Payam Vali, a Baha'i adherent, sentenced to prison once again through a new frame-up

Hengaw: Monday, July 1, 2024

Payam Vali, a Baha'i adherent residing in Karaj who is serving his six-year prison sentence in Ghezelhesar prison in Karaj has been sentenced to one year in prison by the Iranian Judiciary with a new case.

According to the report received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Payam Vali, a Baha'i adherent, was sentenced by the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Court in Karaj, presided over by Judge Imani, to one year of imprisonment on charges of "propaganda against the government." Additionally, he has been prohibited from leaving the country and from using social media for two years.

This sentence was imposed on Payam Vali following accusations related to his publication of an open letter addressed to the heads of the Iranian Judiciary, in which he protested his legal circumstances.

In March 2022, Payam Vali was sentenced to a cumulative 16-year prison term by the First Branch of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Court in Alborz Province. The charges included "collaborating with hostile nations," "inciting public unrest," and "propaganda against the government."
The Appellate Court of Alborz Province reduced this sentence to 9 years and 9 months. Subsequently, under the application of the Consolidation of Sentences Law, Payam Vali's effective imprisonment was further reduced to six years.

On October 1, 2022, Payam Vali, a member of the Baha'i faith, was arrested by Iranian authorities at his residence in Karaj. Following his arrest, he was subsequently transferred to Ghezelhesar Prison in the same city.