Iran Woman Campaign Activist Sentenced to Prison and Lashings

July 6, 2007

Delaram Ali, a 24 year old student activist and women’s rights defender and member of the One Million Signatures Campaign was sentenced to 2 years and 10 months in prison and 10 lashes for participating in the June 12, 2006 peaceful women’s rally in Tehran, which ended with police violence and detention of more than 70 people.

The sentence issued by Judge Salavati, in charge of the 15th District of the Revolutionary Courts, relied on amendments 500, 610 and 618 of Iran’s Penal Code finding Delaram Ali guilty of "propaganda against the state," "acting against national security" by participating in the June 12th protest, and "disruption of public order," We Change reports.

Alieh Eghdam Doost, another women’s rights activist who was also arrested at the June 12th protest was sentenced to 3 years and 5 months in prison and 20 lashes on similar charges July 4, 2007.

In an interview with Deutsche Welle, Delaram Ali said the heavy sentence is a warning sent by the government to other activists who have open cases in the court to "learn their lesson." By calling her a "criminal" in the verdict, Ali said: "When they call a social activist a 'criminal,' they degrade her activism to the level of drug smuggling. This shows that the sentence is humiliating and very insulting." Ali's interview in English is available here.

Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Laureate and Ali’s attorney said in an interview with We Change: "Issuing such a heavy sentence for a student girl whose only demand is to be considered as a whole person in the society and before the law, and whose only wish is to be granted the same legal status as her brother is surprising. The women who participated in the June 12, 2006 protest or are members of the One Million Signatures Campaign have declared their civil demand for eliminating discrimination against women in the most peaceful manner. However, these women are accused of acting against national security and this is really shameful."

Four other activists were convicted in April 2007 with sentences between 1 – 4 years of which 1.5 – 3 years were suspended for a five-year period during which activists cannot be "found guilty of any other crime." The government is convicting activists as a way to pressure them to cease their activities. Scroll down to see prior alerts.

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