Iran: Civil Activistprisoner Soheil Arabi faces new charges and trial
Published by Ali on June 1, 2021
International Liberty Association: Civil Activist prisoner Soheil Arabi was taken into indictment through a video conference for a new case opened against him in prison, last week.
During the session, which was held on Monday, 25 May 2021, through a video conference by the Branch 3 of the Evin Prosecutor’s Office, Mr. Soheil Arabi was alleged with “propaganda activities against the state and disturbing public opinion,” which is a new case opened against him in prison.
According to the reports, the reason of these accusations were including preparing several reports on the poor condition of the Greater Tehran Penitentiary, criticizing the conduct of prison authorities especially the prison’s assistance prosecutor overseeing political prisoners, going on a hunger strike to protest depriving political prisoners of medical treatment, and issuing several statements in support of the November 1998 protests.
It should be mentioned that Mr. Arabi has denied the allegations.
Soheil Arabi had previously been arraigned on other charges through a video conference by the Branch 8 of the Shahrari Prosecutor’s Office on 23 December 2020, but he was eventually acquitted of the charges.
ILA: Soheil Arabi had been serving a seven-and-a-half-year prison sentence since 2013 for criticizing the Islamic Republic on Facebook. In October 2018 he was sentenced to three more years behind bars—increasing his total term to 10 years—for engaging in peaceful activism inside the Greater Tehran Penitentiary where he was being held that time.
