New Case File Against Majid Tavakoli, Bail at $190,000

Translation by Persian2English.com, December 29, 2010 – On Monday, a new case was filed against Majid Tavakoli by branch 4 of the Evin court on charges of “conspiring against national security of the country” and “propaganda against the regime”. The bail for these new charges was set at $190 thousand USD.

According to Daneshjoo News, Majid Tavakoli who was summoned to Evin court earlier this week did not deny that he wrote a letter that was widely published by “Green” media outlets for the occasion of National Student day (December 7th). Tavakoli also refused to accuse the “Green” media outlets and leaders of the Green Movement of deception and sedition. As a result of the publication attributed to Tavakoli while in prison, branch 4 of the Evin Court under [Judge] Haj Mohammad Bazpors charged Tavakoli with “conspiring against national security” and “propaganda against the regime”. A $190 thousand USD bail was set for the new charges.

According to the latest reports, Bahareh Hedayat, a member of Tahkim Vahdat (the Central Council of the Office for Consolidating Unity) was also summoned to Evin court a few days ago and is also facing similar charges. It is worth mentioning that on the eve of National Student Day, a statement attributed to Majid Tavakoli and Bahareh Hedayat addressed to Iranian students abroad was published by a number of Green media outlets.

It looks as though the numerous protests that took place across universities in Iran on National Student Day have led to a new wave of pressures on incarcerated student activists. In addition to exiling prisoners to far off locations and limiting and banning telephone and visitation privileges, the pressures now include new sentences being filed against the prisoners while they serve their already existing prison sentence. It is worth mentioning that a new case file issued while imprisoned makes it less probable for political prisoners to take advantage of legal rights such as temporary leave from prison. Majid Tavakoli has been deprived of a leave of absence from prison even though he has been incarcerated for over a year.

Majid Tavakoli, prominent student activist was arrested on December 7, 2009. Tavakoli was charged with conspiring against national security, attending demonstrations and disturbing public order, propaganda against the regime, and insulting the Supreme Leader and the President. He was initially sentenced to 8 1/2 years in prison but his sentence was later reduced to 7 1/2 years by the Appeals Court, based on article 46 of the Islamic Penal Code. Tavakoli was also banned from all political and social activities and the ability to leave the country for five years. Tavakoli was initially incarcerated in Evin prison and later transferred to Rajai Shahr [Gohardasht] prison in August 2010 on the orders of Reshte Ahmadi, the deputy prosecutor in the Evin court.

Tavakoli was previously sentenced to 30 months in prison for publishing an article at Amirkabir University. He was released from Evin prison after serving half his sentence. Tavakoli was arrested a second time in February 2009 on charges of acting against national security, propaganda against the regime, and insulting the Supreme Leader and the President. He was released on bail a few days before the presidential election in June 2009. This case is still pending in the court system.