Follower of Iranian Mystical Movement Handed Prison Term

The Revolutionary Court of Iran’s Alborz province has sentenced a follower of the Erfan-e-Halgheh spiritual movement to five years in prison, activists say.

After the court ruling, Abulfazl Pourhosseini was transferred to Karaj Central Prison, near Tehran, according to the HRANA human rights website.

Pourhosseini was charged with "forming an Erfan-e-Halgheh group" and "insulting” Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. His family has vehemently rejected the accusations.

Pourhosseini refused to sign the indictment against him, declaring that he did not recognize the legitimacy of his trial.

Violations of the rights of religious minorities and suppression of individuals based on their beliefs are commonplace in the Islamic Republic.

HRANA, citing an informed source, reported that Pourhosseini is also facing trial at Branch 2 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court on charges of "propaganda against the system" and " inciting people to disrupt national security." 

The verdict in this case has not yet been announced.

Pourhosseini was arrested in Karaj in June by intelligence officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

A source told IranWire that the man was severely beaten by plainclothes officers.

After his arrest, he spent a week in a police station in Karaj. During this time, his home was also searched.

This Karaj resident was previously arrested and released on bail in 2022 for participating in classes organized by members of the Erfan-e-Halgheh movement in the city of Qom. 

The Erfan-e-Halgheh movement was initiated by mystic Mohammad Ali Taheri four decades ago.

Taheri was sentenced to death by a Revolutionary Court in 2012, but the Supreme Court overturned the sentence to five years in prison.