An Iranian man, who was sentenced to death for allegedly insulting Prophet Mohammed, recently had his sentence commuted to studying theology and reading 13 religious texts for two years. Soheil Arabi, 31, who is a photographer by profession, was arrested by Iranian Revolutionary Guards in November, 2013, for his postings on Facebook that the regime’s judiciary considered blasphemous, after which he was convicted and sentenced to death.
However, a higher court annulled his death penalty last month and sentenced him to 90 days in prison during which he would be expected to study religion. Still, Arabi would not be released from prison any time soon, since he is already serving another seven-and-a-half year sentence for having allegedly insulted Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The regime’s official newspaper, Jamejam, reported that Arabi would be required to prepare a five to 10 page summary for each of the 13 religious texts that he has been ordered to read. Apart from that, he would be required to write an article about religion, in which he must reference at least five or 10 of those texts. The authorities would also be tracking his progress in studying theology every three months for the next two years.
“During the next two years, Arabi is required to seek answers to his religious doubts by reading 13 books on theology and Islam, writing summaries of them and writing an essay on theology and religion. He must conduct regular written correspondence with the Imam Khomeini Centre for Religious Research, copies of which will be submitted to the court.
He must also write quarterly reports to the court with the aim of proving his repentance and renewed faith. If he fails, the death sentence could be reimposed,” the court ordered.
Amnesty International welcomed the judiciary’s decision but stressed that Arabi had been imprisoned baselessly to begin with.
Nassim Papayiann, Amnesty’s campaigner for Iran, said, “International law clearly protects the right to criticize political leaders and religious institutions, even if the criticisms are thought to be shocking or offensive. A sentence that requires an individual to serve time in prison, study theology and read certain books as a punishment, if handed down for peacefully exercised their freedom of expression, clearly tramples over a range of rights, including the right to freedom of belief.”
In the past, Amnesty has raised concerns about Iran’s ongoing crackdown of Internet users, especially those who are active on Facebook.
“The increasing, and sometimes creative, ways in which the Iranian authorities are cracking down on freedom of expression, particularly on social media, is truly alarming and goes counter to the fundamental principles of human rights,” Papayianni said.
While it is unclear how many people are currently on death row on grounds of blasphemy, the commuting of Arabi’s death sentence is the first time for such a decision to have been taken by the judiciary in Iran.
After his death penalty was commuted, Reporters Without Borders said that it was appalled to learn of his revised sentence.
“Soheil Arabi has been spared immediate execution but this new sentence is medieval,” said Reza Moini, head of Reporters Without Borders’ Iran/Afghanistan desk. “A defendant who repeatedly said he did not want to offend religion is being subjected to a form of arbitrary torture because the Ali Khamenei-controlled judicial system wants to scare Internet users. This sentence is tantamount to forced labour, which is banned by international and Iranian law. We call on the UN special rapporteurs to intercede to get it quashed.”
The judiciary in Iran, which is controlled by religious hardliners, operates independently of President Hassan Rouhani’s administration and is often at odds with the government’s desire for increased social reforms. Social commentators believe the judiciary has been tightening its grip to send the message that it would resist the president’s repeated request for reform. Meanwhile, Rouhani has largely remained silent about the many human rights violations that continue to take place in Iran.
Photo Credits: Iran Human Rights
