11 Women’s Rights Activists in Gilan Province Sentenced to At Least 60 Years of Disciplinary Imprisonment
30-March-2024
Category: Iran's Uprising 2022، Suppression، Women
March 30, 2024
News Group: Women – Suppression – Uprising 2022 –
Breathing in Confinement: Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court in Rasht sentenced11 women’s rights activists in Gilan to over 60 years of imprisonment.
According to “Breathing in Confinement,” the news organ of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, based on the verdict of Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court in Rasht, 11 women’s rights activists in Gilan, who had been detained on August 2023, on the eve of the anniversary of the 2022 uprising, were collectively sentenced to 60 years of disciplinary imprisonment.
The trial of these 11 activists took place on February 29, 2024, in the third branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Rasht.
In regard to the outcome of the court session for these women activists, in an interview with “Shargh Network”, Mustafa Neili, the lawyer of Forough Sami’nia and Javaher Javaheri, stated: “The trial was held in February and today the court’s verdict has been announced, according to which, over 60 years of disciplinary imprisonment has been issued for these 11 activists. Nili added that one of his clients, Ms. Forough Sami’nia was sentenced to 3 years, 6 months, and 1 day of imprisonment on charges of assembly and conspiracy to disturb national security, and to 2 years, 7 months, and 16 days of disciplinary imprisonment on charges of membership in an illegal group. And that his other clients Ms. Javaher Javaheri was sentenced to 1 year of disciplinary imprisonment on charges of propaganda against the regime. Mr. Neili also emphasized that according to the court’s verdict, the harshest penalties issued for the defendants in this case will be enforced.
According to the lawyers of the case, Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court in Rasht also sentenced Zahra Dadres, a women’s rights activist, to 6 years and 1 day of imprisonment on charges of “forming an illegal group” and to 3 years, 6 months, and 1 day of disciplinary imprisonment on charges of “assembly and conspiracy to disturb national security.” Additionally, Sara Jahani, Matin Yazdani, Yasamin Hashdari, Shiva Shahsiya, Naghin Rezaii, and Azadeh Chavoshian were each sentenced to 3 years, 6 months, and 1 day of disciplinary imprisonment on charges of assembly and conspiracy, and to 2 years, 7 months, and 16 days of disciplinary imprisonment on charges of membership in an illegal group.
The court also sentenced Hooman Taheri to 1 year of disciplinary imprisonment on charges of propaganda against the regime.
The Writers Association of Iran, protesting the issuance of these sentences, released a statement, saying: “In Iran, the issuance of such judgments neither surprises anyone nor causes fear,” and referring to the “bloody decade of the 80s,” the executions in that decade, and the “bloody confrontation of the regime even with simple and peaceful protests,” the issuance of “thousands of years” of imprisonment for increasing numbers of protesters, and opponents,” added: “If there is anything surprising in this, especially for the rulers, is that the opponents do not retreat.”
The spokesperson for the US State Department also described the issuance of “heavy” sentences for women’s rights activists in Gilan Province on Friday, March 28, as an act by the Islamic Republic of Iran to “intimidate and silence the voices of civil activists.”