Iran Sentences Journalist to Over 6 Years in Prison

The Islamic Republic's authorities have sentenced journalist Ali Moslehi to six years and two months in prison, his lawyer said. 

According to lawyer Saeed Gholamian, the Kashan Revolutionary Court sentenced Moslehi to 15 months and one day in prison for "insulting the leadership" and to seven months and one day for "propaganda against the Islamic Republic."

In a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, the journalist's lawyer further stated that the Kashan Criminal Court handed down a sentence of three years and one month for "insulting sanctity" and one year and three months for "spreading lies."

Under the Islamic Penal Codes, the most severe punishment, a jail term of three years and one month, will be enforced.

Ali Moslehi was arrested at his residence in Kashan on July 20, 2023. After 70 days in detention, he was temporarily released pending the court convening and the verdict being issued.

Moslehi was a political columnist for a local news website called KashanNews.

In a report published in September 2023, the International Federation of Journalists noted that in the aftermath of the Women, Life, Freedom protests in Iran, "suppression of the media and arrest of journalists and the pressure on media workers has increased significantly." It also listed six journalists who were "unfairly" held in prison at the time, and among them was Ali Moslehi.