Amnesty International Calls for Release of Saba Kordafshari, Imprisoned Civil Activist

Amnesty International, through a call to action issued on the occasion of civil activist Saba Kordafshari’s 22nd birthday, has urged immediate action regarding her situation in Iran. The organization called on the Islamic Republic authorities to immediately and unconditionally release her.

Amnesty International on Monday, July 7, issued an appeal calling on people and human rights activists worldwide to urge the Islamic Republic of Iran authorities to secure the release of Saba Kordafshari.

According to published information, this imprisoned civil activist, who suffers from a digestive system disease, has experienced severe pain due to the exacerbation of this illness in prison and has been denied access to medical care.

Saba Kordafshari, an imprisoned civil activist and opponent of mandatory hijab, who has been in detention since June of last year, was previously sentenced by the Revolutionary Court to 15 years imprisonment on charges of promoting corruption and obscenity, to 7.5 years imprisonment on charges of assembly and conspiracy to commit crimes against national security, and to 1.5 years imprisonment on charges of propaganda activities against the system. This sentence was reduced to 9 years in the appeals court after she was acquitted of the charge of “promoting corruption and obscenity.”

Saba Kordafshari is serving her sentence in Evin Prison, spending her birthday in prison for the second consecutive year. Hamidrezaa Kordafshari, the father of this imprisoned civil activist, on Sunday, July 6, released a video addressing his daughter, saying: “This year on your birthday too, your mother, who defended you, is beside you and I don’t know whether to be happy or sad, that you are together but in a desolate place.”

Rahele Ahmadi, the mother of this imprisoned civil activist, was also arrested on Saturday, February 15, after appearing at Branch 3 of the General and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office of Tehran and was transferred to Evin Prison to serve her sentence. She had previously been sentenced by the Revolutionary Court of Tehran to 4 years and two months imprisonment.

Source: Voice of America