Iranian of the Day

RAHANA: Mohsen Sadeghi Nour was first arrested on 7 February 2010 for his participation in the Ashura Day protests of 27 December 2009, along with his wife, Negar Shahpari and his brothers-in-law Abolfazl Shahpari and Mohammad Javad Shahpari. He was arrested again on 30 July 2011 and transferred to Evin Prison in order to start serving his prison term.

Branch 26 of Tehran Revolutionary Court, under Judge Pirabbasi, tried Mohsen Sadeghi Nour on charges of "assembly and collusion," "insulting Islamic sanctities," "insulting the Supreme Leader," and "propagating activities against the Islamic Republic regime through propagation of Zoroastrianism and holding Iranian celebrations such as Mehregan and Norooz next to Cyrus tomb," and "disrupting the country's public order," and was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in prison and 74 lashes and cash fines. Branch 54 of Tehran Appeals Court upheld the sentence in its entirety.

Sadeghi Nour's brothers-in-law, Abolfazl and Mohammad Javad Shahpari were each sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison and 74 lashes by Branch 26 of Tehran Revolutionary Court, and their sentences are under appeal at this time. Mojtaba Ahmadi, Sadeghi Nour's cousin was also sentenced to six years in prison, which he has been serving since May 2010 without visitation or furlough.