Preliminary court has sentenced four Iranian-Arab activists in Ahwaz to heavy prison terms after they had already spent more than two and a half years in jail.

Hassan Abiyat was sentenced to life imprisonment, Aidan Beyt was sentenced to 10 years and Khaled Obeydavi and Jasem Soadi were each sentenced to five years in prison.

The four were arrested at the same time in Hamidiyeh near Ahwaz in December of 2012.

Human rights activist Karim Deyhimi reports that the charges against these prisoners ranged from “enmity against God, corruption on earth, the establishment of anti-regime groups and acting against national security.” He added that earlier charges of terrorism were dropped.

Deyhimi goes on to add that the prisoners were subjected to severe torture while in custody.

The four were reportedly coerced to confess to assassination attempts and injuring Basij members but they later withdrew these confessions in court and denied the charges.

The four currently are being held at Karoon Prison.

Radio Zamaneh