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November 2, 2024 – Kurdistan –
Kurdish journalist and women’s rights activist Zhina Modares-Gorji has been imprisoned in Iran following a politically motivated trial that underscores the country’s escalating crackdown on dissenting voices, particularly those from marginalized communities. On November 2, 2024, she reported to Sanandaj Women’s Prison to begin serving a 16-month sentence after an appeals court reduced her original 21-year sentence handed down by a Revolutionary Court in May.
Modares-Gorji was charged with “forming an illegal group to overthrow the state,” “propaganda against the regime,” and “collaborating with hostile opposition media.” While the appeals court dropped the latter charge, it upheld the accusations related to propaganda and illegal organizing, which stem from her peaceful activism, public speaking, writing, and work with a women’s rights literary group in Iran’s Kurdish region.
Her case is emblematic of the systemic repression of Kurdish journalists and women human rights defenders in Iran. She was previously arrested in September 2022 during the nationwide “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests and detained again in April 2023. During these detentions, she endured 84 days in solitary confinement and faced harassment, including the shuttering of her bookstore in Sanandaj, a vital space for cultural and intellectual engagement in the region.
The international response to her sentencing has been swift and critical. Press freedom groups, including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Hengaw, and the Coalition for Women in Journalism, have condemned the conviction and demanded her immediate release. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders has also raised concerns over her arbitrary detention and the broader targeting of female journalists in Iran.
Modares-Gorji’s inclusion in the BBC’s 2024 list of “100 Inspiring Women” further amplifies her global profile and the unjust nature of her imprisonment. Her story is not only about the silencing of one journalist but also reflects the broader erosion of press freedom and women’s rights in Iran.
Her case is a stark reminder of the high price Iranian journalists pay for truth-telling, especially when they challenge patriarchal and authoritarian norms. The world must continue to shine a light on her imprisonment and pressure Iran to uphold its human rights obligations.
Reference –
https://hengaw.net/en/news/2024/11/article-3
