Ali Reza Farshi Dizajyekan

Alireza Farshi is a writer and civil rights activist from Marand. He is very prominent among activists fighting for ethnic language rights in Iran. Mr. Farshi is a computer engineering graduate from Sharif University and got his Masters at Tehran University. As a professor he was fired from Jolfa university and Seraj Institute.

Ali Reza Farshi is the founder of the campaign for "a Turkish library in every village". He has established dozens of libraries in deprived villages of East Azarbaijan province. Ali Reza Farshi is the son of Bahman Farshi who was killed in the Iran-Iraq war. He was a commander of the 31st Ashura army and was killed in the Badr operation. <symbol-timeline></symbol-timeline>

<coverage-outsourcing id='41989'> Bahman Farshi, Alireza Farshi's father, lost his life during the Iran-Iraq war and in the "Badr" operation. Bahman Farshi was one of the commanders of the 31st Ashura Army in the Iran-Iraq war. He is still "missing in action". </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='41991'> Ali Reza Farshi was arrested. According to a source, he was arrested during a gathering to protest jokes made by comedian Hamid Mahisefat. The protesters said the jokes were insulting to Iranian Turks. He was released shortly after. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='41992'> He was arrested for an article in Pool (Money) magazine and was taken to ward 209 of Evin Prison. He was released shortly after. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='41993'> With pressure from the Intelligence Ministry, Ali Reza Farshi was fired from the Seraj Institute of Higher Education in Tabriz. According to a source, he had been a member of the faculty there since 2006. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='41994'> He was arrested during the morning ceremony in El-Goli village near Tabriz for lifting a sign that said "school in Turkish." He was then transferred to Tabriz's Intelligence office. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='41999'> According to an IPA source, Ali Reza Farshi was transferred from the Intelligence Ministry lockup to the Central Prison of Tabriz. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='42000'> According to IPA, Ali Reza Farshi was released from Tabriz Prison on a bail of 700 million rials. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='41997'> Ali Reza Farshi and Sima Didar were each sentenced to one year in prison. according to the indictment that IPA has received, the third branch of the revolutionary court of Tabriz presided by judge Alinejad sentenced Mr. Farshi and Ms. Didar to one year in prison with time served for the charge of propaganda against the state. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='42001'> According to a source, the appeal court of East Azarbaijan province reduced the sentences of Sima Didar and Ali Reza Farshi to six months in prison. They were charged with propaganda against the state. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='41988'> According to an IPA source, The International Jolfa branch of the Islamic Azad University fired one of its professors Ali Reza Farshi for his activities in promoting the Iranian Turkish (Azari) language and culture. According to a document that IPA has received, a letter signed by the dean of the International Jolfa branch Adel Najafzadeh states that the reason for his firing was his sentence to one year in prison. Another document shows that Adel Najafzadeh informed Ali Reza Farshi of his decision. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='42002'> According to an IPA source, Sima Didar and Ali Reza Farshi were transferred to Tabriz Prison to serve their sentences. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='42003'> Sima Didar and Ali Reza Farshi were released from prison after serving their sentences. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='28512'> <reference source='https://prisonatlas.com/turk_appeal/'> Ali Reza Farshi, Akbar Azad, Behnam Shaikhi, and Hamid Monafi were arrested along with others in a ceremony on International Mother Tongue Day in Tehran. They were taken to ward 209 of Evin Prison. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='36201'> HRANA reported that two months after International Mother Tongue Day, those arrested in the ceremony have not been released. The judiciary and Evin Prison refuse to give clear answers to the families. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='36202'> <reference source='https://bit.ly/3hnKCuY'> He was released on bail. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='41984'> According to a document that IPA has received, Ali Reza Farshi's application to become a candidate for parliament was rejected. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='28513'> <reference source='https://prisonatlas.com/turk_appeal/'> The first branch of the revolutionary court of Baharestan issued heavy sentences for four of the participants in the International Mother Tongue Day event. Ali Reza Farshi was sentenced to 15 years in prison and two years in exile, and Akbar Azad, Behnam Shaikhi, and Hamid Monafi each received 10 years in prison and two years of exile. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='42010'> <reference source='https://t.me/Amnesty_International/610'> On International Mother Language Day, Amnesty International issued a statement addressing the Islamic Republic, demanding the release of Ali Reza Farshi. The statement reads: > Brave is he, who starts campaigns in support of the rights of minorities. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='28520'> <reference source=''> He was arrested at his workplace. After searching his workplace, the Intelligence Ministry agents took him to their lockup. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='28514'> <reference source='https://prisonatlas.com/turk_appeal/'> The 54th branch of the appeal court of Tehran sentenced Ali Reza Farshi, Akbar Azad, Behnam Shaikhi, and Hamid Monafi Nadarli to two years in prison and two years in exile. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='29728'> <reference source='https://prisonatlas.com/%d8%b9%d9%84%db%8c%d8%b1%d8%b6%d8%a7-%d9%81%d8%b1%d8%b4%db%8c/'> Was sent to the general population </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='29990'> <reference source='https://prisonatlas.com/%d8%b9%d9%84%db%8c%d8%b1%d8%b6%d8%a7-%d9%81%d8%b1%d8%b4%db%8c%d8%8c-%d9%81%d8%b9%d8%a7%d9%84-%d8%a7%d8%aa%d9%86%db%8c%da%a9%db%8c-%d8%aa%d8%b1%da%a9%d8%8c-%d8%a7%d8%b2-%d8%b2%d9%86%d8%af%d8%a7%d9%86/'> He was released on bail </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='31666'> <reference source=''> He was arrested to serve his sentence and sent to Evin prison </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='31727'> <reference source='https://prisonatlas.com/علیرضا-فرشی-و-بهنام-شیخی-از-ضرب-و-شتم-خ/'> According to IPA, Ali Reza Farshi and Behnam Sheikhi informed their families that they had been beaten during their detention by telephone. The officers did not provide an arrest warrant while arresting them, and It has led to their resistance. The officers had beaten the two ethnic activists </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='35333'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/letters/a-819/'> In an open letter to the chief of judiciary Ebrahim Raisi, he complained about the assaults and insults by the arresting officers. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='31826'> <reference source='https://prisonatlas.com/سه-فعال-اتنیکی-ترک-به-بند-هشت-زندان-اوین/'> In a phone call to his family he told them that he is ward 8 of Evin Prison. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='42016'> Based on a copy that IPA has received, Ali Reza Farshi filed a lawsuit against the officers who assaulted him during the arrest and against the interrogators of his case. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='35334'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2020/hranews/a-26103/'> Following the outbreak of Coronavirus among the prisoners of the 8th Ward of Evin Prison, Alireza Farshi along with 26 political prisoners of this ward organized a sit-in in the prison yard and demanded immediate attention to the situation in this prison. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='32174'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/letters/a-823/'> He wrote a letter to the judicial deputy of Evin Prison and asked him to look into the prison situation and observe social distancing during the Coronavirus outbreak. In a part of the letter, referring to the rejection of leave requests of the prisoners, he says: > Is the prison going to turn into a slaughterhouse for prisoners?" > In another part of his letter, he wrote, "All the prison grounds are full of prisoners who share the same air without observing any health protocol, and they do not have enough sanitary and disinfectant supplies at their disposal. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='32104'> <reference source='https://bit.ly/3246rbm'> According to IPA reports, three ethnic Iranian-Turkish activists were transferred to another location after the ward 8 prisoners complained about the sanitation of prison and spread of coronavirus. According to their calls to their families, Behnam Shaikhi was moved to detention 4 of Evin Prison, Hamid Monafi to hall 8 of detention 8, and Alireza Farshi to hall 9 of detention 8. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='32510'> <reference source='https://bit.ly/3kmExyJ'> According to IPA reports, in a brief phone call to his family, Alireza Farshi reported that he is now in the quarantine ward 1 of Fashafuyeh Prison in Tehran. Sources say the reason for his transfer could be his complaints from prison about his arrest and the bad conditions at Evin Prison. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='32710'> <reference source='https://bit.ly/2FR3DXW'> According to IPA, Ali Reza Farshi was transferred to room 12 of hall 2 of detention 2 in Fashafuyeh prison. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='32873'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/letters/a-829/'> In a letter to Ebrahim Raisi the chief of judiciary, Ali Reza Farshi asked him to protect the rights of prisoners and punish the Intelligence Ministry interrogators who violate them. He wrote: > Who can teach them to follow the law? Don't they need any qualification? Who recruits and hires these people at the Intelligence Ministry and why isn't anyone standing up to their illegal and inhumane behavior? </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='34433'> <reference source='http://bit.ly/3cc7e0B'> The Azerbaijan Political Organizations Platform released a statement that mentions the release of Latif Hosseini and demands the immediate and unconditional release of Abbas Lesani, Ali Reza Farshi, Siamack Mirzaei, Yousef Kari, and other political and ideological Azeri prisoners. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='42019'> <reference source='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eGIhHJa3YU'> The documentary "Ana Dilim", made by Mohammad Ali Moradi, a journalist and documentary maker from Tabriz was released. It is about the activities of Alireza Farshi in the field of defending the linguistic rights of the ethnic groups living in Iran. Over the past decade, Alireza Farshi has established dozens of libraries containing thousands of books in the Turkish villages of Iran. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='35335'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2021/hranews/a-28857/'> The arraignment session of Ali Reza Farshi was held through video conference at the third branch of Evin Court regarding another one of his cases. He was charged with assembly and collusion against national security propaganda against the state. Mr. Farshi called the session a show trial and said he was only informed about the time of the arraignment session 12 hours in advance. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='41976'> As he was serving time in prison, in a phone call to his friends he informed them of a new case against him. An IPA source reported that Mr. Farshi says the Ministry of Intelligence has framed him. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='35328'> <reference source='https://bit.ly/3fuzGfG'> Ali Reza Farshi was transferred to 26th branch of the revolutionary court of Tehran. IranWire reported that the session was held without advance notice and therefore Mr. Farshi refused to attend the court session. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='35383'> <reference source='https://bit.ly/3wrxMCA'> Radio Zamaneh reported that Mr. Farshi has released an audio file from Evin Prison, stating that he has been convicted in a completely unjust trial. He said the trial was held only for five minutes without the presence of his attorney. In this audio file Mr. Farshi says: > In the eyes of the judiciary officials in charge of the case, donating books in Azeri language to distant villages of Azarbaijan is the basis for the charge of propaganda against the state, and publishing the images of Azarbaijani prisoners including Abbas Lesani is a basis for the charge of assembly and collusion against national security. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='35382'> <reference source='https://bit.ly/3fDsVZ7'> According to Radio Zamaneh, the 26th branch of the revolutionary court of Tehran presided by judge Iman Afshari sentenced Alireza Farshi to eight months in prison for propaganda against the state and three years and six months in prison for assembly and collusion against national security. He was also banned for two years from joining any political group or party and two months of mandatory public service for the recycling center of the municipality (After article 134: three years and six months and one day in prison is enforceable). </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='35790'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2021/hranews/a-30000/'> He went on temproary furlough. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='35825'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2021/hranews/a-30051/'> He returned to prison at the end of his furlough. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='35959'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2021/hranews/a-30224/'> According to HRANA, the 36th branch of the appeal court of Tehran province confirmed Mr. Farshi's sentence of four years and two months in prison on the charges of assembly and collusion against national security and propaganda against the state verbatim (Article 134: Three years and six months and one day). </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='36203'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2021/hranews/a-30706/'> HRANA report that Mr. Farshi was transferred to Loqman Hospital for glands and metabolism tests. He recently suffered high blood sugar, failing eyesight, infection in the left eye, and numbness in the right hand. The lack of treatment for his diabetes had caused tremors in his body. IranWire also reported that in his most recent phone call, Ali Reza Farshi told his relatives that there is a list of 18 prisoners were he is being held, which are known as the "forbidden prisoners" and they are denied access to most rights and privileges. He said if prisoners complain, they will be sent to the dangerous criminals' ward for a few days where they would get harrassed and beaten. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='42018'> <reference source='https://iranhr.net/fa/statement/51/'> 18 human rights organization in Iran released a statement expressing concerns for the abuse of Ali Reza Farshi, and demanded his immediate release and access to necessary medical treatment. The signatories condemned the "tyrannical, inhumane , and humiliating" treatment of Mr. Farshi by the prison authorities and demanded legal action against the agents who assaulted and "tortured" him. The statement goes on to say: > The evidence shows that Mr. Farshi was convicted in a completely unjust trial and we fear that he was targeted for his activities for ethnic rights, which makes him an ideological prisoner." > There was an online campaign which trended on Twitter with #علیرضا_فرشی (AlirezaFarshi) in support of Ali Reza Farshi after the news of his bad health in prison and lack of sufficient medical treatment broke. Civil rights activists in Tabriz and Marand distributed flyers around the cities protesting to the negligence of prison and judiciary officials about the health of political prisoners. A banner was raised in Marand that said "Alireza Farshi's life is in danger . </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='36642'> <reference source='https://iranwire.com/fa/provinces/51922'> The 11th branch of the supreme court rejected Ali Reza Farshi's request for a retrial. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='42027'> With the beginning of the new school year, he went on a three-day hunger strike in protest of the lack of education in mother tongues for ethnicities in Iran. In an open letter in Azari and Persian from prison, he protested the opposition to article 15 of the constitution about teaching the literature of ethnicities in schools, injustice and unfair trials in cases of civil rights activists, concentration of wealth and power in the center of the country, and discrimination against the "ethnicities in marginal areas". At the same time, Abbas Lesani, a political prisoner in Ardebil Central Prison went on hunger strike in support of Alireza Farshi's demands. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='37032'> <reference source=''> According an IPA source, a group of political prisoners in Greater Tehran Prison were attacked and assaulted by prisoners of general population ward. During the incident Shapour Ehsanirad, pouya Ghobadi, Esmail Gerami, Akbar Bagheri, and Akbar Faraji were hurt and some of them were taken to the infirmary. This source told IPA that 14 political prisoners were moved in the presence of riot forces and prison authorities to ward 1 of the 2nd brigade, which is known as the closed ward and has terrible conditions. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='37741'> <reference source='https://iranwire.com/fa/news/tehran/54816'> IranWire reported that the 3rd branch of the Evin court has issued an order of non-suit for the two agents who had assaulted Ali Reza Farshi in the eyes, throat, head, and face while arresting him. Due to severe damage to his cornea the doctor has ordered surgery. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='37902'> <reference source='https://iranwire.com/fa/news/tehran/55240'> Ali Reza Farshi and Hojjatollah Rafei went on a three-day hunger strike in protest of the cultural discrimination against Iranian ethnicities and in support of the workers and teachers' protests. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='39277'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2022/hranews/a-33227/'> He was sent on medical furlough. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='39276'> <reference source='https://www.instagram.com/p/CdXXUh8jA9k/'> While on medical furlough Ali Reza Farshi reported on his Instagram page that his furlough has been extended. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='41582'> The 101st branch of Fashafuyeh court sentenced eight political and civil rights activists to the sum of 92 months and 400 lashes. According to the indictment that ATlas has received, Ali Reza 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. The 101st branch is presided by Judge Mohammad Hossein Kachooei Harlang and the case relates to the altercation between prisoners in September 2021. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='41974'> According to an IPA source, the first branch of sentence enforcement of Area 33 in Tehran summoned Ali Reza Farshi to serve the rest of his sentence. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='41973'> The 36th branch of the appeal court of Tehran sentenced Ali Reza Farshi for his two cases combined to five years in prison. According to a source, Mr. Farshi was sentenced to four years in prison for assembly and collusion against national security and one year in prison for propaganda against the state (Article 134: four years enforceable). </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='41975'> Ali Reza Farshi was transferred to Evin Prison to serve the rest of his sentence. According to an IPA source, after reporting to the Greater Tehran Prison, Mr. Farshi was handcuffed, shackled, and was transferred to Evin Prison. They did not allow him to take his personal belongings from Greater Tehran Prison. He was returned to prison while his cornea still has stitches and he is being treated for diabetes. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='42650'> According to IPA sources, in a phone call to his family, Ali Reza Farshi said he is in ward 4 of Evin Prison along with Akbar Naeimi and Tohid Amir Moeini, and none of them were hurt in the Evin fire. During the countrywide protests in Iran in reaction to the murder of Mahsa Amini, parts of Evin Prison were set on fire. A number of prisoners lost their lives, and some were wounded by the bullets shot by the prison guards. A number of prisoners suffered poisoning from breathing in the smoke and tear gas. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='43359'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2022/hranews/a-37748/'> The 78th branch of the appeal court of Tehran exonerated the right former prisoners from Greater Tehran Prison. According to HRANA, Ali Reza Farshi, Shapour Ehsanirad, Akbar Faraji, Shahab Soltanian, Esmail Gerami, Akbar Bagheri, Pouya Ghobadi Bistouni, and Davoud Abdollahi were cleared of the charge of disrupting the order in prison. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='46896'> <reference source='https://bit.ly/3I16Otr'> A group of political prisoners in Evin Prison wrote a letter expressing sympathy and concern for the victims of the earthquake in Khoy. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='47042'> <reference source='https://www.instagram.com/p/Coa2f5lsmk6/'> 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 a 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>
<coverage-outsourcing id='47150'> <reference source='https://www.instagram.com/p/CojogTEsenM/'> Alireza Farshi published a post on his Instagram page and announced that his release from prison was due to a reduced sentence and was not subject to amnesty. He has written in this post that after going to the first branch of the Evin Prosecutor's Office, the head of the branch informed him that he must present himself to this branch in two weeks in order to serve two years of exile in Bagh Malik, Khuzestan. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='51048'> <reference source='https://www.instagram.com/p/CsBAiCys0Ra/'> He was summoned to serve two years of exile. Alireza Farshi published a post on his Instagram page and wrote that he was contacted by the first branch of the Evin Prosecutor's Office and was asked to go to this branch next week to serve the mandatory residence order in Bagh Malek, Khuzestan. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='51518'> <reference source='https://www.instagram.com/p/CsfsxVaMLFJ/'> Alireza Farshi published a post on his Instagram page announcing the execution of his mandatory residence order in Bagh Malek, Khuzestan. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='51757'> <reference source='https://www.instagram.com/p/CtCVh1LAMDf/'> By publishing a post on his Instagram page, he announced that he will not comply with the sentence of exile to Bagh Malek, Khuzestan. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>