Mina Soltani Zareh Sentenced to Eight Months in Iranian Prison

Human Rights Research Center

Mar 63 min read

March 6, 2025

HRRC strongly condemns the unjust ruling issued by the Iranian court against Mina Soltani. This verdict represents a grave violation of fundamental human rights and underscores the continued suppression of freedom and justice in Iran. HRRC calls upon the international community to take urgent action to address this injustice.

Mina Soltani, the mother of Shahriar Mohammadi, a protester killed during the 2022 Women, Life, Freedom protest in Bukan (a city located in the West Azerbaijan Province of Iran), has been sentenced to eight months in prison and fined 10 million rials. Branch 101 of the Second Criminal Court of Bukan convicted her on charges of “propaganda against the state” and “presence of women in public spaces and plain view without the Islamic hijab.” According to the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN), her trial began on February 15, presided over by Judge Mehdi Fakhri, proceeded without a defense lawyer, and the verdict was recently delivered to her verbally.

Over the past two years, Soltani has been subjected to frequent harassment from security authorities, including arrests, summonses, and threats. On September 11, 2024, she was arrested at her home in Bukan without a warrant and detained for 21 days in the women’s section of Orumiyeh Central Prison before being released on bail. During her arrest at the Ministry of Intelligence facility in Orumiyeh, she was refused legal representation and denied family visits, illustrating the state's crackdown on dissidents.

Soltani's prison sentence came in the wake of her son’s tragic death during anti-government protests in Bukan on November 18, 2022. Shahriar Mohammadi was shot and wounded by security forces before succumbing to his injuries in the hospital. His killing became one of many emblematic cases of the brutal suppression of the Women, Life, Freedom movement. Soltani’s continued persecution underscores the Iranian government’s relentless efforts to silence dissent and punish those seeking justice for victims of state violence.

The decision to not give justice under a fair trial to Soltani is unacceptable under Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), and according to Chapter Three of the Iranian Constitution, "The Rights of the Nation," seeking justice is not a crime but rather a ‘fundamental right of all citizens.’

Two years after the Woman, Life, Freedom protests in Iran, relatives of those executed by government forces, particularly ethnic minorities, continue to experience harassment, surveillance, and incarceration on bogus accusations of seeking justice and responsibility for their loved ones.

Glossary

Bogus – False, fake, or illogical.
Branch 101 of the Second Criminal Court – Criminal court based in Bukan county (local administration).
Convicted – Declared guilty of a crime by a court of law.
Dissent – The expression of opinions that go against those of an authority or majority.
Dissidents – People who challenge an established political or religious system, belief, policy or institution.
Emblematic Cases – Cases that symbolize or represent a broader issue or trend.
Hijab – A headscarf worn by some Muslim women.
Incarceration – Putting someone in jail or prison.
Persecution – Being treated unfairly or cruelly, often for theri poltical beliefs, religion or identity.
Propaganda – Information, often biased or misleading, used to promote a political cause or viewpoint.
Rial – Iranian Currency
Summonses – Official orders requiring someone to appear in court or before authorities.
Suppression – Use of force or authority to stop opposition or dissent.
Succumbing – Failing to resist or being overcome by something, such as an illness or injury.
Verdict – The final decision or judgment a court gives in a legal case.
Warrant – A legal document issued by a court allowing the police to make an arrest, search a location, or carry out another legal action.

Sources

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Mina Soltani Zareh Sentenced to Eight Months in Iranian Prison

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