Pirouz Nami

According to Human Rights in Iran, quoting the Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers' Trade Associations, in recent weeks, Pirooz Nami, a teacher and cultural activist living in Ahvaz, the capital of Khuzestan province, was summoned to Branch 113 of the Ahvaz Criminal Court 2 for trial after receiving a written notice through the Sana system. Pirooz Nami had previously been sentenced to a fine instead of imprisonment in the first part of this case in Khordad of the current year by the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court.

According to the texts included in the notice issued by the head of Branch 113 of the Ahvaz Criminal Court 2, Pirooz Nami is scheduled to appear at 8:30 am on August 6, 2023, to present his defense against the charges of "spreading lies", "propaganda against the system", and "participation in illegal gatherings".

Pirooz Nami, due to his peaceful trade activities, such as "participation in teachers' protest gatherings" aimed at achieving the demands of these citizens, has faced judicial proceedings. Article 27 of the Iranian Constitution explicitly emphasizes the right of each citizen to hold protest gatherings without carrying weapons and away from violence.

It should be noted that Pirooz Nami, in the first part of this case, was tried on June 17, 2023, by Branch 2 of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court and presented his defense against the charges attributed by the court judge. On June 19, 2023, he was sentenced to pay a fine of 2,500,000 Tomans instead of three months of discretionary imprisonment for the charge of "propaganda against the system".

Also, on May 9, 2023, the interrogation and charge explanation session of Pirooz Nami was held in the interrogation branch of the General and Revolutionary Court of Khuzestan province.

Pirooz Nami was also summoned on March 11, 2023, to Branch 3 of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court to present his defense for the review date of May 28, 2023.

In late December 2022, he was sentenced in absentia by Branch 1 of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court, headed by Ehsan Adib Mehr, to one year of discretionary imprisonment, two years of disqualification from trade activities, and two years of travel ban for the charge of "propaganda against the system". After announcing the request for retrial and holding a court session after presenting the defense on February 29, 2023, he was again sentenced to one year of discretionary imprisonment, two years of disqualification from membership in parties, groups, and social-political associations, and two years of travel ban. His case is in the appeal stage.

Pirooz Nami was arrested by security forces in Ahvaz during the nationwide protests on October 22, 2022, and after being transferred to detention and undergoing interrogation and questioning stages, he was transferred to one of the prisons in Ahvaz and was released on bail on November 9, 2023.

This cultural trade activist, residing in Ahvaz, has been repeatedly summoned, arrested, interrogated, and even prosecuted by security agencies in Ahvaz.

Among them, Pirooz Nami was first arrested by security agents in the town of Chaharshir, a suburb of Ahvaz, on November 12, 2018, before the start of the second round of teachers' protest sit-ins across the country. After being transferred to detention and undergoing interrogation and charge explanation stages, he was released on bail on November 30, 2018.