Loghman Amini, the Friday prayer leader of the Chahar Yar-e Nabi mosque and a religious studies teacher in Sanandaj, Kurdistan province, was provisionally released today from Hamadan Central Prison on bail following his arrest in April.
The Kurdish Sunni cleric was detained on 21 April after appearing before the Special Clerical Court in Hamadan, which has charged him with “insulting sanctities”.
This is not the first time the prominent cleric has faced arrest. He was previously detained by security forces on 30 January 2023 on the Sanandaj-Marivan road during the anti-government Women, Life, Freedom uprising.
He was provisionally released on bail on 22 February 2023, pending trial.
The Special Clerical Court in Hamadan later sentenced him to 11 years in prison, two years’ exile to Ardabil, Ardabil Province, permanent removal of clerical status, and a lifelong ban on delivering sermons.
He was found guilty of charges including “propaganda against the state”, “inciting unrest”, and “possession of a handgun”.
