Sanandaj; Women's rights activist, Jina Modares-Gorji, arrested again
On Monday, April 10th, Jina Modares-Gorji, a women's rights activist, was arrested again by security forces in Sanandaj.
After the arrest, she was transferred to the Sanandaj correction and education center. Ms. Modares-Gorji had been summoned to the Sanandaj Revolutionary Court several times in recent days, both in writing and by telephone.
Jina Modares-Gorji, a women's rights activist who was detained and then released on bail during the early days of the women's revolutionary uprising, announced on March 24th, in a post on her Instagram page, that her charges had been changed to "forming a group to overthrow the government."
Ms. Modares-Gorji stated that she had been charged with "forming a group to overthrow the government" and was awaiting a court hearing and the defense of her lawyer. She had previously been accused of participating in a protest and riot against national security and preaching against the regime.
This women's rights activist was violently arrested by intelligence agents on September 21st, 2022, on Safari Street in Sanandaj and after 40 days of detention in Sanandaj women's prison, was temporarily released on bail of 100 million Tomans on October 30th, 2022. The investigating judge had increased her bail to one billion Tomans.
He had been threatened by the intelligence services and security forces before her arrest that if she participated in the protests in Sanandaj city, she would "never see the sun again."
On February 14, 2023, after attending her first court hearing, Jina Modarresgarji wrote on her Instagram account: "My court was held on Monday, February 12th. On Thursday, when my lawyer, Mr. Abdollahi, went to court for the final review of the case, he found out that my judge had been changed by Mr. Akbari, the chief justice of Sanandaj, from Mr. Saeedi, branch one of the Islamic Revolution Court of Sanandaj, on orders from Tehran. The session was held, and Mr. Akbari had not read my file and was just reviewing it for the first time. It was more like a session of advice and analysis of events, from their perspective, of course. Finally, he said, "I will read your file later, but write your defense for 'propaganda against the system.'" My lawyer and I wrote the defense. In the end, they gave me an amnesty form that read, "I, ... son/daughter of ... with the case number ..., am not remorseful of the crime I have committed. I promise that I will not repeat it and will be in line with the goals of the Islamic Republic of Iran (perhaps with minor changes because I don't remember the exact phrasing of the sentence)." I didn't sign the form because I told the judge that I don't consider myself a criminal to be remorseful for, and according to the law, I am currently accused in my case, not convicted. They insisted several times that I sign it because it was in my case's interest, but I still insisted that I am not a criminal. He told me I was blackening my name. My reports, writings, activities, photos at exhibitions, and even the titles of books that I recommend for purchase and reading at my bookstore were all in my file. He said, "We know people are struggling and suffering, especially economically, but the path to salvation is not by protesting and disrupting the system's order." and if we did not resolve the issue, we would have turned into the second Syria. He said that he will read the case and issue a verdict based on my defense. The issue of signing the amnesty form is brought up a lot these days. After my lawyer's explanation, I realized that amnesty for a conviction that has passed a certain period of imprisonment is not arbitrary and selective. They have not signed any form and have been released from prison, but it is a choice for the accused. I think we can't judge detainees by whether they sign or not. I have seen many people whose life was and is such that they can no longer bear any pressure and cost. Mothers with small children. Those who have suffered acute trauma. So, homosexuality who is afraid of going to men's prison to be harassed and harassed (even psychologically). Those who have had a physical illness, or depression, etc.; No, the one who signs is a loser and an informer and a traitor! No one who does not sign is a hero! Let's be careful of divisions."
