On Sunday, June 21, 2024, seven political prisoners faced trial under Iran regime’s judge Iman Afshari on charges of rebellion. These prisoners, Vahid Bani Amerian, Babak Alipour, Pouya Ghobadi, Seyyed Mohammad Taghavi, Seyyed Abolhasan Montazer, Mojtaba Taghavi, and Ali Akbar Daneshfar, are now at the mercy of a judicial system notorious for its brutality. Their lives hang in the balance under Afshari’s rule, a judge infamous for issuing harsh sentences against political dissidents.
Afshari’s reputation for repression is well established. He was responsible for the sentencing and execution of four Kurdish political prisoners—Pejman Fatehi, Mohsen Mazloum, Mohammad Faramarzi, and Vafa Azarbar—who were sent to the gallows after highly questionable legal proceedings.
A Record of Oppression
Afshari’s notoriety extends beyond political executions. On December 27, 2023, he visited the women’s ward of Evin Prison, where political prisoners openly confronted him over their unjust sentences. Women such as Forough Taghipour, Arghavan Fallahi, and Shiva Esmaili voiced their protests against their long-term incarceration. In response, prison authorities imposed restrictions on their phone calls and threatened them with exile. The situation escalated to the point that Afshari and his delegation were forced to flee the ward.
Previously, as a judge in Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court, Afshari oversaw the state-sponsored execution of Habib Osayved, an Ahwazi Arab activist. Osayved’s conviction was based on confessions obtained under torture, and he was denied the right to a lawyer of his choosing. He was sentenced to death on charges of “corruption on earth,” and the execution was carried out on May 6, 2023.
Judicial Bias and Systematic Repression
Afshari’s judicial conduct is far from impartial. He openly expresses ideological biases, treating defendants as enemies of the state rather than individuals entitled to due process. Atena Daemi, a civil rights activist, recalled in an October 2022 tweet that Afshari told her father in court: “You must be held responsible for the children of the martyrs. How unselfish you are to raise your daughter as such a rebel!”
His rulings against artists and activists further exemplify his role in suppressing dissent. In July 2019, he sentenced filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof to one year in prison, a two-year travel ban, and a two-year prohibition on political and social activities for creating films deemed subversive by the regime. Similarly, in June 2020, he sentenced political activist Sakineh Parvaneh to five years in prison and a two-year political activity ban, following her brutal transfer from Evin Prison to Qarchak Prison.
Afshari’s suppression of free speech also targeted journalists. In May 2020, he sentenced Keyvan Samimi, editor-in-chief of Iran Farda magazine, to six years in prison in absentia for participating in a Labor Day rally. His charges included “gathering and colluding with the intention of acting against national security and propaganda activities against the regime.”
Suppression of Ethnic Minorities
Afshari’s rulings extend beyond political dissidents to ethnic minorities. In December 2019, he sentenced Turkish activist Siamak Mirzaei to one year in prison and imposed a two-year travel and political activity ban. This ruling came after Mirzaei had already served a three-year prison sentence and was in the midst of a one-year exile sentence.
Afshari has played a direct role in suppressing nationwide protests, particularly following the November 2019 uprising and the January 2020 demonstrations against the downing of a Ukrainian plane by the Revolutionary Guards. Among his many sentences:
- Amir Mohammad Sharifi, a Tehran University student arrested in January 2020, was sentenced to three months in prison for “propaganda activity against the regime.”
- Ali Beykas, a November 2019 protester, received ten years in prison and three months of service in the Basij paramilitary force.
- Morteza Bakhshizai was sentenced to six months in prison for protesting the Ukrainian plane tragedy.
- Samira Hadian received an eight-year sentence for participating in the November 2019 protests.
- Maliheh Jafari was sentenced to six months for the same reason.
- Ali Nourizad, son of political activist Mohammad Nourizad, was sentenced to over four years in prison for protesting the plane’s downing.
Targeting Women’s Rights Activists
Afshari has also led efforts to suppress women’s rights activists, particularly those opposing mandatory hijab laws. He sentenced three women to a combined 58 years in prison:
- Fereshteh Dindani received a 30-year sentence for charges including “gathering and colluding against national security” and “encouraging people to engage in corruption and prostitution.”
- Saba Kord Afshari was sentenced to 24 years for “spreading corruption and prostitution by removing her hijab.”
- Raheleh Ahmadi, Kord Afshari’s mother, was given four years for “colluding against national security.”
Additionally, Esrin Derkale, Nahid Shaghaghi, Maryam Mohammadi, and Akram Nasrian—members of the Iranian Women’s Voice Association—were each sentenced to four years in prison.
A Legacy of Injustice
The list of Afshari’s judicial abuses is seemingly endless. His most egregious crime to date remains the execution of four Kurdish prisoners, an act that underscores the brutality of Iran’s judicial system under Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. As long as figures like Afshari remain in power, the fight for justice in Iran will continue to face formidable obstacles.
