Branch 28 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court has sentenced a civic activist and a labor activist to five-year prison terms each. Revolutionary courts do not abide by Iran's civil code and often issue arbitrary decisions.
The court is headed by notorious hardliner judge Mohammad Maghiseh who often handles cases related to dissent or activism in Iran’s capital.
Rezvaneh Mohammadi is a civic activist defending the LGBTQ community members. However, the charges against her were accusations routinely made against civic and political activists. She was charged with “Assembly and Collusion against national security with the aim of toppling the regime”.
The court found her guilty for collecting information about mass execution of prisoners in late 1980s and attempts to decriminalize homosexuality. She was arrested in 2018 and was free on bail.
Judge Maghiseh’s court also sentenced Ali Nejati, a member of the Haft-Tapeh Sugar Mill Workers’ Union to five years. Mr. Nejati is a retired worker but he was charged with the same “Assembly and Collusion against national security” accusation.
The Haft-Tapeh Sugar Mill workers held long strikes and weeks of protests in October-December 2018, demanding to get paid and accusing management of dereliction of duty. Dozens of workers were arrested, and leaders spent months in prison. They have accused security officials of torture in prison.
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