Prominent human rights defender Narges Mohammadi has received a 16-year prison sentence on several national security related offences in connection with her human rights work. Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran sentenced Narges Mohammadi to 10 years’ imprisonment on the charge of “founding an illegal group” for her involvement with an anti-death penalty campaign. She also received a five-year sentence for “gathering and colluding to commit crimes against national security”, and one year for “spreading propaganda against the system”. The court used as “evidence” against her interviews she gave to international media, as well as her March 2014 meeting with the European Union’s then High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton. Although her trial was held on 20 April 2016, the verdict was only communicated to her lawyer on 17 May 2016. If her conviction and sentence are upheld, Narges Mohammadi will have to serve at least 10 further years in prison on the most serious charge of “founding an illegal group”. This is under provisions in Iran's 2013 Penal Code, which stipulates that those convicted of multiple charges should only serve the lengthiest single sentence.
Narges Mohammadi also faces a charge of “insulting officers while being transferred to a hospital” in a separate case. This charge was brought against her after she filed a complaint with regards to the degrading and inhumane treatment she received by prison guards when she was transferred out of prison to hospital for examinations, including their refusal to allow her a confidential consultation with her doctors.
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