Narges Mohammadi Sentenced to 30 Months Imprisonment and 80 Lashes

The Tehran Qods Judicial Complex has issued a new verdict against Narges Mohammadi, vice-president and spokesperson of the Center for Defenders of Human Rights in Iran. The charges against Mohammadi are related to a case file that was opened during her imprisonment.

According to Hrana news agency, Narges Mohammadi, vice-president and spokesperson of the Center for Defenders of Human Rights, has been sentenced by Branch 1177 of the Criminal Court of the Tehran Qods Judicial Complex to 30 months of discretionary imprisonment, 80 lashes, and payment of two separate monetary fines.

This verdict is related to a new case file that was opened for Narges Mohammadi during her imprisonment. The issuance of such verdicts is not new and has been repeated against human rights activists over the past 42 years.

According to Taghi Rahmani, Mohammadi’s husband, her charges are as follows: “Propaganda activities against the Islamic Republic of Iran system through the publication of statements (statement against executions), sit-in at the prison office (sit-in in December 2019 in protest of the killing of people in streets across the country), rebellion against prison leadership and authorities (to end the protest sit-in), breaking windows and slander regarding torture accusations and assault charges.”

Repetitive Charges

Narges Mohammadi, who was previously sentenced to lengthy imprisonment on similar charges, was released from prison in September 2020.

In November 2019, she, along with several other female prisoners, conducted a sit-in at Evin Prison office in solidarity with the November protests and victims of floods and earthquakes.

The head of Evin Prison forcibly transferred her to Zanjan Prison with beatings in December 2019. Subsequently, the Zanjan Prosecutor’s Office introduced “publication of political statements, organization of educational classes, and protest sit-in in the women’s ward” as documentation for a new case file.

The vice-president and spokesperson of the Center for Defenders of Human Rights was released on September 17, 2020, after five and a half years of imprisonment, but less than two months after her release, she received a summons to appear in court on December 6 for trial.

Last month, Kari Anderson and Kari Elizabeth Caspari, two Norwegian Parliament representatives, nominated Narges Mohammadi and Loujain Al-Hathloul, a Saudi civil rights activist, for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Source: DW