Athena Farghadani Refuses Bail and is Transferred to Prison; 'I Have Committed No Crime'

Mohammad Moein, a lawyer, tweeted about the issuance of a bail order amounting to 2 billion rials for his client, Athena Farghadani, stating: 'She refused to accept the bail on the grounds that she has committed no crime and that her summons and the charges against her are illegal and arbitrary. For this reason, she was transferred to the Shahr-e-Rey prison.' On June 7, Mohammad Moein reported that Ms. Farghadani, a painter, cartoonist, and former political prisoner, had been summoned and arrested at Evin Prosecutor's Office. Athena Farghadani was released from prison in summer 2016 due to the efforts of the 'International Network for the Support of Cartoonists.' After her release, she told the Washington Post that she would not leave Iran and intended to stay and continue her work because her efforts had the most impact in Iran. Athena Farghadani is an artist who graduated in painting from Alzahra University, but her studies at the master's level were halted due to her critical drawings. She was arrested in September 2014 and sentenced to 12 years and 9 months in prison, which was later reduced to 18 months on appeal. Her charge at that time was 'insulting the leadership.' The organization 'Justice for Iran' reported in October 2015 that a forced virginity test was conducted on Athena Farghadani in August 2015, which faced protests from her lawyer and Amnesty International. Since September 2021, following the widespread protests after the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody, the arrests of artists, journalists, and political activists have intensified. Athena Farghadani, a cartoonist and children's rights activist, was released after two years. Her lawyer states that she will be released soon. Athena Farghadani, a painter, cartoonist, and former political prisoner, has been arrested. In an interview with the Washington Post, she stated: 'I intend to stay in Iran and work.' Two days after her release, Athena Farghadani won the 'Václav Havel Human Rights Prize.'