US Denounces Severe Sentences for Civil Activists in Iran
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The U.S. Department of State strongly condemns the Iranian government's imposition of harsh sentences on 11 women's rights activists in Gilan province. The activists were sentenced to a combined 60-year prison term by Iran's Third Branch of the Revolutionary Court. The State Department spokesperson criticized the legal proceedings as 'fabricated' and lacking credibility and legitimacy. The rulings were based on charges of 'gathering and collusion, forming a group with the intent to undermine national security,' and 'membership in a group.' The Department of State reaffirmed the Biden administration's commitment to supporting the Iranian people and pursuing accountability for Iran's human rights abuses. Iranian rights activist Gohar Eshghi criticized the government's treatment of women and highlighted the prevalence of torture, coerced confessions, and restrictions on legal counsel. The Hengaw Organization for Human Rights reported that in 2023, 22 women were executed, 325 women activists were detained, and 147 women activists were sentenced to imprisonment, flogging, and execution in Iran.

#Iran #CivilActivists #HumanRights #Women'sRights #UsDepartmentOfState

https://www.voanews.com/a/us-denounces-severe-sentences-for-civil-activists-in-iran-/7549340.html