Imprisoned Kurdish rapper Saman Yasin, who was arrested by Iranian security forces during the anti-government protests in Tehran last September, will be retried on 8 May, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned.
Yasin’s case was referred to Branch 15 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran after the Supreme Court overturned his death sentence due to “lack of investigation” in the case.
“In the past few days, the political prisoner was informed at Rajai Shahr Prison of Karaj that a hearing on the charges brought against him would be held on 8 May at Branch 15 of the [Islamic] Revolutionary Court of Tehran”, a source familiar with Yasin’s case told the KHRN.
The source added: “He has been denied the right to have an appointed lawyer since his arrest, and the lawyer hired by his family has not yet been allowed to take over the case under the pretext that it is a ‘security case’.”
Also, Yasin has been denied access to medical care in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj, northern Iran.
In March, the Iranian judiciary’s amnesty commission rejected the political prisoner‘s amnesty request.
His lawyer Hossein Sartipi wrote on his personal Instagram account that Yasin “is not subject to amnesty provisions”, adding that, “The [Islamic] Revolutionary Court set the time to re-investigate my client Saman Yasin’s case”.
Yasin, who comes from Kermanshah, western Iran, was arrested after he was beaten by security forces during the anti-government protests in Tehran on 30 September 2022.
After his arrest, Yasin was first taken to the Public Prosecutor’s Security Office in Evin Prison and then transferred to the Greater Tehran Central Penitentiary.
Since his arrest, he has been moved several times between Evin and Rajai Shahr prisons.
Eventually, he was returned to Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj on 27 February after spending a month in Ward 209 of Evin Prison.
On 29 October 2022, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s state news agencies reported that a court hearing was held for several arrested protesters, including Saman Yasin.
On the same day, a video of the singer’s forced “confessions” was released by state media.
The state-run outlets said that the Kurdish artist had been charged with “enmity against God” (moharebeh), which carries the death penalty in Iran, and “assembly and collusion with the intention of acting against the security of the country”.
Yasin’s death sentence verdict was issued by Branch 28 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran, presided over by Judge Amouzad.
After Yasin’s death sentence was issued, he and two other prisoners on death row, Mohsen Shekari and Mohammad Boroughani, were transferred to Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj on 29 November 2022.
Mohsen Shekari was executed on 8 December 2022 after 75 days in detention.
In late December 2022, the Iranian Supreme Court overturned Yasin’s death sentence due to “lack of investigation” and referred it to the same court for reinvestigation and retrial.
The document sent to Yasin in prison stated that the charges brought against him were “assembly and collusion with the intention of committing a crime against the security of the country”, and “disturbing the public order and peace”, KHRN has learned.
Since his arrest, Yasin has been interrogated several times and subjected to physical and mental torture, including solitary confinement, being kept in a room known as “the morgue”, severe beating, sticking a pen in his left nostril, being thrown down from stairs, and being forced to make “confessions” under duress.
He has also gone on hunger strike several times to protest against his harsh conditions in prison and the state of uncertainty of his case.
On 20 December 2022, Yasin attempted suicide by swallowing pills due to the harsh detention conditions in Hall 31 of Ward 10 of Rajai Shahr Prison. He received the initial treatment at the prison hospital and was then moved to the political prisoners’ ward.
