Farhad Salmanpour Zahir

Farhad Salmanpour Zahir is a political activist in Tehran. During the past decade, he has been arrested and sentenced to prison several times. In 2022 he escaped Evin Prison.

According to Farhad Salmanpour in an interview with VoA, in the past, he was an active member of Basij, and for a period he was a liaison for IRGC Intelligence in Basij forces. He also worked at Tehran municipality and the president's office due to his close connection with President Ahmadinejad's brother. He was arrested after sending the classified report of the chairman of the national security council at the time, Saeed Jalili, about the organizations involved in suppressing the 2009 protests, to the international criminal court. After that he was once arrested and sentenced to prison for his communications with Rouhollah Zam and sending reports for him, and once for exposing the financial corruption of Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi, a high-ranking Shia cleric and judge. <symbol-timeline></symbol-timeline>

<coverage-outsourcing id='7888'> Was arrested </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='7889'> Judge Salavati sentenced Farhad Salmanpour to 12 years in prison and 20 years in exile for the charges of acting against national security, 10 years in prison, and a permanent ban from government positions and revolutionary organizations for revealing classified IRGC documents, three years and four months in prison and ban on using furlough in prison for the charge of propaganda against the state, and one year in prison for insulting the leader. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='7891'> He went on temporary leave after posting almost 850 thousand dollars bail </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='7890'> HRANA reported that his sentence with the verdict of the appeal court and the application of article 134, was set at 12 years prison and two years exile. Also, the ban on him from taking leave was deemed illegal and removed. HRANA published two evidentiary documents along with this report, which can be found on this page </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='7892'> He returned to prison </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='7893'> He was transferred from Evin prison's ward 8 to ward 7 </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='7951'> Bam wrote on his behalf that he will resume his hunger strike if he is not returned to ward 8 </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='8085'> Bam published a detailed and thorough report about him. In this report it is claimed that, for years, he worked for the Basij and the security of the Intelligence of IRGC and in his capacity as an overseer he had conflicts with authorities over the treatment of different Basijis. This report claims that he, also, worked at the president’s office because to his friendship with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s brother. According to this report, his protesting of the problems in the aftermath of the 2009 elections, and his absence in the suppressions that followed, have led to sensitivity of the security forces towards him. Bam writes that he was kept for long period in solitary confinement after his arrest. He was tortured. His shoulder blade was broken, and for this reason he was hospitalized, they lied and told him his mother was dead. Afroozeh Salmanpour Zahir, his sister, was fired from the state run Seda va Sima radio and television network despite her 17 year tenure there. Security forces pressure on his family has forced his to remain silent in prison </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='8156'> Bam reported that his sister, Afrouzeh Salmanpour Zahir has, also, been barred from entering Seda Sima state television headquarters. The evidentiary documents that Bam published can be found in the evidence section of this page </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='12853'> Bam Reported that he was released from prison, some time ago. (It is not clear how), he was,once again, arrested </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='14626'> Several human rights websites maintained that he was arrested at Azadi stadium and is now in ward 209 of Evin prison, deprived of all telephone contact and visitation rights, because of printing flyers in support of Arash Sadeghi and also, flyers, that had “free Shahnaz Akmali’s Mom” written on them. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='16337'> According to Radio Farhang he embarked on a hunger strike from this date. He ended this strike 41 days later when he was transferred to ward 4 of Evin prison </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='16336'> Was transferred to Evin prison's ward 4 </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='16092'> According to Human Rights in Iran’s website, he was released on bail. According to this report, at the time of his arrest several soldiers of the Azadi stadium were also arrested for collaborating with him. Bam reported that he was arrested on charges such as “propagating against the state” </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='16338'> Radio Farhang reported that his recent arrest has been prolonged because of his contact with human rights organizations through internet searches after he was arrested at the Azadi stadium. When security forces noticed that he wanted to publish information regarding one of the presidential candidates, they kept him isolated in prison until after the elections </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='19124'> According to Human Rights in Iran, he was arrested and transferred to Evin prison's ward 209 </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='20337'> Human Rights in Iran website reported that he was released on bail. According to the report, he was sentenced to seven years in prison by judge Ahmadzadeh on charges "propagnada against the system" and "assembly and collusion against national security" and probably one more charge. Atlas, with the assumption of the application of Article 134, has registered five years in prison in the statistical section </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='21280'> There were reports of another heavy sentence against him. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='26467'> He was arrested. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='27682'> He was transferred to the 2-Alef ward in Evin Prison for five days. Sources reported that during this time he was brought face-to-face with Rouhollah Zam. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='27683'> <reference source='https://ipa.united4iran.org/media/file_evidence/New_Project_1.jpg'> According to the Campaign in Defense of Political and Civil Prisoners, his arrest warrant was changed to a bail of 10 billion rials. Mr. Salmanpour objected to the heavy bail in an open letter and expressed hope that the "ruling criminals" will themselves "be judged by freedom seekers in near future." </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='32617'> He was transferred to Fashafuyeh prison. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='32619'> <reference source='https://ipa.united4iran.org/media/file_evidence/EfSvm4NWoAAeBuE.jpg'> According to a document Atlas received, the third branch of investigation at Moghaddas court has cleared Mr. Salmanpour of the following charges: "Fake title, forging documents and stamp, insult and libel against the plaintiff, harassment on the phone, and cooperation in the escape of Saeed Malekpour. Some of these charges were from the complaint by the president's legal advisor. His case was sent to the revolutionary court for a review: > Assembly and collusion to act against national security through cooperation with dissident groups, websites, and media; propaganda against the state through publishing reports against the state online and publishing classified documents, insulting the leader and founder of the Islamic Republic, and disseminating lies with intent to agitate public opinion. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='32616'> <reference source='https://iranhr.net/fa/articles/4383/'> Farhad Salmanpour is in Fashafuyeh Prison. Iran Human Rights Organisation released a report on his bad health and lung problems that said due to the spread of coronavirus and lack of health protocols in this prison, his life is in danger. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='37525'> <reference source='https://iranhr.net/fa/articles/4974/'> He was transferred to the hospital in severe pain from broken vertebrae but was returned to prison without receiving any medical treatment. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='37792'> <reference source='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ej1mgrx6WI'> Attorney Mohammad Hossein Aghasi told Iran International that Farhad Salmanpour was thrown from the third level of the bunkbed to the floor. The attack caused broken vertebrae and damaged another. There is no information on the attack and the attacker was never pursued, which means it could be planned by the prison authorities. Based on IPA research, he was denied medical treatment for a long time. He has been convicted of assembly and conclusion to act against national security among other charges. His enforceable sentence is six years in prison. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='37524'> <reference source='https://iranhr.net/fa/articles/4974/'> Iran Human Rights Organization reported that in recent days Farhad Salmanpour has faced a new case regarding the suspicious death of Shahin Naseri. He has been charged with assembly and collusion against national security by "sending audio files and interviews with anti-revolutionary media like Iran International and channel 1, propaganda against the state and disseminating lies. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='37791'> <reference source='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0ZSB6kX1CE'> His attorney Mohammad Hossein Aghasi told Iran International that Mr. Salmanpour was attacked and stabbed by people armed with knives. Mr. Salmanpour exposed the suspicious death of Shahin Naseri. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='41524'> <reference source='https://www.radiofarda.com/a/32002503.html?withmediaplayer=1'> There have been contradicting reports about Farhad Salmanpour in prison. Attorney Mohammad Moghimi tweeted: > Yesterday, my former client and political prisoner Farhad Salmanpour, in an act of bravery and brilliance misdirected the Intelligence agents and escaped Evin Prison in a complex manner. At the same time, in an interview with Radio Farda, his current attorney Mohammad Hossein Aghasi made some contradictory comments about his client's escape from prison. He initially said after the escape, Farhadpour contacted his sister and told her that he has escaped the prison. But in the same interview, he said after the news of his client's escape broke, one of his ward mates called Mr. Salmanpour's family and told them that Farhad Salmanpour was kidnapped by Intelligence Ministry agents. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='42039'> <reference source='https://ir.voanews.com/a/6750598.html'> In an interview with VOA, Farhad Salmanpour said while he was being transferred to the infirmary, he entered the Moghaddas courthouse and left there as an Intelligence Ministry interrogator. He said the Intelligence Ministry agents have great confidence in Evin's court and prison, and that his main objective in this escape was to humiliate the Islamic Republic's intelligence and security agencies. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>