On 4 July 2024, woman human rights defender Sharifeh Mohammadi and her lawyer were handed a death sentence on the charge of “membership in a group with the intention of overthrowing the state of the Islamic Republic of Iran”, issued by Branch I of the Rasht Revolutionary Court. The charge has been interpreted to “Baghi” under Islamic Penal Code, a vaguely defined crime of “rebelling against the just Islamic ruler(s)” that can lead to the death penalty.
Sharifeh Mohammadi is a woman human rights defender and campaigner against the death penalty in Rasht, Gilan province in Iran. She has been advocating for women’s rights and labour rights, which has included organizing events around international dates celebrating such rights. She was a member of the Coordination Committee to Aid the Formation of Labor Unions in Iran.
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Front Line Defenders urges Iranian authorities to immediately overturn the shocking death sentence handed to WHRD Sharifeh Mohammadi by the Rasht Revolutionary Court.
We also express grave concern at the targeting of Sharifeh Mohammadi’s family members, believing… pic.twitter.com/T1BpsrL9V3
— Front Line Defenders (@FrontLineHRD) July 10, 2024
On 4 July 2024, woman human rights defender Sharifeh Mohammadi and her lawyer were handed a death sentence on the charge of “Baghi”, or ‘the rebelling against the just Islamic ruler(s)’ under the Islamic Penal Code. This verdict, which was issued by Branch I of the Rasht Revolutionary Court, has interpreted her committent to the coordination council to form labour unions as a rebellion against the Islamic rulers.
On 11 June 2024, Sharifeh Mohammadi’s husband was arrested after their house was raided in Rasht. He was released on 20 June 2024. While the nature of the charges against the husband of the woman human rights defender are yet to be known, his arrest and nine days detention is reported to be due to his advocacy in support of his wife, as well as to pressure on Sharifeh Mohammadi while under detention.
Iran: Death sentence against woman human rights defender and her lawyer
