Sharifeh Mohammadi, a Mother Sentenced to Death One Day Before Elections

One day before the second round of Iran's presidential elections, Sharifeh Mohammadi was sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court of Rasht; a ruling that has sparked widespread reactions from civil and political activists. Radio Farda sources also indicate that despite her social concerns, Sharifeh Mohammadi had no political activities, and the issuance of the death sentence against this labor activist on the charge of 'baghi' (rebellion) by the judiciary was aimed at 'intimidating the labor movement' in Iran. Sharifeh Mohammadi, 45 years old, is from Miyaneh in East Azerbaijan and resides in Rasht. Intelligence agents in Rasht arrested her on December 14, 2023, on the charge of 'propaganda against the regime.' Her family and acquaintances, considering the nature of the accusation and the promise of the security agency, expected Sharifeh to be released shortly on bail or bond. However, this detention lasted seven months and ultimately led to the issuance of a death sentence. Vida Mohammadi, Sharifeh's cousin living in Sweden, told Radio Farda: 'Although we believe such a sentence will not be executed, we are still in shock.' She emphasized Sharifeh's social concerns, stating: 'In the entire family, whenever someone needed help, they relied on Sharifeh.' This relative of Ms. Mohammadi noted that she was 'unique' in her empathy and assistance to others, adding that Sharifeh 'certainly had social concerns, but she had no opportunity for political activity or membership in a legal organization.' Sharifeh Mohammadi is a graduate in industrial design engineering and worked in a construction engineering company. Vida Mohammadi told Radio Farda: 'All of Sharifeh's time was spent on her child, husband, family, and work. Her son, Aydin, is waiting for his mother to return so they can go to their grandfather's house during the summer holidays, as they do every year.' Sharifeh's mother and brother visited the Revolutionary Court in Rasht to meet with the judge of the case. According to Vida Mohammadi, Sharifeh's brother, who was captured during the Iran-Iraq war and freed after three years from the Ba'ath regime's prison, wanted to speak with the judge, 'but the judge did not accept their presence.' After the Mohammadis' request to meet with the judge was denied, the first branch of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht, presided over by Ahmad Darvishgaitar, notified Sharifeh Mohammadi's lawyer of the issued ruling. According to this ruling, Ms. Mohammadi was sentenced to death for 'baghi' or 'armed rebellion.' Membership in the 'Coordination Committee for the Help to Establish Labor Organizations' was cited as the basis for Sharifeh Mohammadi's accusation, and the Revolutionary Court also attributed the charge of 'membership in the Komala Party' to this labor activist. Vida Mohammadi stated to Radio Farda: 'First, the follow-up committee was a legal entity; second, Sharifeh distanced herself from the committee for her son Aydin and resigned. She devoted herself entirely to her child. On the other hand, she had clear and distinct boundaries with political organizations.' After the charge of 'baghi' was conveyed to Sharifeh Mohammadi due to her membership in the 'Coordination Committee for the Help to Establish Labor Organizations,' many labor activists inside the country reacted to this issue. Mahmoud Salehi, a founding member of this committee, wrote in response to the campaign defending Sharifeh Mohammadi: 'If membership in the coordination committee is baghi, then come and arrest us too, because we were also members of the committee at one time.' In addition to Mahmoud Salehi, Mohammad Abdi Pour and Mohsen Hakimi are still in Iran. They, along with a larger group of well-known labor activists, established the Coordination Committee for the Help to Establish Labor Organizations in the early 2000s. Yadollah Samadi, a former member and spokesperson of this committee, told Radio Farda: 'The activities of the Coordination Committee in Iran were official and public. The committee opposed underground and secret activities, and its activities confirm this according to its charter.' The spokesperson of the committee added: 'We operated based on the ILO Conventions 87 and 98, of which Iran was also a member, and thus our work was completely legal.' The Coordination Committee held its general assemblies officially from 2005 to 2012. In the sixth and final assembly of this committee, held in 2012 in Karaj, security agents of the Islamic Republic stormed the venue, arresting dozens of labor activists. Yadollah Samadi, who was among those arrested at that time, told Radio Farda: 'The arrests were accompanied by gunfire, beatings, and very unusual treatment. After that, the committee's activities were severely limited and practically ceased.' After the arrest of 60 members of the Coordination Committee in 2012, most of these labor activists faced sentences of two to three years in prison in revolutionary courts after a while. The spokesperson of the committee added in an interview with Radio Farda: 'If the committee was affiliated with a specific political organization like Komala, why were we not accused of moharebeh or baghi? The issuance of such a ruling against Sharifeh Mohammadi as an independent labor activist, one day before the elections, has another meaning and is a case of intimidating the labor movement.' Vida Mohammadi, Sharifeh Mohammadi's cousin, also emphasized her hope for the ruling to be overturned, stating: 'Our demand is not just to overturn the ruling; Sharifeh is innocent and should be released unconditionally. She has never been a member of any political organization inside or outside the country.' The issuance of this heavy sentence against Sharifeh Mohammadi has also provoked many other reactions. Farhad Mithaami, a former political prisoner, wrote on his Instagram page: 'If you want to execute Sharifeh Mohammadi, make two gravestones.' He warned that if this labor activist's sentence is not overturned in the appeals court, he will go on a hunger strike in front of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht.