New Details on the Arrest and 'Abuse and Torture' of Women's Rights Activists in Gilan

The final sentences for women's rights activists and civil activists in Gilan, who were arrested in August 2023, have been confirmed in the appeals court two months after the issuance of the initial verdict; totaling "over 60 years of imprisonment" for 11 civil activists. Meanwhile, sources close to these activists told Radio Farda that most of them faced heavy interrogation pressures, beatings, sexual assault, death threats, and simulated executions during their detention. At the same time, Ramin Safarnia, a lawyer and one of the defenders of these activists, stated in an interview with Shargh Network that Judge Mohammad Sadegh Iranaghi, the judge of the appeals branch, did not pay attention to the lawyers' appeals and confirmed the previous sentences in just four days. One of these women activists wrote about the trial process of their case by Mohammad Sadegh Iranaghi: "Our case was referred to Branch 11 of the Appeals Court on May 1, and the documents were sent to him on the 13th, and the ruling was issued on the 17th, confirming the previous ruling, meaning within four days." She further added: "How could the judge read 18 volumes of the case in four days, one of which was a Friday? How could he not want to see us even once and hear the lawyers' arguments, who raised 13 objections to the ruling? How could he not allow the lawyers into his room before the ruling was issued? And how did he treat them with reluctance and disrespect afterward?" This women's rights activist concluded by asking, "Shouldn't we be concerned about cases that are going to be handled by someone who is not well-regarded even by his closest colleagues, and many consider him worse than Judge Salavati?" On April 1, 2024, the untold stories of the arrest and trial of women's rights activists in Gilan emerged before the anniversary of the death of Mahsa Zhina Amini. On August 25 and 26, 12 women’s rights activists and civil activists were arrested in the cities of Rasht, Fuman, Anzali, and Lahijan on charges of "forming a group and illegal activities": Matin Yazdani, Forough Samiani, Azadeh Chavoshian, Yasamin Hashedari, Jalveh Javaheri, Zahra Dadras, Zohreh Dadras, Negin Rezaei, Shiva Shahsiah, Vaheda Khusirat, Sara Jahani, and Hooman Taheri. Azizollah Maleki, the police chief of Gilan province, accused these activists of "acting against national security" at that time. He also claimed that "tools and instruments for propaganda against the regime" and "communication devices with hostile networks" were seized from the arrested activists, but he did not provide any explanation regarding these "propaganda tools against the regime." Another issue raised in this case was contacting the families of the victims of the "Women, Life, Freedom" movement. Despite all this, sources close to these activists told Radio Farda that most of them were subjected to heavy interrogation pressures, beatings, sexual assault, death threats, and simulated executions during their detention. According to information received by Radio Farda, most of the physical and psychological violence during the interrogation and imprisonment of these activists and detainees after the "Women, Life, Freedom" movement in Gilan was carried out with the knowledge and direct orders of "Investigator Soltani" in Branch 10 of the Rasht Criminal Court. According to the lawyers of this case, Branch 3 of the Rasht Revolutionary Court issued the heaviest sentence for Zahra Dadras, a women's rights activist, which was also confirmed in the appeals court: 9 years, 6 months, and 2 days of imprisonment. Forough Samiani, Sara Jahani, Yasamin Hashedari, Shiva Shahsiah, Negin Rezaei, Azadeh Chavoshian, Zahra Dadras, and Matin Yazdani were each sentenced to 6 years, 1 month, and 17 days of imprisonment, while Jalveh Javaheri and Hooman Taheri were each sentenced to 1 year in prison. In the intelligence office, a mock execution scene was staged for some of the detained activists. An independent source close to these women's rights activists told Radio Farda that "during and following the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement, the security institutions of the Islamic Republic confronted every formation, but it seems that there is more sensitivity towards independent women's groups, and they try to suppress them as much as possible, which they have somewhat succeeded in. However, on the other hand, resistance continues. In the streets of Rasht, despite all these confrontations, you can see posters of active women." According to this independent source, with the current conditions in Iran, especially economic problems, the government targets independent groups that it knows can be influential. Radio Farda has obtained information regarding the manner of arrest and treatment of these women's rights activists in Gilan, indicating the severity of the actions of the security and judicial forces of the Islamic Republic against these women. Forough Samiani, a women's rights activist, was arrested when security forces broke down her door and physically assaulted her, injuring her hand. Additionally, in the intelligence office, a mock execution scene was staged to threaten her. During the interrogation, she was threatened with flogging and faced repeated sexual insults from the interrogator. Forough Samiani was finally able to contact her family six days after her arrest. On the 20th day of her detention, while still in solitary confinement, she was transferred to Poursina Hospital in Rasht due to the pressures exerted on her and was hospitalized for several hours. After 50 days in prison, she was released on bail of 500 million tomans from Lakan Prison in Rasht. She was sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison in the initial court, of which 3 years, 6 months, and 1 day are enforceable. This sentence was confirmed in the appeals court. Matin Yazdani, a women's and children's rights activist, was arrested and searched at her home, where her mother suffered a panic attack, but she was not allowed to receive medical attention. Throughout the interrogation at the intelligence office, she was repeatedly insulted, physically and sexually threatened, including threats of being sent to a psychiatric hospital and forced medication and injections, as well as threats of flogging. Her mother's health status was also used as a psychological pressure tool during the interrogations. Due to the interrogator's deliberate shouting, her left ear suffered permanent hearing damage, but despite the prison doctor's confirmation, she was denied access to medical services during her detention. Matin Yazdani was released on bail of 500 million tomans from Lakan Prison after 32 days. She was sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison in the initial court, of which 3 years, 6 months, and 1 day are enforceable. This sentence was confirmed in the appeals court. Azadeh Chavoshian, interested in women's studies, had her house searched, and her mother’s health deteriorated due to the assault by male forces and their violent behavior. When Azadeh Chavoshian was transferred to the intelligence office, the handcuffs were put on her in such a way that her hand was injured, and her leg was hurt. Throughout Hooman Taheri's time in the intelligence building, he was kept in handcuffs and leg shackles, and once a mock execution was staged for him. His repeated and lengthy interrogations at the intelligence office were often accompanied by insults, sexual humiliation, and threats against his family, resulting in physical abuse. Due to a gastrointestinal problem, he was unable to eat during his detention at the intelligence office. Azadeh Chavoshian was released on bail of 500 million tomans from Lakan Prison after 32 days. She was sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison in the initial court, of which 3 years, 6 months, and 1 day are enforceable. This sentence was confirmed in the appeals court. Negin Rezaei, a women's rights activist, was injured on her leg due to the violence of the officers during her arrest. During the interrogations, she was subjected to psychological torture through insults and humiliation, threats of execution and flogging based on false accusations, and the transmission of fabricated news about her family's condition and health. Additionally, due to the disregard for her dietary restrictions as a vegetarian and the imposition of forced hunger strikes, she faced additional psychological and physical pressure. Negin Rezaei was released on bail of 500 million tomans from Lakan Prison after 9 days. Negin Rezaei was sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison in the initial court, of which 3 years, 6 months, and 1 day are enforceable. This sentence was confirmed in the appeals court. Yasamin Hashedari, a poet and women's rights activist, was arrested during a raid by security forces at her home and was released on bail of 500 million tomans from Lakan Prison after 34 days of solitary confinement. She was sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison in the initial court, of which 3 years, 6 months, and 1 day are enforceable. This sentence was confirmed in the appeals court. Shiva Shahsiah, an activist in women's studies, was arrested under physical pressure and threats. During interrogations, personal information from her mobile phone, which was unrelated to her charges, was used to threaten, intimidate, and sexually humiliate her. For this reason, she was also threatened with physical violence and death during her detention. She was released on bail of 500 million tomans from Lakan Prison after 11 days. She was sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison in the initial court, of which 3 years, 6 months, and 1 day are enforceable. This sentence was confirmed in the appeals court. Hooman Taheri, a women's rights activist, was severely beaten by officers from the very first moment of his arrest. Throughout his three days in the intelligence building, he was subjected to beatings and sexual insults, and a mock execution was staged for him once. He was transferred to the notorious "doghouse" section in Lakan Prison after three days, where he was also beaten and sexually assaulted during the transfer, resulting in a broken tooth and bruising on his neck. Hooman Taheri was released on bail from Lakan Prison after 32 days. He was sentenced to 1 year in prison in the initial court, and this sentence was confirmed in the appeals court. Jalveh Javaheri, a women's rights activist, was subjected to violence by security officers during the search of her home, and they threatened to arrest her husband. She spent the entire duration of her detention in solitary confinement. She spent 20 days of this time in a detention center affiliated with the intelligence and security police without the right to phone contact or visits from her family. Negin Rezaei was also injured on her leg due to the violence of the officers during her arrest. Jalveh Javaheri was released on bail of 500 million tomans from Lakan Prison after 32 days. She was sentenced to 1 year in prison in the initial court, and this sentence was confirmed in the appeals court. Zahra Dadras, a women's and children's rights activist, was sentenced to 3 years, 6 months, and 1 day in prison for conspiracy and collusion, and 2 years, 7 months, and 16 days in prison for membership in a group. This sentence was confirmed in the appeals court. Zohreh Dadras, a student activist and women's rights advocate, who holds a master's degree in political science from Tehran University, was sentenced to 6 years, 1 month, and 1 day in prison for forming a group and 3 years, 6 months, and 1 day in prison for conspiracy against national security. Her sentence was confirmed in the appeals court. Sara Jahani, a women's and health rights activist, was violently arrested at her home by officers and, after 47 days of imprisonment, solitary confinement, and interrogation, was released from Lakan Prison on October 1. She was sentenced to 3 years, 6 months, and 1 day in prison for conspiracy and collusion, and 2 years, 7 months, and 16 days in prison for membership in a group. Her sentence was confirmed in the appeals court. Vaheda Khusirat, a women's rights activist, was arrested on August 25 by police forces at her home and later released on bail. She is the only one in this case who has been acquitted. The severe government crackdown and the danger of underground protests are evident.