Behzad Ali Bakhshi

He was arrested during the round-up of Civil and Human Rights activists in Arak in January 2017. These arrests took place after notice was given as to the death of Vahid Heydari who was arrested during the earlier nationwide protests.

<coverage-outsourcing id='20841'> Vahid Heydari was probably arrested on this date during the December 2017 protests in Arak. Six days later his family was informed that their child has committed suicide in prison. Iranian government officials initially claimed that he was an "addict" and his arrest had nothing to do with the protests </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='20845'> Mohammad Najafi, Ali Bagheri, Kian Sadeghi, Behzad Ali Bakhshi, Abbas Safari and possibly other individuals from Arak civil and human rights activists were arrested due to following up on the case of Vahid Heydari in a few days </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='20848'> HRANA has reported that Abbas Safari and Kian Sadeghi have been released, while Mohammad Najafi, Ali Bagheri and Behzad Ali Bakhshi remain in custody in Arak. Kian Sadeghi has been charged with “taking part in protests and propaganda against the state through filming and photography of the burial ceremony held for Mohammad Najafi’s mother”. The other four individuals have been charged with “taking part in protests, disrupting public order, disturbing public opinion, publishing falsehoods, as well as organizing and membership in groups conspiring against the state </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='20934'> Mohammad Najafi's lawyer, Payam Derafshan, told the Center for Human Rights in Iran that Mohammad Najafi, Ali Bagheri, Kian Sadeghi, Abbas Safari and Behzad Ali Bakhshi were arrested in connection with this case, and other than Abbas Safari [and possibly Kian Sadeghi] others are still in detention. The behavior of the agents during the arrest was violent and they broke the door of one of the houses. A number of other civil activists in Shazand were also summoned to the Intelligence Ministry's Office, Arak and Shazand Intelligence Ministry's Offices were involved in this case and 9 charges were brought to Mohammad Najafi. According to Tehran's Intelligence MInistry's agents, Shazand's intelligence Ministry's office has considered arresting the lawyers in this case, Mr. Derafshan and Keikhosravi, but they were prevented by Tehran agents. In Arak Prison, Mohammad Najafi and Ali Bagheri were had to wear prison uniforms and they have shaved their heads. The scope of the questions was wide, but security officers were more sensitive and concerned with the death of Vahid Heydari and that they were trying to, with asking "Inductive and repetitive questions", incite civil activists to accept that "Mohammad Najafi would arrange you to take you to protest" </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='21071'> He was released on bail </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='24176'> Mohammad Najafi, Ali Bagheri, Abbas Safari, Behzad Ali Bakhshi, Mohammad Yaghoubi, Yousef Shirilord, Neda Yousefi, Davoud Rahimi, Masoud Ajlou, Mohammad Torabi and Kian Sadeghi were sentenced to one year in prison and 74 lashes on the charge of "disruption of public order" by judge Mohammad Reza Abdollahi in Arak Public Court (branch number 102). Mohammad Najafi, Ali Bagheri, Abbas Safari and Kian Sadeghi were also sentenced to two years in prison on the charge of "agitating the public consciousness" </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='24175'> He was tried by judge Ali Mohammad Aliaei in Arak Revolutionary Court. Mohammad Najafi and Ali Bagheri were sentenced to 13 years in prison (Article 134: 10 years) and Behzad Ali Bakhshi and Masoud Ajlou were sentenced to a two-year suspended prison term </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='24274'> IRNA reported that Markazi Appeals Court (branch number 9) confirmed Mohammad Najafi's sentence, reduced Ali Bagheri's sentence to five years in prison (Article 134: four years and six months) and sentenced Masoud Ajlou and Behzad Ali Bakhshi to two years in prison </coverage-outsourcing>