The First Branch of the Revolutionary Court in Abadan, Iran, sentenced Mandana Sadeghi, Farzaneh Yahyabadi, Arash Ghalehgholab, Kourosh Karmpour, and Reza Mohammadi, journalists and writers from Abadan, to a total of 10 years and 9 months in prison.
Based on the verdict issued to Mandana Sadeghi and Arash Ghalehgholab, these two journalists were sentenced to three years, six months, and one day in prison for the charge of “conspiracy and collusion to act against national security,” and to seven months and 16 days for the charge of “propaganda against the system”. With the application of Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, three years and six months of the issued sentence will be executable.
Farzaneh Zeylabi, the lawyer in the case, previously mentioned that the charges against these two journalists are mainly related to news and analyses they published regarding the tragedy of the Metropol building collapse and the protests of 2022.
In this case, Kourosh Karmpour, another journalist and poet from Abadan, was sentenced to two years in prison for the charge of “conspiracy and collusion to act against national security,”. The basis of Karmpour’s charges was his communication with media opposing the Islamic Republic.
Reza Mohammadi, a poet and literary critic, and Farzaneh Yahyabadi, a journalist, were both sentenced to three months and one day in prison for the charge of “propaganda against the system”.
Arash Ghalehgholab was arrested in June 2022 for reporting on gatherings related to the collapse of the Metropol building in Abadan, with violence used during his arrest. He was released ten days later upon the posting of bail.
On October 19, 2022, Mandana Sadeghi and Reza Mohammadi were arrested simultaneous to widespread protests, following their reporting on the extensive crackdown on protesting citizens by security and law enforcement agencies. Sadeghi’s arrest occurred immediately after she reported on the “forced confessions” of several women from Abadan who had been arrested during the protests.
At the same time as the arrests of Reza Mohammadi and Mandana Sadeghi, security agents visited Kourosh Karmpour’s home and confiscated several personal items, including his mobile phone and laptop.