Zeinab Khonyabpour Sentenced to 2 Years for Unveiling
The First Branch of the Revolutionary Court and Branch 106 of the Penal Court No. 2 of Amol sentenced Farzaneh Barzekar to imprisonment, payment of cash fine, and social deprivations.
Farzaneh Barzekar is the mother of Erfan Rezaii, a 21-year-old who was slain at the hands of security forces in Amol, during protests on September 21, 2022.
She was arrested and detained in the Prison of Qaemshahr, on September 3, 2023, before the first anniversary of her son’s death.
The clerical regime intimidated the families of slain protesters, and made many arrests among their parents, siblings, and other relatives to prevent the outbreak of another uprising on the anniversary of their deaths. The regime did not allow any of the families to commemorate their loved ones at their tombs or hold any ceremonies at their homes. In some cases, they arrested and detained one or both parents, or placed them under house arrest and blocked access to their residence.
Ms. Farzaneh Barzekar was among the outspoken parents who sought justice for her son and wanted to commemorate him.
Ms. Barzekar’s lawyer said she has been sentenced to a total of 24 months of jail time on charges of propaganda against the state and insulting Ali Khamenei. The jail sentence has been suspended for two years but she will have to pay five million tomans of fine for publishing photos of herself without covering her hair. She must pay another 15 million Tomans for disseminating falsities in cyber space, and she is going to be deprived of activity on social media for one year.
By issuing a suspended jail sentence, the regime practically restricts the person’s freedoms, as they could face arrest if they engage in similar actions again.
Zeinab Khonyabpour Sentenced to 2 Years for Unveiling
Ms. Zeinab Khonyabpour was sentenced to two years in prison for publishing her photos in which she did not cover her hair.
The Penal Court No. 2 of Behbahan sentenced Ms. Khonyabpour to two years of imprisonment. The Revolutionary Court of Mahshahr also sentenced her to three months and one day of jail time for disseminating propaganda against the state.
Zeinab Khonyabpour owns a clothing store. She closed her business on December 5, 2022, to join a nationwide strike because of which it was sealed. When she referred to the Department of Justice to unseal her business, she got arrested and jailed for six days in the Sepidar Prison of Ahvaz.
Behbahan and Mahshahr are cities in the southwestern province of Khuzestan, known for being centers of protests.
