Iranian Hijab Activist’s Prison Sentence Enforced

Iranian hijab activist Sepideh Rashno has had her almost four year prison sentence enforced along with a travel ban.

Rashno was arrested in July 2022 after a viral video depicted her altercation with a woman who verbally assaulted her for being unveiled on public transport.

Subsequently, she was coerced into a televised confession, visibly bruised and showing signs of torture. Reports from the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency indicated that she had suffered internal bleeding shortly after her arrest, during which she was still wearing her compulsory hijab.

Following approximately 40 days of detention in Tehran’s Evin prison, Rashno was released on bail, for a significant sum believed to be $27,000.

Initially convicted of charges including "association and collusion with the intent of endangering national security" and "propaganda against the Islamic Republic," Rashno received a five-year suspended prison sentence. However, she faced additional accusations of "promoting moral corruption" and "propaganda against the regime" after posting a photo without a hijab on social media.

Rashno disclosed that her recent sentence, comprising three years and seven months for the initial protest incident, along with four months for announcing a university's suspension, and a fine of 15 million rials (about 30 USD) for attending court without compulsory clothing, has been enforced.

Commenting on her travel ban, Rashno remarked, "Of course, [this is] a travel ban for someone who has no intention of leaving."