The 26th Branch of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Afshari, has increased the sentence of Azerbaijani national activist Salar Taher Afshar to five years of imprisonment.

According to the court’s ruling, Taherrafshar’s original sentence of one year of imprisonment and a two-year probation was intensified to five years in prison of and one-year probation. The decision was issued following a review of the case by the court.

In its written verdict, the court cited reports by judicial officers alleging that Taherrafshar attempted to “blackmail” and “mislead” the judicial system by organizing, signing, and publishing statements related to the sentences of Sharifa Mohammadi, Bakhshan Azizi, and Varisha Moradi, as well as the suspicious death of Somieh Rashidi in Qarchak Prison. The court claimed these actions involved the dissemination of false information.

The ruling further alleged that Taherrafshar’s activities contributed to what it described as “attacks against the Islamic Republic of Iran at the international level,” accusing him of supporting individuals alleged to have engaged in armed actions against state security.

In addition to the sentence and travel ban, the court imposed further restrictions on Taherrafshar, including a prohibition on joining political or social organizations and groups.