Additional Name(s): کیانوش عباس‌زاده

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Iran

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sufi

Reports of Torture: Yes

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Appeal: Reduced to 6 Years, 3 Months' Imprisonment

Sentence: Originally 16 Years, 6 Months' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: February/20/2018

Date of Release: August/8/2021

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Protesting Religious Freedom Conditions Religious Association

Nature of Charges: Unknown

Kianoush Abbaszadeh

Extra Bio Info:

Kianoush Abbaszadeh was imprisoned for his religious association and for protesting religious freedom conditions.

In February 2018, authorities arrested Abbaszadeh 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. Abbaszadeh and others arrested at the protests were reportedly denied access to lawyers during the interrogation process. 

In March 2018, Abbaszadeh reportedly went on hunger strike in protest of being tortured and generally mistreated while in state custody. 

At a later, unknown date, the Tehran Revolutionary Court reportedly sentenced Abbaszadeh to 16 years and six months in prison and two years in exile. It is unclear what Abbaszadeh was charged with.

In 2020, Abbaszadeh's sentence was reportedly reduced to six years and three months in prison.

On August 8, 2021, Abbaszadeh was released after being granted parole.

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