Prison Sentence of Fariba Adelkhah, French Citizen, Increased to 6.5 Years in Appeals Court; Paris Mayor Reacts
The six-year prison sentence of Fariba Adelkhah, an Iranian-French researcher imprisoned in Iran, which was previously issued by the Revolutionary Court, has been increased in the appeals court.
The spokesperson for the Judiciary announced on Tuesday, July 1st, regarding the latest status of Fariba Adelkhah’s case that the sentence issued by the first instance court was confirmed in the appeals court, and this Iranian-French researcher has been sentenced to a total of 6 years and six months in prison, of which five years will be enforceable according to law.
Fariba Adelkhah, an Iranian-French researcher at the “Paris Institute for the Study of Political Sciences,” had previously been sentenced by Judge Solwati, head of Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court, to 5 years imprisonment on the charge of “gathering and conspiracy against security” and one year imprisonment for “propaganda against the system.” According to Gholamhossein Esmaili’s statements, this sentence has been increased to 6 years and six months.
Saeid Dehqan, Fariba Adelkhah’s defense lawyer, also confirmed this news on Twitter, writing that when the maximum punishment for “propaganda against the system” is one year imprisonment, he wishes the Judiciary spokesperson would explain their justification for the additional “six months.”
Following the announcement of the confirmation of Fariba Adelkhah’s sentence in the appeals court, Anne Hidalgo, the Mayor of Paris, while posting an image of Ms. Adelkhah that was displayed on the Paris City Hall building, wrote in a message: Paris reiterates its support for Fariba Adelkhah, who has been arbitrarily detained in Iran for over a year and whose conviction was recently confirmed in the appeals court.
She added: We continue to call for her release.
The judge of Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court is Abolqasem Solwati. Judge Solwati is one of the judges of the Judiciary of the Islamic Republic who has been known for issuing unjust sentences since 2009. He has been under sanctions by the United States since December 2019 on charges of human rights violations.
Based on available information, the Sepah Intelligence Organization arrested Fariba Adelkhah, an Iranian-French researcher at the “Paris Institute for the Study of Political Sciences,” along with her life partner Roland Marchal in Tehran in June of last year. After her arrest in early December of last year, she went on a 51-day hunger strike in protest of her imprisonment for conducting research work.
Roland Marchal, a French citizen who was arrested along with Ms. Adelkhah, was handed over to France in March of this year in exchange for the release and return of an Iranian prisoner.
Iran has intensified the detention of foreign citizens and dual nationals in recent years.
The U.S. State Department has repeatedly condemned the unjustified and arbitrary detention of American citizens and citizens of other countries, including Iranian dual nationals, by the Islamic Republic regime and has called for their immediate and unconditional release.
Source: Voice of America
