The Appellate Court of Tehran has imposed an additional twelve-month prison sentence and other penalties on Shakila Monfared, a political prisoner currently held in Evin Prison. This decision stems from a legal case initiated while she was incarcerated.
Presided over by Judge Abbasali Hozan, Branch 36 of the Tehran Appellate Court found Monfared guilty of allegedly “spreading propaganda against the regime,” leading to a 12-month imprisonment. Additionally, she faces restrictions, including a ban on residing in Tehran and its surrounding provinces, prohibition from joining political or civil groups, and limitations on smartphone usage.
Initially sentenced to 15 months in prison by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, Monfared’s appeal, along with her co-defendant Narge Mohammadi, was adjudicated in absentia in December. She was informed of the conviction on February 20, subsequent to the dismissal of her appeal request by the court.
This marks the third legal case resulting in a conviction that Monfared has encountered during her incarceration.
Monfared’s ordeal began on August 31, 2020, when security forces arrested her as she was leaving her home. She was transferred to one of the detention centers under the control of the IRGC in Tehran. After 14 days of detention, she was subsequently released on bail from Evin Prison.
Following that, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced Monfared to six years in prison and four months of probation work in the Agricultural Jihad on charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “blasphemy.” This verdict was later reduced to four years and two months on appeal.
In January 2022, in a new legal case while imprisoned, Monfared received two years and eight months, this time for the charge of “membership in anti-regime groups” and paying a fine for “disseminating false information.”
It is worth noting that on June 6, 2023, once again, Monfared faced the charge of “assembly and collusion against national security,” and this time the case was closed after a while.
