human rights defender

Payam Vali

HRD's Gender

Man

Type of HRD

  • Social and community leader

HRD's thematic area of engagement

  • Civil and political rights

HRD's geographical origin

Urban

HRD's bio and work

Payam Vali, a civil and religious freedom activist from Karaj, has been arrested and imprisoned due to expressing his beliefs and opposing religious discrimination. Even during his imprisonment, he has continued his activism by informing the public about prison conditions, which has resulted in new threats and fabricated charges against him. His efforts to shed light on the violations of the rights of Baha’is in Iran and to draw public attention to these issues are among the primary reasons for the security pressures he faces. Payam Vali has frequently addressed human rights concerns and the infringement of the rights of Baha’i citizens through interviews with Persian-language media abroad and by publishing materials online. Before his arrest, he also faced security and judicial pressures due to his Baha’i faith.

Current Status

In prison (sentenced)

Detained since

Sep 24, 2022

Charge(s)

  • Anti-government propaganda
  • Other

Sentence

Mr. Payam Vali has been sentenced to a total of 11 years and 5 months of imprisonment in three separate cases, along with social deprivations and exile

Geolocation of detention

Country or area of detention

Region of detention

  • Asia: Southern Asia

Location of detention - City/Town

Karaj

Location of detention - Facility

Central Penitentiary, Karaj

Recent case update / evolution

The Supreme Court of Iran has rejected Payam Vali’s request for a retrial regarding his six-year prison sentence for the second time. Additionally, in a case opened against him during his imprisonment, his initial one-year prison sentence was reduced to eight months by the appellate court.

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