Tehran court sentences cultural activist Behnam Vazirinia Qashqai to 18 years in prison

Hengaw – Saturday, November 8, 2025

Behnam Vazirinia Qashqai, a Qashqai cultural activist currently detained in Evin Prison in Tehran, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison by the Iranian judiciary.

According to information received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced Vazirinia Qashqai to five years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” five years for “membership in an illegal organization,” four years for “propaganda against the state,” two years for “insulting Ali Khamenei,” and two years for “supporting Israel.”

Although more than five months have passed since his arrest, judicial authorities, including the prosecutor’s office, continue to deny his request for temporary release.

Behnam Vazirinia Qashqai holds a degree in civil engineering and is recognized as an activist advocating for Qashqai language and cultural rights. He was arrested on Friday, June 20, 2025, at his home in Tehran and later transferred to Ward 4 of Evin Prison.