Father of Atena Daemi Says New Prison Sentence for His Daughter Is Only to Crush This Imprisoned Civil Activist

Hossein Daemi, father of Atena Daemi, a civil activist imprisoned in Evin Prison, in response to the issuance and notification of a 2-year prison sentence for his daughter, says that all these pressures are only to crush his daughter, and emphasizes that “where is Atena’s crime and where is the crime of those who embezzle billions in Iran?”

Hossein Daemi said on Thursday, July 2, in a statement to Voice of America regarding the issuance of a new verdict for his daughter that the issued sentence pertains to the sixth case file of this imprisoned civil activist that has been reopened during her detention. He stated that Atena Daemi was convicted in a five-minute trial held on Sunday, June 29, in Branch 24 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court presided over by Judge Amoozadeh, on charges of “propaganda against the system” and “disrupting prison order” to a total of 2 years imprisonment and 74 lashes.

Atena Daemi’s father told Voice of America that the manifestation of the charge of “propaganda against the system” in the issued verdict was the distribution of letters from inside the prison, and holding a sit-in in prison in connection with those killed in November 2019 and in support of the families of the deceased; the manifestation of the charge of “disrupting prison order” was the sit-in that took place alongside Narges Mohammadi, journalist and human rights defender, and several other prisoners.

Hossein Daemi, referring to the hasty issuance of the verdict for this imprisoned civil activist, emphasized that it can confidently be said that justice is not administered in Iran’s courts; rather, “the case is formed in the prosecutor’s office by the prosecutor or judicial authorities, a predetermined sentence is issued there, that sentence is sent to the branch, and the sentence is announced by the judge.”

Based on available information, Atena Daemi’s 5-year prison sentence will end on July 5. However, according to her father, the 2-year and one-month prison sentence for insulting the supreme leader, which dates back to 2018 and was issued on September 5, 2019, by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals, will enter the execution phase starting on Sunday, July 6. He also recalled that Atena Daemi has another case file for which an order has been issued, but it has not yet reached the court stage, and the family is currently awaiting its outcome.

Mr. Daemi reported to Voice of America that the physical condition of this civil activist is poor and, referring to the spread of coronavirus in Iran, said she should be sent to a hospital outside the prison for treatment. However, in these circumstances, the family only seeks Atena’s freedom and is not willing for her to be released from detention for treatment or even transferred for one hour to a hospital outside the prison, as the conditions are such that she might contract coronavirus.

The release of some prisoners began on Wednesday, February 25, with the issuance of a circular by the head of the judiciary in which, subject to certain conditions, limited furlough orders were issued for a group of prisoners sentenced to imprisonment. In one of the provisions of that circular, it is stated that those political prisoners who have been sentenced to more than 5 years in prison on charges of “actions against national security” are “exempted from being granted furlough.” This is while most political prisoners with the aforementioned charges have sentences exceeding 5 years.

Mr. Daemi concluded his conversation with Voice of America by emphasizing Atena’s innocence and demanding her release from prison, saying that his daughter “has committed no crime. She has neither embezzled nor stolen, nor committed any felony. Atena is a protester and has been imprisoned for her beliefs and her protests for the people, child laborers, the country’s instability, executions, and opposition to other practices that prevail in our country. And all these pressures inflicted upon her are only to crush her. But she remains steadfast and strong in her beliefs and convictions.”

The U.S. State Department has repeatedly condemned violent crackdowns and widespread suppression of protesters, as well as repeated and continuous violations of the rights of Iranian citizens by the ruling regime of that country.

Source: Voice of America