Saeed Karimaei

Additional Name(s): سعید کریمایی

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Iran

Ethnic Group: Fars

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sufi

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: Yes

Date of Detainment: February/19/2018

Date of Release: March//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: Unknown

Saeed Karimaei

Extra Bio Info:

Saeed Karimaei was imprisoned for his religious association and for protesting religious freedom conditions.

In February 2018, authorities arrested Karimaei 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.

There are conflicting reports on Karimaei's sentence. In August 2018, Karimaei was reportedly sentenced to seven years in prison, 74 lashes, and two years of deprived social rights. Iran Wire later reported that Karimaei had been sentenced to three years and six months in prison. Karimaei's charges are unclear.

In March 2020, Karimaei was reportedly released following a state directive in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Karimaei was reportedly subjected to attacks and denied adequate medical care during his detention.