A Tehran court jailed an Iranian-British woman for wanting to watch volleyball because she was protesting a ban on women attending some men’s sporting events. Her sentence was a year for spreading anti-state propaganda.
Ghoncheh Ghavami, 25, was arrested on June 20 outside the Azadi Stadium. She and other women were demanding that women be allowed to watch a volleyball match between Iran and Italy.
Ghavami was held for only a few hours after her arrest. She was re-arrested days later when authorities called her back to reclaim her personal possessions. She stood trial last month.
On Saturday, Ghavami’s lawyer said her sentence may be shortened due to previous good behavior.
Ghonchech Ghavami has been detained in solitary confinement at Tehran’s Evin prison, according to Amnesty International. In October she began a hunger strike over her sentence.
Britain has expressed concern over how the Iranian-British woman has been treated in Iran’s court system. A spokesperson for the Foreign Office in London said in a statement, “We have concerns about the grounds for this prosecution, due process during the trial, and Miss Ghavami’s treatment whildst in custody.”
Iran doesn’t recognize dual citizenship and treats those who hold it as Iranian.
Women also aren’t allowed to watch soccer in Iran. Government officials claim that male behavior at these games is too inappropriate for women to witness.
The “Free Ghoncheh Ghavami” page on Facebook posted this statement after Ghavami received her verdict in October. “Ghoncheh has been in temporary detention for the past 126 days and her temporary detention expired 6 days ago and it is not clear to her family and lawyer as to what the current legal basis of her detention is. A fair and just legal process according to Iran’s legal framework is the basic right of every Iranian citizen.”
What do you think of the Iranian-British woman’s sentence?
Iranian-British Woman Jailed For Watching Volleyball
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