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Iranwire – An Iranian teacher and activist has been sentenced to six years in jail and a two-year travel ban, as well as planting 40 tree saplings and writing a research paper about the Pahlavi era, by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran.
Hojatollah Rafiei was arrested on July 6, 2021 at his home in Shahriar city, Tehran province by the Revolutionary Guards’ intelligence agents. The detention is thought to be due to his pro-monarchy views, which he had posted about on social media.
Rafiei has since been held at Greater Tehran Penitentiary (Fashafuyeh). He was charged with conspiracy to commit a crime against national security, and with “propaganda against the regime”. His lawyer was not notified, and the trial took place without the lawyer’s knowledge, according to the Center for Human Rights in Iran.
The sentence issued has not yet been finalized. If upheld by the Court of Appeal, Rafiei will spent a total of five years in prison under Iran’s law on combining punishments, enshrined in Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code.
