Kasra Nouri 22 years old and Dervish rights activist who is currently being held in Shiraz’s Adel Abad prison, was sentenced to four years and four months in prison by the lower court.
Mrs. Sedigheh Khalili, a Gonabadi Dervish and close family member of him, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that the family of this young prisoner are shocked at the harsh verdict and are appealing against his conviction.
Mrs. Sedigheh Khalili added that in the text of judgment has been pointed out that, this verdict is in order to teach all youth a lesson. As his lawyer, Fariborz Yadollahi, said so: “His harsh verdict was issued to prevent youth gravitate toward the Sufism and to scare the rest of young people!”
Kasra Nouri, Gonabadi Dervish and one of the collaborators of Majzooban Noor website, was sentenced at Branch 3 of Shiraz’s Revolutionary Court presided over by Judge Rashidi to four years and four months imprisonment on charges of propaganda against the regime, acting against national security, insulting the leadership and belonging to a deviant group “Majzooban Noor”.
In the verdict which issued by the Revolutionary Court for Kasra Nouri, about the reason of his charge has been mentioned that this Dervish right activist’s actions would result “promoting innovation in doctrine matters”, “insecurity in society and promoting superstitions” so, this judgment is in order to prevent irreparable consequences to not only the society, but also the youth and because innovations in religious matters and promoting a particular profession will lead to harm state security and to promoting superstition and also innovation especially among young people which have irreparable consequences to society, so according to the above allegations in the indictment filed against him, he is convicted of…
Mrs. Khalili maintained: “Decision is not accepted by Kasra and his lawyer. He is innocent and with this odd arguments that youth should beware of this case and to prevent young people joining Mysticism and Sufism, he has been unfairly sentenced four years and four months in prison, whereas he should be now in university not in prison. He is accused of “acting against national security”, “propaganda against the regime” and “interview with Radio Farda” which can be applied to all dervishes and other political prisoners. there is no evidence in the case to prove the allegations against him. Just to intimidate the others, judicial authorities are sacrificing him!”
It should be reminded that, Kasra Nouri along with another Gonabadi Dervish, Saleh Moradi had been protesting with a hunger strike against the illegal transfer of their Dervish lawyers to solitary confinement in Evin prison for 90 days and after transfer of seven Dervish lawyers to general ward 350, they ended their prolong-term hunger strike.
About the current physical and mental condition of Kasra Nouri after breaking his hunger strike, Mrs. Khalili told the Campaign: “Since they have ended their hunger strike, the prison authorities did not give any medical treatment to them. How can they feel well when they have not eaten for more than 90 days? They definitely need medical attention. health advice and also having medical examinations. After breaking the hunger strike, the brothers of Kasra and Saleh, who have met them through a cabin, told us: By the time they have become really poorly, very skinny and don’t look well at all. But while they are talking by telephone to their families for giving them comfort, have said that they are fine.
When I asked Saleh, my brother in law, whether he receives any health care? He said that once they requested prison officials to have a medical examination but up to now they have not paid any attention to their request.”