TEHRAN - Hamid Rasaee is a sitting Member of the Iranian Parliament representing Tehran, a cleric, and a journalist.

He was elected to the 12th Parliament in 2024. Before entering Parliament, he served as the managing director of the weekly newspaper 9 Dey and has been active in media and parliamentary affairs for many years.

Why is he in prison?

Rasaee is serving a 10-month sentence following a final court ruling for “publishing false statements with intent to harm another person.”

According to the Judiciary’s news agency Mizan, the case dates to January-February 2024, when Rasaee was not yet a Member of Parliament but head of 9 Dey weekly.

The weekly published an article titled “Manipulation of Parliamentary Documents,” which accused Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Qalibaf of altering official parliamentary documents. A formal complaint was filed, and the case was referred to the prosecutor’s office in February 2024.

Because Rasaee is a cleric, the case was handled under the law by the Special Prosecutor’s Office for Clergy and the Special Court for Clergy, with a full process of trial and appeal.

In June 2026, the Appeals Court issued its final verdict: Rasaee was acquitted on one part of the case concerning a comment made in a video, but convicted on the charge related to the false allegation about parliamentary documents. He was sentenced to 10 months.

On September 27, 2026, he reported to begin serving the sentence in the designated ward for clerical inmates at Evin Prison in Tehran.

Was due process observed?

Judicial officials emphasize three points:
A lengthy legal process: The proceedings lasted more than 18 months, from early 2024 to mid-2026, including investigation, trial, and appeal.

Opportunity for settlement: As the complaint involved a private plaintiff, the law allowed the case to be closed at the prosecution stage if the parties reached reconciliation. The Judiciary states that this opportunity remained open for over 18 months but was not utilized.

Equality before the law: The Judiciary has underlined that the verdict relates to actions before Rasaee’s term as an MP, and that holding a parliamentary seat does not exempt any individual from enforcement of a final judicial ruling.

Rasaee stated that he considers the ruling unjust, but announced that he respects the law and reported voluntarily to serve his sentence.