Taher Naghavi sentenced to six years in prison
On 20 October 2024, Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced human rights defender Taher Naghavi to six years in prison. The human rights defender, who has been detained since 6 February 2024, was sentenced to five years in prison on the charge of “gathering and collusion against the national security” and one year in prison on the charge of “propaganda activities against state.”
On 30 June 2024, human rights defender Taher Naghavi ended his hunger strike after his health significantly deteriorated while under detention in Evin prison. The human rights defender was consequently transferred to Ward 6 of Evin prison where he is held detained along with other prisoners convicted with violent crimes.
On 19 June 2024, human rights defender Taher Naghavi was transferred to Taleghani hospital and back to Evin prison following a hunger strike. The human rights defender, who is facing charges on “propaganda activities against the state” and “gathering and collusion against the national security”, has been arbitrarily detained in Evin prison after he was arrested on 6 February 2024 in Karaj, Alborz province in Iran.
Taher Naghavi is a human rights defender and lawyer. As a graduate of political science, he has written articles since being a university student advocating for the rights of ethnic groups. He has also fought against the discrimination of ethnic minorities, including the Turks in Iran. Notably, he has represented prisoners facing national security related charges.
On 20 October 2024, Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced human rights defender Taher Naghavi to six years in prison. The human rights defender, who has been detained since 6 February 2024, was sentenced to five years in prison on the charge of “gathering and collusion against the national security” and one year in prison on the charge of “propaganda activities against state.” Taher Naghavi is going to appeal the unjust prison sentence, which has been built upon his peaceful human rights work.
On 6 February 2024, the house of Taher Naghavi was raided and his and his family member’s electronic devices were confiscated. The human rights defender was arrested and arbitrarily detained, charged with “propaganda activities against state” and “gathering and collusion against the national security.” At the beginning of his detention, from 6 February to 18 March 2024, Taher Naghavi spent over forty days in Ward 209 of Evin Prison where he was physically assaulted and threatened with death, the harassment of family members, and sexual abuse during the interrogations. In June 2024, the human rights defender went on hunger strike in protest against his arbitrary detention. Since this hunger strike, which lasted from 12-30 June 2024, his health situation has deteriorated drastically including thyroid complications and high blood pressure.
On 30 June 2024, human rights defender Taher Naghavi ended his hunger strike after his health significantly deteriorated while under detention in Evin prison. The human rights defender was consequently transferred to Ward 6 of Evin prison where he is held detained along with other prisoners convicted with violent crimes.
Taher Naghavi had started a hunger strike on 12 June in protest against his arbitrary detention and subsequently was transferred to the quarantine Ward in Evin prison. His request for a bail has been rejected by the prosecutor office despite the completion of the investigations and the provision of issuance of a bail order before the court convenes. Taher Naghavi depends on medication for thyroid complications and high blood pressure. He had refrained from taking his medication and receiving nutrition aid via medical intervention, which resulted in deterioration of his health condition. Therefore, he was transferred to the Evin prison’s medical clinic and later to Taleghani hospital on 19 June.
On 19 June 2024, human rights defender Taher Naghavi was transferred to Taleghani hospital and back to Evin prison following a hunger strike. The human rights defender, who is facing charges on “propaganda activities against the state” and “gathering and collusion against the national security”, has been arbitrarily detained in Evin prison after he was arrested on 6 February 2024 in Karaj, Alborz province in Iran.
Taher Naghavi is a human rights defender and lawyer. As a graduate of political science, he has written articles since being a university student advocating for the rights of ethnic groups. He has also fought against the discrimination of ethnic minorities, including the Turks in Iran. Notably, he has represented prisoners facing national security related charges.
On 19 June 2024, Taher Naghavi was transferred to the medical clinic in Evin prison, and shortly after to Taleghani hospital and back to Evin prison following a hunger strike that he started one week ago. The human rights defender went on a hunger strike on 12 June in protest against his arbitrary detention and subsequently was transferred to the quarantine ward in Evin prison. His request for a bail has been rejected by the prosecutor office despite the completion of the investigations and the provision of issuance of a bail order before the court convenes. The defender depends on medication for thyroid complications and high blood pressure. He has refrained from taking his medication and receiving nutrition aid via medical intervention.
On 6 February 2024, the house of Taher Naghavi was raided and his electronic devices and those of his family members were confiscated. The arbitrary detention order has been extended since 6 February and the human rights defender has had a hearing on the charges of “propaganda activities against state” and “gathering and collusion against the national security.” At the beginning of his detention, from 6 February to 18 March 2024, Taher Naghavi spent over forty days in Ward 209 of the Evin prison where he was assaulted physically and threatened with killing, harassing family members, and sexual abuse during the interrogations. The human rights defender, who remains under arbitrary detention, has been denied access to a lawyer during this period.
Front Line Defenders is highly concerned about the health situation of the human rights defender Taher Naghavi while on hunger strike under detention in Evin prison. He was transferred from the quarantine ward of the Evin prison to the Evin clinic, and Taleghani hospital due to deterioration of his health situation on the seventh day of his hunger strike.
Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Iran to:
- Immediately and unconditionally release Taher Naghavi and quash his convictions as Front Line Defenders believes that Taher Naghavi has been targeted solely as a result of his legitimate human rights work;
- Urgently transfer the defender to a medical facility and provide him with necessary medical treatment, should he requires it;
- Ensure that the treatment of Taher Naghavi, while in detention, adheres to the conditions set out in the ‘Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment', adopted by UN General Assembly resolution 43/173 of 9 December 1988;
- Cease targeting all human rights defenders in Iran and guarantee in all circumstances that they are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.
