Amnesty International: Golrokh Ebrahimi to be Imprisoned Soon for Unpublished Story

On Thursday, October 7, Amnesty International warned in a statement that Golrokh Ebrahimi, a writer and human rights activist, has been sentenced to multiple charges, including "insulting Islamic sanctities," for writing an unpublished story about stoning, and will soon be sent to prison to serve her six-year sentence. Philip Luther, a Middle East official at Amnesty International, stated: "Golrokh Ebrahimi's crimes are absurd. She has been sentenced to six years in prison simply for writing a story that has not even been published, merely for her imagination." He added: "Instead of imprisoning a young woman who peacefully exercised her legitimate human rights to express opposition to stoning, Iranian authorities should focus on the complete abolition of such punishments, which are a form of torture. The continued implementation of such punishments and the justification for them under the guise of protecting morals is disgusting." Reports indicate that two days ago, the enforcement center contacted Golrokh Ebrahimi by phone and ordered her to report to Evin Prison to begin her six-year sentence for "insulting Islamic sanctities" and "propaganda against the regime." She was sentenced to six years in prison in the initial court for writing an unpublished fictional story that describes the emotional reactions of a young woman watching a film titled "The Stoning of Soraya M," which depicts the story of a woman stoned to death for sexual relations. After watching the film, the viewer becomes so enraged that she burns a copy of the Quran. This unpublished story was discovered on September 6, 2014, during the arrest of Golrokh Ebrahimi and her husband, Arash Sadeghi, at their workplace in Tehran by the Revolutionary Guards. The agents did not show them a warrant but took the couple to their home, where they confiscated several of their belongings, including a computer, notebooks, and several CDs. Arash Sadeghi, a human rights activist, was taken to Evin Prison, and Golrokh Ebrahimi was transferred to a secret detention center. After one night, she was moved to a section of Evin Prison under the supervision of the Revolutionary Guards. She was imprisoned for 20 days without family visits, access to a lawyer, or a trial, spending the first three days in solitary confinement. Golrokh Ebrahimi stated that during her detention, she was interrogated for long hours while blindfolded, and interrogators threatened her with execution for "insulting Islam." She heard the sounds of her husband's interrogation and similar threats against him in the adjacent cell. Arash Sadeghi also reported being tortured during his detention, with interrogators kicking him, punching his head, and at times choking him to the point of near asphyxiation. Golrokh Ebrahimi was tried in two brief sessions of the Tehran Revolutionary Court without a lawyer. The first lawyer resigned under pressure, and the second lawyer was not allowed to study her case or defend her in court. She was not allowed to defend herself in court because the first session was dedicated to her husband's case, and during the second session, she was hospitalized and could not attend the hearing. Philip Luther stated: "Golrokh Ebrahimi's trial was a sham. She was not allowed to defend herself, and her sentence was predetermined. This is the latest example of the Iranian government's disregard for justice and human rights violations." This Amnesty International official emphasized: "We urge the responsible authorities to immediately revoke the prison sentences of Golrokh Ebrahimi and her husband Arash Sadeghi, who have been imprisoned since June for exercising their legitimate right to freedom of expression. The Iranian government aims to eliminate a generation of young activists through brutal and repressive methods."