Narges Mohammadi, a member of the Supreme Supervisory Council and Spokesperson
of the Defenders of Human Rights Centre (DHRC), was arrested and beaten by security agents on November 16 while attempting to attend the second-anniversary ceremony of one of the victims of the November 2019 protests and sent to the Evin Prison.
Narges is currently being held in solitary confinement in the Evin Prison. Under such circumstances, she was informed of the unfair verdict issued by Branch 1177 of the Criminal Court 2 at the Quds Judicial Complex, sentencing her to 30 months in prison and 80 lashes, which was issued in absentia. In a short telephone conversation with her husband and brother, Narges Mohammadi stated that the authorities intend to execute the verdict of 80 lashes, the basis of which is unclear, and she will resist the execution of this unjust sentence.
The Defenders of Human Rights Centre believes that this sentence does not comply with any of the legal provisions and the case has been reviewed and sentence issued under a circumstance, which ignores Narges Mohammadi's complaint against the former head of the prison despite the existence of Zanjan's forensic examiner's statement on the abuse marks on her body.
The Defenders of Human Rights Centre, while condemning the inhuman and degrading treatment and abuse of power by judicial and non-judicial officials and authorities, also condemns the use of laws as a tool of repression. The Defenders of Human Rights Centre calls upon Iran's state authorities to end this unjust sentence against Narges Mohammadi and immediately release her.
Shirin Ebadi
Chair of the Defenders of Human Rights Centre
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (2003)
November 18, 2021