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Atena Farghadani who is already serving a disproportionately lengthy sentence is due to be tried for handshake |
An Iranian artist currently
serving more than 12 years in prison for criticising the government now
faces further charges of “indecency” for allegedly shaking her male
lawyer’s hand.
Amnesty
International reports that Atena Farghadani, 29, who was jailed after
she depicted Iranian government officials as monkeys and goats in a
satirical cartoon, may face a longer sentence amid claims over the
handshake.
Charges
of an “illegitimate sexual relationship short of adultery” have been
brought against Farghadani and her lawyer Mohammad Moghimi amid
allegations he visited her in jail and shook her hand - which is illegal
in Iran.
Farghadani
was sentenced to 12 years and nine months in prison earlier this year
following the publication of her cartoon which was drawn in protest at
plans by the Iranian government to outlaw voluntary sterilisation and to
restrict access to contraception.
The
cartoonist was arrested in August 2014 after publishing her satirical
artworks on Facebook and spent three months in Evin prison in Tehran
before being released in November.
She
was later found guilty by a Tehran court of “colluding against national
security”, “spreading propaganda against the system” and “insulting
members of the parliament” through her artwork.
However,
Farghadani’s letters of protest written to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the
Supreme Leader, Hassan Rouhani, the President, and the Head of the
Prison Service, over her treatment during those initial three months in
jail are believed to have contributed to her 12 year sentence.
Having
received no response from Iran’s leaders the artist recorded a video
(above) in which she explained what happened to her in Evin prison, with
details including being strip-searched over a minor offence, beaten and
verbally abused by guards.
She
was re-arrested in January 2015 and sentenced in June by judge
Abolghassem Salavati who is notorious for leading numerous controversial
trials, many of which resulted in executions.
The artist now faces a fresh trial on indecency charges and Amnesty predicts that her sentence will be extended.
A
statement from Amnesty reads: “Atena's lawyer, Mohammad Moghimi,
visited Atena in prison after her trial and shook her hand. The
handshake led to charges of an 'illegitimate sexual relationship short
of adultery' and 'indecent conduct' being brought against both Atena and
Moghimi, who will be tried for those charges in due course.”
It
continues: “Iran has pledged to protect free speech, including through
artistic activities, as a signatory of the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights.” The Iranian Embassy in London declined to
comment on the case.
Farghadani is believed to be serving her sentence in Gharchak jail and is reported to have gone on hunger strike.
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