Sanandaj court sentences women's rights activist to 21 years in prison

Zhina Modares Gorji, a journalist and women's rights activist, was sentenced to a total of 21 years in prison by the First Branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network has learned ( KHRN).

The court sentenced Modares Gorji to 10 years in prison for “forming an illegal group with the aim of overthrowing the regime”, 10 years for “collaboration with hostile groups and states” and one year for “propaganda against the State”. “.

The last court hearing took place on April 9, presided over by Judge Karami, with the verdict having been communicated to the activist's lawyers in recent days.

Under Iran's sentence consolidation law, the maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment will be applied, accompanied by exile to Hamedan Prison.

Modares Gorji's legal team has formally appealed the harsh sentence, which will now be reviewed by the provincial appeals court.

The charges against Modares Gorji included “creating the Jivano association with a feminist ideology aimed at overthrowing the state”, “participating in rallies and chanting subversive slogans”, “maintaining contacts with anti-state elements”. -revolutionaries”, “participation in international educational conferences and workshops”. , and “by publishing documents in cyberspace and granting interviews to foreign media to give a negative image of the country and create unrest after the death of Mahsa Amini”.

The Islamic Revolutionary Court also referred the charge of “spreading lies and inciting violence” to the criminal court, which has now been referred to the Sanandaj Criminal Court No. 2 for review.

The court based its decision on reports from the Ministry of Intelligence, citing “security risks” related to serving his sentence in Sanandaj due to “the possibility of destructive security activities.” Therefore, in accordance with Article 513 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, Modares Gorji will serve his sentence in Hamedan Prison.

Modares Gorji, a veteran journalist and activist in the women's movement in Kurdistan and Iran, was beaten and first arrested during the anti-government Women, Life and Freedom uprising in Sanandaj on September 21, 2022.

After 42 days, she was temporarily released on November 1, 2022 on bail of one billion Iranian rials, almost USD 2,000, which was later increased to 10 billion rials after new charges were filed against her .

She was arrested a second time by security forces on April 10, 2023, and after 84 days, she was temporarily released from the women's section of the Sanandaj Juvenile Detention Center on July 3, 2023 on a heavy bail of 50 billion of rials.

She spent the first month of her detention in solitary confinement in difficult conditions.

Between her two arrests, she was under constant pressure and surveillance from security agencies and the judiciary.

In April this year, Sanandaj Municipality police, responsible for monitoring public establishments and places, also sealed off her bookstore, Zhira, for several days, under the pretext of “non-respect of the Islamic hijab”.

The first court hearing to consider the charges against the Kurdish activist was held on February 12, 2023, in the first chamber of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Sanandaj, presided over by Judge Akbari, the second hearing was held on September 13 2023, in the same court presided over by Justice Saeidi, and the third session was held on April 9, 2024, presided over by Justice Karami.