Iranian Psychiatrists Fight Judges' Verdict Against Actresses

The council accused the security institutions, particularly the interrogators, of holding Abdi "hostage" with extra-legal interference, sparking outcry from educators and human rights advocates.

Esmail Abdi is currently celebrating his birthday in prison, despite the fact that, according to the law, he should have been released approximately 10 months ago.

The former leader of the Tehran Teachers Association was arrested in 2015 and subsequently sentenced to six years in prison by court order. However, before the completion of his sentence, a previous case of a 10-year suspended sentence was unexpectedly implemented, leading to ongoing uncertainty and concern about the fairness of the legal process.

The situation surrounding Abdi's continued detention has garnered international attention and prompted the Iranian Teachers' Association to express hope for his prompt release, hailing him as a "hero of resistance."

The charges against Abdi involve "collusion against national security," a common accusation used against activists and dissenting voices in Iran. His case is not isolated, as a court case has been filed against numerous teachers in recent months, according to trade unions. Many activists have reportedly been subjected to court orders, allegedly orchestrated by security institutions with the cooperation of radio and television networks, leading to further imprisonment and harassment.

In the wake of the recent sentencing of actresses Azadeh Samadi and Leila Boloukat for opposing mandatory hijab, Afsaneh Baygan, another prominent actress, has also faced legal repercussions.

On Wednesday, it was revealed that Tehran Criminal Court had handed down rulings against Baygan, ordering her to visit psychological centers weekly for "treatment of mental illness related to anti-family personality" and submit a "health certificate" at the end of the treatment period.

In addition to the psychological evaluation, Baygan received a "two-year suspended imprisonment" sentence for wearing a hat in public places, as stated by Mehdi Kouhian, a lawyer.

Further penalties included "reading a book and summarizing its manuscript within two months," a "two-year ban on exiting the country," and "prohibition of direct or mediated use of cyberspace" by disabling SIM cards and telephone lines associated with the actress.

These court decisions have sparked widespread reactions from social media users and the film industry. It comes amid a growing trend of female filmmakers and actresses appearing in public without wearing hijab, a movement that gained momentum during the "Women, Life, Freedom" protests last year.

The sentencing of these actresses reflects a broader issue of individual rights and freedom of expression in Iran, with artists and activists facing strict repercussions for their stance on mandatory hijab and other societal norms.

As reported by the reformist Ham-Mihan newspaper on Tuesday, Leila Bolukat has also been prohibited from leaving the country for two years and ordered to summarize a book within one month, although the name of the book has not been disclosed. Previously, a dissident was sentenced to handwrite three books by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

The forty-two-year-old Bolukat was indicted in June on charges of “damaging public morality and chastity through removing [her] hijab and publishing photos of it on her personal accounts on social media accounts.”

In the photos mentioned by the court, Bolukat was seen wearing a hat instead of the required headscarf, with her hair falling on her shoulders.

Two other actresses, Afsaneh Bayegan and Azadeh Samadi who also appeared in public wearing hats instead of headscarves were indicted by the judiciary in the past few weeks. 

Deputy Islamic Culture and Guidance Minister Mohammad Hashemi confirmed on Tuesday that the government prevented a film company from hiring another actress, whose name was not disclosed, also for rejecting hijab.

“This actress [who removed her veil] is not permitted to work for the time being due to her obvious infringement of the law,” Hashemi said, apparently referring to Shaghayegh Dehghan who was indicted last month for sharing a photo of herself without the compulsory veil taken on a Tehran street. 

Hashemi also mentioned that around 1,000 artists have "broken the laws," and 300 other actors and artists have refused to conform to the system even after authorities spoke with them and informed them of the legal consequences of their defiance. As a result, the ministry has imposed various limitations on their activities, including work bans.

Disregarding forced hijab has become common in large Iranian cities after last year’s popular protests ignited by the death of a young woman in hijab police custody. The authorities are now worried that ordinary girls and women may be emboldened by celebrities’ defiance of the compulsory hijab and follow suit. 

Recent videos and photos taken in public places in Tehran and other cities and posted on social media show a significant increase in the number of women without head coverings and wearing ordinary clothing rather than the long tunic and trousers that the authorities have been trying to enforce for all women. This shift in behavior was a rare sight just a year ago in the Islamic Republic.

Courts in Iran have been issuing strange and unprecedented punishments for defiance of hijab in the past couple of months, such as sentencing a woman to ritual washing of corpses for burial at a Tehran funeral home for one month, in addition to a cash fine of 31 million rials ($60) for not wearing the hijab in her car while driving.

The news about actress Azadeh Samadi being sentenced to counseling sessions at “an official counseling center to cure her anti-social personality disorder” has also gone viral on social media since July 14. The court has additionally decided that Samadi cannot use her phone for six months and all her social media accounts are “confiscated”. 

The Directors Guild of Iran and the Iran Producers Guild, in a joint statement on July 15, condemned Samadi's sentencing and called it "an insult to the intelligence of all cinema people." These influential unions also pledged support to Iranian actresses and filmmakers who face similar court decisions aiming to humiliate them. They demanded an apology to Samadi for the verdict, which they deemed "weird."

Qolian, a prominent civil and labor activist was scheduled to appear in a public court session on Wednesday, but the proceedings were postponed due to her refusal to wear a veil and abide by mandatory hijab rules.

The court session, which was expected to be held openly, faced delays as Qolian staunchly stood her ground on her beliefs.

Qolian became famous when as a journalist she covered long labor strikes at the Haft=Tappeh sugar factory in 2017-2018. She was arrested and jailed for her advocacy in favor of workers' demands.

According to a report by the semi-official Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA), the court session, despite being attended by the judge, the prosecutor, and the plaintiff's attorneys, could not proceed.

In a letter penned from Evin Prison a day before the court date, Qolian revealed her decision to participate in the public trial and represent herself, despite previously declaring the trial a sham.

In 2019, during her detention at Qarchak Prison, she witnessed her own confessions being broadcasted on state television. She identified the TV presenter as Ameneh Sadat Zabihpour, who is a regime mouthpiece , as the same female interrogator referred to as Ms. Askari during her interrogations. Her revelation led to Zabihpour suing Qolian.

Her passion for activism did not wane even after completing her four-year prison term, as she was released in March. However, immediately following her release, Qolian was arrested again for publicly chanting against Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, while not wearing hijab. She received another two-year prison sentence.

Her brother, Ashkan Monfared, took to Twitter to express his frustration, stating that over three weeks have passed since they paid a bail of fifty billion rials (approximately 100,000 USD) for her medical treatment, yet they have received no updates and have faced deception and harassment from authorities.

According to Ashkan Monfared's statement, the Iranian regime has adopted a new tactic involving high bail amounts, where families are required to pay about ten percent of the bail for property valuation. He accused the authorities of using this money for their own benefit.

Shakila Monfared's troubles began on August 31, 2020, when security forces arrested her without a warrant while leaving her home. She was subsequently taken to a detention center controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Tehran. In January 2022, Monfared received a six-year prison sentence and four months of probation work based on charges of "propaganda activities against the regime" and "insulting the sanctities of Islam."

This incident takes place in the context of news about the release of Hossein Fereydoun, the brother of former president Hassan Rouhani, on grounds of "medical concerns." He was convicted of corruption charges.

Judiciary spokesman Masoud Setayeshi defended the decision on Tuesday, asserting that individuals with medical problems cannot be detained. However, this comes in the wake of numerous reports indicating that Iranian authorities have deliberately denied medical care to political prisoners, leading to fatalities and suffering.