Taraneh Rahimi Sentenced to Death for Participation in Iranian Anti-Government Protests
An Iranian court has sentenced Taraneh Rahimi to death for her role in the January anti-government protests. Her twin sister, Romina Rahimi, received a 25-year prison sentence. The sisters were 19 years old and still in high school when they were arrested by masked security forces in February after participating in demonstrations in Isfahan on January 8 and 9. Family members reported that the sisters were held in solitary confinement and subjected to torture. Taraneh Rahimi allegedly told the court that prison guards threatened to sexually assault Romina Rahimi unless she signed a confession. Her mother, Marzieh Nourmohammadi, was not allowed to attend the trial, but reported that the sisters were heavily bruised and had lost much of their hair from being dragged between cells. While the court issued the death penalty for Taraneh Rahimi, human rights groups noted that no evidence was presented during the hearings specifically linking her to the deaths of an IRGC officer and a civilian. The administration of the Iranian judiciary has also executed over 500 people this year, including 29 people directly linked to the January protests.