110 Months in Prison Based on Forced Confessions for Activists in Babol

A local source in the city of Babol told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that the Revolutionary Court in Babol issued sentences totaling 110 months in prison for ten individuals previously active in Mir Hossein Mousavi’s election campaign. According to the source, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court, with Judge Bagherian presiding, issued sentences for Alireza Shahiri Tabarestani (Head of Mousavi’s Headquarters in Babol), Ali Akbar Soroush (former Head of the Education and Development Office in Babol), Seyed Ahmad Miri (former Governor of the towns of Ramsar and Babolsar), Aria Aram Nejad (arts activist and musician), Alireza Falahati (Secretary of the Youth Branch of the Participation Front and head of the ’88 Campaign in Babol), Mohammad Reza Karbalai Aghamaleki, Mohammad Masoumian, and Mostafa Ebrahim Tabar (three Mousavi campaign activists in Babol).

The charges for these individuals are “acting against national security,” and “collusion towards acting against national security.” According to the ruling issued by the Revolutionary Court, Dr. Ahmad Miri was sentenced to 20 months in prison, Alireza Shahiri to 15 months, Dr. Ali Akbar Soroush to 7 months, Aria Aram Nejad to 10 months, Alireza Falahat to 10 months, Mohammad Reza Karbalei Aghamaleki to 10 months, Mohammad Masoumian to 10 months, and Mostafa Ebrahim Tabar to 10 months.

Some of the rulings reflect that most of the detainees retracted confessions they made earlier at the Intelligence Office in Babol. Some detainees also denied statements they had made to the Deputy Prosecutor, saying that though they had written the statements inside the Intelligence Office and Court, they had done so under psychological pressure and now wish to be exonerated of the charges against them.