Iranian palm writing campaign protests human rights violence

LOS ANGELES, United States (Kurdistan24) – Iranian women started a campaign of palm writing on Wednesday to protest the 16-year-sentence against a critically ill human rights defender.

Narges Mohammadi, a prominent human rights defender, was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment on the charge of “founding an illegal group.”

She also received a five-year sentence for “gathering and colluding to commit crimes against national security,” and one additional year for “spreading propaganda against the system.”

Moreover, she has several serious, chronic illnesses, and is a mother of two young children, but has been allowed to talk to her children only once since last summer.

Mohammadi supported the anti-death penalty campaign “Legam” (Step by Step to Abolish the Death Penalty) and was the vice president of the Centre for Human Rights Defenders in Iran.

A picture of Mohammadi writing on her palm “compulsory hijab breeds violence against women” went viral on the internet and now Iranian women write slogans on their palms to support her.

[“I stand for anti-death penalty, anti-compulsory hijab campaigner Narges Mohammadi who has been sentenced to an unfair jail sentence of 16 years. #FreeNarges,” wrote an Iranian woman on Facebook.]

“People’s palm is a media for Narges,” wrote Masih Alinejad, a journalist and founder of the anti-compulsory hijab campaign.

Amnesty International’s Research and Advocacy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Philip Luther, explained Mohammadi’s verdict added to the injustice in Iran.

“This verdict [against Mohammadi] is yet another cruel and devastating blow to human rights in Iran, which demonstrates the authorities’ utter contempt for justice,” he stated.

Luther added Narges Mohammadi “should be lauded for her courage not locked in a prison cell for 16 years.”

“By insisting that this harsh and appalling sentence is imposed for her peaceful human rights work, the authorities have laid bare their intent to silence human rights defenders at all costs,” he concluded.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany