Sharifeh Mohammadi, Labor Activist, Sentenced to Death by Rosh Revolutionary Court

"Campaign to Defend Sharifeh Mohammadi" announced on Thursday, July 5, that Sharifeh Mohammadi, a labor activist imprisoned in Lakan Prison in Rasht, has been sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court of this city in a "medieval and criminal ruling." The campaign emphasized that the issuance of the death sentence against Ms. Mohammadi is "a declaration of war and a death sentence against all social and civil activists" and called for the annulment of this ruling and her unconditional release. The court session for Sharifeh Mohammadi was held on June 8 in the first branch of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht. The "Campaign to Defend Sharifeh Mohammadi" had previously expressed concern on July 29 about a "fabricated scenario and case-making by the Intelligence Ministry" and the charge of "Baghi" against Sharifeh Mohammadi, a labor activist imprisoned in Lakan Prison in Rasht. The campaign described this charge as "baseless and ridiculous," related to Ms. Mohammadi's membership in the "Coordination Committee to Help Establish Labor Organizations" before 2011. In response to the "fabricated scenario" by the Islamic Republic's Ministry of Intelligence, the campaign emphasized that there is "no confession or admission" in Sharifeh Mohammadi's case despite "severe physical and psychological pressures," and that intelligence and security forces have accused her of "membership in the armed Komala group" without any evidence, inferring "armed rebellion against the Islamic government (Baghi)." The accusation of "Baghi" can lead to the death penalty or long-term imprisonment. The "Campaign to Defend Sharifeh Mohammadi" described such "baseless and ridiculous accusations and case-making" as a new method by the Intelligence Ministry to "deal with independent labor and social activists" and noted that Sharifeh Mohammadi has been "tortured at least twice" by the Ministry of Intelligence, to the extent that it may have led to protests from prison authorities due to fears for her life. Reports of mistreatment of this labor activist after her transfer from Lakan Prison in Rasht to Sanandaj Prison had previously been published. In part of this campaign's statement, it was emphasized that "all activities of the Coordination Committee throughout its years of activity clearly demonstrate the independent and labor-oriented approach of this committee and that it has never been affiliated with any group, organization, or party." Meanwhile, the human rights organization "Hengaw" reported that Sharifeh Mohammadi was sentenced to death for the charge of Baghi through her membership in the Coordination Committee for the formation of labor organizations, and its proximity to the Komala Party, based on Articles 211 and 287 of the Islamic Penal Code ratified in 2013. According to documents obtained by Hengaw, this ruling was officially and in person communicated to Ms. Mohammadi's lawyer, and the ruling can be appealed to the Supreme Court within 20 days of notification. The ruling also stated that "the country's intelligence organization is the only authority as an expert to introduce members of groups, and all reports from the Gilan Provincial Intelligence Office and the Kurdistan Provincial Intelligence Office are attached to the case, introducing the defendant as a member of the Komala group and the Coordination Committee." Hengaw emphasized that this "indicates the lack of independence of the Iranian judicial system and is clear evidence of the interference of security institutions in the judicial system." In recent days, the Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company and the Coordination Committee to Help Establish Labor Organizations have rejected the charge of Baghi and called for Sharifeh Mohammadi's release. The Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company stated that "we strongly condemn the scenario-making for the detained worker Sharifeh Mohammadi and the baseless charge of Baghi against her," writing: "There is no doubt about the sheer falsehood and shamefulness of this accusation. A well-known independent labor and civil activist has been brazenly faced with a heavy charge that they themselves know has no grain of truth." This labor organization condemned the issuance of such an accusation against Ms. Mohammadi and called for her "immediate and unconditional release." The Coordination Committee to Help Establish Labor Organizations stated that the Islamic Republic has accused Sharifeh Mohammadi of Baghi in a government scenario-making. Farhad Mithaami: I will go on a hunger strike in front of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht. Farhad Mithaami, a civil activist, wrote on his Instagram page on Saturday: "I hope that the death sentence issued for Sharifeh Mohammadi in the appeal stage will be overturned by a rational perspective." Mr. Mithaami added: "If this disastrous approach prevails over legal rationality and insists on upholding the death sentence, I will inevitably go on a hunger strike in front of the Revolutionary Court of Rasht" and emphasized: "If there is no ear for grievance and you continue to insist on executing Sharifeh Mohammadi, dig two graves." Shirin Ebadi: Where in the world is it a crime to organize labor organizations? Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and head of the Human Rights Defenders Center, wrote on her Instagram page on Thursday: "The second round of elections to replace Ebrahim Raisi will be held tomorrow. The Islamic Republic issued the ruling for Sharifeh Mohammadi, an independent labor activist, just one day before this election: death." Ms. Ebadi noted that one cannot say that the issuance of such a ruling is "unbelievable," adding: "Everything is believable in the Islamic Republic. But I think about the energy and time that some political and civil activists have spent during these days for Masoud Pezeshkian and ask him if it would have been better to spend this amount of rhetoric on the rights of a few prisoners?" Regarding the issuance of such a ruling, she wrote: "Where in the world is it a crime to organize labor organizations?" and emphasized that "the ruling for Sharifeh Mohammadi must be annulled as soon as possible and she must be released unconditionally." She pointed out: "As long as the names of political and ideological prisoners are replaced by names like Pezeshkian and Jalili in the headlines of the media, the government will issue inhumane rulings without fear and apprehension." The Abdolrahman Boroumand Foundation: The ruling was issued with the aim of severely suppressing opponents, especially against labor activists. The Abdolrahman Boroumand Foundation wrote on the social media platform "X" in response to the issuance of the death sentence for Sharifeh Mohammadi that this "labor activist was sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court of Rasht due to her connection with an independent labor syndicate" and deemed it an "extreme ruling" aimed at "severely suppressing opponents within Iran, especially against labor activists" in the current economic conditions. This human rights organization called for global attention to the severe and unjust condemnation of Sharifeh Mohammadi and added: "This worrying development indicates the ongoing violation of human rights and the suppression of freedom of expression" in Iran. The Abdolrahman Boroumand Center called for immediate international action for the release of Sharifeh Mohammadi and protection for everyone against "such cruel actions." The mother of Sharifeh Mohammadi: They have taken my daughter for seven months and I have no news of her. Political prisoners in Tabriz prison have also joined the "No to Execution Tuesdays" campaign. Concerns are increasing over the situation of Saman Yasin; a political prisoner: the condition of this protesting artist is "severely critical." The wife of Ahmadreza Jalali, a dual-national prisoner sentenced to death, described her meeting with the Swedish foreign minister as "very disappointing." Mahmoud Mehrabi, a protester sentenced to death: the change of the presidency of the Islamic Republic does not affect the government's repressive policies.