According to one of the prisoner’s affiliates: “Last night Mehdi was transferred to cell 8 against his will and Hossein was kept in cell 7 of Evin prison. Following this act, the two brothers went on hunger strike and requested to be kept in the same cell.” 

The two brothers Mehdi and Hossein Rajabian, musician and filmmaker, were each sentenced to six years of disciplinary imprisonment followed by a fine for insulting and advertising against Islamic value by regime’s judg. 

 Later, in a revised court session, their sentence was reduced to 3 years of disciplinary imprisonment, 3 years of suspended sentence and a payment of 20 million in Iranian Tomans ($6,647) in fine. 

According to a reliable source, during the investigation period, the two were put under pressure to participate in a TV confession and also threatened to life imprisonment sentence if they did not comply with the request. 

On Friday June 24, United Nations special reporters requested the release of all imprisoned musicians and filmmakers in Iran.

United Nations Human Rights reported: “Karima Bennoune, United Nations special rapporteur on cultural rights, and David Kaye, special reporter on freedom of speech, requested the release of Mehdi Rajabian and Yousef Emadi (musicians) and Hossein Rajabian (filmmaker) who were sentenced and fined heavily on June 20.” 

United Nations rapporteurs concluded: “Arresting and sentencing these people is completely unacceptable and against the law of United Nations Human Rights. The arrested must be released immediately and all charges must be dropped.”