New Charges Against Reformist Journalist Soroush Farhadian

The reformist journalist Soroush Farhadian, who was sentenced last year to seven months in prison, has been indicted on fresh charges, according to a report from the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) [link in Persian].

Farhadian was released on March 5 on a bail of 500 million tomans, or more than $150,000.

“Last week my client was summoned by the police and they conducted the preliminary interrogations,” said Farhadian’s lawyer Saleh Nikbakht. He added that Farhadian had been charged with “propaganda against the regime” and “insulting the Supreme Leader.” Farhadian has denied both charges.

In 2016, Farhadian faced charges of propaganda against the regime, threatening national security, “spreading lies” and “insulting the Guardian Council” after he objected to the house arrest of Green Movement leaders following the 2009 presidential election and the popular uprising that followed. The prosecution dropped all charges except for propaganda against the regime, and the Revolutionary Court sentenced him to seven months in prison in September 2016. At the beginning of 2017, the appeals court vacated the prison sentence and sentenced him to a cash fine.

Farhadian’s lawyer has questioned why his client now faces the same charges again so soon after the previous verdict was decided. 

During questioning and his trial, Farhadian defended his right to freedom of speech and said that he had acted within the law. His lawyer argued that questioning the authorities was part of his client’s job as a journalist. [link in Persian].

Soroush Farhadian has worked with many reformist publications in Iran including Shargh, Etemad and Bahar. He currently works as editor-in-chief of the reformist magazine Rouberou (“Face To Face”).