Additional Name(s): بهنام اسکندریان

Gender: Female

Perpetrator: Iran

Ethnic Group: Fars

Religion or Belief: Bahá`í

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: Yes

Appeal: Reduced to 3 Years, 6 Months' Imprisonment

Sentence: Originally 5 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: April/30/2019

Current Status: Unknown

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief

Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials

Behnam Eskandarian

Extra Bio Info:

Behnam Eskandarian was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

On April 30, 2019, authorities arrested Eskandarian and took him to an undisclosed location after police raided his home.  He and two others were accused of “unlawful membership of an illegal group aimed at disrupting domestic security,” “participation in, formation and administration of an unlawful group intended to unsettling national security inside the country,” and “taking part in action against the Islamic Republic regime in favor of opposition groups.” He was reportedly denied access to a lawyer.

In October 2019, the Semnan Revolutionary Court sentenced Eskandarian to five years in prison for “membership of illegal groups acting against national security” (Art. 499 IPC) and “propaganda against the state” (Art. 500 IPC).

In December 2019, it was reported that the Semnan Appeals Court reduced Eskandarian sentence to three years and six months in prison.

Eskandarian's sentence should have ended.

Eskandarian was subjected to inhumane living conditions and prolonged solitary confinement throughout his imprisonment. He was also denied adequate medical care.

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