Mir Yousef Younesi, a political prisoner with a history of enduring torment and incarceration spanning the Shah’s era and the Khomeini regime, has been sentenced to five years of imprisonment by the Revolutionary Court of Tehran. The court session, orchestrated by Iran’s judiciary under the dominance of executioners, unfolded without Mir Younesi’s presence, a deliberate omission due to his refusal to don prison attire. His son, Reza Younesi, residing in Sweden, revealed that the judge, Iman Afshari, not only insulted Mir Younesi but also obstructed his defense through legal representation.
The court’s decision, based on reports from officers and ignoring objections raised by Mir Younesi’s lawyers concerning the Ministry of Intelligence’s failure to present documents, is perceived by Reza Younesi as an act of revenge by the Ministry. Notably, the identical five-year prison sentence handed to Mir Younesi parallels that of another defendant, labeled “B,” who is presently outside Iran. Despite the prime suspect’s brief detention and subsequent release, Mir Younesi’s prolonged temporary detention, contrary to the regime’s laws, persists.
وکلا به عدم ارائه هیچ مدرکی از طرف وزارت اطلاعات اعتراض کردند. قاضی با رد اعتراض و بر اساس "گزارش ضابطین"، محکومیت را صادر کرد.
در سیستم فاسد جمهوری اسلامی، عمل نکردن به قوانین مصوب خود ج.ا جاى تعجب ندارد، که اگر غیر از این می‌بود هيچ محكوميتى برای #ميريوسف_يونسى صادر نمی‌شد.
٢/٣— Reza Younesi رضا يونسى (@RezaYounesi) January 9, 2024
The Ministry of Intelligence accuses Mir Younesi of a “financial connection with the Mujahideen-e-Khalq organization (MEK/PMOI).” This allegation stems from a claim that he paid 130 million rials (approximately $255) to an arrested individual, purportedly in support of a protester. Mir Younesi vehemently denies making such a payment, and no supporting documents have been presented. Instead, he asserts his role as an employee engaged in regular commercial transactions.
Mir Younesi’s plight is exacerbated by his son Ali Younesi‘s incarceration since March 2020. Ali, a distinguished student at Sharif University, earned silver and gold medals in the National Astronomy Olympiad. Alongside another Sharif University student, Amirhossein Moradi, Ali received a 16-year prison sentence in April 2020, confirmed in the appeals court, with charges including “corruption on earth,” “propaganda against the system,” and “collusion and cooperation against national security.”
The international community and member countries are urged to take urgent action to free Mir Yousef Younesi and other political prisoners. Calls for fact-finding missions to Iranian prisons, with a focus on political prisoners, especially Mir Younesi, underscore the severity of the situation and the need for external intervention.
