Iranian Political Prisoner Massoumeh Yavari Sentenced Amidst Ongoing Crackdown

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Staff Writer
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In a recent ruling that has drawn widespread attention and criticism, Iranian political prisoner Massoumeh Yavari was handed a severe sentence by the Revolutionary Court of Golpayegan, located in the central province of Isfahan.
In a recent ruling that has drawn widespread attention and criticism, Iranian political prisoner Massoumeh Yavari was handed a severe sentence by the Revolutionary Court of Golpayegan, located in the central province of Isfahan.

In a recent ruling that has drawn widespread attention and criticism, Iranian political prisoner Massoumeh Yavari was handed a severe sentence by the Revolutionary Court of Golpayegan, located in the central province of Isfahan.

The court, convening on December 5, 2023, found Mrs. Yavari guilty on multiple charges, resulting in a total sentence of 13 years in prison. However, with concurrent terms, she is mandated to serve seven years.

 

The charges against Mrs. Yavari included “destruction of public property,” for which she received a seven-year sentence, “membership in the opposition People’s Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK),” warranting a five-year sentence, and “propaganda against the state,” adding another year to her term. Notably, she was exonerated from the charges of Moharebeh (waging war on God) and communicating with hostile governments, which could have led to even harsher penalties.

Massoumeh Yavari, born in 1978, is a housewife and mother of two, residing in Golpayegan, Isfahan Province. Her arrest on September 4, 2023, by agents of the Intelligence Ministry marked a violent episode, involving an assault on her husband and a search warrant that permitted breaking into their home. The agents confiscated personal belongings in a raid that exemplifies the regime’s intrusive approach towards dissidents.

 

This is not Mrs. Yavari's first encounter with Iran's harsh penal system. She was previously detained in Tehran in September 2009 and served a three-year sentence for participating in protests and associating with the PMOI/MEK.
This is not Mrs. Yavari’s first encounter with Iran’s harsh penal system. She was previously detained in Tehran in September 2009 and served a three-year sentence for participating in protests and associating with the PMOI/MEK.

 

Compounding the severity of her situation is Mrs. Yavari’s health condition. She suffers from various ailments, including heart disease, blocked arteries, and severe hypothyroidism, and has recently undergone lumbar disc surgery. Reports indicate that her health is deteriorating significantly in prison.

Adding to the family’s woes, her son, Mohammad Mehdi Vossoughian, was arrested on September 20, 2023, in an apparent bid to coerce Mrs. Yavari into accepting charges and making forced confessions. Mohammad Mehdi, 21, endured brutal torture and suffered a severe intestinal infection while detained, only to be released on heavy bail after two months in a dire health condition.

These events occur against a backdrop of increasing repression by the Iranian regime. In a climate of fear of potential uprisings, the government is intensifying its crackdown on dissidents and activists, especially those affiliated with the PMOI/MEK. The recent execution of Ali Saber Motlagh, a 62-year-old PMOI supporter, in Lakan Prison of Rasht, and the re-arrest of several PMOI prisoners who had completed their sentences, underscores the regime’s desperate attempts to quell dissent and maintain its grip on power.

 

 

MEK Iran (follow us on Twitter and Facebook), Maryam Rajavi’s on her site, Twitter & Facebook, NCRI  (Twitter & Facebook), and People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran – MEK IRAN – YouTu

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