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Iranian artist goes on trial for cartoon mocking draft law | Iranian artist goes on trial for cartoon mocking draft law |
(about 3 hours later) | |
An artist and political activist has gone on trial in Iran for a cartoon criticising draft laws which would restrict access to birth control. | An artist and political activist has gone on trial in Iran for a cartoon criticising draft laws which would restrict access to birth control. |
The image by Atena Farghadani depicted MPs casting votes on the proposed legislation as animals. | The image by Atena Farghadani depicted MPs casting votes on the proposed legislation as animals. |
Ms Farghadani, 28, faces charges of spreading propaganda, insulting MPs, and insulting the supreme leader. | Ms Farghadani, 28, faces charges of spreading propaganda, insulting MPs, and insulting the supreme leader. |
The laws would end decades of family planning in Iran, outlawing vasectomies and restricting contraception. | The laws would end decades of family planning in Iran, outlawing vasectomies and restricting contraception. |
Ms Farghadani was first arrested in August 2014, when her home was raided by Iran's Revolutionary Guards, and taken to Gharchak prison. | Ms Farghadani was first arrested in August 2014, when her home was raided by Iran's Revolutionary Guards, and taken to Gharchak prison. |
She was released in December but was rearrested again in January after posting a video online in which she alleged that she had been beaten by prison guards and interrogated for up to nine hours a day. | She was released in December but was rearrested again in January after posting a video online in which she alleged that she had been beaten by prison guards and interrogated for up to nine hours a day. |
Three weeks after being rearrested, Ms Farghadani went on hunger strike to protest against conditions at the prison. She was taken to hospital in late February after suffering a heart attack and briefly losing consciousness. | Three weeks after being rearrested, Ms Farghadani went on hunger strike to protest against conditions at the prison. She was taken to hospital in late February after suffering a heart attack and briefly losing consciousness. |
She has since been held in solitary confinement in Tehran's Evin Prison. | She has since been held in solitary confinement in Tehran's Evin Prison. |
'Prisoner of conscience' | 'Prisoner of conscience' |
Raha Bahreini, an Iran researcher for Amnesty International, told the BBC: "We are very concerned that Atena has even been put on trial. | Raha Bahreini, an Iran researcher for Amnesty International, told the BBC: "We are very concerned that Atena has even been put on trial. |
"She is a prisoner of conscience and she has been held solely because of her opinions and for exercising the right to free expression. | "She is a prisoner of conscience and she has been held solely because of her opinions and for exercising the right to free expression. |
"From our point of view, she must be released immediately and unconditionally." | |
Ms Bahreini said that the trial might be as short as just one day. If convicted of all charges, Ms Farghadani could face up to two years' imprisonment and lashes. | |
The draft laws mocked by Ms Farghadani's cartoon would outlaw vasectomies for men and voluntary sterilisation for women, and restrict women's access to birth control. | The draft laws mocked by Ms Farghadani's cartoon would outlaw vasectomies for men and voluntary sterilisation for women, and restrict women's access to birth control. |
The legislation was widely criticised when it was announced in March. Amnesty said that if approved by parliament, it would set women's rights in Iran back by decades. | The legislation was widely criticised when it was announced in March. Amnesty said that if approved by parliament, it would set women's rights in Iran back by decades. |
Women's rights groups warned that restricting access to birth control risked forcing women into unsafe abortions. | Women's rights groups warned that restricting access to birth control risked forcing women into unsafe abortions. |
Ms Farghadani's cartoon has been shared on Twitter and Facebook since her arrest using the hashtag #freeatena, and a Facebook page set up to document her case has attracted messaged of support from around the world. | Ms Farghadani's cartoon has been shared on Twitter and Facebook since her arrest using the hashtag #freeatena, and a Facebook page set up to document her case has attracted messaged of support from around the world. |
Responding to the charges laid against her in an open letter to Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ms Farghadani said: "What you call an 'insult to representatives of the parliament by means of cartoons' I consider to be an artistic expression of the home of our nation (parliament), which our nation does not deserve!" | Responding to the charges laid against her in an open letter to Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Ms Farghadani said: "What you call an 'insult to representatives of the parliament by means of cartoons' I consider to be an artistic expression of the home of our nation (parliament), which our nation does not deserve!" |
An Amnesty petition calling for Ms Farghadani's release garnered 33,000 signatures and was presented at the Iranian embassy in London on Monday. | An Amnesty petition calling for Ms Farghadani's release garnered 33,000 signatures and was presented at the Iranian embassy in London on Monday. |
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