Eight political prisoners sentenced to death and long-term imprisonment in Tehran
Hengaw: Monday, December 2, 2024
Six political prisoners — Akbar Daneshvar Kar, Seyyed Mohammad Taghavi Sang-Dehi, Babak Alipour, Pouya Ghobadi Biston, Vahid Bani-Amarian, and Seyyed Abolhassan Montazer — have been sentenced to death by the judiciary of Islamic Republic of Iran. Additionally, all six, along with Seyyed Ali Taghavi Sang-Dehi and Seyyed Mojtaba Taghavi Sang-Dehi, were collectively sentenced to 54 years and 7 months of imprisonment and 20 years of exile to Khash County.
According to a report received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, issued the death sentences under the charge of baghi (armed rebellion), throughd membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). In addition to these capital sentences, the defendants received various prison terms and exile orders.
Akbar Daneshvar Kar and Seyyed Mohammad Taghavi Sang-Dehi were sentenced to death for baghi, along with 5 years of imprisonment for “collusion to disrupt national security” and 10 years for “forming illegal groups.” Combined with their death sentences. Similarly, Babak Alipour was sentenced to death for baghi, along with 5 years of imprisonment for “collusion to disrupt national security” and 20 years of exile to Khash for “destruction of public property.” Pouya Ghobadi Biston faced a death sentence for baghi and an additional year of imprisonment for “illegal exit from Iran.”
Vahid Bani-Amarian and Seyyed Abolhassan Montazer both received death sentences for baghi, accompanied by 5 years of imprisonment for “collusion to disrupt national security.” Meanwhile, Seyyed Ali Taghavi Sang-Dehi was sentenced to 2 years in prison for “membership in opposition groups,” and Seyyed Mojtaba Taghavi Sang-Dehi received three years and seven months imprisonment for “collusion to disrupt national security” and three years and seven months for “membership in opposition groups.”
The trial for these eight individuals took place on October 6, 2024, at Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. Earlier, the defendants had been charged by Branch 5 of the Tehran Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in May 2024. Allegations against six of the defendants centered on baghi due to their supposed affiliation with opposition groups. Seyyed Mojtaba Taghavi Sang-Dehi was charged with “collusion against national security” and “membership in opposition groups.”
Among those sentenced, Pouya Ghobadi Biston and Seyyed Mohammad Taghavi Sang-Dehi were arrested on February 23, 2024, in Chaldoran and transferred first to Maku Prison and later to Evin Prison. Vahid Bani-Amarian and Seyyed Abolhassan Montazer were arrested in January 2024, while Babak Alipour was arrested in Tehran during the fall of 2023. Akbar Daneshvar Kar and Seyyed Mojtaba Taghavi Sang-Dehi were also transferred to Evin Prison following their arrests, with Seyyed Ali Taghavi Sang-Dehi later released on bail.
