Iranian-Kurdish author to serve 15 months in prison

Abbas Jalilian

Iranian Kurdish writer, Abbas Jalilian has been sent to Kermanshah prison to serve out a 15 month imprisonment term. He is accused by Iranian authorities of “activities against national security through identifying and attracting spies and introducing them to foreign countries.”

The 15-month prison term was approved by the appeals court last week.

Kaveh Kermanshahi, a human rights activist in Kurdistan, informed Zamaneh that Abbas Jalilian did not have an attorney in the preliminary hearing, and in every step of the legal proceedings, he denied the charges demanding to be shown evidence for the accusations. The appeals court reportedly approved the verdict of the preliminary hearing in its very first meeting.

Mr. Jalilian was arrested last January and was released after two months on a $100,000 bail.

He is the author of several novels as well as poetry and proverb collections and a Kurdish-Persian dictionary.

Mr. Kermanshahi told Zamaneh that the alleged spy whom Jalilian is supposed to have identified and recommended is currently in custody but no charges have been laid against him yet. He is a cultural figure in Kermanshah and has travelled with Abbas Jalilian to southern regions of Iraqi Kurdistan on several occasions.

Abbas Jalilian had already been summoned by the Intelligence department for questioning regarding his cultural trips and his attendance in Kurdish literary congresses in Iraq.

Zamaneh has been told that all the trips and cultural activities of Mr. Jalilian were open and legal.

Human rights activists also report that another Kurdish writer, a member of the Literary Association of Marivan, Ali Mahmoudi has also been detained since October without any news. He has also been accused of “activity against national security through support of illegal groups.”

Parvin Zabihi, Ali Mahmoudi’s spouse, a women’s and children’s rights activist had also been called in for questioning by the Ministry of Intelligence and banned from travelling abroad.

Recently, Kurdish political activist, Ehsan Fatahian was executed in Sanadaj for “armed activities against the state.” The execution was protested by the people of the region as well as Kurdish MPs in Iranian parliament for several irregularities in the legal proceedings.

Currently 12 other Kurdish activists are on death row.