Narges Mohammadi's 16-Year Prison Sentence Upheld by Appeals Court

Narges Mohammadi, spokesperson and deputy head of the Iranian Human Rights Defenders Association, had her prison sentence confirmed by Branch 36 of the Appeals Court. According to the Human Rights Defenders Association, the sentence given to Ms. Mohammadi in May was upheld exactly in the appeals court. In May, she was sentenced by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, presided over by Judge Salavati, to five years in prison 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'. This same sentence was upheld in the appeals court. According to the Human Rights Defenders Association, Branch 36 of the Tehran Appeals Court stated that no valid and substantiated objection was presented in Narges Mohammadi's appeal. This branch also ruled that, in accordance with Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the severest punishment, which is ten years of imprisonment, should be enforced. According to Article 134 of the new Islamic Penal Code, if a judge issues independent sentences for each of the crimes, the highest sentence will be executed at the time of enforcement. Narges Mohammadi has been in Evin Prison since May 2015, and her initial trial was held in a non-public session on May 1 of this year. Taghi Rahmani, Narges Mohammadi's husband, previously told Radio Farda that her meeting with Catherine Ashton, the former EU foreign policy chief, and her activities in the 'Legam' campaign, which advocates for the gradual abolition of the death penalty, are among the charges against her. Previously, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Reporters Without Borders, and several other human rights defenders condemned the prison sentence for Narges Mohammadi and called for her immediate release. Amnesty International also called for her immediate and unconditional release in April, referring to her physical condition. Last July, Narges Mohammadi went on a hunger strike for about 20 days in protest against being denied phone contact with her children in France. Taghi Rahmani, Narges Mohammadi's husband and a national-religious activist who has himself been imprisoned in Iran for years, currently resides in France with their young daughter and son, who have been living with him since their mother's imprisonment. According to Taghi Rahmani, Narges Mohammadi suffers from 'pulmonary embolism' and 'muscular paralysis', and the prison conditions are 'dangerous' for her. Narges Mohammadi has been arrested and imprisoned multiple times and was previously sentenced to six years in prison on other security-related charges.