Accusation of 'Baghi' Against Labor Activist in Lakan Prison; Campaign for Sharifeh Mohammadi's Release: It's Fabrication

The 'Free Sharifeh' campaign expressed concern over the 'fabricated scenario and case-making by the Ministry of Intelligence' and the accusation of 'Baghi' against Sharifeh Mohammadi, a labor activist imprisoned in Lakan Prison in Rasht. The Instagram page of this campaign on Friday, July 8, mentioned that this 'baseless and ridiculous' accusation is related to Ms. Mohammadi's membership in the 'Coordination Committee for the Help to Establish Labor Organizations' before 2011. In response to the 'fabricated scenario' by the Islamic Republic's Ministry of Intelligence, the campaign emphasized that 'there is no confession or admission' in Sharifeh Mohammadi's case, despite 'severe physical and psychological pressures,' and that intelligence and security forces have accused her of 'membership in the armed Komala group' without any evidence and have inferred from it 'armed uprising against the Islamic government (Baghi).' The accusation of 'Baghi' can lead to the death penalty or long-term imprisonment. The 'Free Sharifeh' campaign described such 'baseless and ridiculous accusations and case-making' as a new method of the Ministry of Intelligence to 'deal with independent labor and social activists' and pointed out that Sharifeh Mohammadi has been 'tortured at least twice' by the Ministry of Intelligence, to the extent that perhaps due to fear for her life, it led to prison officials protesting against her beating. Additionally, reports of mistreatment of this labor activist after her transfer from Lakan Prison in Rasht to Sanandaj Prison had previously been published. In part of this Instagram post, it was emphasized: 'All activities of the Coordination Committee over the years clearly indicate the independent and labor-oriented approach of this committee and have never been affiliated with any group, organization, or party.' This campaign considered it an example of 'dangerous case-making against independent and public activists in Gilan after the Jina movement,' referring to the issuance of over 60 years of prison sentences for 11 women activists in Gilan, which was confirmed in the appeals court. The 'Free Sharifeh' campaign expressed concern about the possibility of 'severe punishment' resulting from the accusation of 'Baghi' for this labor activist. In this context, Mahmoud Salehi, a labor activist in Saqez, emphasized in response to this accusation that 'membership in the Coordination Committee has nothing to do with Komala, and this accusation against the members of the Coordination Committee is merely an excuse to suppress them.' He pointed out: 'If membership in the Coordination Committee is Baghi, then come and arrest us too because we were also once members of the Coordination Committee.' Sharifeh Mohammadi, a civil and labor activist from Rasht, was arrested on December 5, 2023, on charges of 'propaganda against the regime' and spent several months in solitary confinement. In a note attributed to Sharifeh Mohammadi on her Instagram page, she reported being beaten during detention, being held in solitary confinement, suffering from separation from her child, and being deprived of in-person visits with her family. The security and judicial apparatus of the Islamic Republic has always tried to suppress labor, professional, and political activists by attributing security charges against them and issuing punishments such as imprisonment, exile, and flogging. End of 10-day leave; labor activist Ismail Ahmadi returned to Ehar Prison to continue his sentence. Temporary release of labor activist Sirus Fathi in Rasht. Two labor syndicates in Iran called for the release of Sharifeh Mohammadi and Sirus Fathi.