An Iranian artist was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison.
While she was sentenced to 12 years and 9 months, one source said she could be legally imprisoned only for 7 years and 6 months. The family reportedly plans to appeal.
“Naturally we are all upset by the sentence,” said one family member. “But seeing how optimistic Atena has been, we are trying to maintain that outlook, too.”
“She’s truly an angel,” a relative of Farghadani told FoxNews.com on condition of anonymity. “She just loves people and animals, and besides for all her artistic talent, she is such a strong supporter of human rights.”
“I hope Atena’s case is a wakeup call for the international community and that they put the human rights on top of the agenda in their dialogue with the Iranian authorities.”
Farghadani’s family has received threats, which the source said is “just another way of putting pressure on Atena and making sure no one speaks to the media.”
Last August, Revolutionary Guards raided Farghadani’s home and blindfolded her, confiscated her personal belongings and imprisoned her, according to Amnesty International.