Public Flogging, Jail Terms For Iranians Mourning Dead Protester
The Iranian regime has imposed severe sentences on protesters detained during nationwide rallies and several others who gathered at the grave of a deceased protester.
The Iranian regime has imposed severe sentences on protesters detained during nationwide rallies and several others who gathered at the grave of a deceased protester.
In Arak, the judiciary sentenced eight people to approximately seven years in prison and over 70 lashes each on charges of "insulting sanctities, disrupting public order, and promoting propaganda against the system" for their presence at the gravesite of Mehrshad Shahidinejad during a religious holiday.
These individuals were arrested while gathering at Shahidinejad's grave on Tasu'a, a Shiite holiday that precedes the death anniversary of Hussein ibn Ali, the third Shiite imam and the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Regime agents released a video clip of the gathering and portrayed it as disrespectful to the Shiite ritual.
In line with the regime's strategy to intimidate and humiliate protesters, the judge emphasized that "the flogging sentences for these individuals must be carried out publicly, following Friday prayers at Arak's main prayer site."
Mehrshad Shahidinejad, a 20-year-old chef, was arrested in October during anti-government rallies and died after being beaten with a baton at the Revolutionary Guard Intelligence's detention center in the city. He soon became an icon of the Women, Life, Freedom protests.
In another case, six protesters arrested in Tabriz were collectively sentenced to 18 years in prison and various fines. Pejman Eslami and Bagher Taji Ahmadifard each received five-year sentences, while the remaining four were sentenced to two years in prison and fines totaling around $11,000. The average Iranian's monthly salary is approximately $150 to $200.
