Parisa Rafiei, 21-Year-Old Student, Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison

The lawyer of Parisa Rafiei, a 21-year-old student at the University of Tehran, announced that Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court has sentenced her to seven years in prison. Saeed Khalili, in an interview with ISNA news agency, stated that his client was convicted on charges of 'conspiracy and collusion with the intent to commit a crime against national security', 'propaganda against the regime', and 'disturbing public order'. Mr. Khalili wrote on his Twitter that Parisa Rafiei was unjustly sentenced due to her participation in the protests on December 7, expressing student demands and similar issues. The lawyer expressed hope that the appeals court would issue a ruling to acquit his client. Parisa Rafiei, a student at the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Tehran, was arrested by the IRGC Intelligence Organization on February 25 of last year and was released on bail on March 18. Previously, Safieh Gharabaghai, Parisa Rafiei's aunt, reported that her niece was deprived of her rights for 'not cooperating'. The seven-year prison sentence comes amid heavy sentences issued for several students in recent months, leading to student protests. On Saturday, Roya Saghiri, a student from Tabriz and one of the detainees from the protests of December 2017, was transferred to Tabriz prison to serve 23 months. Meanwhile, Majid Sarsangi, the cultural deputy of the Minister of Science, stated that a court has been formed for 25 students from the University of Tehran who were arrested during the nationwide protests in December, and 20 other students are awaiting trial. In August, 68 student organizations in Iran strongly criticized the sentences issued against students, declaring that they would not allow 'totalitarians' to target freedom again. Earlier, 125 professors from various universities in Iran wrote a letter to Hassan Rouhani, protesting the arrests and sentences issued for students in recent months and calling for his 'support' for the students. Hassan Rouhani had promised during the 2013 election campaign to reinstate students deprived of education and to eliminate the 'security atmosphere' in universities. Nevertheless, various student groups have repeatedly protested the 'security nature' of university environments and the 'starred' status of students in recent years.