An Iranian activist has been ordered to endure 178 lashes and serve 18 months in jail following her arrest for failing to wear a hijab.
Hamideh Zarei, a Gilak activist and ex-political detainee, was freed earlier this month from Rasht Central Prison after nearly a month of confinement, only to face a fresh sentencing shortly thereafter.
Her most recent punishment comprises nine months behind bars and 74 lashes for ‘disturbing public tranquility,’ another nine months for ‘opposing law enforcement personnel,’ 74 lashes for ‘offending an officer during duty,’ and 30 lashes for ‘inflicting non-apparent injuries.’
The ordeal of this Tehran University master’s student started on February 3, when she reported to the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Rasht to comply with a mandatory residency penalty.
She was apprehended for not adhering to the compulsory hijab rule, which triggered the imposition of additional charges against her.
According to the Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights, Zarei endured 29 days in custody at Rasht Central Prison before securing release on bail on March 3.
While detained, the activist allegedly suffered physical abuse from two members of the Rasht Prosecutor’s Office Protection Unit, leading to wrist damage and significant bruising.
Yet, this incident marks just the latest episode in the regime’s persistent harassment of Zarei.
Her conflicts with Iranian officials trace back to 2022.
In November 2023, Judge Mousa Asafolhosseini at the Karaj Revolutionary Court sentenced her to one year in prison for ‘propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran.’
Upon agreeing to the ruling, her prison term was shortened to nine months.
Zarei’s initial detention occurred in Karaj on May 29, 2023, and she was held in Kachouii Prison until her liberation on February 22, 2024, after completing her sentence.
Nevertheless, she also faced a two-year travel restriction, a two-year ban on social media engagement, and compulsory relocation to Rasht.
Her earliest documented arrest happened on November 3, 2022, when she was seized for participating in a memorial ceremony commemorating the 40th day after Hadis Najafi’s death—a young woman fatally shot by security forces amid the 2022 protests.
She was confined in Kachouii Prison before gaining freedom on February 7, 2024, via a supposed ‘pardon’ directive.
Her situation serves as yet another stark illustration of Iran’s harsh crackdown on advocates for women’s rights.
A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.
Nnamdi Okoli