WUNRN
Justice for Iran - http://justiceforiran.org/
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Jul 28,
2015 - Atena Atena Farghadani ´s publishing of a
video on 28 December 2014 on YouTube, in which she describes how she was
subjected to an aggressive strip search and beaten for smuggling used paper
cups to her cell.Less than two weeks after the video appeared, Farghadani was
summoned before Tehran´s Revolutionary Court, re-arrested and charged with an
array of offences, including “insulting the Supreme Leader and the
Revolutionary Guards Testimony
of Atena Farghadani
Reliable sources have informed JFI
that last August this female political prisoner was summoned to a clinic
where she was forced to undergo virginity and pregnancy tests. During a visit last June
Farghadani shook hands with her lawyer, Mohammad Moghimi. Charges of
“Illegitimate sexual relationship” were pressed against both resulting in a
three-day detention for Moghimi. According to the information shared
with JFI detaining Faraghdani’s lawyer resulted in missing the deadline to
appeal her sentence of 12 years and 9 months in prison. JFI demands Farghadani’s immediate
and unconditional release. In addition, it demands that all authorities
responsible for violation of her rights, in particular, humiliation and
harassment through bodily inspection, virginity and pregnancy tests, should
be held accountable. Despite promises by prison
authorities to cooperate following a three-day hunger strike by Farghadani
protesting her degrading treatment and humiliating tests, last week an
unexpected announcement was made regarding a court hearing scheduled for today.
According to Iran’s Penal Code, the charge made against Farghadani and her
lawyer is punishable by up to 99 lashes. Cartoonist and civil rights
activist Farghadani was first arrested on 23 August 2014 by Islamic Republic
Guard Corps Intelligence officials and detained in Ward 2A. Following her
release she published a video in which she describes the manner in which prison
authorities sexually harassed her and ignored her appeals. Sexual torture of
female political prisoners disguised as body search is a long standing
practice in Iranian prisons, resulting in case appeals by victims. However,
the perpetrators remain at large. Following the release of her
video, instead of investigating those responsible, Farghadani was once again
arrested and transferred to Qarchak Women’s Detention Centre. Following her
hunger strike and deteriorating health, she was transferred to Evin Prison
where she now remains. According to the information
shared with JFI detaining Faraghdani’s lawyer resulted in missing the
deadline to appeal her sentence of 12 years and 9 months of prison. In June 2014, Branch 15 of the
Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran presided by Judge Abdolghassem
Salavati, laid several charges against Farghadani including her appeal
regarding the illegal actions of guards in Ward 2A, drawing cartoons
objecting to the parliamentary bill to increase the population, and
criticizing Islamic Republic authorities, and sentenced her to 12 years and 9
months in prison. Judge Salavati whose record includes serious human rights
violations is among those whose names are included on the EU list of
sanctions. Despite many appeals and widespread objections by the
international community, including known cartoonists, her case has yet to be
reviewed. JFI
demands Farghadani’s immediate and unconditional release. In addition, it
demands that all authorities responsible for violation of her rights, in
particular, humiliation and harassment through bodily inspection, virginity
and pregnancy tests, should be held accountable. ________________________________________________________________ |
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