Last Update

Sept. 30, 2022

Organisation

Unknown

Gender

Female

Ethnic Group

Arab

Religoius Group

Other

Province

Khuzestan

Occupation

Journalist

Sentence

Temporary detention

Status

In prison

Institution investigating

Judiciary

Charges

Acting against National Security

Mehrnoosh Tafian In prison

Mehrnoosh Tafian is a media activist from Andimeshk, Khuzestan province. Most of her media activism concerns environmental and labor issues and the marginalized people of the Khuzestan. Some of Tafian's reports have been published by the Mehr News Agency and the Asr-e Jonoub news website.

Tafian was arrested in Ahvaz, provincial capital of Khuzestan, on September 27, 2022, following protests over the death of the 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in the custody of Morality Police.

This is not the first time that Mehrnoosh Tafian has been arrested.

On October 25, 2020, Tafian was informed of a summons against her by the Prosecutor's Office of Ahvaz, Khuzestan province.

In response to this summons, Tafian appeared at Branch 13 of the Prosecutor's Office of Ahvaz on November 1, 2020, to defend herself against the charges filed against her. However, when she reported to this office, she was detained by security agents on a complaint by the Intelligence Organization of the Revolutionary Guards.

Mehrnoosh Tafian posted a picture of her court summons on her Twitter page on October 31, 2020, and wrote: “Wish me luck, my first court hearings is tomorrow! I don’t know what is supposed to happen or what the charges against me are. I also wonder to myself, why me? I wanted nothing more than to see a little justice! No matter how hard it is for you to see and keep your mouth shut, you too can open your mouth!"

Tafian was charged with “spreading lies”, “promoting prostitution”, “connections with enemy media”, “removing hijab”, “insulting the Supreme Leader” and “insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic”. She was held for eight days at Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz and was released on a bail of 400 million tomans.

In September 2021, Tafian was sentenced to three months and one day in prison by Branch 112 of Ahvaz Criminal Cour and to one year in prison for “propaganda against the regime” by Branch 2 of Ahvaz Revolutionary Court.

She appealed the sentences and, on October 20, 2021, the appeals court suspended her three months and one day and reduced her sentence of one year in prison to three months and 10 days. This sentence has yet to be carried out.

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