November 4, 2016
Shahriar Siroos, an Iranian Baha’i artist who was sentenced to five years in prison for the charge of establishing a group to “perturb the security of the country” for teaching art classes in his home, is awaiting a decision on his appeal.
A legal analyst, who asked not to be identified, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that the charge against Siroos, based on Article 498 of the Islamic Penal Code (2013), should have been deemed impermissible by the court.
“An art class is not a ‘group, society, or branch’ and there was no intention to ‘perturb’ the security of the country,” said the analyst. “Article 498 applies to subversive armed groups, not to an art instructor who held classes without a permit.”
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