Younes Alsarkhi

Younes Alsarkhi is a poet from Bavi county in Khuzestan province who writes about social issues. He has been arrested and convicted for his activities several times.

He was arrested among a group of Arab ethnic activists in 2016. They had called on people to help clean the streets for Eid Aladha and had a related hashtag. <symbol-timeline></symbol-timeline>

• <coverage-outsourcing id='7364'> In mid-April, a number of aid workers who were helping the flood-stricken people in Khuzestan got arrested. Younes Alsarkhi was among these aid workers. </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='7356'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/YAlsarkhi/status/1416010494251503621?s=20&t=yG3Pxr1cS4uy4OWOOKKA9A'> Younes Alsarkhi, Adnan Bayanat, Mostafa Obaidavi, Ali Pairavinejad, and Rahim Sharahani were arrested. According to the reports, they were arrested for using a hashtag to call for a gathering to clean up a street in Ahvaz for Eid Aladha. According to his brother years later, Younes Alsarkhi was tortured at the time. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='15205'> They were released on bail. </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='15200'> The third branch of the revolutionary court of Ahvaz presided by judge Masoud Tahmasbi sentenced Rahim Sharhani to one year and Younes Alsarkhi to six months in prison. Ali Pairavinejad and Adnan Bayanat were sentenced to pay 10 million rials in fines. They were all charged with propaganda against the state through agitation and promoting ideas from Arab socialist groups for an illegal gathering. </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='41334'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/YAlsarkhi/status/1416010498773078016'> Yousef Alsarkhi was arrested. According to his brother, he was arrested on the "suspicion of participating in protests of villagers over land issues in Ilam province" along with Valid Savari. Later Younes Alsarkhi was tried and sentenced to prison for this case. His brother wrote on Twitter that his brother was charged with assembly and collusion to act against national security for which he received five years in prison. He said Younes had been arrested several times before. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='41335'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/YAlsarkhi/status/1416010498773078016'> Younes Alsarkhi was arrested and transferred to Sheyban Prison to serve his sentence. His brother Yousef Alsarkhi said on Twitter that the five-year sentence against him was confirmed by the appeal court of Khuzestan province. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='41336'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/Arash_sadeghii/status/1549871170392047619?s=20&t=HJVrV9PftXx-8St02AOmlA'> Human rights activist Arash Sadeghi reported on Twitter that Younes Alsarkhi needs medical attention but the prosecutor and prison authorities refuse to transfer him to the hospital or send him on a medical furlough. Mr. Sadeghi explained later that he is having shortness of breath because of a tumor in his chest. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='48051'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/Pourinouri91/status/1629526850740400133'> 12 civil rights activists and political prisoners released a joint statement demanding the immediate release of Kasra Nouri. The signatories point out that he must be released in accordance with the general pardon issued by the judiciary, but he hasn't. The signatories also demanded the release of other political prisoners in the same situation, such as Zahra Zehtabchi, Saeed Eghbali, and Younes Alsorkhi. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='49006'> He was released from prison. On February 5th, 2023, the Islamic Republic's Judiciary issued a memo that announced the beginning of the process of releasing some of the protesters arrested during the 2022 national uprising. According to the judiciary's Mizan website, and latest comments made by the spokesperson for the judiciary, this "pardon" is in honor of the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution and contingent on the prisoners expressing regret; The pardon is not extended to cases with charges such as "connection to dissident groups", and "destruction of public property". However, many of the released prisoners have posted videos and notes saying they never requested a pardon and never expressed regret. There are even videos of female activists taking off their hijab and chanting against the Islamic Republic in front of the prison moments after their release. The release of prisoners being called a pardon has caused massive reaction online and some activists on social media and human rights organizations consider it a PR stunt to repair some of the damage to Ali Khamenei's image. </coverage-outsourcing>