Tehran court sentences ex-futsal referee Hamid Haj Jafar Kashani to 15 months in prison

Hengaw – Saturday, September 6, 2025 

Iranian authorities have sentenced Hamid Haj Jafar Kashani, a former futsal referee and former political prisoner, to 15 months in prison along with additional restrictions. 

According to information obtained by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Kashani, 43, was convicted by a Tehran Revolutionary Court of “propaganda against the Islamic Republic.” The court ruled that time he previously spent in detention would be credited toward his sentence. 

As part of the supplementary punishment, Kashani has also been banned from residing in Tehran Province and neighboring provinces for two years. 

The charges stemmed from his presence in a public square in Tehran, where he carried a placard allegedly containing “insulting content” against the Supreme Leader and chanted slogans against him. 

Kashani was arrested on April 27, 2025, after chanting protest slogans on Enghelab (Revolution) Street in Tehran. 

He has previously been arrested and subjected to judicial proceedings over his political activities.