Appeals court increases jail term for M. Darvishi

Mohammad Darvishi, jailed Iranian student was handed an increased sentence of five years and six months in prison by an Iranian appellate court.

Mohammad Darvishi, a nursing student at Shahr-e Kord Open University, was arrested by Shahr-e Kord intelligence office in August for his role is issuing the student announcement condemning the execution of Farzad Kamangar and four other political prisoners in May.

He was held in solitary confinement for 21 days and after intense interrogations and one and half months in prison, was released on a $100,000 bail.

Darvishi was handed a sentence of three years and two months in prison in a Kouhdasht Revolutionary court in December.

Behzad Momeni Moghaddam, Darvishi’s lawyer has told Zamaneh: “A few days after receiving the verdict of the preliminary court and before the period of appeal was over and while the verdict of the appellate court was not yet issued, my client was once more arrested and transferred to Khoramabad Prison.”

He added: “While my client is in prison, the appellate court has issued a sentence which unfortunately rather then lightening Mohammad Darvishi’s sentence has instead increased it to five and a half years in prison.”

Darvishi’s lawyer indicated that he has no information regarding the situation of his client in prison since he is not allowed any visits even from his family.