Cartoon by Behnam Mohammadi

Sepideh Rashnu Faces Four-Month Sentence on Appeal Amidst New Legal Challenges

HRANA: Sepideh Rashnu, a student and vocal opponent of compulsory hijab, has been handed a four-month prison sentence by the Tehran Court of Appeal, as reported by Shargh Newspaper. Her lawyer, Milad Panahi Pour, disclosed that she is concurrently grappling with yet another legal case.

Rashnu was found guilty of “disseminating vulgar images on the Internet.” Panahi Pour clarified that, following the initial verdict, they filed an appeal. However, yesterday they were notified about the appellate court’s decision while en route to present their defense.

In addition to the ongoing legal proceedings, a new case has been initiated against Mrs. Rashnu, triggering the activation of a previously suspended three-year, seven-month sentence. Consequently, she is now facing a cumulative prison term of three years and eleven months.

This isn’t the first time Rashnu has encountered legal challenges stemming from her refusal to adhere to hijab rules. She had previously received a two-semester suspension from the university. Moreover, on July 16, 2022, security forces arrested her following an altercation on a city bus, during which she was harassed and physically assaulted by a woman who deemed her hijab improper.