Manouchehr Bakhtiari

Cases
Location of case in SG report
2021-052-001
Relevant SG report
Year of the report
2021
Country Geolocation

Latitude: 32.427908

Longitude: 53.688046

Country Geolocation (linked Cases)
Iran
From Region
UN body that raised the case prior to the SG report
  • UN Special Procedures: Country
Dates of prior UN action
January 2021
Type of record
Named individual
Gender
Male
Was the victim a foreign national?
No
Was the victim a minor?
No
Individual's/organization's activity

father of Pouya Bakhtiari, who was killed by security forces during the November 2019 protests

Type of rights defended
  • Accountability & impunity
Was the victim a civil servant or member of the security forces or of the judiciary?
No
Reported trigger of reprisal

In a 29 May 2020 letter addressed to the High Commissioner for Human Rights and others, Mr. Bakhtiari called for an international investigation into the November 2019 crackdown

Engagement with UN body
  • UN (Dep.) High Commissioner on Human Rights
Dates of mentioned reprisals
13 July 2020; 29 April 2021; July 2021;
Location of mentioned reprisals
Iran
Reprisal information

Mr. Bakhtiari was arrested in January 2020 together with other members of his family and repeatedly threatened not to speak publicly of his son’s death (A/75/213, para. 15). Following his first arrest, he was charged with national security crimes, and subsequently released on bail. 53. On 13 July 2020, he was arrested again and transferred to a prison in Bandar Abbas. Following an initial period of incommunicado detention, he was released on bail on 6 December 2020. On 7 April 2021, Mr. Bakhtiari was among over 20 relatives of victims of the November 2019 protests who were arrested by security forces in Esfahan and released the following day. On 29 April 2021 he was arrested again, and it was reported in July 2021 that he was sentenced on national security-related charges to three years and six months in prison, and two years and six months in exile in another province in Iran.

Types of reprisals suffered
  • Charge/Investigation/Prosecution: Charge/Investigation/Prosecution - General
  • Charge/Investigation/Prosecution: Conviction
  • Charge/Investigation/Prosecution: Trial
  • Detention/Imprisonment: Detention/Imprisonment - General
  • Family/friends/acquaintances targeted
  • Threats/Intimidations (incl. "fear of reprisal")
Alleged/likely perpetrators
State actors
Was the reprisal based on new legislation?
No
Does the report make general comment about country’s environment for engagement with UN?
Yes
Was the case raised by a State at the UN?
Yes
Which State raised the case at the UN and when?

In August 2021, BENELUX raised the case at the 48th session of the Human Rights Council during the Interactive Dialogue with the Assistant Secretary-General under item 5: 'To ensure accountability the Benelux wishes to express our particular concern about the following cases of reprisals: • In Iran, we draw attention to reprisals against Mr. Bakhtiari, Mr. Vahid and Mr. Afkari'

In March 2025, BENELUX raised the case at the 58th session of the Human Rights Council during the General Debate under item 5: 'We continue to raise names of those who have been silenced: 4. Manouchehr Bakhtiyari from Iran, is arbitrarily detained for calling for justice for his son’s death, including in an open letter addressed to High Commissioner Türk. We call for his immediate release.'

Is the country cited for a "pattern of reprisal" in the context of this case?
No
Is a pattern of reprisals mentioned otherwise in the context of this case?
No
Does the report cite "self-censorship" as an issue in the context of this case?
No
How many times has the case been followed up in subsequent SG reports?
3
In which SG report was this case followed up on? 0
2022
Follow up information provided in SG report 0
  1. The case of Mr. Manouchehr Bakhtiyari, the father of Pouya Bakhtiari, a protestor who was shot in the head by security forces and killed during the nationwide November 2019 protests, was included in the 2021 report of the Secretary General on allegations of repeated arrests, interrogations and threats for publicly calling for justice for his son’s death, including in an open letter to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and others. He was arrested on 20 January 2020 with other members of his family, repeatedly threatened to prevent him from speaking publicly of his son’s death, charged with national security crimes, and released on bail.
  2. According to information received by OHCHR, Mr. Bakhritiyari was arrested again on 29 April 2021. During the arrest in their home, Mr. Bakhritiyari and his wife, Ms. Sara Abbasi, were reportedly severely beaten by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence, who allegedly broke Mr. Bakhritiyari’s fingers, slammed? Ms. Abbassi’s face and head against the wooden headboard of the bed and pushed their new-born baby to the floor. Reportedly, Mr. Bakhtiyari sustained serious injuries during the course of the arrest and was allegedly subjected to torture during his interrogation and detained incommunicado for 77 days. The authorities rejected three different lawyers he had chosen, with only the fourth lawyer chosen by the family allowed to represent him. Mr. Bakhtiyari was convicted of national security charges and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and one-year exile outside the city of Tehran. Ms. Abbasi and her child were evicted from their house, reportedly following pressure on the landowner by the authorities. In his 2022 report to the Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran addressed the case of Mr. Manouchehr Bakhtiari as an illustrative example of what appears to be a State policy of intimidating, prosecuting or silencing those who call for accountability, justice and truth, whether they are victims themselves, relatives, human rights defenders, lawyers or organizations”.
Followup Trends 0
Deterioration/further reprisals
Date of follow up 0
13 January 2022
Did the government respond? 0
No
Was this case followed up by a UN body? 0
  • UN Special Procedures: Country
In which SG report was this case followed up on? 1
2023
Follow up information provided in SG report 1
  1. The case of Mr. Manouchehr Bakhtiyari, the father of Pouya Bakhtiari, a protestor who was shot in the head by security forces and killed during the nationwide November 2019 protests, was included in the 2021 and 2022 report of the Secretary General112 on allegations of repeated arrests, interrogations and threats for publicly calling for justice for his son’s death, including in an open letter addressed to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and others. He was arrested in January 2020 with other members of his family and convicted on national security charges and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and one-year outside the city of Tehran.113 Mr. Bakhtiyari remains in detention since 29 April
  3. According to information received by OHCHR, on 30 July 2022, the ninth chamber of the Supreme Court revoked Mr. Bakhtiyari’s conviction and sentence on national security charges by the first chamber of Karaj’s Revolutionary Court for national security related offences. The retrial of this case has yet to take place.
  4. During the reporting period, the Qazvin’s Prosecution Office filed charges of “insulting the Supreme Leader” against Mr. Bakhtiyari. On 30 April 2023, the first chamber of the Qazvin Revolutionary Court sent the case back to the Prosecution Office for further evidence. According to information received by OHCHR, Mr. Bakhtiyari has allegedly been mistreated and denied access to adequate health care, despite medical assessments from two coroner offices prescribing two different surgeries.
  5. On 26 July 2023 the Government responded to the note verbale sent in connection to the present report noting that Mr. Manouchehr Bakhtiyari had not been prosecuted for “writing a letter to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights”, but rather for committing criminal offences under the Penal Code, in particular for insulting the Supreme Leader (article 514) and for inciting and encouraging individuals to spark riots (article 499). It further stated that Mr. Bakhtiyari had no interest in treatment at public hospitals and insisted on treatment in private ones, and that allegations that he might be deprived of adequate treatment are baseless and untrue.
Followup Trends 1
Deterioration/further reprisals
Did the government respond? 1
Yes
In which SG report was this case followed up on? 2
2024
Follow up information provided in SG report 2
  1. The case of Mr. Manouchehr Bakhtiyari, the father of Pouya Bakhtiari, a protestor who was shot in the head by security forces and killed during the nationwide November 2019 protests, has been included in reports of the Secretary General since 2021126 on allegations of repeated arrests, interrogations and threats for publicly calling for justice for his son’s death, including in an open letter addressed to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and others. He was arrested in January 2020 with other members of his family, convicted on national security charges and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and one-year exile outside the city of Tehran.127
  2. Mr. Bakhtiyari has been in detention since 29 April 2021. On 30 July 2022 his conviction and sentence on national security charges by the first chamber of Karaj’s Revolutionary Court in 2021 was revoked by the ninth Chamber of the Supreme Court and the case was returned for retrial. He was charged with “insulting the Supreme Leader” and “inciting and encouraging individuals to spark riots” against him, as confirmed by the Government.128
  3. On 4 July 2023, special procedures mandate holders addressed the decision of 30 July 2022 of the 9th Chamber of the Supreme Court to revoke the conviction and sentencing on national security charges against Mr. Bakhtiyari by the first Chamber of Karaj’s Revolutionary Court in July 2021 (IRN 12/2023). According to information received by OHCHR, the aforementioned decision also ordered the termination of the enforcement of the sentence. Reportedly, in November 2023, the Chief of Justice of Iran revoked the ruling of the 9th Chamber of the Supreme Court, using his authority under article 477 of the Islamic Criminal Procedure. Subsequently, the 2nd Chamber of the Supreme Court ruled to return the case to the first Chamber of Karaj’s Revolutionary Court” to correct the defects identified and to take appropriate legal measures with each of the charges.
  4. Mandate holders also addressed, the charge of “insulting the Supreme Leader” against Mr. Bakhtiyari and noted that the first chamber of the Qazvin Revolutionary Court had returned the case to the Prosecution Office for further evidence. Mandate holders noted with concern the reported deterioration of his health, due to alleged torture and injuries inflicted during interrogation and the reported denial of medical furlough (IRN 12/2023). According to information received by OHCHR, on 1 November 2023 Mr. Bakhtiyar was sentenced to 6 months in prison by the first Chamber of Gazin’s Revolutionary court for “insulting theSupreme Leader,” a sentence that was upheld by the sixth chamber of Karaj’s Revolutionary court on 13 February 2024.
  5. According to information received by OHCHR, on 9 January 2024, Mr. Bakhtiyari was sentenced on a different case against him to 18 years’ imprisonment and 74 lashes by the first Chamber of the Karaj’s Revolutionary Court on multiple charges. These charges included “gathering and collusion to commit a crime against security and forming and managing a group on cyberspace with the aim of disrupting the security of the country,” charges of “propaganda activity against the Islamic Republic and harming public opinion,” of “cooperating with groups opposed to the Islamic Republic and of “spreading lies”. Reportedly, the Court decision made an explicit reference to “the publication of false information through a complaint against the country to the United Nations Human Rights Council.” Allegedly, on 20 April 2024 the 1st Chamber of the Alborz province’s Appeal Court overturned the convictions on procedural grounds, namely “lack of jurisdiction”.
Followup Trends 2
Deterioration/further reprisals
Date of follow up 2
4 July 2023
Did the government respond? 2
No
Was this case followed up by a UN body? 2
  • UN Special Procedures: UN Special Procedures - General