Khashayar Rezvani handed prison sentence over social media activity

Hengaw – Monday, June 1, 2026

Iranian authorities have sentenced Khashayar Rezvani, a social media activist and detainee of the January 2026 protests, to four years and three months in prison and additional penalties. He was denied access to legal counsel throughout both his detention and trial proceedings.

According to information received by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, recently sentenced Rezvani, a resident of Tehran, to three years and seven months in prison on the charge of “assembly and collusion to commit crimes against the country's internal security” and an additional eight months on the charge of “propaganda against the state.”

Under Article 134 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code, only the most severe sentence, three years and seven months of imprisonment, is enforceable.

As an additional punishment, the court banned Rezvani from leaving the country and from membership in any political, civil, or social groups and organizations for two years. The verdict is not final and may be appealed before the Tehran Province Court of Appeals within 20 days.

According to the text of the ruling, the charges stem from Rezvani’s activity on Instagram, including publishing and reposting content related to the war, sharing reports from media outlets opposed to the Islamic Republic, and posting material that the court described as “propaganda against the state” and “portraying the country's situation in a negative light.”

Government forces arrested Rezvani on January 14, 2026, during the January protests. He was initially transferred to Great Tehran Penitentiary (Fashafouyeh) before being moved to Evin Prison. After approximately two months in detention, he was temporarily released on bail on March 17, 2026, pending the conclusion of judicial proceedings.