A judicial official in the northwestern province of Ardabil said that 40 people were sentenced to flogging, most of them on charges of “disturbing public order”.
According to the Fars state-run News Agency, the head of the Ardabil Judiciary said that three people charged with “financial crimes” in addition to other crimes were sentenced to flogging.
Naser Atabati also said that 37 other people who were tried for taking part in fights and “disturbing public order” by brandishing knives, were sentenced to flogging in addition to fines and prison terms.
The Iranian regime does not consider flogging as torture and routinely issues flogging sentences for a wide range of so-called “crimes”.
Flogging as instrument of suppression
There are also increasing reports of flogging sentences used as a way of suppressing protests against the regime.
Today, labor activist Azam (Nasrin) Javadi Khezri, a member of the Iran Workers’ Free Union who was detained during a Labor Day demonstration was sentenced to seven years of prison and 74 lashes. She was also banned from using a smartphone and similar devices.
According to the #Iran Free Workers' Union, union member Azam Javadi was sentenced to 7years of prison and 74 lashes. One of many labor activists sentenced to flogging in Iran. Despite the brutal suppression of activists, #IranProtests continue unabated for #IranRegimeChange. pic.twitter.com/dSkcaWzW7k
— Iran News Wire (@IranNW) August 19, 2019
Before that, Mohammad Taghi Falahi, the head of the Tehran Teachers’ Association was sentenced to eight months of prison and 10 lashes for his union activities. The sentence has been suspended for three years.
Mohammad Taghi Falahi, head of the #Tehran Teachers' Association, was sentenced to 8 months of prison and 10 lashes for his union activities. Just another day in #Iran where teachers are flogged and detained for demanding their minimum rights. #IranProtests #FreeIran pic.twitter.com/SPvtdru9MG
— Iran News Wire (@IranNW) August 18, 2019
On August 13, seven workers of the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Factory in the southwestern city of Shush were sentenced to eight months of suspended prison and 30 lashes each.
One of the charges brought against the 10 workers is “disrupting public order by leading and being present in illegal gatherings and preventing the company’s activities”.
In late July, a detained Kurd singer and political activist was lashed 100 times in prison. The 110th Branch of the Urmia Public Court sentenced Peiman Mirzazadeh to two years of prison and 80 lashes for “blasphemy” and another 20 lashes for “drinking alcohol”.
Before that a teacher activist was sentenced to 74 lashes and prison for holding a sit-in outside a government building in protest to the widespread arrest of teacher activists.
According to the sentence issued by the 103rd branch of the Shahreza Penal Court, Hamidreza Rahmati, who is member of the Isfahan Teachers’ Association, was sentenced to 18 months of prison and 74 public lashes on charges of “disrupting public order by carrying out an abnormal act outside the Education Department building”.
Source » irannewswire