Civil Activist Summoned to Prison to Serve Sentence During Coronavirus Pandemic in Iran
Zhila Karamzadeh Makundi, a civil activist and critic of mandatory hijab in Iran, who was sentenced to six years in prison by an Iranian court last September, has been summoned to Evin Prison to serve her sentence.
Babak Paknia, Zhila Karamzadeh Makundi’s defense lawyer, told Voice of America: “On the 28th of Esfand, Ms. Makundi received a notice that she must report to the enforcement of sentences office, and if she does not comply, she will be forcibly brought to Evin Prison according to the nature of her conviction.”
The lawyer continued: “It is also surprising to us why they summoned Ms. Karamzadeh Makundi to serve her prison sentence on the last working day.”
Mr. Paknia told Voice of America: “I intend to approach the enforcement office to find an opportunity to prevent this civil activist from going to prison in the current situation in Iran. I also plan to submit a request for trial to the Supreme Court regarding the main case after the Nowruz holidays.”
Earlier, Voice of America reported, citing an informed source, that Zhila Karamzadeh Makundi, a civil activist critical of mandatory hijab in Iran, after expressing her views and participating in protests in November 2019 and following a brief trial on September 7, 2020, was sentenced to six years in prison by Branch 29 of the Tehran Islamic Revolution Court, presided over by Judge Seyyed Ali Mozloom, on charges including “assembly and conspiracy with intent to commit crimes against national security” and “propaganda against the system”; a sentence of which 5 years would be enforceable.
Zhila Karamzadeh Makundi’s defense lawyer says: “In reviewing the proceedings of this civil activist’s case, the conditions for committing the crime, as stated in the judgment, did not exist in any way. According to the case documents, what actually occurred cannot in any way fall under the charge of assembly and conspiracy with intent to commit crimes against national security, and in general, the elements of Article 610 of the Penal Code do not apply to her.”
According to Article 610 of the Islamic Penal Code, “whenever two or more persons assemble and conspire to commit crimes against domestic or foreign security of the country or provide the means for committing such crimes, if they do not qualify as combatants, they shall be sentenced to two to five years imprisonment.”
The Islamic Republic began suppressing its opponents and critics from the moment it came to power. Over the past 42 years, the government has detained many political and ideological activists and sentenced them to lengthy prison terms on false charges. Human rights organizations say the Islamic Republic does not fairly investigate charges and sometimes innocent individuals have been tried and even executed.
The U.S. State Department has repeatedly condemned repeated and continuous violations of the rights of Iranian citizens by the Islamic Republic in various cases.
Source: Voice of America
