A Sapienza university student sentenced to imprisonment in Iran

Hengaw: Thursday, February 1, 2024

In a recent development, Maryam Javadi, a student at the University of Sapienza in Rome, Italy, faces a daunting sentence of five years and eight months of imprisonment by the judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This sentence is rooted in allegations she encountered during her visit to Iran last year, where she became entangled in a legal case.

As reported by the Hengaw organization for Human Rights, Maryam Javadi, a law student, received this severe sentence from Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, led by Chief Judge Iman Afshari. The charges against her include "propaganda against the government" and "inciting people against national security."

In addition to imprisonment, Javadi has been subjected to further penalties, including a two-year ban on using smartphones, among other punishments.

Ms. Javadi expressed her reaction to the verdict on her social media, attributing her imprisonment to "carrying slogans noting; Bread, Work, Freedom, Optional Veil on the streets of Berlin." She lamented, "the unjust courts of Iran have convinced me to serve 5 years and 8 months in prison."

It is crucial to note that a year ago, upon entering Iran, Javadi had her mobile phone and passport confiscated at the airport. Throughout her stay in Iran, she endured multiple interrogations. After reclaiming her passport, she eventually returned to her university to resume her studies.

This unfortunate case underscores the challenges faced by individuals involved in legal matters abroad and raises concerns about the fairness of the legal processes involved.