to harsh prison terms after they stood trial in Tehran.
Ahmad Barakuhi, who lost his eye as security forces quelled the Dervish Gonabadi’s February protests in in Seventh Golestan Street in Tehran, received the most severe penalty of seven years behind bars in the poor Sistan and Baluchistan Province in southeastern Iran.
Behnoud Rostami and Ahmad Ashayeri were sentenced to seven and two years behind bars, respectively.
They were charged with “acting against national security through being members of the Gonabadi Dervish community,” “assembly and collusion against the state security” and “disturbing public order.”
A gathering on February 19, 2018, by Dervish Gonabadi protesters turned violent after police intervention. The Dervishes were protesting the detention of a member of their community and the lack of accountability by agents about where he was detained and charges made against him. The State Security Force attacked the protesters, firing tear gas and using batons. Hundreds of Gonabadi Dervishes including 70 women were arrested.
