A/HRC/28/70 collusion” and “propaganda against the system.” Authorities have allegedly justified these charges, in part, by claiming that Mr. Shirzad was in contact with the Special Rapporteur. 10. In September 2014 Mr. Mohammad Reza Pourjashari, who was originally released on 23 August 2014 after completing a four-year sentence for “propaganda against the system” and “insulting the Supreme Leader,” was re-arrested. Authorities allegedly accused him of attempting to illegally cross the border and of maintaining “contact” with foreign nationals. Mr. Pourjshari was reportedly also accused of contact with the Special Procedures during his arrest and subsequent investigation. Reports indicate that members of his family have since been summoned for questioning by authorities. On 7 February 2015, Mr. Pourjashari reportedly embarked on a hunger strike to protest the lack of clarity surrounding his detention. 11. On 21 September 2014, Ms. Atena Daemi, a human rights activist who has worked on children’s issues, was reportedly arrested by the IRGC (Revolutionary Guards), and has since been detained in Ward 209 of Evin Prison.. Although official charges — if any — against her remain unclear, she is reportedly facing charges of “propaganda against the system,” “acting against national security,” and maintaining “illegal contact with foreigners.” She has reportedly been specifically accused by investigating authorities of communicating with the Special Rapporteur. 12. On 25 October 2014, Mr. Mohammad Ali Taheri, a spiritual leader, proponent of alternative methods of healing, and the founder of the Erfan e-Halgheh (inter-universalism) movement, embarked on a hunger strike to protest his detention conditions and the impending addition of the capital charge of efsad fel-arz (“corruption on Earth”) to his case file. Mr. Taheri is currently serving a five-year prison sentence for “blasphemy” and was also convicted of “improperly touching [the wrists]” of female patients, “interfering in the medical sciences,” earning illegitimate funds, distributing audio-visual materials, and improperly using medical titles. Mr. Taheri’s new charge is reportedly related, in part, to authorities’ claim that he has attempted contact with the Special Rapporteur. Mr. Taheri is reportedly in poor health, due in part to his recent hunger strikes. He was apparently moved to a slightly improved cell in late November, after which point he shifted to a partial hunger strike, but authorities continue to hold him in solitary confinement, as they have since his initial detention in 2011. Mr. Taheri’s trial is scheduled for 25 February 2015 at Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary court based on the charge of efsad fel-arz (“corruption on Earth”). According to Mr. Alizadeh Tabataba’ei, Mr. Taheri’s lawyer, “Mr. Taheri was initially charged with “corruption on Earth” during his first trial in 2011, but the court changed the charge to “blasphemy” and sent [the original charge] back to the Office of Prosecutor for further investigation. Recently, [that charge] has been returned to the court.”1 13. Mr. Behnam Ebrahimzadeh, a child and labor rights activist who was originally arrested in connection with his activities in June 2010, was reportedly forcibly taken to court on 3 December 2014 (after having previously refused to attend his court session) and accused by authorities of contacting the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council as well as an opposition group. Mr. Ebrahimzadeh was sentenced to an additional 9.5 years in prison on several charges, including “assembly and collusion against the system” and “propaganda against the system.” He was already serving the fourth of a five-year sentence for “assembly, collusion, and propaganda against the system.” He was then transferred to Section 2 of Raja’i Shahr Prison, which reportedly houses violent criminals, and was forced to sleep on the floor. Mr. Ebrahimzadeh has also reportedly embarked on multiple hunger strikes, including one in December 2014, to protest prison conditions as well as his inability to obtain furlough to attend to the medical needs of his son Nima, who has leukemia. 1 http://www.tasnimnews.com/Home/Single/647556. 25

Select target paragraph3

Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents