The Revolutionary Court of Tehran has handed down a verdict, condemning Marzieh Farsi and Forough Taghipour, both political detainees, to 15 years of imprisonment each, albeit in absentia.
This joint ruling, disclosed to them on Wednesday, the February 14, 2024, was relayed by their defense attorney.
As per the details revealed, the charges leveled against these individuals include ‘revolt’ and alleged ‘affiliation with opposition factions.’ Specifically, they stand accused of ‘collaboration with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).’
In the draconian framework of the regime’s laws, the charge of ‘revolt’ carries severe consequences, even capital punishment. According to the Islamic Penal Code, a ‘rebel’ is defined as someone who actively engages in armed opposition against the fundamental principles of the Islamic Republic.
Since their arrest on December 9, these political prisoners have been deprived of legal representation and a fair trial.
Initially detained in Tehran on August 21, they were first held in Ward 209 of Evin Prison before being transferred to the facility’s women’s ward.
Both individuals have a history of activism and incarceration, stemming from their association with families of political prisoners from Iran’s tumultuous 1980s.
Marzieh Farsi was released from custody in March 2023, following over two years of imprisonment. Her brother fell victim to execution during the tragic massacre of 30,000 political prisoners in 1988.
Forough Taghipour endured three years of confinement in Evin and Qarchak prisons before regaining her freedom in February 2023. However, she was apprehended once more on August 21, 2023, amidst a wave of arrests preceding the anniversary of the 2022 uprising.
In recent months, the crackdown on civil and political activists in Iran has intensified. Human rights sources report a troubling surge in arrests, with at least 152 individuals apprehended by Iranian intelligence agencies within the first month of the new year. Shockingly, this figure includes 12 women and even one child, underscoring the breadth of those targeted by authorities.
