Anahita Ramezanian, a participant in the 2022 Iran protests, has been sentenced to 7 months of imprisonment and 40 lashes. The verdict was announced by the branch of Yasuj Criminal Court 2, which charged her with “disturbing public order and comfort and encouraging people to hold gatherings.”
Anahita Ramezanian was arrested on October 2, 2022, during the rally in the main square of Yasuj city and spent 25 days in detention before being released on bail. In addition, she was also sentenced to one year in prison by Yasuj Criminal Court 2 for participating in the November 2019 protests.
Meanwhile, Farzaneh Zilabi, a lawyer and member of the League of Lawyers, has been summoned by the 13th branch of the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court.
Farzaneh Zilabi faces accusations of insulting the leadership, publishing falsehoods in cyberspace, propaganda activity against the state, assembly, and collusion against security, and membership in hostile groups.
Ms. Zilabi is known for representing Haft Tappeh workers and political activists in Khuzestan, as well as some of the detainees of the 2022 Iran uprising, social security pensioners in Khuzestan, Khuzestan journalists, and the secretary of the Khuzestan Teachers Union, Pirouz Nami.
In addition, Zeinab Rahimi, an environment reporter, was summoned to the Media and Computer Prosecutor’s Office on February 22, 2023, on the charge of “slander and publication of lies.” Rahimi used to work with ISNA news agency and was fired in 2020 for publishing content on Twitter.
These incidents are part of an ongoing crackdown on dissent and independent voices in Iran. As the Iranian regime continues to suppress freedom of expression, the cases of Ramezanian, Zilabi, and Rahimi highlight the challenges facing the country’s activists, lawyers, and journalists.
