Iranian Fariba Adelkhah sentenced to 6 years in prison

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The Franco-Iranian anthropologist Fariba Adelkhah was sentenced this Saturday, May 16, to two prison terms: five years for "collusion in order to attack national security" and one year for "propaganda against the system", said at AFP its lawyer Saïd Dehghan.

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Imprisoned in Iran since June 2019, Fariba Adelkhah has been sentenced to six years in prison on several national security charges, his lawyer said. According to Mr. Saïd Dehghan, the Franco-Iranian researcher was notably sentenced to one year for  political "  propaganda against the system " of the Islamic Republic of Iran. But she should only serve the longest sentence. “  The court sentenced her to six years. We have appealed and if accepted, the sentence will be reduced to five years,  ”said Saïd Deghan.

This conviction can nevertheless be appealed. According to the lawyer, the accusation of "  propaganda against the political system  " refers to the researcher's opinion on the wearing of the veil in Iran. But, says Said Deghan, these are comments by an academic above all, more than a value judgment.

Renowned anthropologist, director of research at the Center for International Research (CERI) at Sciences Po in Paris, Fariba Adelkhah had been arrested in June 2019 with another French researcher, his companion Roland Marchal. The latter then came to visit him. He was released in March when an Iranian engineer threatened with extradition to the United States, Jalal Rohollahnejad, was released to France simultaneously.

The arrest of the researcher, hospitalized on February 25 in Tehran , has been denounced by France, which demands her release, just like her support committee in Paris .

Spy charges dropped

Iran, which does not recognize the dual nationality of Fariba Adelkhah, dropped the initial charges of espionage against the researcher. His trial opened on March 3 before the 15th Chamber of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. The second hearing took place on March 19, according to his lawyer.

"  Given that at least two people must be involved  " in the accusation of "  collusion with a view to attacking national security  ", the second person in question may be Roland Marchal, whose case did not not filed despite his release, said Said Dehghan.

► To listen: Roland Marchal released: "We also hope that of Fariba for humanitarian reasons"

with agencies

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