Free The OTHER Facebook 8: Eight More Young Iranians Sentenced To Harsh Prison Terms for Facebook Activism!
- Target:
- UN, Ban ki-Moon, OHCHR, Navi Pillay, Ahmed Shaheed, EU, European Union, State Department, HRW
- Region:
- Iran
- Website:
- persianbanoo.wordpress.com
Eight young Iranians active on Facebook have been sentenced to a total of 127 years in prison by Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court which found them guilty of acting against national security, propaganda against the state and insulting Islam and state officials, IRNA news agency reported.
This is a second recent case against Facebook users. The same court had handed down heavy sentences against another group of individuals for their activities on Facebook.
(SEE PETITION: Free The Facebook 8: Iranians Sentenced To A Total of 123 Years For Social Activism on Facebook:
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/free-the-facebook-8-iranians-sentenced-to-a-total-of-123-years-for-social-activism-on-facebook.html )
These individuals were administrators for several Facebook pages. They were arrested on warrants issued by the prosecutor last July.
The defendants in these cases have been charged with various charges, but they all have been charged with the assembly and collusion against national security and propaganda against the state charges.
The cases of these eight people were first reviewed at Shahid Moghadasi court located in Evin prison. Indictments were issued and sent for trial to Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court, presided by Judge Moghayeseh.
The defendants are from various cities in Iran, including Yazd, Shiraz, Abadan, Kerman and Tehran.
The trial of these defendants started on April 14, 2014 with the court issuing it’s verdict on April 29, 2014.
Two of the defendants were sentenced to 18 years plus 91 days, and 19 years plus 91 days, respectively, as well as a fine of 1.3 million tomans and 50 lashes.
The others were sentenced to twenty one, twenty, sixteen, fourteen, eleven and eight years of imprisonment.
The cases of these defendants have been appealed but the Appellate Court which will review their cases have not yet been designated.
WHEREAS: WHEREAS: The draconian prison sentences meted out to these eight Iranian social activists are in gross contravention of internationally accepted norms of jurisprudence;
AND WHEREAS: The charges which led to these harsh prison sentences (namely: "assembly and collusion against the national security; "insulting the authorities"; "propaganda against the regime") are politically motivated and based solely on the peaceful expression of critical views vis-à-vis the Islamic Republic regime in Iran by these eight individuals through their posts on Facebook;
AND WHEREAS: These eight Iranian social activists are therefore prisoners of conscience whose ongoing imprisonment constitutions a flagrant violation of Article 18, Section 1, of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; AND Article 19, Sections 1 & 2 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (to which Iran is a signatory) AND Article 24 of the Iranian Constitution;
THEREFORE: We, the undersigned demand that the international community act NOW to bring all possible pressure upon the Islamic Republic of Iran to IMMEDIATELY and UNCONDTIONALLY release the original "Facebook 8", these 8 young Iranians and all who have been recently jailed for peaceful internet activities, and drop all illegal charges brought against them.
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The Free The OTHER Facebook 8: Eight More Young Iranians Sentenced To Harsh Prison Terms for Facebook Activism! petition to UN, Ban ki-Moon, OHCHR, Navi Pillay, Ahmed Shaheed, EU, European Union, State Department, HRW was written by John S. Burke and is in the category Human Rights at GoPetition.