Change for Equality:
According to reports from the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Kaveh Kermanshahi, journalist, human rights and women’s rights activist has been sentenced to serve 4 years mandatory prison by an appeals court ruling, presided by Judge Mohammad Ali Roshani. The appeals court reduced the original sentence issued in this case by 1 year. Kermanshahi’s lawyer was served with the appeals ruling on Wednesday March 16.

This human rights activist was initially sentenced by Judge Moradi in Branch One of the Revolutionary Courts in Kermanshah. He was charged with actions against nation security through membership in Organization to Defend Human Rights in Kurdistan, spreading of propaganda against the state through the publication of news and reports and by conducting interviews with media outlets, and having relations with the families of martyrs and those imprisoned. He was sentenced to five years in prison as a result of these charges.
The appeals court upheld four years of the five year sentence in the case of this human rights and women’s rights activist. Also, in an unusual step the courts have ruled that the property seized at Kaveh’s home during the search of the premises at the time of his arrest, which includes a laptop, a computer, mobile phone, camera, among other things were used in committing crimes, and should be confiscated by the Revolutionary Courts. Additionally, Kaveh’s passport, and personal documents have also been confiscated by the courts and have yet to be returned.

Kaveh Kermanshahi, was arrested in February 3, 2010 in Kermanshah and released on May 22, 2010 on a bail in the amount of 100 million Tomans, roughly $100,000.