Iran: CFWIJ denounces the legal persecution against journalist Sepideh Qoliyan

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September 23, 2021 – The General Directorate of Prisons in Bushehr filed a criminal complaint against journalist and political prisoner Sepideh Qoliyan, who is on leave from prison. The journalist revealed the inhumane prison conditions and the harassment against women prisoners in Bushehr Prison. Sepideh was charged with "publishing lies online" and "spreading propaganda against the regime" after her posts about the prison on social media. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) denounces the legal harassment against the journalist. We reiterate; journalism is not a crime. 

The Second Branch of the Bushehr Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor's Office summoned Sepideh Qoliyan on charges of "spreading computer lies and propaganda activities against the regime" over her posts about the harassment of female inmates in Bushehr prison on Twitter. In a series of tweets on September 9, the civil activist described the women's ward of Bushehr Prison as "a place near the end of the world" and published a report on the torture, mistreatment, and detention conditions of women prisoners. 

The complaint of the Bushehr Prisons Administration came after the journalist’s posts. "The Islamic Republic has once again proved that the answer to justice and truth is repression and revenge," the journalist shared her opinion on Twitter. According to Sepideh, "women prisoners are being held under the most brutal torture and inhuman conditions with the possibility for being women and being imprisoned."

Sepideh Qalyan has been on leave in prison since June 19 due to coronary heart disease. She was sentenced to five years in prison in the case of the Haft Tapeh protests, and was deported to Bushehr Prison on March 11 last year.

In the report, she referred to Bushehr Prison and said that women who were financially in difficult condition were temporarily detained by the male prisoners with the coordination of the warden. She also added that imprisoned women were forced to wear hijab except in bed and there were several cases of torture of prisoners.

Mohammad Mehdi Haj Mohammadi, head of the Iranian Prisons Organization, in response to Sepideh Qalyan's recent remarks regarding the situation in Bushehr Prison, called the claims "strange allegations" and promised to investigate.

Mohammadi said the Director-General of the Prisons Organization was sent for an investigation of the report. Earlier, after a tweet was published about sexual harassment in Tehran prison, Mohammadi had promised to investigate, but it has not yet been announced what the outcome of these investigations was.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the legal harassment against Sepideh. Attacks on press freedom in Iran must be ended and the authorities must allow all of its citizens to practice their rights without the fear of being prosecuted for it. We demand the Iranian judiciary to dismiss all baseless charges against the journalist. Journalism is not a crime.