Iranian Judiciary Sentences 65-Year-Old Kurdish Protester to 15 Years in Prison

Hengaw: Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Mohammad Ali Vahdati, a 65-year-old Kurdish resident of Quchan, Razavi Khorasan, has received a 15-year prison sentence for "opposing killing" during the Jin, Jiyan, Azadi movement. Following the sentencing, he was promptly arrested to begin serving his term.

According to a report received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, on Saturday, February 17, 2024, Mohammad Ali Vahdati, a 65-year-old Kurdish individual from Quchan, Razavi Khorasan province, was arrested and transferred to Mashhad Central Prison to begin his 15-year term.

Sources indicate that Mohammad Ali Vahdati was apprehended while he is currently in precarious physical health due to illness and advanced age.

The Revolutionary Court of Mashhad convicted this protester on various charges, including "propaganda activity against the Islamic Republic of Iran," "insulting Khamenei," "membership in anti-government groups," "insulting Khomeini," and "insulting religious sanctities," totaling a 15-year prison term.

It's worth noting that Mohammad Ali Vahdati had previously been detained by the security forces of the Islamic Republic during the Jin, Jiyan, Azadi movement and was later released on bail pending the conclusion of legal proceedings.

Born in 1958 in Quchan city, Mohammad Ali Vahdati is self-employed, holds an associate's degree (high school diploma), and is married with children.