Scholar Dr. Mahshid Gowhari sentenced to nine months prison term
Hengaw - Friday, May 30, 2025
Dr. Mahshid Gowhari, a researcher, author, and former lecturer at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, has been sentenced by the judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to nine months of discretionary imprisonment. The sentence has been suspended for a period of two years.
According to a report received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Branch One of the Revolutionary Court in Mashhad convicted Dr. Gowhari on charges of “propaganda against the state in favor of hostile groups.” The verdict was recently communicated in person to Dr. Gowhari’s attorney, Seyed Hossein Paylakhi.
The judicial case against Dr. Gowhari, a distinguished cultural and social activist, arose from her involvement in organizing literary gatherings, advocating for the right to voluntary dress choice, and her activities on social media platforms. Additionally, her support for protesting students during the 2022 nationwide demonstrations was cited as a contributing factor in issuing this sentence.
Dr. Mahshid Gowhari-Kakhaki is a respected scholar of Persian literature, renowned for her research on Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh. She was dismissed from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad following her public support for the “Jin, Jyan, Azadi” (Women, Life, Freedom) movement and the campaign for “Voluntary Hijab."
