Iran judiciary sentences Ayub Damavandi to five years in prison on espionage charges

Hengaw: Monday, December 9, 2024

Ayub Damavandi, a Kurdish man from Piranshahr, has been sentenced to five years and fifteen days of imprisonment by the judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran on charges of “espionage for Israel.” He is currently arrested in Naqadeh Central Prison.

According to a report obtained by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Mr. Damavandi, a resident of Deylzeh village in Piranshahr, was convicted by Branch 1 of the Mahabad Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Doosti. Following four months in detention, he was sentenced to five years and fifteen days of imprisonment for the charge of espionage.

Mr. Damavandi was arrested on August 1, 2024, during a raid on his home by security forces, who failed to present an arrest warrant. After a month of interrogation at the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Intelligence Detention Center in Urmia, he was transferred to Naqadeh Central Prison on September 1, 2024.

Throughout his detention, Mr. Damavandi has been denied access to legal counsel and visits from his family, raising concerns over violations of his basic rights. Additionally, he has not been granted temporary leave since his arrest.