Report on the status of political prisoners Shima Azam Farzan and Farshad Saraei in Evin Prison
Hengaw: Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Shima Azam Farzan and Farshad Saraei, a political prisoner couple from Tehran, who were arrested amid of the “Women, Life, Freedom” movement, are currently serving their sentences of 10 and 5 years, respectively, in Evin Prison, Tehran.
According to a report received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Shima Azam Farzan, a 50-year-old electronics engineer, has been incarcerated for the past 65 days, while her husband, Farshan Saraei, a 51-year-old writer and university professor, has been in detention for 31 days.
Farshad Saraei was sentenced by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolqasem Salavati, to a total of 17 years in prison and a two-year ban on leaving Iran on charges of espionage, conspiracy and collusion to act against national security, insulting Ayatollah Khomeini, and insulting Islamic sanctities. Shima Azam Farzan was sentenced by the same court to six years in prison for conspiracy and collusion to act against national security and propaganda against the state.
These sentences were upheld in full by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals. According to Iranian law on the aggregation of sentences, the most severe penalties apply, meaning Saraei will serve 10 years and Farzan will serve 5 years.
On September 23, 2024, Shima Azam Farzan was arrested following a summons to Branch 1 of the Penal Enforcement Office of the Tehran Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office. Subsequently, on October 27, 2024, Farshad Saraei was similarly arrested after receiving a summons to the same office. Both individuals were then transferred to Evin Prison to commence their sentences.
The couple was arrested on November 7, 2022, by security forces at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport while attempting to leave Iran. Following their arrest, they were detained for 50 days in Ward 209 of Evin Prison, a facility operated by the intelligence department. On December 26, 2022, they were released on bail, with Farshad Saraei securing his release on a bail amount of 1.5 billion tomans and Shima Azam Farzan on a bail amount of 1 billion tomans.
