Human Rights Defender Golrokh Ebrahimi-Irayi Released

Golrokh Ebrahimi-Irayi, a prominent human rights defender who has been behind bars since November 2019, was released from Amol Prison on May 9. Her early release came after the consolidation of her sentences.

Golrokh was last arrested at her home on 9 November 2019, just six months after she completed a three-year sentence. The new case was opened against her while she was still serving her previous sentence for “propaganda and blasphemy.”

She was sentenced to two years imprisonment and banned from any party or group participation by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court for “insulting the founder and leader of the Islamic Republic” and one year and six months for “propaganda against the system” by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. Singing songs in protest to the executions of Zanyar and Loghman Moradi were found to be “insulting the founder and leader of the Islamic Republic” and her letters from prison being published by human rights organisation were considered to be “propaganda against the system.”

Golrokh was forcefully transferred to the IRGC solitary Ward 2A of Evin Prison while being beaten by electric shockers in Qarchak Prison on 13 December 2020. After spending 43 days under interrogations in Ward 2A, she was returned to Qarchak Prison 24 January 2021, only to be prison exiled to Amol Prison hours later, where she has now been released from.