Additional Name(s): جمال‌الدین خانجانی

Gender: Male

Current Location: Evin Prison

Perpetrator: Iran

Religion or Belief: Bahá`í

Health Concerns: Previously suffered from heart disease, other ailments

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Date of Detainment: August/13/2023

Date of Release: March/16/2018

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: Yes

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Association Religious Belief Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role

Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Espionage Illegal Assembly Miscellaneous Religious Crimes Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials Treason & Sedition

Jamaloddin Khanjani

Extra Bio Info:

Jamaloddin Khanjani was detained for his religious association. 

On August 13, 2023, security forces apprehended Khanjani and his daughter Maria Khanjani and took them to Evin Prison. The specific grounds for their detention, as well as the charges against them, remain undisclosed.

On September 2, 2023, Khanjani was released after posting bail.

He formerly served as a manager for a dissolved Baha’i group named “Yaran e Iran” or “Friends of Iran,” an organization that aimed to address the spiritual and social needs of the Baha’i community.

Related Cases: Maria Khanjani, Afif Naeimi, Mahvash Sabet, Fariba Kamalabadi, Enayatollah Naeimi

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Jamaloddin Khanjani was previously imprisoned for his religious association and being a religious leader.

On May 14, 2008, authorities arrested Khanjani, a religious leader part of the Yaran group.  He was placed in solitary confinement in Evin Prison and denied access to a lawyer.

In August 2008, Khanjani was transferred out of solitary confinement into a public ward.

In January 2010, the first session of Khanjani's trial began.  He was reportedly charged with "espionage for foreign countries," "propagating against the state," "founding and maintaining illegal groups," "collaboration with the Zionist occupying regime," "conspiracy to collect classified information and sharing it with foreign nations in an attempt to disrupt national security," "gathering and colluding against national security internally and externally," "defacing the Islamic Republic of Iran in the international community" and "corruption on Earth."  United For Iran lists the charges as committing corruption on Earth (Art. 286 IPC), "propaganda against the state" (Art. 500 IPC), “cooperating…with foreign States against the Islamic Republic of Iran” (Art. 508 IPC), and "assembling and colluding to act against national security" (Art. 610).

In August 2010, Khanjani was sentenced to 20 years in prison.  He was then transferred to Rajaee Shahr Prison.

In September 2010, it was reported that Khanjani's sentence had been reduced to ten years in prison after an appeals court dropped the espionage charge.  However, the full sentence was reportedly reinstated by the attorney general.

Khanjani's wife, Ashraf Sobhani, passed away while he was still in prison.  There are conflicting reports about the exact timing of her passing.  Khanjani was not granted release to attend her funeral.

In March 2011, an appeals court reportedly upheld his 20-year sentence.

In November 2015, it was reported that Khanjani's sentence was reduced to ten years in prison as the sentences ran concurrently.

In February 2018, Khanjani was taken to the hospital reportedly to undergo heart surgery.  He had reportedly been suffering from various ailments while in prison.

On March 16, 2018, Khanjani was released from prison after completing his sentence.

Related Cases: Afif Naeimi, Mahvash Sabet, Fariba Kamalabadi, Enayatollah Naeimi

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