In the ongoing crackdown on active and critical students in Iran, Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals has confirmed a one-year prison sentence for Motehareh Gonaei, a suspended student of Tehran University of Medical Sciences.
Ms. Gonaei had previously been sentenced to the same charge by Branch 29 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court in July 2024.
According to the Campaign for the Defense of Political and Civil Prisoners, the charge against Ms. Gonaei is “propaganda against the regime in favor of anti-revolutionary media.”
The specifics of this charge include her protest against the death sentence of Toomaj Salehi and comments on the case of Nika Shakarami. These charges clearly demonstrate the severe restrictions on freedom of expression and the right to protest in Iran.
Motehareh Gonaei was arrested on May 2, 2024, and was released after posting bail. She and her husband, Mehdi Hadizadeh, had previously been temporarily banned from studying and were transferred to Ardabil University of Medical Sciences. Furthermore, in September 2024, she was expelled from the University of Tehran, and her academic records were transferred to Ardabil University.
This confirmed sentence shows that the Iranian judiciary, instead of addressing the demands of students and listening to their voices of protest, has resorted to suppressing and imprisoning them.
This approach is in clear contradiction to basic human rights principles, including freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and the right to education.
Motehareh Gonaei, as a student and social activist, has been harassed solely for expressing her opinions and participating in peaceful protests. These actions demonstrate that the Iranian government fears the voices of its opponents and resorts to suppressing any form of dissent to maintain its power.
International human rights organizations have repeatedly expressed concern about the human rights situation in Iran, particularly the situation of students. These organizations call for the unconditional release of all political prisoners in Iran, including Motehareh Gonaei, and an end to the repression of students and civil activists.