Atna Farghadani, Cartoonist, Released from Prison

Atna Farghadani, an Iranian cartoonist and children's rights activist, who was imprisoned for drawing critical cartoons, was released from prison on Tuesday, May 3rd. According to reports from Iran, Ms. Farghadani was freed from the women's section of Evin Prison on Tuesday afternoon. On May 25th, Mohammad Ghaemi, Ms. Farghadani's lawyer, announced that her sentence had been reviewed. Initially sentenced to 12 years in prison, her sentence was reduced to 18 months after two appeals, according to her lawyer. Last week, Mohammad Ghaemi had reported that his client would be released soon. The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran quoted Mohammad Ghaemi stating that Atna Farghadani was supposed to be released on May 14th, but her release occurred less than ten days earlier. Atna Farghadani was arrested in September 2014 and released on bail two months later. After her temporary release, she told the Jaras website that most of her interrogations focused on her drawings, her relationship with the families of victims of the 2009 protests, and the Baha'is of Iran. She also stated in a video that she was subjected to humiliation in prison. In December 2014, she presented herself to Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran and was transferred to Qarchak Varamin Prison, and after two months, she was sent to Evin Prison. In June 2015, Branch 15 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court sentenced Atna Farghadani to 12 years and 9 months in prison on charges of 'conspiracy against national security, propaganda against the regime, and insulting the leadership, the president, members of parliament, and agents of Section 2A of the IRGC during her interrogation.' This sentence was later reduced to seven and a half years and finally to 18 months in May of this year. Atna Farghadani's imprisonment has faced severe protests from campaigns and international organizations. The International Network of Cartoonists awarded Atna Farghadani the Courage in Cartooning Award last year. She is the first female cartoonist in the world to receive this award individually. In this context, the conditions in Qarchak Prison are described as 'unhygienic, inhumane, and unbearable.' The women's prison is filled with inmates. The trial of Atna Farghadani has been reflected in international media. Amnesty International stated that the virginity test conducted on Atna Farghadani constitutes torture. Dozens of NGOs and cartoonists have called for the release of Atna Farghadani.