Shabtabnews In this dark night, I have lost my way – Arise from a corner, oh you the star of guidance.
HRW – On October 25, lawyer Amir Raesian tweeted that Branch 36 of the Court of Appeals in Tehran upheld the one-year prison sentence his client student activist Zia Nabavi had received. Authorities are punishing Nabavi for his involvement in student organizations and his role in holding a vigil to honor the victims of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752. Nabavi was convicted on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.”
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) shot down Flight 752, killing all 176 civilians on board, in January 2020. After Iranian authorities admitted responsibility for downing the aircraft, protests broke out across several Iranian cities. To this date, Iranian authorities have failed to conduct a credible and transparent investigation into the incident. Instead, Iranian courts have sentenced at least 20 people in connection with their participation in these protests.
Nabavi previously served nine years out of a 10-year prison term for his involvement in student activist groups. His most recent sentence reflects the ongoing restrictions on peaceful dissent in Iran. Iranian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release Navi and all others who are imprisoned for peaceful dissent and protest.
