12 years for a dot: Iranian writer condemned for social media post

Hossein Shanbehzadeh, an Iranian writer, activist, translator, and blogger, has received a distressing sentence. He has been deprived of freedom for 12 years for publishing a single dot.

Hossein Shanbehzadeh is a well-known critic of the Iranian regime, particularly its leaders. The writer was active on social media, supporting political prisoners and women protesting against the obligation to cover their faces and hair.

This is not the first time he has faced repression for his actions. Previously, in 2019, he was imprisoned for online posts deemed offensive to Ali Khamenei - the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He was charged with "insulting the sanctities and the leader of the Islamic Republic." He then received a sentence of six years of imprisonment and was sent to Evin Prison in Tehran. This prison primarily holds political prisoners, and the media report on numerous abuses and serious human rights violations occurring at the facility.

Shanbehzadeh was released before the end of his sentence in late March or early April 2024, but he didn't enjoy freedom for long. In June, he was detained again. The prosecutor's office in Ardabil stated that he was arrested while attempting to leave the country. According to them, Shanbehzadeh was assisted in his escape by Israeli intelligence agents.

Shanbehzadeh was arrested shortly after he reacted on the X platform to a post by Ali Khamenei, a leader with whom he had previously had serious conflicts. The Iranian leader posted a message along with a picture of himself posing with the volleyball team.

Shanbehzadeh posted a response to the message but kept it to an absolute minimum. He posted only ".". Literally - a single dot. His reaction received more likes than the original post - perhaps this is why it was noticed and caused such anger among the Iranian authorities.

Hossein Shanbehzadeh was charged with numerous offences: spreading pro-Israeli and anti-regime propaganda, insulting Islamic sanctities, and disseminating lies online. In total, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison. His defender, Amir Raisian, told the opposition Iranian newspaper "Shargh Network" that he intends to appeal the sentence.

Source: npr.org, jpost.com