Iran summons two activists and issues prison sentences against them

The student activist and former political prisoner, Motahareh Ghani, announced that the Iranian appeals court upheld the 21-month prison sentence against her for the charges of "propaganda against the regime" and "insulting the leader Ali Khamenei," according to the Women's News Agency (NUJINHA).

The court had sentenced her to 15 months for propaganda against the regime and 6 months for insulting Khamenei, in addition to confiscating her phone.

Motahareh Ghani was arrested last June after she published a letter criticizing the performance of officials following the Israeli raids targeting Iranian military sites. She was later released on bail amounting to two billion tomans.

Motahareh is considered one of the prominent activists who have faced repeated security persecutions. She previously spent a year in Evin Prison, participated in protests against the death sentences for artist Tomaj Salehi, and was arrested during the Jin Jiyan Azadî protests before being expelled from her university.

In a related context, the filmmaker and member of the Short Film Association, Negin Aminzadeh, residing in Shiraz, announced that she received a summons from the Revolutionary Court to serve her two-year suspended prison sentence, which had previously been upheld by the appeals court in Fars Province.

Nekinzadeh had been arrested five months ago during a raid on her home amid a wave of arrests following the war between Iran and Israel, and was later released on bail.

In September of last year, a ruling was issued against her, including a two-year suspended prison sentence, a travel ban, the annulment of her passport, and a ban on her online activities, based on the publication of a story said to be "offensive to Khamenei." The ruling also mandated her to undergo monthly reviews by the intelligence agency.

It is worth mentioning that Nikin had previously been arrested during the protests and was fired from her job.

ANHA