Iranians protests the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after she was detained by the morality police, in Tehran, October 1, 2022.© 2022 AP Photo/Middle East Images
Iranian authorities are summoning, arresting, and sentencing activists who were released from detention and granted amnesty only months ago.
In February 2023, Iranian authorities announced a broad amnesty, which included releases, pardons, or reduced sentences for those arrested, charged, or detained during Iran’s widespread protests. Iranian authorities brutally cracked down on the protest movement. Following the amnesty announcement, Iranian authorities released many of those who had been detained.
Now, according to media reports, Iranian authorities are summoning, arresting, and sentencing several activists and protestors just recently released. It is unclear whether these people are being picked up on old or new charges.
Human Rights Activists News Agency reported that activist Kamiyar Fakour was granted amnesty and released from detention in February. Yet, in March, Branch 26 of Tehran’s appeal court sentenced Fakour to three and a half years in prison. Alireza Ramezani was reportedly granted amnesty in February, but in May, the Qazvin revolutionary court sentenced him to one year of imprisonment and two years of exile to Barazjan for "propaganda against the state."
Abbas Sharifi, Reza Mohammad Hosseini, Farhad Sheikhi, Hamideh Zarai, who were all granted amnesty and released in February, were arrested once again in April and May 2023. Armita Abbasi and Alireza Fazeli, both arrested during the protests and released following the February amnesty, have recently been summoned to the revolutionary court in Tehran. According to Committee Follow up Iran, in May, Branch 28 of Tehran's revolutionary court sentenced Ruhollah Nakhai, a journalist, who was released in January, to two years and 7 months in prison. Saeid Khalili, Nakhai’s lawyer, tweeted that he was sentenced even though he satisfied the conditions of the amnesty.
© 2023 Human Rights Watch