Kurdish Protester Karvan Shahi-Parvaneh Faces Renewed Charges of "Waging War Against God" Despite Previous Acquittal

Hengaw, Wednesday, July 3, 2024

Karvan Shahi-Parvaneh (Himen Shahi-Parvaneh), one of the detainees of the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement, was once again tried by the judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the charge of "Moharebeh" ("Waging War Against God.") This protester who has spent a year and 10 months in detention, had previously been acquitted of this charge.

According to a report received by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, Karvan Shahi-Parvaneh, a 25-year-old political prisoner detained in Oshnavieh Prison, was tried in absentia on the charge of "Moharebeh" by Judges Najafzadeh, Shahini, and Gholami of Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court of Urmia.

The re-attribution of the charge of "Moharebeh" to this political prisoner occurred despite his previous acquittal of this charge, and recently, under the pressure of the Intelligence Department, the case was reopened.

Karvan Shahi-Parvaneh had been granted a 5-day furlough on Thursday, March 21, 2024, after enduring 18 months of detention.

It is noteworthy that this political prisoner, in protest against the continued uncertainty of his case and the lack of follow-up, went on a hunger strike for a period starting on May 7, 2024, in Oshnavieh Central Prison.

Karvan Shahi-Parvaneh was arrested by the city’s Intelligence Department forces on the evening of Monday, October 24, 2022, during the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement. During his detention, he was subjected to numerous and continuous physical and psychological tortures.

He, along with six other detainees from Oshnavieh, was charged with "Moharebeh" and, after 18 months, was acquitted of the charge of "Moharebeh" in the last session of the trial at Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court of Urmia. Hengaw had previously reported that these prisoners had been subjected to psychological torture of "mock executions" several times.