Reactions to the Ten-Year Prison Sentence for "Sahar Tabar"; The Iranian Government's "Disease" for "Chaining People"
The sentencing of Fatemeh Khoshvand, known as "Sahar Tabar," to ten years in prison has sparked widespread criticism on social media. Some have called it a punishment for "rejuvenating" the "Islamic Republic of ISIS," while others have said it is a sign of the Iranian government's desire to "chain people."
After the 19-year-old girl announced in an interview with Iranian media on Friday, December 11 , that she had been found guilty of two charges and sentenced to ten years in prison, Persian-speaking users of social media accused the Islamic Republic's judicial system of issuing unfair sentences and attempting to suppress the people.
Masih Alinejad, host and commentator of the Voice of America Tablet program, first asked the Hollywood actress to condemn the prison sentence for the girl, pointing out in a message on Twitter that the young girl had intended to use makeup and Photoshop to make herself look like a zombie Angelina Jolie in some of her videos.
In another message on Twitter, he wrote, alluding to a tweet by the Iranian Minister of Communications and Technology who had called on young people to "rejuvenate," saying: " The Islamic Republic is ISIS in power. Rejuvenate or you will be killed, imprisoned, or exiled."
Omid Jalili, a British comedian of Iranian descent, also tweeted a message reposting Masih Alinejad's message to Angelina Jolie, referring to her high popularity in Iran, and wrote: "Now the girl who wanted to make herself look like your zombie form as a joke has been imprisoned."
Reza Haghighat Nejad also pointed out the government's treatment of this young girl and wrote: "Fatima Khosvand, known as "Sahar Tabar", 19 years old, her job and hobby was Photoshopping her own photos on Instagram. She became popular, they arrested her, forced her to confess, and now they have given her 10 years in prison. These actions of the government are not a reaction, they are not a warning, they are a disease; the disease of chaining people. It is madness."
Some users have also compared this sentence to sentences issued for more serious crimes. For example, they have pointed to the lenient sentence given to Saeed Mortazavi, who was tried on charges of financial corruption and the Kahrizak detention center case, as well as to the father who killed his daughter.
Azam Jangrovi, one of the "Girls of Revolution Street," wrote in a message on Twitter that Sahar Tabar, a girl who posted her photos on Instagram after applying makeup and altering them with Photoshop, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and the father of Romina Ashrafi, who was killed by his daughter, was sentenced to 9 years in prison.
Another user criticized the harsh sentence for a teenage girl who posted her photos on Instagram, writing that such sentences are only issued in the repressive government of the Islamic Republic.
Fatemeh Khoshvand, who was known on Instagram as Sahar Tabar, was arrested last October by order of the Media Prosecution and faced charges such as “assisting in corruption on earth” and “promoting violence, spreading pornography, and encouraging youth to corruption and transgression.” The prosecution sent her case to the Revolutionary Court for trial.
Shortly after her arrest, the teenage girl's lawyers requested the court to convert her arrest warrant to bail, citing her young age and mental health problems. However, the court opposed her temporary release for months after her arrest.
Just a few weeks after Sahar Tabar's arrest, her forced confessions were broadcast on Iranian state television, which also drew widespread criticism on social media.
The United States has repeatedly condemned human rights violations in Iran. Mike Pompeo recently told the Human Rights Review Roundtable that governments like the Islamic Republic of Iran are depriving people of their basic rights.
Source: Voice of America
