Vahid Herovabadi

Vahid Herovabadi is a cleric critical of the Islamic Republic. He was fired from his job at Tehran University for supporting former president of the Islamic Republic Mahmoud Ahmadinejad; he attempted street vending for a while in protest. He was interrogated in connection to several cases and was sentenced to prison by the special clerical court.

• <coverage-outsourcing id='40248'> <reference source='https://t.me/vahidheroabadi/6271'> He published the summons from the special clerical court on his Telegram channel, announcing that he must appear in the clerical court to defend himself against the accusations on March 1st, 2020. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='40247'> <reference source='https://t.me/vahidheroabadi/8485'> He wrote on his Telegram channel that the special investigator at the clerical court has issued a warrant for his arrest to be arraigned for four charges of propaganda against the regime, agitating public opinion, insulting the chief justice of the judiciary, and not following clerical etiquette by street vending. His trial is set for August 16th, 2020. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='40251'> <reference source='https://t.me/vahidheroabadi/9613'> He reported on his Telegram channel that the special clerical court is opening a new case against him due to his activities online. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='40250'> <reference source='https://t.me/vahidheroabadi/9671'> He reported on Telegram that the primary clerical court has sentenced him to one year in prison for disseminating lies, four months and 15 days in prison for insulting the chief justice Sadegh Larijani, and a 20 million rials fine for violating clerical etiquette. He was also cleared of the charges of propaganda against the regime and insulting Qasem Soleimani. After applying article 134 of the IPC, one year in prison is enforceable. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='40246'> <reference source='https://t.me/vahidheroabadi/11189'> He wrote on his Telegram channel that he will report to the special clerical court to receive the appeal decision. He said the trial was held in his absence. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='40245'> <reference source='https://t.me/vahidheroabadi/11207'> He reported on his Telegram Channel that the clerical appeal court has cleared him of the charge of insulting the chief justice of the judiciary and sentenced him to one year in prison for disseminating lies, which has been suspended for three years. Regarding the charge of “violating clerical etiquette, he explained that the appeal court has changed to “insulting the dignity clergy”, but the court did not order him to pay the 20 million rials fine because the title of the charge had changed. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='40244'> <reference source='https://t.me/vahidheroabadi/17696'> He announced on his Telegram channel that in the last defense session for his new case, the special clerical court has accused him of disseminating lies with intent to agitate public opinion, propaganda against the regime, and insulting the dignity of the clergy. He claimed the reasons for these charges are his writings and tweets about health justice seekers, the coronavirus vaccine, and Edalat Ali videos. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='40252'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/vahidhdi/status/1540313275283300352?t=sgTkeQSMJRhx_lEHoi3Ymw&s=09'> He was arrested while crossing the border at Bazargan. After his release, he explained on Twitter that “he was held a week in an Urmia IRGC intelligence’s security lockup for “violating clerical etiquette by attempting to cross the border illegally.” </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='40255'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/vahidhdi/status/1540313279494443008?t=WwPkODMmc0TFjKrKaaMfJw&s=09'> He announced on Twitter that the special clerical court in Urmia has once again set bail for him, this time for the charge of propaganda against the regime. He was then transferred to Tehran and kept in a secure jail in the west of Tehran. He was denied phone calls during this time. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='40256'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/vahidhdi/status/1540313279494443008?t=WwPkODMmc0TFjKrKaaMfJw&s=09'> He explained after his release that he was transferred to ward 2-Alef of Evin Prison on this date. He was later arraigned at the special clerical court of Tehran. He said he was denied phone calls at the time. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='40254'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/MJafariAzarmani/status/1537040115234754563?t=r8zQFWNacc5cieVlMT2RyQ&s=09'> Vahid Herovabadi’s wife, Maryam Jafari Azarmani, announced on Twitter that he was released from prison on bail. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='40257'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/vahidhdi/status/1540313286268268545?t=OTogcYuofuxxVvg5U_7r3Q&s=09'> He tweeted that the trial session for his previous case was held at the special clerical court of Tehran. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='41031'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/vahidhdi/status/1554186260612276231/photo/1'> The third branch of the special clerical court of Tehran presided by Judge Asef al-Hosseini ruled to defrock and imprison Vahid Herovabadi and ban him from leaving the country. According to the transcript published on his Twitter account, he was defrocked for disseminating lies online and received two years in prison and two years ban from leaving the country. He was also cleared of sacrilege. The image of the transcript and indictment is attached in the “supporting evidence” section of this page. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>