Arrest of former political prisoner, Payam Shakiba, at the threshold of presidential election in Iran
16-June-2021
Category: Uncategorized
June 15, 2021
Newsgroup: Uncategorized –
Breathing in Confinement: At the threshold of the presidential election in Iran, Payam Shakiba, a former political prisoner, was arrested by security forces on Monday, June 14, 2021, and taken to an unknown location. Payam Shakiba had been released from Rajaei Shahr prison just 4 months ago, on February 3, 2021.
According to Breathing in Confinement, the news organ of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, the former political prisoner, Payam Shakiba, was arrested by security forces in Tehran, on Monday, June 14, and taken to an unknown location.
Payam Shakiba had been released from Rajaei Shahr prison on February 3, 2021, after spending nearly 4 years in prison.
He was arrested by security forces on February 22, 2017, and then in December of the same year, was sentenced by Tehran Revolutionary Court to 11 years in prison on charges of acting against national security as well as conspiracy and propaganda against the regime.
His sentence was later upheld by the Court of Appeals and as per the Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, 5 years of which was enforceable. However, with the implementation of the new circular issued following the outbreak of Covid-19, his sentence was reduced, and in the summer of 2020, his release order was issued. The Ministry of Intelligence however, sabotaged his release by opening a new case against him. Therefore, to be interrogated, Mr. Shakiba was transferred to Ward 240 of Evin Prison and after spending about 36 days in solitary confinement, he initially was transferred to general ward of Evin Prison and later to Rajaei Shahr Prison in Karaj.
The trial for this political prisoner’s new case was held on January 18, 2021, in Branch 29 of the Revolutionary Court, presided over by the judge Mazlum who acquitted Mr. Shakiba and accordingly, he was released from Rajaei Shahr prison in Karaj on February 3, 2021.
As of this writing, the reason for the detention and whereabouts of this political prisoner is unknown.