Reza Khandan (Mahabadi), Bektash Abtin, and Kayvan Bazhan, three members of Iranian Writers’ Association, were each sentenced to 6 years in prison by the Revolutionary Court.

The Iranian Writers Association published a statement on Thursday reporting that the three have received their sentences through their attorneys.

The three were charged with “propaganda against the regime” and “assembly and conspiracy to act against national security” and received 1 to 5 years in prison for each charge.

Iranian Writers’ Association emphasizes in its statement that “the evidence is even weaker and more irrelevant than the charges themselves.”

The statement continued: “Three writers were sentenced to 18 years in prison together, asking them why did you become members of Writers’ Association? Why did you publish the association’s magazine? Why did you gather the documents and evidence of the association’s activities and publish them as a book? Why did you visit the tombs of Ahmad Shamlou and Jafar Pouyandeh?  Why did you sign petitions in support of freedom of speech for writers and artists and against the death penalty?”

The Writers Association concludes: “Any court, with minimum justice and independence and respect for human dignity will find these “evidence”, not as proof of a crime but excuses to frame someone.”

The association called the conviction verdict for the three writers “condemnation of all writers and anyone who wants to enjoy the freedom of speech.”

Last year security forces attacked and stopped the 50th-anniversary celebration of Iranian Writers’ Association.