Ali Akbar Dadashi

Additional Name(s): علی‌اکبر داداشی

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Iran

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sufi

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: Yes

Appeal: Reduced to 2 Years' Imprisonment

Sentence: Originally 5 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: February//2018

Date of Release: February/8/2020

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Protesting Religious Freedom Conditions Religious Association

Nature of Charges: Illegal Assembly Public Disorder

Ali Akbar Dadashi

Extra Bio Info:

Ali Akbar Dadashi was imprisoned for his religious association and for protesting religious freedom conditions.

In February 2018, authorities arrested Dadashi following a violent crackdown on people protesting the arrest of Nematollah Riahi. Riahi, a member of the Sufi Gonabadi Order, had come to Tehran earlier in February to participate in a sit-in protesting the house arrest of spiritual leader Noor Ali Tabandeh. Dadashi was reportedly charged with "assembling and colluding to act against national security" (Art. 610 IPC) and "disrupting public order" (Art. 618 IPC). Following his arrest, Dadashi was reportedly denied access to a lawyer.

Later in 2018, Dadashi was reportedly sentenced to six years in prison and 74 lashes. Dadashi was expected to serve five years in prison as the sentences ran concurrently.

At an unknown date, an appeals court reportedly reduced Dadashi's sentence to two years in prison.

In September 2018, it was reported that Dadashi was participating in a hunger strike demanding an end to Tabandeh's house arrest, the release of female Gonabadi Sufi prisoners, and for all Gonabadi Sufi prisoners in Great Tehran Penitentiary to be kept in the same ward. 

On February 8, 2020, Dadashi was reportedly released from prison.

Dadashi was reportedly denied adequate medical care and subjected to attacks and inhumane living conditions during his detention.