Iran releases Kurdish journalist after 10 years

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – Iranian authorities on Saturday released the Kurdish journalist and civil rights activist Adnan Hassanpour after 10 years of imprisonment.

Hassanpour’s sister, Layli, confirmed the release of her brother to Kurdistan24 in a phone call from the Kurdish city of Mariwan in Kurdistan province, adding that he is in good health.

The Iranian government detained Hassanpour on Jan. 25, 2007, in his hometown of Mariwan. Initially, he was held incommunicado in the provincial capital of Sine (Sanandaj).

Before his detention, Hassanpour was the editor of the bilingual Kurdish-Persian Aso (Horizon) weekly until the authorities banned it in 2005.

Iranian authorities charged Hassanpour with acting against the national security, espionage, and “moharebeh” (enmity against God).

He was consequently sentenced in July 2007 to death upon “confession.”

His family and lawyer said he was forced to confess under torture.

Three months later in the same year, upon his lawyers’ objection, Hassanpour’s death sentence was overturned by Iran’s Supreme Court.

The court reduced his sentence to 31 years in prison, deeming his crimes did not amount to enmity against God.

Among the accusations directed at Hassanpour were the alleged ties to “illegal groups,” and contact with the United States Department of State.

In 2010, Hassanpour’s sentence was reduced to 15 years.

Human rights groups and press organizations including Amnesty International (AI), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and Iranian Committee of Human Rights Reporters have campaigned for the welfare in detention and freedom of Hassanpour.

The Kurdish journalist was held in a prison in the city of Sanandaj.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany

(Reporting by Ari Khalidi)