Middle East Forum for Development will hold an event marking the sixth anniversary of the imprisonment of Iranian spiritual teacher Mohammad Ali Taheri Chair: Ms Shimaa Elsayed, Amnesty International UK trainer and the founder of Women Against Violent Extremism (WAVE) Speakers: Mr Hamilton Hay, Amnesty International UK, Mosa Zahed, executive director of Middle East Forum for Development (MEFD) and Ms Sara Saei, a student of Mohammad Ali Taheri, who was arrested in Iran during a peaceful demonstration in protest to Mr Taheri’s death sentence, and who also volunteers with Amnesty International UK. When: Sunday, 7^th May at 1 pm Where: Amnesty International UK, 17-25 New Inn Yard, London, EC2A 3EA Why: To raise awareness about the case of spiritual teacher Mohammad Ali Taheri, who remains in solitary confinement in Section 2A of Iran’s Evin prison solely for peacefully exercising his rights to freedom of belief, expression and association, and to call on the UK government to persuade the Iranian authorities to release him from prison. Background: Mohammad Ali Taheri, whose case will be raised at this event, was imprisoned for establishing a spiritual doctrine and group called Erfan-e Halgheh. Though his five year sentence was completed in February 2016, he remains in solitary confinement in Tehran’s Evin prison. He was arrested in April 2010 and released after two months. He was re-arrested in May 2011 and sentenced by a Revolutionary Court in Tehran for five years, 74 lashes and a large fine, for “insulting Islamic sanctities”. In June 2016, he was acquitted of a second charge of “spreading corruption on earth”, for which he had been previously sentenced to death in August 2015. He has been subjected to torture, and mock execution. He has been on many hunger strikes and has attempted suicide. At least 30 of his followers have also been sentenced to prison. For more information please contact Mosa Zahed, executive director of Middle East Forum for Development on mosazahed@me-fd.org