Students Ali Younesi and Amirhossein Moradi Transferred from Security Ward After 808 Days Without Separation of Crimes

Speaking to Iran Human Rights about their recent transfer, Ali Younesi’s brother, Reza said: “Ali was transferred to Ward 4 of Evin Prison but Amirhossein is still in the quarantine section of Ward 8 and hasn’t entered the general ward yet.”

Amirhossein Moradi is due to be transferred to the ward on June 27, according to promises by the authorities. Ward 8 was previously used as office space and is known as the “exile” ward. Ali Younesi has been transferred to Ward 4, a predominantly financial-crime ward that is also known to house prisoners whose cases have not yet been determined.

According to Reza Younesi, both students have recently been under pressure by Ministry of Intelligence officials to make false televised confessions. He told Iran Human Rights: “Around three weeks ago, Amirhossein Moradi’s parents were summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence offices in Tehran. At the same time, Amirhossein was approached in prison. They asked both Amirhossein Moradi and his parents to make false predetermined televised confessions to persuade public opinion. Amirhossein and his parents did not succumb to the pressure and refused.

Ali Younesi, a computer engineering student at Sharif University of Technology, and Amir Hossein Moradi, a physics student at the university, were arrested without a legal summons on 10 April 2020 and were held in solitary confinement for two months before being transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence’s (MOIS) Ward 209 in Evin Prison, where they were held until their recent transfer.

Ali and Amirhossein were subjected to physical and psychological torture to force false confessions that were aired before their legal proceedings had begun.

Branch 29 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced the students to ten years imprisonment on charges of acting against national security, five years imprisonment for assembly and collusion against the system and a year for propaganda against the system. Their sentences were upheld by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals upheld their sentences last month.

Their lawyer, Mostafa Nili had previously stated that he would be requesting a retrial due to flaws in the case that were ignored by appellate court.

The ten year sentences will be enforceable after the consolidation of their sentences according to Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code.

While at high school, Ali Younesi won silver and gold at the National Astronomy Olympiad in 2016 and 2017 respectively. In his senior year of high school, he won the gold medal with the Iranian national team at the 2018 World Astronomy Olympiad in China. Amir Hossein Moradi also won silver at the 2017 Iranian Astronomy Olympiad.