Amnesty International: Continued Imprisonment of Saba Kordafshari is ‘Cruel Action by Iranian Authorities’ and She Should Be Released Immediately

Following the confirmation of a 24-year prison sentence for Saba Kordafshari and the rejection of a retrial request for this women’s rights activist and opponent of mandatory hijab by Iran’s judicial system, Amnesty International called for her immediate release.

Amnesty International on Thursday, November 13, described the continued imprisonment of Saba Kordafshari as “unjust” and “a cruel action” by Iranian authorities on its Twitter page and wrote: “She has been sentenced to 24 years in prison for protesting the humiliating and discriminatory mandatory hijab law, and the Supreme Court has rejected her retrial request.”

The human rights organization further emphasized that “she should be released immediately.”

Earlier, a source close to Saba Kordafshari’s family, who declined to be identified for security reasons, told Voice of America that the retrial request for this imprisoned civil activist, which was submitted to the Supreme Court by her lawyer in early September of this year, was rejected by Branch 28 of the Supreme Court, and the 24-year prison sentence was notified to Kordafshari’s lawyer on Wednesday, November 5.

According to the ruling issued, Saba Kordafshari has been sentenced to 24 years in prison, of which, pursuant to Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, 15 years of this sentence will be served as the severest punishment.

Rachel Ahmadi, the mother of Ms. Kordafshari, was arrested after announcing last June that her daughter was being pressured for forced confession and television interview.

International human rights organizations and the United States have repeatedly accused the Islamic Republic of violating freedom of speech and suppressing civil activists, including women’s rights activists, and have called for the release of prisoners who have been detained solely for demanding their rights.

Source: Voice of America