Narges Mohammadi: I Will Not Endure the Unjust 16-Year Prison Sentence

Narges Mohammadi has described the confirmation of her 16-year prison sentence by the Court of Appeals as a 'tyrannical' act, stating that she does not consider it 'legal, humane, or ethical' even for a single day and that she will always speak out against this injustice. Mohammadi, the Vice President of the Iranian Human Rights Defenders Association, was sentenced to 16 years in prison on various charges in May of this year, which was upheld by Branch 36 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court in early October. The confirmation of the five-year prison sentence for 'collusion and conspiracy to commit a crime against national security,' one year for 'propaganda against the regime,' and ten years for 'forming and managing an illegal group called Legam' has faced criticism and protests from international human rights organizations. According to a report on Saturday (October 8) from the 'Human Rights Defenders Association,' Narges Mohammadi has also expressed her objection to this ruling and stated, 'I have not committed any crime that deserves such heavy sentences.' This human rights activist wrote, 'If those claiming to uphold justice and the prosecution announce the firmness of the tyrannical 16-year prison sentence in their issued verdicts, we also declare the firmness of our faith and beliefs in the public opinion.' Mohammadi added, 'I will not endure these tyrannical sentences that will imprison my freedom within the four walls of a prison. I will endure prison, but I do not consider it legal, humane, or ethical for even a single day.' Defending her activities in support of women and children and criticizing social harms, she noted that judicial authorities have deemed these activities as having a 'political approach' and issued such a 'tyrannical' ruling. In another part of her letter, she criticized Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the policies of his governments and other governmental institutions in creating social harms. She raised the question, 'Is the institutionalization of poverty... the result of my work as a human rights activist for which I must be held accountable in courts, or is it the outcome of a government that does not envision a boundary for respecting the privacy of individuals in society?' This human rights activist also referred to some instances of corruption in the previous government, posing another question: 'Has what has been described as a billion-dollar violation in the previous government by some current officials or the issue of the missing oil platform ever been addressed in the courts?' Narges Mohammadi added, 'Individuals like the former president {Mahmoud Ahmadinejad} have not only not been questioned regarding {corruption and inefficiency}, but have also been honored to sit at the top of the parliament in meetings with the highest authorities of the regime {Ali Khamenei}.' Mohammadi also wrote that 'the Iranian judiciary has clearly and transparently swapped the roles of the accused and the complainant, shielding the cultural, economic, and social perpetrators of social problems from questioning and trial, while imprisoning and punishing the real victims and critics.' The Vice President of the Iranian Human Rights Defenders Association emphasized her belief in the path she has taken, the work she has done, and her thoughts, insisting on the realization of human rights and expressing no regret. Narges Mohammadi has been in Evin Prison since May 2015, while her husband, Taghi Rahmani, has stated that she suffers from 'muscular paralysis' and that the prison conditions are 'dangerous' for her. In this context, Amnesty International criticized the confirmation of Narges Mohammadi's 16-year prison sentence, and Reporters Without Borders condemned the ruling. Criticism continues regarding the confirmation of Narges Mohammadi's prison sentence and the issuance of a 26-year sentence for five civil activists. The United States has called for Narges Mohammadi's release, and Human Rights Watch stated that her prison sentence is unjust. Iran has described the European Union's criticism of Narges Mohammadi's sentence as 'interventionist.'