Canadian activists cataloguing atrocities in Iran – BC


WARNING: Some of the content in this story may be disturbing to viewers. Discretion is advised.

A young Iranian couple, who went viral in November 2022 for a video of them dancing in the streets in Tehran, has been sentenced to 10 and half years in jail.

The engaged couple, Astiyazh Haghighi, 21 and Amir Mohammed Ahmad, 22, were each convicted of encouraging corruption and threatening national security, according to the activist HRANA news agency.

Their sentencing gained attention worldwide thanks in part to a Vancouver-based organization, Iranian Knowledge.

The research-based education nonpartisan translates news from Farsi to English and creates video content to spread the information.

They also have created a searchable database on political prisoners in the hopes of pairing them up with a political sponsor.

Story continues below advertisement

The group plans on publicly listing Islamic republic judges involved in the sentencing of demonstrators. This is all in an effort to raise awareness and push governments around the world to react.


Click to play video: 'BC woman imprisoned in Iran when she was pregnant tells harrowing story'


BC woman imprisoned in Iran when she was pregnant tells harrowing story


Farid Najafi, one of the founders of Iranian Knowledge said the couple, bloggers based out of Tehran, “were arrested and violently beaten up.

“This has obviously caused an uproar around the world, including with the Iranian community. There was a fellow who beheaded his wife and only got eight years but this couple, for simply dancing in the street, got 10 and a half years,” Najafi said.

Another troubling case, also on the radar of Iranian Knowledge, is that of Shahla Abdi.

Abdi, a woman in her early 20s, is reportedly set to be executed along with her unborn baby. She’s four months pregnant.

Story continues below advertisement

“Whenever you think this is as outrageous as it can get, the Islamic Republic manages to surprise you,” Najafi added.

According to the Islamic Republic judiciary, Abdi set fire to a portrait of the founding father of the Islamic Republic, Ruhollah Khomeini…a crime punishable by death.


Click to play video: 'Iranian couple dancing in Tehran street sentenced to 10 years in jail'


Iranian couple dancing in Tehran street sentenced to 10 years in jail


Read more:

Young couple who danced in viral video handed lengthy jail sentence in Iran

Read next:

This gibbon became pregnant while living in isolation. How is that possible?

Nearly 40 years ago, Port Coquitlam woman Mahbubeh Mojtahed, was seven months pregnant when she and her husband, who was executed in 1988, were imprisoned at the notorious Evin Prison. Her son was born and raised in prison for almost two years. Her husband was a journalist and they were both political activists against the Islamic Republic since its inception in 1979.

“My heart is beating for her. I think about her (Shahla) every single moment,” said Mahbubeh.

Story continues below advertisement

Mahbubeh said she relates to Abdi and understands how she must be feeling right now. She is now advocating for her release.

Mahbubeh was tortured and gave birth in prison. Mahbubeh said the conditions were so bad inside the jail that she often would have to sleep sitting up when she was pregnant because there was no room for her to lie down.

The horrific news of Abdi’s reported imminent execution is taking her back to when she was pregnant and imprisoned.

“When it was released on social media I immediately had flashbacks to the situation I was in when I didn’t know what was going to happen to my life.”

Ultimately being pregnant is what spared Mahbubeh from execution.

“How dare they (the Islamic Republic) do that to an innocent child…a child not yet born,” said Mahbubeh.

Iranian Knowledge is currently searching for a Canadian MP to sponsor Abdi in the hopes that may help save her and the baby’s life.

As the Islamic Republic intensifies its crackdown, Canadians are doing what they can to amplify the voices of its most committed opponents.


Click to play video: 'Iranian women create art exhibit in Kelowna'


Iranian women create art exhibit in Kelowna


 

Story continues below advertisement

 

 

 

&copy 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.





Source link

Denial of responsibility! galaxyconcerns is an automatic aggregator around the global media. All the content are available free on Internet. We have just arranged it in one platform for educational purpose only. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, all materials to their authors. If you are the owner of the content and do not want us to publish your materials on our website, please contact us by email – [email protected]. The content will be deleted within 24 hours.

Leave A Reply

Your email address will not be published.