Mojtaba Biranvand

Extra Bio Info:

Mojtaba Biranvand was imprisoned for his religious association and for protesting religious freedom conditions.

In February 2018, authorities arrested Biranvand 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. Biranvand was reportedly charged with "refusing police orders" (Art. 607 IPC), "assembling and colluding to act against national security" (Art. 610 IPC), and "disrupting public order" (Art. 618 IPC). Biranvand was reportedly denied access to a lawyer.

In August 2018, Biranvand was reportedly sentenced to seven years in prison and two years in exile. Biranvand was expected to serve five years in prison as the sentences ran concurrently.

In September 2018, it was reported that Biranvand 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.

In March 2019, a Tehran appeals court reportedly upheld Biranvand's sentence.

On April 14, 2020, Biranvand was released from prison following a state directive in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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