Neda Naji, Civil Activist, Sentenced to 66 Months in Prison
Neda Naji, a women’s rights activist and imprisoned civil activist in Iran, has been sentenced to 5 years and 6 months in prison by the Revolutionary Court.
The Free Union of Workers Telegram channel reported on Wednesday, December 4, that the imprisoned civil activist was sentenced by Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court, headed by Judge Moghisseh, to a total of 5 years and 6 months in prison on charges including “insulting government officials” and “assembly and conspiracy.”
According to the report, Neda Naji was sentenced to 6 months in prison for the charge of “insulting government officials” and to 5 years in prison for the charge of “assembly and conspiracy,” which according to Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code on sentence aggregation, only five years of this sentence will be enforceable.
This women’s rights activist was arrested by security personnel on International Workers’ Day (May 1st) and is the only detainee from Workers’ Day who remains in custody. According to the Free Union of Workers, requests to convert her detention order to bail have been repeatedly rejected.
Neda Naji was initially transferred to Qarchak Prison in Varamin, but only a few days after her arrest, she was transferred to Ward 209 of the Ministry of Intelligence in Evin Prison for further interrogation. Several weeks later, after the completion of interrogation, she was again transferred to Qarchak Prison. According to available information, she has been subjected to attacks in this prison multiple times.
AmnestyInternational had previously, in September of this year, coinciding with Neda Naji’s birthday, launched an internet campaign calling on the Islamic Republic’s judicial authorities to release the imprisoned activist unconditionally.
The U.S. State Department criticized the arrests of Iranian labor activists following the arrests made on International Workers’ Day in Iran.
The U.S. State Department stated that the Islamic Republic regime, with the expenses it has incurred in Syria, could have paid workers’ rights in Iran.
Source: Voice of America
