Iran confirms jail for female activist

November 5, 2007 – (Middle East Times) An Iranian appeals court has upheld a 28-month jail sentence handed down to a young female activist for taking part in a women's rights protest last year, her lawyer said Monday.

Delaram Ali, 24, had been earlier this year sentenced to two years and 10 months in jail in addition to receiving 10 lashes. The flogging was also initially believed to have been upheld, but lawyer Nasrin Sotoodeh - who has yet to be officially informed of the verdict - said she had now received information the lashing would not take place.

"We have understood that a jail sentence of two years and four months has been upheld, and the flogging has been dropped," she said.

The activist was among 70 people arrested in a June 2006 protest at Tehran's Haft-e Tir square against articles in Iranian law that are seen as discriminating against women.

Five other women activists who organized the protest were, earlier this year, given shorter jail terms of up to a year and suspended sentences of up to three years.

But Ali received the most severe punishment, despite being a little-known activist, and she is expected to start serving her sentence imminently.

"Ali has been contacted by the court to introduce herself for the implementation of the verdict," said Sotoodeh. None of the five organizers is believed to be currently serving a jail term.

The 2006 protest was broken up by the police, who were accused by rights groups of beating up the women. Last month, a special court cleared several policemen of assaulting women at the protest.

In comments published Monday, Nobel peace laureate and human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi complained that the verdict was "unfair."

"Why should a girl who wants equal human rights be charged with acting against national security?" the Sarmayeh newspaper quoted Ebadi as saying.

"Delaram was beaten at this gathering and broke her arm. We pressed charges against the police but, in the end, the police were acquitted and Delaram was sentenced to jail," she said.

In March, around 30 women's rights activists were arrested while demonstrating outside the revolutionary court where the five organizers of the 2006 demonstration were standing trial.

The activists accused in both cases have been involved in a petition dubbed "One Million Signatures," which seeks to change Iran's laws for women by collecting signatures online and in person.

From:http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20071105-091315-2356r