The 28th Branch of the Tehran Revolutionary Tribunal of the occupying regime of iran has sentenced four national-cultural activists—Abbas Lisani, Yusif Kari, Behzad Dashti, and Ali Kheirjou—to total of 40 years prison terms.

According to the verdict, Abbas Lisani was sentenced to a total of 15 years in prison on charges of “forming and leading a group with the aim of undermining national security” and “assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security.”

Yusif Kari and Behzad Dashti were each sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of “membership in a group with the aim of undermining national security” and “assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security.”

Ali Kheirjou was sentenced to five years in prison on the charge of “assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security.”

The trial concerning the charges against these activists was held on May 30, 2026, at the aforementioned branch. Abbas Lisani, Ali Kheirjou, and Yusif Kari refused to participate in the hearing, describing the court as unjust.

Abbas Lisani, Ali Kheirjou, Behzad Dashti, and Yusif Kari were arrested on November 11, 2025, while holding a sit-in protest in front of Evin Prison in Tehran in support of South Azerbaijani prisoner activists who were on a hunger strike.

Some time ago, Behzad Dashti and Ali Kheirjou were temporarily released pending trial after posting bail. However, Abbas Lisani and Yusif Kari were transferred to Ward 209, the security and interrogation detention facility at Evin Prison, and on December 31, 2025, they were transferred to the prison’s Ward 7 quarantine section.

All of the aforementioned activists had previously been imprisoned several times because of their peaceful cultural activities.