Narges Mohammadi: The Case of Environmental Activists Was 'One of the Most Deceptive Cases of Security Institutions'

Narges Mohammadi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and imprisoned human rights activist, referred to the case of environmental activists as 'one of the most baseless and deceptive cases of security institutions against civil society organizations' following their release. The last imprisoned defendants in this case, Hooman Jokar, Niloufar Bayani, Taher Ghaderian, and Sepideh Kashani, were granted 'leader's pardon' after six years in prison and released. Some critics described the release of these activists as 'pardon after unjust imprisonment' and referred to the Iranian authorities' action as a 'gesture of justice.' In a note published on an Instagram page attributed to her, Narges Mohammadi emphasized: 'In this case, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps committed murder, physical torture, and shameless sexual harassment against the defendants.' After the mass arrest of environmental activists in Bahman 1396 (January 2018), Kavous Seyed Emami, a university professor and one of the defendants, died under suspicious circumstances in prison less than a month later. Narges Mohammadi added in her note: 'This case, with charges of espionage, corruption on earth, and more, was one of the most baseless and hollow cases of the Revolutionary Guards against activists and civil institutions, which went through a strange, illegal, and inhumane process.' This Nobel Peace Prize winner described the environmental activists' case as one that 'was formed page by page with lies, delusions, baseless claims, conspiracies, and deception, and the flawed and illegitimate judicial system, dependent on the regime, sent the defendants to the brink of death, enduring unbearable solitary confinement and long-term imprisonment, while also pocketing a substantial amount from the defendants.' The judiciary of the Islamic Republic accused the eight detained environmental activists of 'espionage' and issued sentences ranging from 4 to 10 years in prison. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Intelligence under Hassan Rouhani's government and the Environmental Organization rejected the 'espionage' charges against these environmental activists. Nevertheless, Morad Tahbaz and Niloufar Bayani were sentenced to 10 years in prison, Taher Ghaderian and Hooman Jokar to 8 years, Sam Rajabi, Sepideh Kashani, and Amir Hossein Khaleghi to 6 years, and Abdolreza Kouhpayeh to 4 years in prison. Abdolreza Kouhpayeh, Sam Rajabi, and Amir Hossein Khaleghi were released after completing their sentences. These convictions faced international criticism at the time. In this regard, the 'United Nations Environment Program' expressed deep concern over the heavy prison sentences for environmental activists in Iran, and the then-spokesperson of the U.S. State Department condemned the judicial actions of the Islamic Republic in this case. Reactions to the release of environmental activists after Khamenei's 'pardon': The Islamic Republic has taken a 'gesture of implementing justice.' The lawyer of the environmental prisoners stated that Taher Ghaderian, Sepideh Kashani, Niloufar Bayani, and Hooman Jokar have been granted 'pardon.' The court opposed the release of the environmental prisoners. Morad Tahbaz, after his release and return to the U.S., stated that the captivity was hard, but he learned a lot.