The Court of Appeals upheld the 36-year sentences of Arshia Naghavi and Shahin Khakpour, two civil activists.
According to the Campaign for the Defense of Political and Civil Prisoners, the Kerman Court of Appeals upheld the prison sentences of two citizens who had previously been sentenced to prison on security and political charges.
According to the ruling, each of them must serve 10 years in prison under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code.
Shahin Khakpour, a citizen of Shiraz, was arrested on May 28, 2019, while visiting her family in Kerman. Arshia Naghavi, a citizen residing in Bandar Abbas was arrested at his residence before Shahin Khakpour and transferred to Kerman.
Ahmad Ghorbani, the head of Branch 1 of the Kerman Revolutionary Court, sentenced on July 29, 2020, each of these two civil activists to 10 years in prison on charges of “acting against national security through the formation and management of opposition groups”, 5 years in prison on charges of “membership in opposition groups”, 2 years in prison for “insulting Ayatollah Khomeini and leadership”, and finally to 1 year in prison on charges of “propaganda activities against the state”.
The verdict of Branch 7 of the Kerman Court of Appeals, which was issued in the case of Arshia Naghavi and Shahin Khakpour on September 10, 2020, has not overturned the sentence.
Radio Zamaneh (news agency) reported that the lawyers of both defendants had appealed the verdict, describing the trial as unfair. But the trial was held without the presence of lawyers.
Neda Nematollah-Zadeh, the defendants’ lawyer, withdrew from the case due to pressure and obstacles.