Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran has issued prison sentences for Payam Derafshan, a lawyer and human rights activist.
According to the Campaign for the Defense of Political and Civil Prisoners, Branch 26 of Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced Payam Derafshan, a lawyer and human rights activist, to two years and six months in prison.
The trial of Mr. Derafshan was held without his presence due to his illness and in the presence of his lawyer on July 6th, 2020.
Mr. Derafshan was reportedly absent from court due to illness and continued treatment.
Mr. Derafshan was acquitted of “conspiracy against the security of the country” in court and sentenced to prison terms on charges of “propaganda activity against the regime, spreading lies with the intention of disturbing the public opinion and carrying out unauthorized transportation.”
Payam Derafshan after enduring more than 20 days in solitary confinement and interrogation by Haj Moradi, an investigator at Branch 2 of the Tehran Security Prosecutor’s Office was transferred to ward 4 of Evin Prison on Wednesday, June 24th, 2020.
Payam Derafshan, a lawyer, was initially sentenced by the Karaj Revolutionary Court to two years in prison and two years band on practicing law on charges of “insulting the leadership”. He was sentenced to 1 year in prison and 2 years band on practicing law by Branch 6 of the Alborz Provincial Court of Appeals on May 4th, 2018. The sentence was suspended for two years.
Saeed Derafshan, Payam Derafshan’s lawyer, had previously posted a note on his personal page: “The Court of Appeal reduced the two-years prison sentence for Payam Derafshan to 1 year, but suspended the imprisonment and suspended the 2 years band. This means our objections are valid, but the sword of Damocles was also needed! That is, people’s privacy is respected, but its violation is also necessary! That is, we have to thank them for violating their right to self-defense, privacy, competence, and so on… ”
It should be noted that on August 31st, 2018, Payam Derafshan and Farrokh Forouzan were arrested at the lawyer Arash Kaykhosravi’s home. On Thursday September 6th, 2018, “Payam Derafshan” was released on 110 million Tomans bail and “Farrokh Forouzan” on 120 million Tomans bail.