Iran’s authorities have condemned two LGBT+ activists to death.
Zahra Sedighi-Hamedani (pictured), a 31-year-old blogger known online as Sareh, and Elham Chubdar, 24, were condemned earlier this month by the Revolutionary Court of Urmia, the capital of West Azerbaijan in northwest Iran.
The two were initially charged with “promoting homosexuality”, “promoting Christianity”, and “communicating with the hostile media outside the Islamic Republic”.
Confirming the death sentence, the Iran judiciary’s Mizan News Agency said the activists were convicted of “corruption on earth” in connection with “human trafficking”.
State news agency IRNA declared, “Contrary to news published online, the sentenced have deceived and trafficked young women and girls out of the country by promising them educational and work opportunities, thus leading to the suicide of several of their victims.”
No evidence from the trial was produced to support the claims of the Iranian outlets. Instead, Tasnim News Agency put out a propaganda video, accusing Sareh and others of running a trafficking gang to Erbil in northern Iraq, gambling, fraud, and “de-stigmatization of illicit sexual relations”.
“I Had To Be True To Myself”
A mother of two and singer who was selling cosmetics in Erbil, Sareh was hoping to release her first album. Soon after her arrest last December on the Iran-Turkey border, she spoke with fellow LGBT+ activist Sangar Ekraei, describing her life, beliefs, and activism.
Born and raised in a poor village in West Azerbaijan, Sareh worked as a farmer and shepherd. She went to an gender-integrated school because of the village’s limited facilities.
Despite her issues with gender identity early in life, Sareh married and “did my duty to my husband as a wife”: “After the divorce I realized I had to be true to myself. And so I view my marriage as something positive, because it made me do that.”
Her mother initially opposed her lifestyle, including her relationship, but now “none [of my family members] have a problem with me and they really respect my partner”.
Sareh and her partner now own the cosmetics and health products company Ebru Polat. Her two children lived with her until her imprisonment.
Iranwire has its own account of Mahsa Amini: https://iranwire.com/en/women/107592-the-story-so-far-what-happened-to-mahsa-amini-at-the-detention-center/
“One of the other young women “arrested” by the patrol that night, who asked to be named as Sadaf, told IranWire: “I wasn’t in the same van as Mahsa. But we were together in Vozara, and I was there the moment she fell. “They took away our mobile phones and said all of us were to sit on one side [of the room]. Right after I sat down, I saw one of us fall to the ground and hit her head on the chair. A woman belonging to the morality patrol was standing over her….Sadaf added that while she was at Vozara at least, she did not see anyone subjected to physical violence. They humiliated and insulted us but they didn’t beat anyone. When she fell down her head hit the chair but I didn’t see any blood.”
“An enlarged version of this picture shows blood and discoloration around her ear……The symptoms of a scalp base fracture can take hours to show themselves. This trauma might have been suffered after she fell, but it could also have been caused by an earlier strike. To date IranWire has not been able to locate any of the women who were in the same van as Mahsa to ask what happened on the way to their detention.”
Death to the dictator!!!
https://en.radiozamaneh.com/32500/
“An eyewitness, who was also one of the detainees and was in the same police van as Mahsa told Zamaneh: “On the way [to the detention center], a fierce altercation took place between the detainees and the officers, and Mrs. Amini and I were among those who protested our detention.” This eyewitness added:
During these alterations, officers tried to silence us with physical force. And Ms. Amini was beaten, but she was conscious when we arrived at the detention center, although she was physically very disoriented.”
The Zamaneh report also states that, “according to the doctors, Amini suffered a heart attack and a stroke while in custody.”
More information on the case of Mahsa Amini who died at hospital in Tehran.
1. A photo whilst she is in a coma shows no apparent injuries to her head or body: https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/444ae423c52949fdb91d1acf26932794de6698de/0_0_958_958/master/958.jpg?width=620&quality=45&fit=max&dpr=2&s=a2243f618a5d845286be7ee69fe9906f
2. Iranian MPs and officials have denounced foreign news media for falsely alleging she was beaten and tortured and that the incident will be investigated: https://www.farsnews.ir/news/14010625000621
3. A video has been released on IRIB claiming to show CCTV capturing Amini collapsing to the floor at police HQ after her arrest for improper attire: https://www.mehrnews.com/news/5591388
Her family has been provided with the footage which clears the police of any wrongdoing.
Thank you for the latest propaganda material from the Iranian authorities.
“Given that any visible injuries to Mahsa Amini’s head would have been cleaned up during treatment, that is a pretty weak rebuttal.”
Please answer the point about how “eyewitnesses” could have seen her being beaten up inside a police vehicle unless they themselves were present.
There will be an autopsy and death certificate issued by the coroner and hospital authorities. So far all we have are completely unverified accounts of her being beaten. If you have any evidence, please present it.
Because there were witnesses on the scene who not only saw but heard the incident — and witnesses at the hospital.
Next question.
Mahsa Amini died of her injuries….
https://www.radiofarda.com/a/mahsa-amini-passed-away/32036864.html
What injuries? The photos of herself in hospital show no damage to her head: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FcyF5lQXwAI-6ah?format=jpg&name=small
The BBC is claiming that eyewitnesses saw her being beaten inside a police van: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-62930425
I’d like to know how they could have known this unless they were also present inside of the vehicle.
Varharan,
Given that any visible injuries to Mahsa Amini’s head would have been cleaned up during treatment, that is a pretty weak rebuttal.
S.
“Why yes, Fars News — the outlet of the Revolutionary Guards — would say this, wouldn’t they?”
Also, “false news” should explain how heart complication result in severe head injuries and bleeding from ears
Iranian Activist Gholian Hospitalized But Remains On Hunger Strike
https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-activist-gholian-hospitalized-hunger-strike/32035362.html
Here is the original news article on the sentencing which you should have provided a link to: https://www.mizan.news/4431405
“No evidence from the trial was produced to support the claims of the Iranian outlets” Says who? Were you privy to the court proceedings and material evidence provided against the defendants? FYI, human trafficking, especially across the Turkey border, definitely happens in Iran and is a big problem: https://iranprimer.usip.org/blog/2022/jul/19/us-report-human-trafficking-iran
Even if Hamedani and Choobdar rreally are LGBT activists (both have children), that does not mean that they are innocent of the charge of trafficking and other illicit activities. The Tasnim video, which you could not understand as it is in Persian, contains statements from some of their alleged female victims.
The death sentence by the Revolutionary court can be appealed all the way to the Supreme Court: https://www7.isna.ir/news/1401062317702
Varharan,
Sorry — but nothing in the story from the Iran’s judiciary Mizan points to any evidence that was presented publicly. And the Tasnim video (which I understand quite well, thanks to help from EA staff) only puts out unverified assertions — as if often when the Iranian regime wants to justify detentions and death sentences.
Thanks for trying.
S.
Iranian woman in coma after morality police arrest: https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220915-iranian-woman-in-coma-after-morality-police-arrest-activists
“Her brother Kiaresh told the Iran Wire news website that while he was waiting outside the police station for her to be released an ambulance drove out taking her to hospital. He was told that she had had a heart attack and a brain seizure and was now in a coma…….A statement by the Tehran police confirmed she had been detained for “explanation and instruction” about the dress rules, along with other women. “She suddenly suffered a heart problem while in the company of other guided people (and)… was immediately taken to the hospital with the cooperation of police and emergency services.” It is not yet clear what happened between her arriving at the police station and her departure for hospital.”
Young woman is beaten and severely injured by “hijab” police. In her medical status she is declared “brain dead”
https://www.radiofarda.com/a/brain-death-of-a-young-woman-in-tehran-beaten-by-police/32034606.html
Shame on iri defenders, and governments that claim to be democratic and yet endorse this murderous mullah dictatorship by their actions
Iranian Woman Brain Dead After Arrest By Morality Police Over Hijab Rules
https://www.rferl.org/a/iranian-woman-brain-dead-arrets-morality-police-hijab/32035501.html
Iranian media, not US-funded propaganda based outside of Iran, is claiming the woman has an abnormal heart condition that manifested upon her arrest and that reports that she was severely beaten are not true: https://www.farsnews.ir/news/14010624000358
Why yes, Fars News — the outlet of the Revolutionary Guards — would say this, wouldn’t they?