Branch 101 of the Criminal Court Two of Bukan, West Azerbaijan province, sentenced Hashem Saedi, the father of Sarina Saedi, one of the victims of the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising in Sanandaj, Kurdistan province, to six and a half months in prison and 40 lashes.
The verdict was delivered to Saedi after he appeared at the Bukan court on 3 July, charging him with “disturbing public order”.
Saedi posted on his Instagram page yesterday, saying: “I went to the Bukan court today, but I did not see the judge nor was I allowed to speak. I was just told that the verdict had been issued. I was sentenced to six months and 40 lashes for visiting graves and offering condolences. My child was killed and all these young people were killed. It does not matter at all. Does the law really mean anything in Iran?”
On 9 June, a group of family members of victims of the recent anti-government protests had travelled from the cities of Dehgolan, Sanandaj and Divandareh in Kurdistan province to Saqqez, Kurdistan province, and Bukan to visit the graves of protesters killed during the protests and were arrested in Bukan.
Saedi, who was also arrested, was later released from Bukan prison after 12 days on bail of 1 billion Iranian rials, which is nearly 2,000 USD.
He was denied the right to a lawyer from the time of his arrest until his sentencing.
Sarina Saedi, a 16-year-old child, was severely beaten by security forces wielding batons during anti-government protests in Sanandaj on 26 October 2022, and died the following day in hospital from a brain haemorrhage.
