Abbas Lesani

Abbas Lesani is a poet, author, and civil rights activist in Ardebil. In the past two decades, he has been arrested, sentenced to prison, and exiled several times. He also wrote a book titled “Cry Freedom”. The book is a collection of essays, speeches, slogans, interviews, and prison letters of Mr. Lesani.

<coverage-outsourcing id='5301'> He was arrested for publishing the Turkish calendar </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='5297'> He was arrested for attending the Babak Castle ceremony </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='5299'> He was arrested during a sit-in at Sarcheshmeh Mosque in Ardebil </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='5304'> He was sentenced to 30 months' imprisonment by courthouses in Ahar and Ardebil due to his participation in the annual ceremony at Fort Babak in 2003 and a protest in Ardebil in 2004. He spent 2004-2006 serving this sentence, parts of which were served in exile in Yazd Prison </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='5303'> He was arrested in Urmia for participating in a memorial ceremony of those who lost their lives in Azerbaijan in June 2006 </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='1443'> He was arrested in Ardabil for participating in protests against the drying up of Lake Urmia. He was accused of "propaganda against the system" and "forming a group to disrupt national security" </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='1444'> He was freed from Ardabil's Intelligence Ministry's lock-up on 100 million Tomans bail after 55 days of detention </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='5302'> Security forces arrested Abbas Lasani, Rahim Ghomai, Siamak Mirzai, Asgar Akbarzadeh, Fereidun Aghazadeh, Meysam Azadi, Kianoush Tohidi, and Hamid Ghorbanalizadeh before attending to the memorial ceremony of an activist in Khoy city </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='5296'> After 2 weeks of detention, he was released from Ahar prison </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='4728'> <reference source='https://ipa.united4iran.org/media/file_evidence/Lesanis_statement.jpg'> He was tried in Branch 1 of Ardebil Revolutionary Court and sentenced to one year in prison on the charge of "Propagating against the system." This sentence was issued based on the report of the Ardabil Intelligence Office. According to the indictment, intelligence agents searched Abbas Lesani's personal computer and claimed that "he had direct contact with separatist individuals and networks and organized many protest gatherings." Mr. Lesani was also accused of several charges, including "attempt to found the South Azerbaijan government," as well as "the need to establish a secular government." Abbas Lesani had denied the allegations in the trial, but the judge did not accept it </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='6262'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2015/hranews/a-1079/'> Not having participated in any of the three court hearings, Lesani was condemned by branch one of the Revolutionary Court of the town of Ardebil, headed by judge Asadpour, to a one-year suspended prison term, in a clear and deliberate disregard for article 169 of the constitution. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='1445'> He was arrested and began his one year prison sentence. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='1446'> He was quarantined in prison due to beginning a hunger strike in protest of the lack of resources and the abuse within the facility. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='3960'> He was exiled to Shiraz Prison without prior notification. There is no order for exile in his file. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='4778'> He is still in Shiraz prison and is unable to visit his family due to his distance between them </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='5054'> It was reported that his wife, Roghie Alizadeh, was summoned to Ardebil Revolutionary Court via telephone. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='5421'> He went on a hunger strike to protest his transfer to Shiraz Prison's "Ebrat Ward" to stop him from contacting the outside the prison </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='5422'> He ended his hunger strike when he was sent back to Ward and allowed to make phone calls </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='5992'> It was reported that a new case was opened against him on charges of "propaganda against the system", and bail set for him for the amount of 15 million tomans </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='6118'> According to HRANA, his new case was sent to the First Branch of the Ardebil Revolutionary Court, and Judge Khodadadi refused bail and issued a warrant for him </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='6120'> In addition to Abbas Lesani, 12 other Turk ethnic activist prisoners went on a hunger strike to protest the new case set up for Abbas Lesani and demanded his freedom from prison </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='6257'> He was freed from prison by posting a 15 million toman bail. He was supposed to be released on May 19, the day that his term was supposed to end but was kept in prison because another case against him had been opened by the judiciary </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='9913'> <reference source='https://ipa.united4iran.org/media/file_evidence/%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%B6%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C%D9%87_-_%D8%A2%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%86_%DB%B9%DB%B5.jpg'> According to HRANA, he was summoned to the First Branch of Ardebil Judiciary on behalf of the Meshginshahr Revolutionary court </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='10204'> Meshginshahr court charged him with "propaganda against the system" for giving a speech at Aydin Zakir's wedding. By refusing to post bail of ten million Tomans, the officers arrested him and took him to Meshginshahr prison </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='10628'> Guney News reported that he has been temporarily freed by posting a 10 million toman bail. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='13402'> The court hearing of Abbas Lesani took place in the first branch of the Revolutionary Court of Meshgin Shahr. According to HRANA, Mr. Lesani, once again, presented his defense in the Turkish language, but unlike the last court session, the judge didn’t prevent him. According to this report, Aydin Zakeri, the other accused, was cleared of the charges against him </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='14584'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2017/hranews/a-10398/'> He and nine other defendants were tried by Branch 1 of the Ahar Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Nazari in the "World Mother Language Day." According to HRANA, the trial was not held due to the determination of Branch 3 of Tabriz Court for investigating the case. These civil activists stated that sending the case to the jurisdiction outside the defendant's residence is illegal, and they will only comply with Ahar court summons. It is said that this case is related to the International Mother Language Day ceremony in 2013 </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='16057'> <reference source='https://ipa.united4iran.org/media/file_evidence/%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B6_%D8%A8%D9%87_%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%BA_%D8%AD%D8%B6%D9%88%D8%B1%DB%8C_%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%87_-_%D8%AE%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AF_%DB%B9%DB%B6.jpg'> The Court of Meshgin Shahr summoned him to court. Mr. Lesani announced that he would not accept it due to the law's violation. You can find these documents in the evidence section of this page </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='18248'> According to Azoh, Ahar Revolutionary Court summoned him on the charge of "forming opposition groups to disrupt the public security." Earlier, the Revolutionary Court of Tabriz intended to investigate this case, but the defendants refused to attend the trial considering the law's violation </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='18194'> <reference source='https://ipa.united4iran.org/media/file_evidence/%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%87_%D8%AA%D8%AC%D8%AF%DB%8C%D8%AF_%D9%86%D8%B8%D8%B1_%D8%B9%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B3_%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C.jpg'> According to Araznews, the first branch of Ardebil appellate court, with counselor Mir Farrokh Bashiri and Abolfazl Esmaili, acquitted Abbas Lesani from all charges </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='23297'> Ardebil intelligence officers arrested 50 Azerbaijani activists, including Abbas Lesani, Asgar Abbaszadeh, Saeid Sadeghifar, and Ali Vaseghi, before the annual Babak Fortress rally </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='25192'> Abbas Lesani told HRANA that his son's shop had received a sealed notice and his son in law had been fired from work for conscience reasons </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='23619'> <reference source='https://ipa.united4iran.org/media/file_evidence/verdict_16.jpg'> He was arrested again. Previously, Tabriz’s Revolutionary Court had convicted him of “Propaganda Against the System” and sentenced him to ten months in prison in absentia. The conviction was approved after a retrial request. A few months later, the appeal court judges, Khoobyarpoor and Dowlatabadi, confirmed the sentence. The appeal court’s verdict has been archived on this page </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='32978'> According to IPA, he is being kept in Ardabil Intelligence Detention Center </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='50388'> Since Abbas Lesani decided to continue his hunger strike in Ardebil Prison, he was denied family visits. According to an IPA source, his family visited Mr. Nonahal at the courthouse, but he refused to give them a clear response about his situation and just said he is being denied family visits. According to an IPA source, Mr. Lesani is on the 10th day of his hunger strike. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='32979'> According to an informed source, Mr. Lesani was transferred to Ardabil Prison after about a month and a half. The security officers moved him from prison to a detention house several times </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='50389'> <reference source=''> The last investigation session for Abbas Lesani was held at branch 10 of the Public and revolutionary court of Ardebil. According to an IPA source, after Mr. Lesani's transfer from prison to the courthouse, The investigating judge Babak Nonahal charged Abbas Lesani with three charges of inciting and encouraging people to ward and murder, assembly and collusion with intent to undermine national security, and propaganda against the state. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='25213'> According to IPA, he began a hunger strike, which lasted 12 days. This hunger strike began in protest of the Ardabil prison authorities' refusal to access a summary of a case prepared by his lawyer. Mr. Lesani's health worsened during the hunger strike, and prison officials transferred him to the hospital. Mr. Lesani already suffered from fatty liver disease and needed medication due to his hunger strike. Prison officials refused to provide proper treatment. They asked his family to provide the drugs and deliver them to the prison </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='32844'> According to an informed source, Abbas Lesani has been accused of: > 1- Forming a group to oppose the government and propaganda for Ethnicism. 2- Asking for teaching the native language and confronting government discrimination on anti-regime websites. 3- Calling for rallies in 2006 and requesting support for participants. 4- His Speech at Babak Castle. 5- waving the flag of anti-government Turks. 6- Propaganda for ethnic and anti-government media. 7- Using the words "Turk nation and the national movement of Azerbaijan." 8- Supporting Gonabadi dervishes." According to this source, Mr. Lesani has been charged with several other accuses. "The charges are not criminal under international law, but Mr. Lesani does not accept some of them. the source told IPA. The report of these three intelligence agencies has been sent to the judiciary </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='32845'> According to an informed source, Branch 1 of the Ardebil Revolutionary Court, headed by Yousef Khodadadi, had tried Abbas Lesani for "membership in the Gamaj group to disrupt national security," "propaganda against the system," "encourage different ethnic groups to secession," and "forming a group to disrupt national security." According to the judge, Mr. Lesani's photos with Azerbaijani activists such as Asgar Akbarzadeh, Aydin Zakeri, Siamak Mirzaei, Ayat Kheirjoo, Meysam Jolani, and Rahim Gholami are the examples of group formation. Mr. Lesani is accused of requesting native language teaching, contacting "Gunaz TV," waving the National Movement of South Azerbaijan's flag in Babak Castle, and supporting the Gonabadi dervishes in the seventh Golestan conflict. Mr. Lesani was sentenced to eight years in prison and two years of exile in Yazd on the charge of "forming an opposition group." Mr. Lesani had repeatedly dismissed the charges during the trial. The judge considered the examples of "membership in the Gamaj group," "propaganda against the system," and "encouraging different ethnic groups to secession" as a subset of Article 498 and acquitted him from these charges. It should be noted that the judge described Mr. Lesani as a "violent" person; Turkish activists told IPA that "Mr. Lesani believes peacefully." </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='26868'> According to IPA, Branch 1 of the Ardabil Court of Appeals increased Abbas Lesani's prison sentence with the votes of counsel Balal Mozaffari and counsel Marhamat Shahbazzadeh. According to an informed source: > The court claims that Mr. Lesani propagated against the Kurdish ethnics and called for an armed fight against the Kurds." It seems that the claim has no evidence. The court increased his eight years of imprisonment to 10 years in prison on the charge of "forming an opposition group," and sentenced him to another five years in prison for "encouraging to war. The trial Court and the Court of Appeals have relied on reports from security agencies </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='29457'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2020/hranews/a-24052/'> Mohammad Reza Faghihi, Abbas Lesani's lawyer, was acquitted by the Ardebil Court of Appeals. Formerly, he had been sentenced to six months in prison by a public court on the charge of "disclosing and publishing classified documents of the judiciary by sharing the contents of the case with Abbas Lesani." The case was filed against him for publishing Mr. Lesani's lawsuit. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='29819'> <reference source='https://prisonatlas.com/%d8%b9%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%b3-%d9%84%d8%b3%d8%a7%d9%86%db%8c/'> Abbas Lesani wrote a letter and asked for the freedom of political prisoners, prisoners of conscience, and innocuous prisoners. He noted that in the case of inattention, the authorities would be responsible for any possible consequences </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='31412'> <reference source='https://prisonatlas.com/دیوان-عالی-کشور-حکم-۱۵-سال-حبس-تعزیری-عب/'> The Supreme Court has confirmed the 10-year prison sentence of Abbas Lesani </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='31486'> <reference source='https://bit.ly/2VZcITo'> The campaign of freedom for Abbas Lesani and other peaceful activists was begun by the United for Iran organization. Please sign the text of the request via the link below for participating in this campaign </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='31808'> <reference source='https://prisonatlas.com/لسانی-از-نگاه-یک-فعال-اتنیکی-ترک-او-شن/'> An Azerbaijani activist described Abbas Lesani: > Abbas Lesani is one of Azerbaijan's most popular nationalist figures. Contrary to the judiciary's claim, he firmly believes in peaceful behaviors. For example, one activist had discourteously responded to an officer, and Mr. Lesani strongly opposed this behavior. He added: > Lesani had no problem with other ethnicities. Even in Armenia's case, he insisted that no slogans be chanted against the people of this country. He believed that our problem was with the Armenian government, not the people of this country. He is just seeking the rights of the people in Azerbaijan, and he is not secessionist. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='31931'> <reference source='https://iranhr.net/fa/articles/4355/'> Thirteen human rights organizations published mutual statements calling for the freedom of Abbas Lesani </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='33241'> <reference source='https://united4iran.org/en/15prisoners'> United for Iran published the fact patterns and legal analyses of Abbas Lesani's case, taking into consideration human rights and fair trial violations based on international treaties to which the IRI is a signatory. The Covenant of Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) has been used as the lead document for this context. United for Iran has published similar fact patterns for 14 other political prisoners, including prisoners of conscience, and has called on UN institutions to use these resources to file cases and follow up on their situations </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='33666'> <reference source='https://prisonatlas.com/%da%a9%d8%b1%d9%88%d9%86%d8%a7-%d8%af%d8%b1-%d8%a8%d9%86%d8%af-%d9%87%d9%81%d8%aa-%d8%b2%d9%86%d8%af%d8%a7%d9%86-%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%af%d8%a8%db%8c%d9%84/'> <strong>Suspicion of COVID-19 and denied accessing medical care</strong> According to the IPA, Abbas Lesani, Yousef Kari, and several other inmates in Ward 7 of Ardebil Prison suffered from fever, headache, dry cough, and shortness of breath. The prison's doctor said they are suspected of COVID-19, but they are still deprived of adequate medical care. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='34432'> <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='34292'> <reference source='https://prisonatlas.com/%d8%b9%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%b3-%d9%84%d8%b3%d8%a7%d9%86%db%8c-%d8%af%d8%b1-%d8%b2%d9%86%d8%af%d8%a7%d9%86-%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%af%d8%a8%db%8c%d9%84-%d8%a7%d8%b9%d8%aa%d8%b5%d8%a7%d8%a8-%d8%ba%d8%b0%d8%a7-%da%a9/'> According to Atlas, political prisoner, Abbas Lesani went on a hunger strike in solidarity with Yousef Kari. Yousef Kari has been on hunger strike for four days in protest of the mistreatments by prison authorities. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='34333'> <reference source='https://prisonatlas.com/%d9%be%d8%a7%db%8c%d8%a7%d9%86-%d8%a7%d8%b9%d8%aa%d8%b5%d8%a7%d8%a8-%d8%ba%d8%b0%d8%a7%db%8c-%d8%b2%d9%86%d8%af%d8%a7%d9%86%db%8c%d8%a7%d9%86-%d8%aa%d8%b1%da%a9/'> After the return of Yousef Kari to ward seven from the quarantine, Mr. Kari and all the political prisoners who had gone on hunger strike in support of his rights, ended their strikes. Abbas Lesani, Ali Vaseghi, Reza Vaseghi, and Siamack Mirzaei had gone on hunger strike in support of Mr. Kari, and Behnam Shaikhi, Tohid Amir Moeni, and Kianoush Aslani were to join them today. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='34593'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2021/hranews/a-28607/'> According to HRANA, the appeal court of Erdebil rejected the request by the verdict enforcement magistrate to apply the sentence reduction act in his case. According to the judgment issued by the first branch of the appeal court of Ardebil, the sentence is in accordance with article 433 of the procedural criminal law and final. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='35987'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2021/hranews/a-30243/'> He was sent to a hospital outside the prison. According to HRANA, in recent days Mr. Lesani has been suffering from severe back and knee pains and the prescriptions from the prison infirmary have not been effective. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='36682'> <reference source='https://iranwire.com/fa/news/ardabil/52239'> He went on a furlough after nearly three years. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='37738'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2021/hranews/a-31585/'> He returned to prison at the end of his furlough. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='37739'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2021/hranews/a-31846/'> Alireza Farshi released a letter announcing that he is going on hunger strike in protest of the “cruel and unjust rulings by the Islamic Republic’s revolutionary courts judges” and “lack of access to education in the mother tongue”. At the same time, Abbas Lesani went on hunger strike in support of Mr. Farshi. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='37740'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2021/hranews/a-32354/'> He was transferred to the official medical examiner in Ardebil. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='38964'> He went on a six-month medical furlough. The medical committee recently confirmed that he needs treatment outside prison due to several spinal issues. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='39861'> <reference source=''> The first branch of the supreme court presided by Seyed Ahmad Mortazavi Moghaddam and assistant Seyed Abolhassan Hashemi Emamzadeh, sentenced Abbas Lesani to eight years in prison and two years exile in Yazd on the charge of forming and managing groups with the intent to disrupt national security. According to one source, Mr. Lesani’s case was referred to this court after the retrial request was accepted. Previously the appeal court of Ardebil presided by Judge Naser Atabati added two years to his eight-year sentence and sentenced him to five more years for the charge which the primary court had cleared, sentencing him to a sum of 15 years in prison and two years in exile. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='38965'> <reference source='https://bit.ly/3M9KNrJ'> He went under surgery for his lumbar disc. He was recently sent on medical furlough. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='41226'> His medical furlough was extended. According to an IPA source, after arriving at the verdict enforcement office, Mr. Lesani was informed that his furlough has been extended. He was told that he will be informed of the extended time through the Thana website. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='41554'> He returned to Ardebil Prison after his medical furlough was canceled. According to an IPA source, during his medical furlough, Mr. Lesani went under three operations and despite the medical examiner confirming his need for medical care, his medical furlough was cut short by the order of the Ardebil public prosecutor Abdollah Tabatabaei. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='41712'> After a call to protest by civil activists in Ardebill, Twitter users started a campaign with #FreeLesani with over 8000 tweets and trending in a few hours. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='42289'> During the nationwide uprising triggered by the murder of Mahsa Amini, sources reported that Abbas Lesani has been denied communication with outside the prison. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='45795'> Abbas Lesani was taken to a hospital. According to an IPA source, his lumbar disk problems have been exacerbated due to a lack of sufficient medical treatment. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='47670'> In a phone call to his family, Abbas Lesani announced that if the constant meddling of security forces in his medical treatment and the hesitation of the medical examiner to announce the verdict for his medical furlough request continues, he will go on hunger strike on February 25th. A source told IPA that Mr. Lesani told his friends and relatives that on top of the medical problems, recently, several prisoners from the general population were exiled to Ardebil Prison and transferred to ward 7 (his ward). After using methadone and other drugs, the new prisoners started agitating and harassing others including Mr. Lesani. In response, Mr. Lesani informed the prison authorities that (in addition to his medical terms) if these prisoners are not moved out of the political prisoners' ward, he will go on hunger strike on February 25th. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='47722'> He was exiled immediately after his release. According to an IPA source, Mr. Lesani was released after serving four years and two months in prison. But the agents transferred him directly to Ardebil police lockup before his exile to Yazd for two years. An IPA source said Mr. Lessani was transferred to Yazd on February 21st. His release came after the public pardon which led to the release of some political prisoners. 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 the 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. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='47943'> Abbas Lesani refused to serve his term of exile in Yazd for two years and returned to Ardebil. According to an IPA source, after his transfer to Yazd and attending court, Abbas Lesani announced that due to his lumbar disk and heart problems, and the fact that his trusted heart doctor is in Tabriz, he is unable to stay in Yazd and travel back and force to Tabriz. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='49146'> He went under surgery in Tabriz for his lumbar disk. </coverage-outsourcing>