Farghadani was arrested by intelligence agents from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard after attempting to hang one of her artworks on Tehran’s Pasteur Avenue wall, near the presidential palace. Her lawyer, Mohammad Moghimi, confirmed her sentence on June 10 via X, stating, “My client was sentenced to six years in prison by Branch 26 [of the court] on charges of insulting holy [elements] and preaching against the regime. Under the pretext of multiple crimes, this show court has delivered the harshest punishment for the two mentioned charges.”
After the court decision, the Index on Censorship organization stated in an online statement: “We are dismayed to learn that the Iranian activist, artist, and cartoonist Atena Farghadani has been sentenced to a total of six years in prison… the maximum penalties are indicative of the Iranian regime’s long-standing determination to persecute and silence this courageous rights defender.”
The Index on Censorship, along with other human rights organizations like Freemuse and Cartooning for Peace, has joined in demanding the urgent release of Farghadani. According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, she was arrested on April 13 and subjected to physical assault at a residence under Revolutionary Guard control. On April 14, she faced trial at Tehran’s Evin court on charges of “blasphemy,” “disturbing public order,” and “propaganda against the Islamic Republic.”
In May, Moghimi reported that Farghadani refused to participate in her trial at Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court, citing the court’s perceived illegitimacy and its failure to uphold principles of justice and fair trials in cases involving political defendants. Speaking to the Art Newspaper, he mentioned that the human rights organization Artists at Risk Connection expressed apprehension about Farghadani’s safety during her detention, especially in light of the mistreatment she has already endured.
In June 2023, Farghadani was arrested on charges of “disturbing public order” and detained in Qarchak Prison, a facility criticized by human rights organizations for its inhumane treatment of inmates. She was later released on bail.
In 2015, Farghadani received a sentence of 12 years and 9 months in prison for criticizing the Iranian government and “spreading propaganda against the system.” Her criticism involved creating satirical drawings portraying Iranian parliament members as monkeys and goats, in protest against proposed bills that sought to limit access to contraception. Following a successful appeal, she was released in May 2016.
