Iran sentences Kurdish political activist to over three years in prison
In Iran, Kurds and all dissidents are often sentenced to heavy penalties, even to death, on arbitrary charges and after a few minutes of show trials.
Yousef Haji-Khosh, a member of the Central Council and Executive Committee of the Kurdish United Front, has been sentenced to three years and four months in prison by the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Oshnavieh, West Azerbaijan Province, on charges of “acting against national security” by collaborating with a Kurdish opposition party.
The Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) reported that the sentence was handed down by Judge Ansari and that the political activist was informed of the verdict last week.
According to KHRN, Haji-Khosh was beaten and arrested by security forces during a raid on his home in the village of Kona Ghala on 1 May and taken to a security detention facility in Orumiyeh, West Azerbaijan Province.
He was provisionally released from Oshnavieh Prison on 30 May after posting bail of 10 billion rials – nearly 20,000 USD.
