Journalist and women's rights activist Zhina Modares Gorji sentenced to 21 years in prison

Hengaw; Saturday May 25, 2024

Zhina Modares Gorji, a prominent Kurdish journalist and women's rights activist from Sanandaj, who was also arrested during the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement, was sentenced to 21 years in prison and exile to the Central Prison of Hamedan by the Iranian justice system.

According to a report received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Zhina Modares Gorji, a journalist and women's rights activist, was recently sentenced by the first branch of the Sanandaj Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Karami, to 10 years in prison for “forming an illegal group with the aim of overthrowing the government”, 10 years for “collaboration with hostile groups and governments” and 1 year for “propaganda against the government”.

The final hearing regarding the charges against the Kurdish activist was held on April 10 this year and the verdict was officially served on her on Thursday, May 23.

With the application of the law on aggregation of sentences, out of the total sentence of 21 years in prison, the most severe sentence, i.e. 10 years of imprisonment accompanied by exile to Hamedan Prison, is enforceable. Ms. Modares Gorji's lawyers have formally expressed their objection to the harsh sentence, and the case will be sent back to the provincial appeals court for review.

According to the verdict, examples of charges against Zhina Modares Gorji include “creating the Zhivano association with feminist ideology and with the aim of overthrowing”, “intentionally participating in rallies and expressing anti-social slogans”. structure”, “communication with anti-elements of the revolution”, “participation in international conferences and workshops”, “publishing content on social networks and conducting interviews with media outside the country to give a negative image of the situation in the country and create tensions in society during the sensitive period following the death of Jina Amini. “

The Islamic Revolutionary Court also declared the criminal court to investigate the charge of “spreading lies and inciting acts of violence” and referred the case to the 2nd Sanandaj Criminal Court.

It should be noted that the Islamic Revolutionary Court relied on the reports of the Ministry of Intelligence to assign the above-mentioned charges and recognize Ms. Modares Gorji as a criminal. This court also considered the execution of the prison sentence handed down to this women's rights activist in Sanandaj Prison, due to the “possibility of destructive security activities”, as an example of “security corruption” and , based on Article 513 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, sentenced her to serve her sentence in Hamedan Prison.

Zhina Modares Gorji was transferred to the general ward on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, after spending a month in solitary confinement at the Sanandaj Correctional and Rehabilitation Center. She was kidnapped by government forces on Monday, April 10, 2023, while returning home from work by forces of the Intelligence Department. She was temporarily released on July 3 of the same year after 84 days of detention with a heavy bail of five billion tomans.

This women's rights activist was also arrested by intelligence forces in Sanandaj on Friday September 21, 2022, during the “Women, Life, Freedom” movement. After 40 days of detention in the women's section of Sanandaj Prison, she was temporarily released on October 30 of the same year with a bail of 100 million tomans until the end of the legal proceedings.