UN Reporter Expresses Concern Over Threats of 'Rape and Death' to Women's Rights Activists in Iran

Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, reported threats of 'rape and death' against six women's rights activists in Iran who were recently imprisoned. Ms. Lawlor announced this on Tuesday, July 16, in a post on X (formerly Twitter). She referred to the transfer of Jaleh Javaheri, Azadeh Chavoshian, Negin Rezaei, Forough Saminiya, Shiva Shahsiah, and Matin Yazdani, women's rights activists, on July 13 to serve their sentences at Lakan Prison in Rasht, Gilan Province. The UN Special Rapporteur described the imprisonment of these activists as 'alarming' and stated that they were 'arrested violently, tortured, and threatened with rape and death during interrogations.' She called on the Islamic Republic of Iran to immediately release these six individuals and end the repression of women's rights activists in Iran. This is not the first time that women's rights activists in Iran have faced threats of rape, assault, and death. Numerous reports have previously been published quoting these individuals or other prisoners who witnessed these narratives. Security agents of the Islamic Republic arrested 12 women's rights activists and civil activists in Gilan Province, including these six civil activists, on August 16 last year in the cities of Rasht, Fuman, Anzali, and Lahijan. These activists were collectively sentenced to 'over 60 years in prison,' a ruling that was confirmed in the Gilan Province Court of Appeals on May 28 this year. Earlier, sources close to these activists told Radio Farda that most of them faced heavy interrogation pressures, beatings, sexual assault, threats of death, and simulated executions during their detention. According to information received by Radio Farda, most of the physical and psychological violence during the interrogations 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 'Judge Soltani' in Branch 10 of the Rasht Criminal Court. However, despite other sources publishing details of this violence and torture during arrest and detention, Mohsen Soltani, the investigating judge, not only did not pursue this matter but also, when Forough Saminiya complained about the violent treatment during arrest and interrogation, the investigating judge told her, 'I said so myself.' According to the sentences issued against these women's rights activists, Zahra Dadras was sentenced to 9 years and 6 months in prison for 'forming a group aimed at undermining national security' and 'gathering and colluding'; a Telegram group that the detainees themselves referred to as a 'friendly group.' Forough Saminiya, Sara Jahani, Yasmin Hashedari, Shiva Shahsiah, Negin Rezaei, Matin Yazdani, Azadeh Chavoshian, and Zahra Dadras were each sentenced to 6 years, 3 months, and 17 days in prison for 'gathering and colluding' and 'membership in a group.' Jaleh Javaheri and Hooman Taheri were also sentenced to one year in prison for 'propaganda against the Islamic Republic.' In this same case, Zahra Dadras was arrested on Friday, July 20, to serve her prison sentence, and Zahra Dadras, who had gone to the judiciary to follow up on her sister's situation, was also arrested and transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht along with her. During their initial detention, Zahra and Zahra Dadras were not allowed to meet each other by the order of the investigating judge, Mohsen Soltani, and like their other friends, they faced violent treatment during their detention. Intelligence Ministry agents stormed Zahra Dadras's home at dawn on August 16 with 'pistols' and 'Kalashnikovs.' The beatings and threats of shooting were because the security forces wanted her phone password from the very first moments of her arrest; a similar incident occurred with other members of the case.