Continued Lack of Information on the Hossein Shanbezadeh's Situation
Hengaw; Saturday, June 15, 2024
Hossein Shanbezadeh, an editor and translator active on social media, originally from Bushehr and residing in Tehran, was transferred from Ardabil to Tehran after being arrested by Iranian security forces. He was also arrested during the November 2019 protests.
According to a report received by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Hossein Shanbezadeh was transferred to Tehran for interrogation after being arrested by security forces in Ardabil and is currently in temporary detention. He has been denied the right to meet with his family and the right to have a lawyer.
Hossein’s brother, Abbas Shanbezadeh, wrote on his X account that after 10 days of his brother's arrest, he has had three brief phone calls with his family, but they still have no information about the case and the charges against him.
Hossein Shanbezadeh, 35, was arrested by security forces in Ardabil on the night of Tuesday, June 4, 2024. Shortly after the news of his arrest was released, the Ardabil prosecutor announced that a social media activist and editor had been arrested on charges of "espionage for Israel." Media close to the Islamic Republic of Iran identified this editor as Hossein Shanbezadeh.
Hossein Shanbezadeh's family expressed concern about his situation in a statement following the Ardabil prosecutor's claim, describing the charges against him as unjustifiable and baseless.
It is notable that a few hours after his arrest, Hossein Shanbezadeh's account on the social media platform X was no more accessible. Shortly before this, several articles similar to previous claims by security agencies were posted on his page, too.
Hossein Shanbezadeh was previously arrested during the 2019 protests and sentenced to six years in prison on charges such as "insulting Khamenei" and "propaganda against the government." This sentence was eventually reduced to three years and six months.
This translator and literary activist was transferred to Evin Prison in Tehran on Thursday, June 30, 2022, to serve his prison term. He was eventually released on furlough from this prison.
