Gonabadi Dervish, Yasser Akbari A'lam, Sentenced to Five Years in Jail

According to a close source, Yaser Akbari A’lam, a Gonabadi dervish who is held at Fashafuye Prison, has been sentenced to five years in prison by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court.

Yaser Akbari A’lam, 35, was arrested by the plain clothed officers and anti-riot police who had surrounded Pasdaran Street on February 19.

A close source told IHR, “Yaser was first transferred to an unknown place blindfolded, but later he was transferred to a hospital because of serious injuries he picked up during the interrogations. He was held at the hospital for a month before he was transferred to Fashafuye Prison.”

He continued, “During a trial which took only five minutes, he was sentenced to five years in prison on the charge of acting against national security, disobeying police orders, and disturbing public order. He wasn’t allowed to choose a lawyer. He wasn’t allowed to be released on bail either. On Saturday, August 11, his retrial was held at Branch 36 of the Revolutionary Court where his verdict will most probably be accepted.”

The clashes broke out on February 19 while a group of Gonabadi dervishes were protesting in front of a police station because of the arbitrary arrest of Ne’mat Riyahi, one of the Gonabadi dervishes. Hundreds of them were arrested and at least one of them, named Mohammad Raji, died during his detention. Furthermore, three police officers were killed after a bus ran over them. The Islamic Republic news sources identified the bus driver as Mohammad Salas, and a video was broadcast on TV showing him in a hospital when he confessed to his offense. Mohammad Salas was later sentenced to death three times in the court and his sentence was finally implemented at Rajai Shahr Prison on June 18.