Reports from Iran indicate that Mahsa Jalal Badi'i, a civil activist in the city of Rasht, has been arrested to serve her prison sentence and transferred to Lakan Prison. Mahsa Jalal Badi'i, 39, known for reading and publishing scientific content about 'the theory of evolution' on social media, was detained on Sunday, October 14, after being summoned to the execution branch of the Revolutionary Court in Rasht, and was sent to Lakan Prison to serve her sentence of 3 years and 6 months. According to the ruling issued by the judge of the third branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Rasht, she was sentenced to 7 months and 15 days in prison for 'propaganda against the regime' and to 3 years, 6 months, and 1 day for 'educational and propaganda activities contrary to or disruptive to the sacred Sharia of Islam.' This civil activist has also been sentenced to 10 years of deprivation of social rights as an additional punishment. Ms. Badi'i is imprisoned while being the guardian of a teenage child and elderly parents. In the ruling of the Islamic Revolutionary Court, the existence of certain books deemed 'forbidden and deviant,' including 'Man Created God' and 'Crocodile Tears,' as well as efforts to introduce these books and their content in cyberspace, were used as evidence to substantiate the crime. The legal advisory group 'Dadban' wrote on the social media platform 'X' that the attribution of this accusation and the issuance of the ruling based on it is while, according to Article 500 of the Islamic Penal Code, the condition for the realization of this 'criminal act' is educational activities against Islam or the prophets or the claim of imamate or prophethood, and merely studying and recounting the content of the book in no way constitutes such a 'criminal title.' This civil activist had previously been arrested by the security forces of the Islamic Republic in Rasht on May 13 and was temporarily released on bail after 6 days. Several civil and human rights activists have protested against the imprisonment of this civil activist, describing the criminalization of publishing scientific content about evolution as a manifestation of activity against the ruling regime, calling it 'medieval.'
A Civil Activist in Rasht Sent to Prison for 'Educational and Propaganda Activities' Through Reading Books
Mahsa Jalal Badi'i, a civil activist in Rasht, was sentenced to prison for promoting scientific ideas about evolution, which authorities deemed contrary to Islamic law. Her case highlights the ongoing repression of intellectual discourse in Iran, particularly regarding topics like evolution. This incident has drawn criticism from human rights activists who view it as an infringement on freedom of expression.
👥 Key Players
⚡ Actions
📰 What Happened
Mahsa Jalal Badi'i arrested for educational activities against the regime in Iran.
- Iranian authorities arrest Mahsa Jalal Badi'i
- Islamic Revolutionary Court of Rasht sentence Mahsa Jalal Badi'i
- civil and human rights activists protest Mahsa Jalal Badi'i
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The arrest of Mahsa Jalal Badi'i underscores the Iranian regime's crackdown on dissent and scientific inquiry.
📝 Key Evidence
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%