Shapour Ehsanirad

Shapour Ehsanirad is a veteran labor activist and a member of the Free Iranian Workers Union. He is the representative of Saveh Profile company, where he was laid off, and a founding member of the labor pensioners’ welfare council. He was arrested for his union activism and received a prison sentence.

<coverage-outsourcing id='14043'> Jafar Azimzadeh, Saeed Youzi, Behnam Abrahimzadeh, Shapour Ehsani Rad, and several other workers activists were arrested for their efforts to celebrate international workers day. Other than the group that was freed in the previous days, the others were, mostly, taken to ward 209 of Evin and from the over time they were transferred to other wards of this prison. Different reports of assault and battery of the prisoners and confining them to long periods of incarceration in solitary cells have been published </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='8029'> He was arrested at his home </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='8032'> Jafar Azimzadeh was arrested while accompanying the family of Shapour Ehsani Rad, a member of the Free Union of Iranian Workers, and was sent to jail by the order of the judge at branch 1 of Saveh court </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='8030'> He was released from prison on bail of 200 million tomans </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='8028'> <reference source='https://bit.ly/3jCOlGJ'> The Saveh city prosecutor told ISNA that those arrested for the labor movements in Saveh were not actually workers. Jafar Azimzade and Shapour Ehsani Rad wrote a response to this claim which ISNA did not publish </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='8031'> "Free Union of Iranian Workers" reported that Jafar Azimzade and Shapour Ehsani Rad were summoned to branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Saveh on the charges of "Assembly and Conspiracy against national security, and propaganda against the regime," and were summoned to branch 101 of the criminal court of Saveh on the charges of "creating public fear, disturbing the public order, forging titles and jobs about offering legal consultation to workers." According to the report, their plaintiff in both cases was the employer at Safa Navard Va Loouleh Company </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='8631'> The trial session of Jafar Azimzade and Shapour Ehsani Rad was held in branch 101 of Saveh criminal court 2. Their attorney told ILNA that: > charges such as disturbing the public order and creating public fear were brought up for this case, and their other charges will be addressed on September 4th in the first branch of the Revolutionary Court of Saveh </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='8880'> His attorney told IRNA that the court session was postponed, and "due to some inconsistencies and insufficiencies in the case, the presiding judge referred the case to branch 4 investigation office for completion" </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='9811'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2016/hranews/a-7620/'> Mohammad Ali Jedari Foroughi, the defense attorney for Jafar Azimzade and Shapour Ehsani Rad, told ILNA that the Revolutionary Court of Saveh has sentenced both of his clients to 10 years in prison for founding the Free Union of Iranian Workers and one year in prison for propaganda against the regime, in accordance with article 498 of the criminal code of Islamic Law. He said that they will request an appeal </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='9729'> "Front Line Defenders" organization published a statement mentioning cases of Atena Daemi, Amir Amir Gholi, Saeed Shirzad, Jafar Azimzadeh, Shapour Ehsani, and Narges Mohammadi, and asked for the release and ending the persecution of human rights activists </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='15274'> Mohammad Ali Jedari, his attorney, told ILNA that the last hearing was held for Jafar Azimzadeh and Shapour Ehsani, took place on March 11, 2017, at branch 101 of the Criminal Court 2 of Saveh, on charges such as, “stirring public opinion” and “disturbing the order of the state”. The witnesses testified in favor of the defendants and the lawyer of the company, also, announced that he never had any complaints against Mr. Azimzadeh. He said, “according to the principles of the judiciary, without exception, a verdict has to be issued, but two months have passed and there is yet to be one issued for the defendants.” </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='15703'> Mohammad Ali Jedari Foroughi, told ILNA, that branch 8 of the appeals court of the Markazi province, has cleared Jafar Azimzadeh and Shapour Ehsani Rad of the charges of “propagating against the state” and “acting against national interest”. In the court proceedings it is stated that “since the referred to activities were legal and within the law, the totality of the done deeds do not constitute propagating against the state with the intention to threaten or damage to national security”. Mr. Jedari Foroughi gave news of their decision to submit a request for appeal of the six years imprisonment sentence given to Jafar Azimzadeh in another case </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='18609'> The Free Union of Iranian Workers (IIWU) published a statement condemned the verdict of lashing given to Shahpour Ehsanirad. According to this statement Mr. Ehsanirad was sentenced, by branch 101 of the criminal court 2 of the judiciary of the province of Saveh, on the charge of “disturbing the public order”, to six months prison which was turned into nine million toman cash fine and 30 lashes of the whip. The court acquitted Jafar Azimzadeh of the said charges </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='18612'> According to the Etehad, the website controlled by the Free Union of Iranian Workers (IIWU), 112 worker’s rights activists and teachers wrote a letter condemning the sentence of lashes given to Shahour Ehsanirad, and the hunger strike imposed on Reza Shahbi </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='25974'> He was arrested and transferred to Evin prison </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='26132'> Was sent to the general population </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='26445'> He was released on bail </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='27048'> He was sentenced to five years in prison by the 26th branch of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, His sentence ban from membership in groups and exile to Nik shahr </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='30496'> <reference source='https://ipa.united4iran.org/media/file_evidence/statement_lrd_iran_farsi_1.pdf'> The Front Line Defenders organization issued a statement condemning the crackdown and the continued detention of several union activists and requested for the unconditional release of them. The names mentioned in this statement: > Jafar Azimzadeh, Parvin Mohammadi, Nahid Khodajoo, Shapor Ehsanirad, Mohammad Habibi and Esmaeil Abdi. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='31180'> <reference source='https://iranwire.com/fa/news/markazi/38877'> He was arrested by agents in Saveh. According to court authorities in Saveh, he has been transferred to Tehran to serve his sentence. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='33169'> <reference source='http://www.ensafnews.com/264118/'> According to Ensaf News, the supreme court has rejected his request for a retrial. His attorney Mohammad Saleh Nikbakht told Ensaf News that “the supreme court has not read the content of the case and only decided based on the previous indictment.” He said: “My client has not been a member of any illegal groups and therefore has not colluded with anyone; he has always been merely a guild activist”. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='34149'> <reference source='http://www.etehad-e.com/%d8%b4%d8%a7%d9%be%d9%88%d8%b1-%d8%a7%d8%ad%d8%b3%d8%a7%d9%86%db%8c-%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%af-%d8%a7%d8%b2-%d9%85%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%82%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%a8%d8%a7-%d8%ae%d8%a7%d9%86%d9%88%d8%a7%d8%af%d9%87-%d9%85/'> According to the Free Iranian workers Union, Shapour Ehsanirad was denied a family visit for three weeks for objecting to the prison conditions. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='35068'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2021/hranews/a-29232/'> He was sent to the quarantine ward of the Greater Tehran Prison as punishment without any explanation. In addition to the lack of basic comfort, his transfer to quarantine increases his risk of contracting coronavirus. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='35138'> According to an IPA source, Shapour Ehsanirad and Pouya Ghobadi were returned from quarantine to their previous wards. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='37034'> <reference source=''> An IPA source reported that a number of political prisoners in the second brigade of the Greater Tehran Prison were attacked and assaulted by the general population prisoners. During this incident, Shapour Ehsanirad, Pouya Ghobadi, Esmail Gerami, Akbar Bagheri, and Akbar Faraji were injured and taken to the infirmary. The source told IPA that after the altercation, 14 political prisoners were transferred to hall one of the second brigade. The prisoners were forcefully moved to hall one, which is known for its terrible conditions, in the presence of special forces and prison authorities. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='38877'> <reference source='https://t.me/ettehad/104379'> He went on medical furlough. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='41550'> <reference source='https://t.me/ettehad/104379'> His medical furlough was not extended, and he returned to Evin Prison. According to the Free Iranian Workers’ Union, he had a cornea transplant on his right eye, and the doctor had recommended that due to the need for constant medical surveillance and lack of medical care in prison, his furlough be extended. But he was summoned by the verdict enforcement office. It was also reported that Mr. Ehsanirad has been summoned to the 101st branch of the public court of Fashafouyeh for a new case that was brought against him and a few other political prisoners while in prison. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='41585'> The 101st branch of the public court of Fashafouyeh sentenced eight political and civil rights activists in a joint case to a sum of 92 months and 400 lashes. According to the ruling that was sent to IPA, Alireza Farshi, Esmail Gerami, Pouya Ghobadi Bistouni, Akbar Bagheri, Davoud Abdollahi, Akbar Faraji, Shapour Ehsanirad, and Shahab Soltanian were each sentenced to 11 months and 15 days in prison and 50 lashes for the charge of disrupting the order in prison. Judge Mohammad Hossein Kachooei presides over the 101st branch of the public court of Fashafouyeh. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='47171'> <reference source='https://t.me/kashowra/15089'> She was released. 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. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>