Labor activists in Tabriz sentenced to 22 years in prison

Shahrokh Zamani, Mohammad Jarahi, Nima Pouryaghoub, and Sasan Vahebivash are students and labor activists in the city of Tabriz. Branch 1 of the Tabriz Revolutionary Court sentenced these 4 individuals to a total of 22 ½ years behind bars while a fifth defendant was found not guilty.

According to Human Rights House of Iran, the prime suspect, Shahrokh Zamani was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for “creating groups against the regime” added by another year behind bars for “propaganda against the regime”, totaling 11 years in prison.

The second defendant, Mohammad Jarahi, was sentenced to 5 years for the charge of “organizing a group against the regime.” The third denfendant, Nima Pouryaghoub was sentenced to 5 years for “organizing a group against the regime” and an additional year for “propaganda against the regime” totaling 6 years in prison.

The forth defendant, Sasan Vahebivash was sentenced to 91 days in prison stemming from the charges of “membership in an opposition group” and 91 days for “propaganda against the regime,” totaling 6 months behind bars.

The fifth defendant Buick Sidler was acquitted of all charges.

The trial for these 5 defendants was held on August 18, 2011 in Branch 1 of the Tabriz Revolutionary Court. Prior to the court session, 3 of the defendants, Nima Pouryaghoub, Sasan Vahebivash, and Buick Sidler had been allowed out of prison with heavy bails. Nima’s bail was 100 million tomans (approximating $95,000) and the other two paid 30 million tomans (approximating $30,000) before being temporarily released from Tabriz prison.

In recent years it has been unprecedented for verdicts this heavy to be handed down to political prisoners in the city of Tabriz.

Source: Human Rights House of IRAN