Iranian female activist's sentence upheld in appeals court

An Iranian appeals court upheld the sentence for young female activist Delaram Ali, who was arrested for participating in a women’s rights protest last year, Agence France-Presse reported Monday.

Ali was originally sentenced to 28 months in prison, and 10 lashes, but her lawyer – who has not been officially informed of the verdict – said: “We have understood that a jail sentence of two years and four months has been upheld and the flogging has been dropped.”

Five other women who organized the protest were given shorter sentences earlier this year.

Police who were accused of beating up the women when they broke up the protest were cleared of charges last month.

Speaking on the “unfair” verdict, Nobel peace laureate and human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi said: “Delaram was beaten at this gathering and broke her arm. We pressed charges against the police, but in the end the police were acquitted and Delaram was sentenced to jail.”

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