Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Golrokh Ebrahimi
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| Persian: گلرخ ایرایی | |
Iraee (right) with Arash Sadeghi
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| Born |
Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee
1980 (age 44–45) Amol, Mazandaran, Iran
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| Occupation | Accountant, writer, human rights defender |
| Spouse(s) | Arash Sadeghi |
Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee (born 1980) is a writer and accountant from Iran. She is known as a human rights defender. She speaks out against a very harsh punishment called stoning in Iran. Because of her beliefs, she was supported by human rights groups.
In October 2016, Golrokh began a six-year prison sentence. This happened after she wrote a story about stoning. She was accused of "insulting sacred things" and "spreading ideas against the government." On January 3, 2017, she was let out of prison. This was after her husband went on a 71-day hunger strike and a big protest happened on Twitter. But she was sent back to prison on January 22, after her husband stopped his hunger strike.
Contents
Why Was She Arrested?
In September 2014, the government in Iran searched the home of Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee and her husband Arash Sadeghi in Tehran. The guards took their computers, notebooks, and CDs. They found a story that Golrokh had written but had not yet published.
After finding the story, Golrokh and her husband were arrested. Four men, believed to be from the Revolutionary Guards, took them away. Her husband was taken to Evin Prison. Golrokh was taken to a secret place for three days. She was not allowed to see a lawyer or talk to her family during this time.
Her Court Hearings
Golrokh Iraee had two short court hearings. In her first hearing, she was not allowed to speak. This hearing was about her husband's activities. During her second hearing, she was in the hospital after surgery. But the court would not look at her medical records. Her first lawyer was told to stop helping her. Her second lawyer was not allowed to represent her at all.
In October 2016, Iranian officials called Golrokh on a friend's phone. They told her to go to Evin Prison to start her six-year prison sentence. They did not have an arrest warrant, which is usually required by law. Golrokh was found guilty of "insulting Islamic holy things" and "spreading ideas against the government."
Amnesty International, a group that works for human rights, asked the Iranian government to free Golrokh. They said she was being punished just for writing a story that was not even published. They believed she was using her imagination to peacefully express her views. Amnesty International said Iran should stop this punishment instead of jailing people for their thoughts.
Protests and Her Release
On October 24, 2016, Golrokh's husband, Arash Sadeghi, started a hunger strike in prison. He did this to protest her being in jail. There were also protests outside Evin Prison, which is very unusual. Even though Twitter is not allowed in Iran, many people used the hashtag #SaveArash to support him.
On January 3, 2017, Golrokh Iraee was set free. Her husband then stopped his hunger strike. Arash's family said he had many health problems. They took him to the hospital. But after only a few days, on January 7, 2017, he was sent back to prison. Doctors had said he needed to stay in the hospital.
What Happened Next?
Iranian officials said Golrokh and Arash could be out of prison for a short time if they paid a large amount of money. This money was called bail. It was about US$300,000 for Arash Sadeghi and US$150,000 for Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee.
Golrokh brought the papers for the bail. But the government said they had a new order. They said Golrokh had to go back to prison. Golrokh did not want to return to prison. But when she tried to visit her husband in the hospital on January 22, 2017, guards forced her to return to Evin Prison.
Life in Prison
In March 2018, Golrokh Iraee was moved from Evin Prison to Qarchak Prison. This prison is near Varamin. At that time, Golrokh and another human rights defender, Atena Daemi, were held in a special section of that prison. Reports said that the conditions in this prison were very poor. The activists were even wearing the same clothes they had on when they arrived.
On January 25, 2021, she was moved to Amol prison in Mazandaran Province.
On September 26, 2022, security forces took Golrokh Iraee to a secret place.
See also
In Spanish: Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee para niños
