Released on Bail

Abbas Lisani

Abbas Lisani (39) is an Azerbaijani activist from the city of Ardebil. He is serving multiple prison sentences following prosecutions for his peaceful activities promoting respect for the cultural and linguistic rights of the Azerbaijani ethnic minority.

Hojat Naseri

Hojat Naseri (26), an Azerbaijani activist, is serving a four- month prison term. He was arrested and prosecuted after public protests in June 2007. He is held in Oromiye prison.

Tayeb Ebrahimizadeh

Tayeb Ebrahimzadeh is an activist associated with the Azerbaijan National Movement, which aims to promote respect for the cultural and linguistic rights of the Azerbaijani ethnic minority. Security forces temporarily detained Ebrahimzadeh on September 23, 2006, during a peaceful protest demanding the right to teach Azeri language in primary schools.

Mohsen Hosseinzadeh

Mohsen Hosseinzadeh is an activist on behalf of the Azerbaijan National Movement, which promotes the cultural and linguistic rights of the Azeri ethnic minority. Security forces temporarily detained Hosseinzadeh on September 23, 2006, during a peaceful protest demanding the right to teach Azeri language in primary schools.

Behrouz Karimizadeh

Behrouz Karimizadeh, arrested on November 3, 2008, is a student activist. He is being held in Evin prison. Karimizadeh and more than 60 other students were arrested during a nationwide sweep between November 2007 and January 2008.

Ali Kantouri

Ali Kantouri, arrested on November 3, 2008, is a student activist. He is held in Evin prison. Kantouri and more than 60 other students were arrested during a nationwide sweep between November 2007 and January 2008.

Peyman Piran

Peyman Piran, arrested in November 2007, is a political dissident and student activist. He is held in Evin prison and has reportedly been subjected to ill-treatment to make false confessions.

Emad Baghi

Emad Baghi (45), a prominent human rights defender, is serving a one- year sentence for articles he wrote a decade before, and for which he already spent three years in prison on the same charges. He is the founder of the Center for Defense of Prisoners’ Rights.

Hadi Hamidi Shafigh

Hadi Hamidi Shafigh (23) is an architecture student at Orumieh’s Azad University. Arrested on December 11, 2007, he is serving a 17- month prison term for “participating in an illegal gathering” and possession of material deemed “insulting to the Supreme Leader.”

Ehsan Mansouri

Ehsan Mansouri, political secretary of the Islamic Association at Amir Kabir University, was arrested after security agents raided his parent’s house on May 29, 2007.

Security forces arrested Mansouri, Ahmad Ghasaban, and Majid Tavakoli along with five other students following a week of unrest at Amir Kabir University in May 2007.