Four Iranian bloggers have been sentenced to prison terms, fines, and lashes for their online activities, which allegedly spread propaganda against the state.
Ruzbeh Mir Ebrahimi, Omid Memarian, Shahram Rafizadeh, and Javad Gholam Tabibi were arrested five years ago and spent several weeks in detention. They were released but their cases remained open.
Their case was the first mass arrest of bloggers in Iran. At least 15 other bloggers and journalists were detained at the same time.
The bloggers were convicted of publishing articles on their blogs that were against the Islamic Republic of Iran, of spreading propaganda against the state, and of membership in illegal groups.
The sentences ranged from nine months to three years in prison and from 10 to 80 lashes. Three of the four, having left Iran, were tried and convicted in absentia.
Ruzbeh Mir Ebrahimi, Omid Memarian, Shahram Rafizadeh, and Javad Gholam Tabibi were arrested five years ago and spent several weeks in detention. They were released but their cases remained open.
Their case was the first mass arrest of bloggers in Iran. At least 15 other bloggers and journalists were detained at the same time.
The bloggers were convicted of publishing articles on their blogs that were against the Islamic Republic of Iran, of spreading propaganda against the state, and of membership in illegal groups.
The sentences ranged from nine months to three years in prison and from 10 to 80 lashes. Three of the four, having left Iran, were tried and convicted in absentia.