The Iranian justice sentenced two bloggers of the social network Instagram, Astiaj Haghighi and Amir Mohammad Ahmadi, to 10 years in prison for appearing dancing in an Internet video, reported HRANA, the Persian news agency for human rights activists.
According to the verdict of Revolutionary Tribunal of Tehran, each of them received a sentence of ten years and six months’ imprisonment for “encouragement of impurity and indecency, organization and collusion against national security and propaganda against the regime”.
According to the agency, they were also banned from engaging in social activities on the Internet and from leaving the country for two years.
Sources related to the case told HRANA denied access to a lawyer during the judicial proceedings which ended with the conviction.
On November 1, 2022, the security forces this couple was arrested at their home in Tehran. The arrest came after the two had posted a video on social media in which they appeared dancing in a town square.
The ruling comes weeks after the country experienced strong protests over the death of young Mahsa Amini after she was arrested by Iran’s Morale Police for not wearing the veil correctly.
Iranian authorities responded to the protests with a strong police crackdown that left nearly 500 dead and nearly 20,000 arrests, according to NGOs based outside Iran, plus thethe execution of four protesters.
Both the United States and the European Union have imposed a series of heavy sanctions against the Iranian government and its officials, whom they accuse of being behind the crackdown.
Advocate for children in prison
Bloggers Astiaj Haghighi and Amir Mohammad Ahmadi are not the only victims of the Iranian theocracy’s crackdown.
According to the site The times of the revolution (Revolutiontimes.net), reporting daily number of protesters killed and detained in Iran, social activist Sarvenaz Ahmadidefender of children’s rights, he was also sentenced to 6 years in prison, accused of propaganda against the Islamic Republic.
“I was sentenced to 6 years in prison. It was worth it. It’s worth it when you’re part of a larger society that wants to take your destiny into its own hands,” he wrote.
Clarín writing with information from EFE and revolutiontimes.net
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Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.