Peyman Farhangian, a poet and labor activist, has been sentenced to prison.
A previously suspended 7-year prison sentence has been converted into an enforceable sentence by Branch 18 of the Gilan Provincial Appeals Court.
According to the Campaign for the Defense of Political and Civil Prisoners, this change occurred after Mr. Farhangian was convicted in another case, resulting in a one-year prison sentence under Article 54 of the Islamic Penal Code. This article states that if a person commits another offense during the suspension period, the previous sentence can also be enforced.
On May 15, 2021, Mr. Farhangian was convicted on charges including insulting sacred beliefs, insulting the founder and leader of the Islamic Republic, propaganda against the regime, inciting people to riot, and forming illegal groups. He was sentenced to a total of 21 years in prison, 2 years of travel bans, and his Instagram page was blocked.
On August 16, 2021, Mr. Farhangian was sentenced to one year in prison for propaganda against the regime, two years of forced residency in the city of Zabol, a two-year travel ban, and his Instagram page was blocked. This sentence was also upheld in the Appeals Court.
Given the multiple convictions, Mr. Farhangian was transferred to prison on January 3 to serve his sentence. The multiple and lengthy sentences against Peyman Farhangian for charges that are generally related to freedom of expression and civil activities highlight the increasing restrictions on individual and civil freedoms in Iran.
The conversion of his suspended sentence to an enforceable prison term has heightened concerns about the situation of political prisoners and civil activists in Iran. Human rights organizations and in the international community are calling for the unconditional release of Peyman Farhangian and other political prisoners in Iran. They also demand the annulment of unjust judicial sentences and an end to the repression of political dissent in Iran.