Additional Name(s): مصطفی عبدی
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Iran
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sufi
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Sentence: 7 Years, 6 Months' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: February//2018
Date of Sentencing: August//2018
Date of Release: February/12/2023
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 Incitement to Commit Crime & Violence Insulting Public Officials & Institutions Public Disorder Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials Unlawful Disobedience
Mostafa Abdi was imprisoned for his religious association and for protesting religious freedom conditions.
In February 2018, authorities arrested Abdi 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. Abdi was reportedly charged with "propaganda against the state" (Art. 500 IPC), "refusing police orders" (Art. 607 IPC), "insulting state employees" (Art. 609 IPC), "assembling and colluding to act against national security" (Art. 610 IPC), "disrupting public order" (Art. 618 IPC), and "agitating the public consciousness" (Art. 698 or 746 IPC or Art. 18 of the Computer Crimes Act). Abdi was reportedly denied access to a lawyer.
In August 2018, Abdi was reportedly sentenced to 26 years in prison, 148 lashes, two years in exile, two years of deprived social rights, and a two-year travel ban. Abdi is expected to serve seven years and six months in prison as the sentences run concurrently.
In March 2019, a Tehran appeals court reportedly upheld Abdi's sentence.
In March 2022, it was reported that Abdi had contracted COVID-19 while in prison.
On February 12, 2023, Abdi was released from prison.
Abdi was reportedly subjected to attacks and inhumane living conditions during his detention.
Abdi was previously imprisoned for his religious activity.
HRANA English, Tweet, February 13, 2023
USCIRF Country Update: Religious Freedom in Iran in 2022 July 2022
USCIRF Commissioner Sharon Kleinbaum, Tweet, March 7, 2022
ARAM Iran, Tweet, March 2, 2022
"Mostafa Abdi" United For Iran
"Iran Appeals Court Upholds Lengthy Prison Sentences, Lashings Against 23 Dervishes" Center For Human Rights In Iran
"Iran: Over 200 Dervishes Convicted" Human Rights Watch
"Mass Conviction of Sufi Protesters “Unprecedented in Iran’s Judicial History” Center For Human Rights In Iran
"Iran: Crackdown on Dervish Minority" Human Rights Watch
"Clashes Between Police and Sufis Leave Five Dead" Iran Wire
"Six People Said Killed, 300 Arrests At Sufi Protest In Iran" Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
"Clashes Highlight Tensions Between Dervishes And Iran's Establishment" Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)