Severely disabled Kurdish citizen sentenced to 21 years in prison

Hengaw: Iran's judiciary has sentenced two Kurdish brothers, one of whom is disabled, to prison on charges of cooperation with jihadist groups.

Akbar Rashidi, 33, and Rasoul Rashidi, 36, from Salmas, who live in Urmia, have sentenced to 36 years in prison by the Second Branch of the Urmia Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Sheikhlou.

Akbar Rashidi, who was born with a disability and is severely disabled according to the Welfare Organization's category of severe disability (one hand and two feet completely paralyzed), was arrested on Tuesday, June 19, 2019, by intelligence forces and spent 48 days in solitary confinement. However, on Saturday, September, 7 he transferred to Urmia Central Prison.

It is worth mentioning that he has been covered by Iran's Welfare Organization for 17 years and is not even able to do his personal work alone.

The Kurdish citizen was sentenced in February last year by the Second Branch of the Urmia Revolutionary Court to 15 years in prison on charges of "rebellion and membership in jihadi groups", 5 years in prison for "acting against national security" and up to 1 year in prison for "propaganda against the system". It was condemned that the most severe punishment is according to Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code.

Akbar Rashidi, who is illiterate, was severely tortured physically and mentally during his detention at the Intelligence Office.

During the investigation and trial, he did not have any of the rights to support the disabled under domestic law, as well as international law, including the 2006 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was signed by the Iranian government. In this regard, the General Directorate of Forensic Medicine of Urmia has twice rejected her request for immunity.

On the other hand, Rasoul Rashidi, Akbar's brother was arrested by intelligence forces on August 1 transferred to Urmia Central Prison on Saturday, September 7, along with his brother.

Rasoul Rashidi, who is a construction worker and a tenant and the father of a child, was sentenced by Branch 2 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court to fifteen years in prison on charges of "rebellion and membership in jihadi groups."