Keyvan Bazhan (Bajan)

Keyvan Bazhan is a writer, journalist, and member of the Iranian Writers' Association board. Keyvan Bazhan, Reza Khandan (Mahabadi), and Baktash Abtin were tried in May 2019 and sentenced to six years in prison. Baktash Abtin died after contracting Covid-19 disease in detention and due to the authorities' negligence.

The charges against Keyvan Bazhan and his co-defendants were based on their defense of freedom of expression, fighting censorship, attending the graves of Mohammad Mokhtari Mohammad Jafar Pooyandeh, and taking part in Ahmad Shamloo's anniversary memorial. Keyvan Baghen joined the Writers' Association of Iran in the 2000s and was elected to its board of directors for two terms. His novels "Yesterday to Infinity Zero" and the collection of short stories "Behind the Gray Walls" and "In the Alleys of Anxiety" are among his works. <symbol-timeline></symbol-timeline>

• <coverage-outsourcing id='24861'> He was summoned to the intelligence service. </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='24858'> He was summoned to the intelligence service. </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='24859'> Keyvan Bazhan and Reza Khandan Mahabadi were summoned to Evin Prison Courts. After that, Baktash Abtin had to appear before Evin Courts too. All three have been charged with "propaganda against the regime." </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='24860'> In the Branch Seven of Evin Prosecutor, the three were charged with “propaganda against the regime, assembly and collusion against national security and encouraging Iran's women to corruption and prostitution.” Previously, the first charge was the only one in their case. The bail order was also increased to 1000 million rials from 500 million rials. Five days later, the IWA stated to condemn “fabrication of charges and cases against [our] members.” </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='24869'> Reza Khandan Mahabadi and Keyvan Bazhan (Bajan), two Iranian Writers' Association (IWA) board of directors, and Baktash Abtin, one of the association's inspectors, were summoned to Branch two of the Revolutionary Court of Iran. Judge Moghiseh increased the IRR 1 billion Toman bail of Reza Khandan, Baktash Abtin, and Keyvan Bazhan to IRR 10 billion. Three members of the association were arrested and sent to Evin Prison due to their impossibility of providing bail. A few days later, all three were released on bail. </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='24867'> Judge Moghiseh tried Reza Khandan, Baktash Abtin, and Keyvan Bazhan. Several members of the Writers' Association appeared in court to support the three authors. </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='24868'> The International Pen Association issued a statement expressing concern over the trials of Bektash Abtin, Reza Khandan Mahabadi, and Keyvan Bazhan. </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='24871'> Branch 28 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, headed by Judge Moghise, issued a prison sentence for three writers and members of the Iranian Writers’ Association (IWA): Reza Khandan, Bektash Abtin, and Keyvan Bazhan for a 2015 case. They were all convicted of “propaganda against the regime” and “assembly and collusion against national security” and sentenced to six years in prison. based on Article 134, this sentence will be effectively reduced to five years. Evidence used against them is membership in IWA, helping publication of its books such as “Fifty Years of IWA,” publishing a domestic journal, visiting the graves of Shamloo, Mokhtari, and Pooyande, and signing statements against censorship and executions. </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='24870'> The Iranian Writers' Association (IWA) issued a statement in which they announced the sentence of Reza Khandan, Baktash Abtin, and Keyvan Bazhan to prison, condemning the sentence: > .. they have been tried and sentenced to prison because of their work in promoting freedom of expression and opposition to censorship. </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='28171'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2019/hranews/a-23199/?tg_rhash=22a41dd9689763'> Branch 36 of Tehran’s appellate court gave a discretionary prison sentence to three members of the Iranian Writer's Association. Based on the ruling, Bektash Abtin and Reza Khandan were each sentenced to six years. Keyvan Bazhan’s discretionary sentence was reduced to three years and six months in prison. After Article 134 application, Abtin and Khnadan will serve five years in prison each. It’s not clear how long Mr. Bazhan will have to serve in prison. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='31249'> <reference source='https://ifj-farsi.org/?p=5699'> Three members of the Writers' Association's prison sentences have been postponed. They attended the Judgment Enforcement Office along with their lawyers, but the prison sentence was postponed to another time by order of the branch's officials. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='32848'> <reference source='https://ifj-farsi.org/?p=6255'> Baktash Abtin and Reza Khandan Mahabadi, members of the Iranian Writers' Association board of directors, and Keyvan Bazhan, a former member of the association's board of directors, were transferred to Evin Prison to serve their sentence. Recently, the execution of their punishment had been postponed. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='32851'> <reference source='https://t.me/kanoon_nevisandegane_iran/449'> The Iranian Writers' Association issued a statement calling for the release of three association members. The statement called the charges against Reza Khandan, Baktash Abtin, and Keyvan Bazhan "baseless" and described the Islamic Republic's behavior as "criminal" and contrary to human rights standards. The statement called on human rights organizations to respond. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='33106'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/statements/a-537/'> Pen Australia has issued a statement protesting the sentencing of three Iranian Writers' Association members, Reza Khandan Mahabadi, Baktash Abtin, and Keyvan Bazhan, to three years in prison for "protesting against censorship" and "defending the freedom of expression." It stated in its call that it is the responsibility of all organizations, writers, and advocates of freedom of expression to support them and has called for their immediate release. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='33316'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/statements/a-541/'> According to reports received by HRANA, several prominent Iranian university professors and writers signed a joint letter to PEN international and human rights organizations, expressing concern over the health of prisoners of conscience and referring to the detention of Baktash Abtin, Keyvan Bazhan, Reza Khandan Mahabadi, and Khosrow Sadeghi Borujeni called on these institutions to "make the voices of these people heard by the people of the world and demand their immediate release with all their means." </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='33849'> <reference source='https://t.me/kanoon_nevisandegane_iran/528'> More than 1,300 writers, poets, artists, and civil and political activists issued a statement protesting the imprisonment of Baktash Abtin, Reza Khandan Mahabadi, and Keyvan Bazhan, demanding their release. "What these authors have done is oppose censorship and defend freedom of expression for all and without any exception. The imprisonment of these free-thinking writers, especially in the escalation of the Covid-19 pandemic, is a continuation of the same process of political chain assassinations of writers and free-thinkers to stifle any voice of protest against oppression and opposition to repression." </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='34725'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2021/hranews/a-28747/'> According to reports received by HRANA, Keyvan Bazhan has been deprived of being sent to a hospital and receiving medical treatment. Mr. Bazhan, who suffers from "hyperthyroidism," was prevented from being sent to a hospital on the pretext of not wearing prison clothes during the transfer. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='34818'> <reference source='https://t.me/kanoon_nevisandegane_iran/569'> The Iranian Writers' Association issued a statement condemning the execution of Alireza Nouri's prison sentence and called for him and all political and ideological prisoners to be released. The statement points out that in recent years, systematic repression and maximum pressure on activists in the field of thought and expression of growth and intensity has reached a record low, including "threats and prosecution based on false accusations and ultimately the issuance of prison sentences. They add, " We refer to the long prison sentences of poets and writers, including members of the Iranian Writers' Association, Reza Khandan (Mahabadi), Baktash Abtin, Keyvan Bazhan (Bajan), Giti Pourfazl, and now Alireza Nouri." </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='37075'> <reference source='https://t.me/kanoon_nevisandegane_iran/680'> Reza Khandan (Mahabadi), Baktash Abtin, and Keyvan Bazhan (Bajan) were awarded the American Pen Association's 2021 Pen/Barbey Freedom to Write Award. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='38340'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/amiramirgholi3/status/1501549452829642755?s=20&t=oRHyryH_5tfhxAHqpo1jPg'> Keyvan Bazhan is released on furlough for the remaining balance of his prison sentence. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>