Additional Name(s): مهران اصغرزاده
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Iran
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sufi
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Sentence: 5 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: February//2018
Date of Sentencing: July//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: Illegal Assembly Public Disorder Unlawful Disobedience
Mehran Asgharzadeh
Extra Bio Info:
Mehran Asgharzadeh was imprisoned for his religious association and for protesting religious freedom conditions.
In February 2018, authorities arrested Asgharzadeh 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. Asgharzadeh 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). Asgharzadeh was reportedly denied access to a lawyer.
In July 2018, Asgharzadeh was reportedly sentenced to seven years in prison. Asgharzadeh was expected to serve five years in prison as the sentences ran concurrently.
In March 2020, Asgharzadeh was reportedly released from prison following a state directive in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Asgharzadeh was reportedly subjected to inhumane living conditions and attacks during his detention.
Publicly Available Information:
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"Mehran Asgharzadeh" United For Iran
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"Iran: Over 200 Dervishes Convicted" Human Rights Watch
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"Mass Conviction of Sufi Protesters “Unprecedented in Iran’s Judicial History” Center For Human Rights In Iran
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"Iran: Crackdown on Dervish Minority" Human Rights Watch
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"Clashes Between Police and Sufis Leave Five Dead" Iran Wire
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"Six People Said Killed, 300 Arrests At Sufi Protest In Iran" Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
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"Clashes Highlight Tensions Between Dervishes And Iran's Establishment" Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
Gender: Female
Perpetrator: China
Religion or Belief: Falun Gong
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Sentence: 4 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: September//2019
Date of Sentencing: December//2019
Current Status: Unknown
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Distributing Religious Materials Religious Activity
Nature of Charges: Unknown
Zeng Yinlang
Extra Bio Info:
Zeng Yinlang was imprisoned for distributing religious materials.
In September 2019, authorities arrested Zeng as she was distributing Falun Gong-related materials in Susong county, Anhui province.
In December 2019, Zeng was sentenced to four years in prison and fined 10,000 yuan. She was also reportedly denied access to a lawyer of her own choosing.
Zeng's sentence should have ended September 2023.
Publicly Available Information:
Gender: Female
Perpetrator: China
Religion or Belief: Falun Gong
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Sentence: 3 Years, 10 Months' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: September//2019
Date of Sentencing: December//2019
Current Status: Unknown
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Distributing Religious Materials Religious Activity
Nature of Charges: Unknown
Li Xiaochun
Extra Bio Info:
Li Xiaochun was imprisoned for distributing religious materials.
In September 2019, authorities arrested Li after catching him handing out Falun-Gong-related materials.
In December 2019, Li was reportedly sentenced to three years and ten months in prison and fined 10,000 yuan.
Li's sentence should have ended in July 2023.