human rights defender

Mohammad Nourizad

Actions and Campaigns

HRD's year of birth

1952

HRD's Gender

Man

Type of HRD

  • Artist
  • Journalist/Blogger
  • Social and community leader

HRD's thematic area of engagement

  • Civil and political rights
  • Fight against impunity
  • Women's rights

Current Status

In prison (sentenced)

HRD's bio and work

Mohammad Nourizad is an Iranian civil activist, writer, and filmmaker who, in recent years, has become one of the prominent critics of the Islamic Republic. Previously a supporter of the 1979 Revolution and a media collaborator with the government, Nourizad became a fierce critic after the disputed 2009 election. He has been arrested and sentenced to prison multiple times for his open letters to the Supreme Leader and peaceful protests. Nourizad is well-known for his activism in human rights and freedom of expression, and he has gone on hunger strikes several times while in prison.

Detained since

Aug 14, 2019

Charge(s)

  • Anti-government propaganda
  • Creating disturbances
  • Damage to public property
  • Other
  • Spreading fake news

Sentence

25 years and 9 months in prison

Geolocation of detention

Country or area of detention

Region of detention

  • Asia: Southern Asia

Location of detention - City/Town

Mashhad

Location of detention - Facility

Mashhad, Evin Prison

Recent case update / evolution

In general, Mr. Nourizad has been sentenced in various branches to 25 years and 9 months in prison, 148 lashes, and 3 years of exile (2 years of exile to Izeh and 1 year of exile to Tabas, in two separate instances). The details are as follows: In the first part of his case, Mr. Nourizad was sentenced by Branch 4 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Mansouri, to 15 years in prison, 3 years of exile to Izeh, and a 3-year travel ban. This sentence was modified on appeal by Branch 35 of the Court of Appeal of Razavi Khorasan Province to 15 years in prison, 2 years of exile to Izeh, and a 2-year travel ban. In the second part of his case, he was sentenced by the Criminal Court Two of Mashhad to 8 months of imprisonment, 148 lashes, and one year of exile to Tabas. This sentence was ultimately upheld by the Court of Appeal of Razavi Khorasan Province. Additionally, regarding a case opened against him during his imprisonment, he was sentenced by Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Mohammadreza Amouzad, to 2 years in prison. Mr. Nourizad was also sentenced in absentia at the Shahid Kachouei Judicial Complex in Tehran to 61 more months of imprisonment. In his most recent case, he has been sentenced to an additional 5 years in prison.

Mr. Nourizad was placed in solitary confinement in June as a punitive measure following his protest against the increased prices of food provided to prisoners, by order of the prison authorities. He was later returned to the general ward of Evin Prison. He is currently serving his sentence.

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