Everything You Need to Know about Sepideh Rashnu, Iranian Writer Persecuted for Defying Mandatory Hijab

July 26, 2024

30 minutes read

By Khosro Sayeh Isfahani – @KhosroIsfahani

Before Mahsa Jina Amini was killed by Iran’s morality police in September 2022, the name of another woman echoed throughout the country for her defiance against oppression and mandatory hijab: Sepideh Rashnu.

Rashnu, a 29-year-old writer, was arrested in July 2022 for defying mandatory hijab, for which she has faced bogus national-security related charges. On July 23, 2024, her brother wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that she has been summoned to prison with her forty-three months sentence starting on July 27.

Despite facing a draconian sentence for exercising her basic human rights including the freedom of expression and bodily rights, Rashnu has consistently displayed courage and resilience. In addition to continuing her literary work, she has extended support for other prisoners of conscience, including dissident rapper Toomaj Salehi, who has been sentenced to death for his lyrics. Furthermore, Rashnu has written and produced music about the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom movement and resistance against oppression. Here’s everything you need to know about Sepideh Rashnu.

This article is an expanded excerpt from the forthcoming report Gender Persecution in the Islamic Republic of Iran, coauthored with the Human Rights Center at UC Berkeley, one of a series of reports from the Iranian Digital Archive Coalition.

The Iranian Digital Archive Coalition started at Mnemonic’s Rapid Response team in the Summer of 2023 with a coalition led by the Atlantic Council’s Strategic Litigation Project, in partnership with the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, the Promise Institute for Human Rights at UCLA School of Law, the Azadi Archive, the Human Rights Center at UC Berkeley School of Law, and Amnesty International’s Digital Verification Corps.

Table of Contents

Context

Following the 2021 election of President Ebrahim Raisi, the clerical establishment started rolling out measures to tighten its grip on all aspects of life in Iran. The measures included harassment and arrest of dissenting voices, described as a new “reign of terror” by human rights groups, and a crackdown on women rights.

As is customary with the Islamic Republic, with the warmer season approaching in 2022, top officials, including President Raisi and Friday prayers leaders–powerful clerics handpicked by the Supreme Leader–ordered enforcement of “hijab and chastity laws” for women. As the crackdown intensified, using hashtag #NoToHijab (#حجاب_بی_حجاب), Iranians called for acts of civil disobedience on July 12, 2022, coinciding with the official “Day of Hijab and Chastity” in the Islamic Republic’s calendar.

On that day, using the hashtag, women posted videos of themselves removing their hijab in public, and men shared photos of themselves holding placards displaying similar hashtags and slogans. At the same time, Islamic Republic supporters threatened women with “acid attacks” and disfigurement, a tactic used in the past by fundamentalists to sow fear among women they consider “unchaste.”

The Bus Incident

On 16 July 2022 at 01:10 EST, activist collective +1500 Tasvir posted a video that quickly went viral on social media. +1500 Tasvir’s caption for the video reads, “Today in Tehran a woman was harassing people over hijab. People forced her off the bus.”

In the video, a woman wearing conservative civilian clothes popular with Islamic Republic supporters and members of IRGC-controlled Basij militia, threatens other women on the bus with reporting them to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) for “violating” mandatory hijab rules. The woman was later identified as Rayehe Rabiei Kenari.

A woman, later identified as Sepideh Rashnu, is on the bus and records the incident using her phone. It is this recording that +1500 Tasvir posts on 16 July 2022. While recording, Rashnu could be heard in the video saying: “What did you say? Repeat what you said!”

In response, Rabiei points her phone’s camera at her and says, “Shut your mouth” while capturing footage of other women on the bus.

As the argument progresses, Rabiei threatens to give the footage she is recording to authorities, stating, “This is the last time you go on the street like this. You send [the video] to [journalist] Masih Alinejad. What would she be able to do for you? You send [the video] to Masih Alinejad. I will send it [this video] to the IRGC. They will deal with you.”

In response to the threats, Rashnu responded: “I will show this to the world.”

Rayehe Rabiei Kenari threatening to report women on the bus to the IRGC for allegedly “violating” hijab rules.

At 00:24 at least two women try to stop Rabiei from recording footage of others.

Without touching Rabiei or her phone, they try to block the lenses of her camera with their hands.

At 0:28 in the video, a woman holds up her injured wrist towards the person recording the incident saying, “See what she did to my hand,” then she turns to the hijab enforcer and repeats: “See what you did to my hand!”

A woman on the bus showing her injured wrist and saying that the injury was inflicted by the plainclothes hijab enforcer.

The woman then shows her injured wrist to Rabiei.

Rabiei dismisses the other woman’s injury and appears to be swearing at her twice.

Rabiei dismisses the other woman’s injury and appears to be swearing at her twice.

She nods her head down twice and makes a face gesture indicating dismay or disgust.

At this point the altercation becomes physical between Rabiei and the injured woman but does not come to blows but both women try to take grasp of each other’s hands or clothing.

At 00:50 the bus halts at a station and Rabiei is forced off the vehicle by other women. On the bus station platform she continues threatening the women on the bus and swearing at them.

On the bus station platform, Rabiei continues threatening the women on the bus and swearing at them. Her last audible word is her calling the woman on the bus “bastards.”

At 1:08, the sign for the bus stop is visible in the video; the word “Doctor” in Persian (دکتر) and partially Gharib in English are visible along with the distinct logo of Tehran Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).

The bottom line of the sign reads, “Next station, Islamic Revolution” in Persian.

Logo of Tehran Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

The first prominent account to share the footage appears to be activist collective 1500 Tasvir. They shared the video on their Twitter account at 01:10 EST on 16 July 2022.


The bus station is marked on Google Maps and Iranian map Balad.	Geolocation: 35.70097401224094, 51.38489089901917

Throughout the incident the woman recording the incident is observably away from Rabiei with multiple others between them. She continues to record the incident without interruption and at no point can be seen as engaging in any physical altercation with the hijab enforcer.

Arrest

On 17 July 2022, at 10:56 Tehran time (03:26 EST), the IRGC-linked Fars News Agency reported that the “profane woman swearing on the bus has been arrested.” The outlet referred to the video and claimed it has been published by “anti-Iranian media” and alleged that after the hijab enforcer “admonished a woman about removing her hijab on the bus,” the woman with help from one of her “companions” engaged in “swearing and assaulting” the hijab enforcer “while recording the incident.”

Fars did not name any of the women and said that the bus incident happened on 16 July 2022 at 08:42 Tehran time (01:12 EST). It alleged that the arrested woman was a “member of an organized network for removing hijab linked to Masih Alinejad,” a US-based Iranian journalist that works on women rights. Fars also said that the woman was arrested on the same day as the incident (16 July 2022) and “before the evening.” It claimed that “a noteworthy number of the members of the network were also identified and arrested.”

The report identified the plainclothes hijab enforcer as a woman “practicing Amri bi Maʿruf Va Nahyi al-Munkar,” an Islamic concept meaning the “religious duty of enforcing good and prohibiting vice.” The term is used by the clerical establishment in Iran to justify policing women’s bodies and any behavior seen as an “infringement” of the state’s interpretation of Sharia laws. In addition to the police force, the Islamic Republic uses the Basij militia and the Supreme Leader-controlled and state-sponsored “Headquarters for Enjoining Good and Forbidding Vice” to enforce Sharia laws, including mandatory hijab. The two latter entities employ civilians for enforcing Sharia laws. It is not clear if the hijab enforcer in the 16 July 2022 incident, Rayehe Rabiei Kenari, was a member or employee of these state-backed entities. However, the language used by Fars justifies Rabiei’s harassment of other women over their clothing as in line with the state policy.

On 17 and 18 July 2022, Iranian social media users, including two diaspora journalists, identified the hijab enforcer as Rayehe Rabiei Kenari, with one sharing a video of her in another situation while recording pedestrians presumably to report them over hijab violations.

On 18 July 2022, Shia cleric Mohmmad Qomi, who at the time served as the head of the Supreme Leader controlled Islamic Propagation Organization, praised Rabiei for being “dignified and brave.” Without naming her, he called her behavior “rational, religious and zealous” and an “example of social responsibility.” Almost a year later and on 15 June 2023, local sources and diaspora TV channel Iran International reported that Rabiei was employed by Hamshahri, a news outlet run by Tehran Municipality and tightly controlled by hardliners.

On 18 July 2022, diaspora TV channel Iran International, Persian service of RFE/RL Radio Farda, and Tehran-based human rights defender Arash Sadeghi revealed the identity of the woman filming the incident as Speideh Rashnu and confirmed that she was arrested on the day of the incident. All three sources confirmed the identity of the hijab enforcer as Rayehe Rabiei, as well.

A year after her arrest, on 16 July 2023, Sepideh Rashnu published a detailed account of her violent arrest on Instagram along with an image of the door of her home that was shattered in by “something like an ax” by security forces who identified themselves as “police officers.”

According to her, after breaking into her home, the security officers forced her to sit in the living room while a “female officer hit [her] in the face while male officers kicked [her].” She added that around 10 to 12 officers participated in the raid. Before they broke into her house, she took shelter in the balcony shouting for help, to which security officers responded with “shut up or we will break your neck.” She also added that she was subjected to other degrading treatment in addition to the beating.

A year after her arrest, Sepideh Rashnu published a detailed testimony of her arrest along with a photo of her home’s door that according to her was shattered by security forces using an ax like tool.

After the initial report of the arrest, the Islamic Republic authorities stopped publishing any information about the case, including the whereabouts and condition of Sepideh Rashnu. In response, journalists, human rights defenders and the general public launched an online campaign using the Persian hashtag “Where is Sepideh” (#سپیده_کجاست) against her forced disappearance.

Forced Confessions, Video One

On 27 July 2022, Iranian state media released two video reports on the incident including forced confessions of an unnamed woman along with an interview with Rayehe Rabiei Kenari.

The first video (05:42 long) was published among other state outlets by IRGC-linked Mashregh News. The video opens with calling diaspora outlets reporting the incident “enemy outlets.” The report includes snippets of reporting by BBC Persian, Iran International, and VOA Persian. The same video was published on 2 August 2022 by Young Journalists Club (YJC), an arm of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB). The YJC report was accompanied by an article blaming the incident on “plots” hatched by the British intelligence agency, MI6. Islamic Repubublic’s security forces and media have historically used bogus national security-related charges for silencing dissenting voices. They often blame any form of opposition to the clerical establishment on Western powers and their intelligence organizations.


The video opens with calling diaspora outlets reporting the incident “enemy outlets.”	The report includes snippets of reporting by BBC Persian, Iran International, and VOA Persian.

	At 00:54 a woman whose face is blared starts retelling the incident. In her forced confessions, she indicates that she is the woman who was injured during the incident.
	At 01:14, Rayehe Rabiei appears in the video for the first time.
	The face of the person in the state media report matches the one visible in the videos of the incident posted on social media.
	At 01:20 of the video, the report shows a wide shot of the two women sitting in a room.

On 29 July 2022, Arash Sadeghi, human rights defender and former prisoner of conscientious, reacted to the video and said the filming location is “the special room for televised confessions at Ward One Alef” at notorious Evin Prison in Tehran. He added that during his detention at the prison, “I was taken to this room for six consecutive days. This room is about 300 meters away from One Alef secret detention center. How was Ms. Rayehe Rabiei allowed to enter this secret detention center?” Arash Sadeghi has separately published accounts about the torture he endured at the prison’s diffrent wards.

Furthermore, on 27 July 2022, Iran’s leading human rights documentation center HRANA had reported that Sepideh Rashnu was held at Ward One Alef at the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran. According to HRANA, The ward is run by the IRGC Intelligence Organization (IRGC-IO).

Sadeghi’s comments on the video combined with HRANA’s report on Rashnu’s detention location increase the likelihood of the forced confessions being recorded at that specific room adjacent to IRGC-IO run Ward One Alef at Evin Prison.

In the video, the unnamed woman says that she was heading to work in the morning of 16 July 2022 in downtown Tehran riding a BRT bus. According to her, at a bus station “two women got on the bus, one with hijab and the other without.”

The video cuts to Rayehe Rabiei saying: “I saw this woman was carrying no hijab with her, she wasn’t wearing a headscarf on her head. There wasn’t a headscarf even around her neck. I told her, ‘Miss where is your headscarf? Wear your headscarf.’ The woman was prepared to get her camera out and start making a scene. She started shouting and swearing, and started disrupting the atmosphere of the BRT [bus].”

The report then switches to a snippet of the original incident video when Sepideh Rashnu says “I will show this to the world.”

Then the report switches back to the forced confessions of the unnamed woman. She says: “The whole situation started with the tension that the woman without hijab was creating. After receiving a warning, she could have easily worn her headscarf. However, what she did with taking out her camera and things she said…”

At 02:10 the video switches to footage recorded by Rayehe Rabiei during the incident. Sepideh Rashnu is visible in the footage and her face is not blared. At 02:16, fingers of a woman can be seen trying to prevent Rayehe Rabiei from filming Sepideh Rashnu with her hands without touching Rayehe Rabiei or her camera. This matches what can be seen in the original incident video.


Snapshot from the video recorded by Rayehe Rabiei during the incident and published by state media that shows Sepideh Rashnu.	A photo of Sepideh Rashnu that she published on her Instagram on 11 January 2024.

At 02:16, fingers of a woman can be seen trying to prevent Rayehe Rabiei from filming Sepideh Rashnu with her hands without touching Rayehe Rabiei or her camera.	At 00:24 of the original incident video at least two women try to stop Rabiei from recording footage of others. Without touching Rabiei or her phone, they try to block the lenses of her camera with their hands.

The report continues with further description of the incident and criticism of diaspora media’s coverage of it. The video ends with the unnamed woman asking Rabiei for “forgiveness over the lies that were said” about the incident. Her forced confession ends by saying that: “I asked to meet you in person and speak with you and ask for forgiveness.” Then the video cuts to Rabiei and the unnamed woman hugging each other.

The forced confessions video ends with Rayehe Rabiei and the unnamed woman hugging each other.

Following the release of the forced confessions of the unnamed woman and Speideh Rashnu being blamed for the incident, concern over her whereabouts and safety increased.

On 28 July 2022, Iran-based journalist, Milad Alavi wrote on X that she was denied access to a lawyer; she was held in solitary confinement; and her family were denied access to her and were not provided with any information on her whereabouts.

“Lack of access to a lawyer, solitary confinement, unclear charges, and [depriving] family of information, are all violation of the rights of the accused, and examples of torture. Writing letters and raising untrue issues cannot distort the truth. The reality of what happened and is happening to Baktash Abtin, Ali Yunesi, Amirhossein Moradi, and others are encapsulated in this hashtag: Where is Sepideh?!”

Forced Confessions, Video Two

On 30 July 2022, Iran’s state broadcaster aired the forced confessions of Sepideh Rashnu on Channel 2 (IRIB TV2) and during the infamous news bulletin at 20:30, which often includes smear campaigns against dissidents.

On the same day, Mehr News Agency published the video. Telegram channels of all state and semi-state outlets, including IRGC-linked Tasnim and IRIB itself, posted the video on the same day as well. IRIB-run YJC news agency posted the video a day later.


The logo of Channel 2 (IRIB TV2) and the news bulletin at 20:30	The distinct logo of Channel 2 (IRIB TV2) and the infamous news bulletin at 20:30 is visible in the videos posted by Mehr.

The video report was produced by the IRIB’ journalist Ameneh Sadat Zabihpour, who is accused of human rights abuses in collaboration with security forces. As part of targeted sanctions against Islamic Republic officials involved in human rights violations, the United States sanctioned Zabihpour for her involvement in human rights violations, including her role in soliciting and broadcasting “hundreds of forced confessions of Iranian, dual national, and international detainees in Iran.” As is customary with Zabihpour, she signs off her report on Rashnu saying: “Ameneh Sadat Zabihpour, IRIB News Agency.”

The report opens with videos from the incident recorded by Sepideh Rashnu and Rayehe Rabiei.


The report opens with videos from the incident recorded by Sepideh Rashnu and Rayehe Rabiei.

Then it notes: “It’s been a while since videos like this are published from metro and buses.”


The report cuts to three short clips that appear to be showing women arguing with plain clothes hijab enforcers on public transportation.

At 00:47, the report switches to forced confessions of the unnamed woman that was aired earlier on 27 July 2022.

At 00:47, the report switches to forced confessions of the unnamed woman that was aired earlier on 27 July 2022.

Segments showing Rayehe Rabiei are also included.

Here, Zabihpour compares the unnamed woman with Sepideh Rashnu. Zabihpour blames the conduct of the unnamed woman on “misunderstanding and momentary anger.” However, she attributes a malign intent to Sepideh Rashnu and alleges that she was “actively seeking fights.”

Showing the unnamed woman in her forced confessions video hugging Rayehe Rabiei, the state TV presenter voiceover can be heard: “In some cases, like this person, some of these arguments are just a misunderstanding and momentary anger.”

The video switches to footage from Rayehe Rabiei’s phone showing Sepideh Rashnu. The state TV presenter’s voiceover can be heard: “However, there are people who actively seek fights, people like this woman, who had to send the video” to presumably outlets that the regime describes as “enemy.”

The report shows a short snippet of Sepideh Rashnu saying that she will “send the video to the world.”

She had made the comments in response to Rayehe Rabiei threatening her with sending her own video to the IRGC to get her arrested.

At 01:33, the report switches to forced confessions of Sepideh Rashnu. In the original video broadcast by the state TV her face was not blared. However, in copies shared by Mehr and YJC news agencies, her face cannot be seen. In a copy of the video published by IRGC-linked Tasnim News Agency on Telegram her face is not blared.


At 01:33, the report switches to forced confessions of Sepideh Rashnu. In copies shared by Mehr and YJC news agencies, her face is blared.

In a copy of the video published by IRGC-linked Tasnim News Agency her face is not blared.

The IRIB News logo is visible in the forced confessions video shared by the IRGC-linked Tasnim News Agency.	The same logo is visible in videos posted by IRIB News Telegram channel.

Sepideh Rashnu’s forced confessions opens with her saying: “I first sent [the video] to [+]1500 [Tasvir], and then sent it to Masih Alinejad.” When she says 1500 Tasvir (in Persian), a censor blip can be heard but the noise fails to cover her voice and 1500 is audible.

The +1500 Tasvir is an account on X, Instagram, and Telegram, which is run by an activist collective and shares videos of protests and state violence. Masih Alinejad is an Iranian journalist based in the US who works on women rights.

The forced confessions continue with Sepideh Rashnu saying: “Before noon, she [Masih Alinejad] had responded writing: ‘Well done, well done to your courage.’”

At 01:41, the video switches back to a short snippet of the original incident video followed by Zabihpour alleging that the diaspora TV channels promoted the video so it would have “high impact.” This is followed by snippets of BBC Persian and Iran International covering the incident. Zabihpour also falsely alleges that outlets had “encouraged people to counter [and clash] with each other.”


The report includes snippets of BBC Persian and Iran International covering the incident.

The report also includes doctored comments by Masih Alinejad, encouraging people to record such incidents as a “nonviolent weapon” against oppression. Alinejad has been promoting a campaign named #MyCameraIsMyWeapon, encouraging people to record videos of state violence and oppression. Alinejad’s comments are doctored and added after Zabihpour accusing her of encouraging violence.

Zabihpour also alleges that the “issue is not hijab, it is aimed at turning confrontations into clashes.” The IRIB report cuts to a BBC Persian panel discussion with Iran-based “reformist” politician Marzieh Azarafza alleging: “A political-security project is defined by [opposition groups] masked behind mandatory hijab and aimed at regime change.”


The IRIB report cuts to a BBC Persian interview with Iran-based “reformist” politician Marzieh Azarafza alleging: “A political-security project is defined behind [opposition to] mandatory hijab.”	BBC Persian broadcast the interview on 18 July 2022 and posted it to its YouTube channel as well. (Starting at 05:40)

Masih Alinejad also participated in the panel discussion referenced in the forced confession video. She called out “reformist” Marzieh Azarafza for “instigating security charges” against Sepideh Rashnu. During the panel, Alinejad also points out that Azarafza is presumably benefiting from state protection since she can “freely give interviews” to the BBC Persian while others have been prosecuted and charged with “collaboration with enemy outlets” for doing the same.

In the forced confessions video published by the state media, the allegations raised by Marzieh Azarafza are included in full and followed by IRIB reporter Zabihpour alleging that Sepideh Rashnu is an “atheist” (02:38). In Sharia law enforced by the Islamic Republic in Iran, being an “atheist” is described as “apostasy” and is punishable by death.

At 02:39, the report goes back to showing Speideh Rashnu. Zabihpour opens the segment by alleging that Rashnu has “said that she was deceived.” In an apparent reference to Masih Alinejad and her campaign of encouraging people to film state violence, Sepideh Rashnu says: “A person who is outside should not encourage others to send her videos.”

At 02:50, the report switches to another hijab related incident and forced confessions of an unnamed woman blaming Masih Alinejad for publishing a video she had sent her of a hijab related confrontation.


At 02:50, the report switches to another hijab related incident and forced confessions of an unnamed woman.
	On the top left corner of the video and under Mehr News Agency’s logo, the logo of IRGC-linked Fars News Agency is visible.

In this segment, while muted images of a BBC Persian program and an Iran International interview with Masih Alinejad is playing, Zabihpour alleges that diaspora TV channels and journalists are “laying traps” for people in Iran to “sow rage, hate, and psychological insecurity in society.”

Public outrage over the publication of Rashnu’s forced confessions and IRIB report reached a level at the time that even senior Islamic Republic’s officials described the report as “forced confessions.” Ebrahim Darouqezadeh, a former senior manager of the state broadcaster IRIB, during a live TV program said: “If I was in charge, I would not let forced confessions of Sepideh Rashnu be aired by [state] TV.”

Torture and Hospitalization

Sepideh Rashnu appears for a total of 15 seconds in the four minutes long state media report (01:34 to 01:42 and 02:42 to 02:49). She appears to be distressed and drained in the forced confessions video and her shoulders are slumping. She speaks in a cracked and gruff, slow, low, and restrained voice distinctly different from her usual manner of speech visible in videos from before and after her detention.

In the video, unexplained marks are visible on Sepideh Rashnu’s face that could have been caused by beatings she received to her face at the time of arrest or possible torture during her detention. In the video, thick layers of makeup are also visible on the areas of the possible injuries in an apparent effort by security forces to cover up the injuries.

She appears to be distressed and drained in the forced confessions video and her shoulders are slumping.

Accounts of other prisoners of conscience about the process of security forces soliciting forced confessions indicate that the prisoners are often interrogated and recorded for days and then eventually doctored versions of their words are included in state media reports. In the case of Sepideh Rashnu, she appears for only 15 seconds in the forced confessions video. During the 15 seconds, she exclusively talks about herself sending the original video of the incident to journalists and makes vague comments about journalistic responsibility. These can be signs of her resistance and resilience under duress and security forces desperation for getting her before state media cameras to send a message of power to quash popular support for her.

On 3 August 2022, Human rights documentation group HRANA released a report titled “Beating to obtain forced confessions; A report on the latest situation of Sepideh Rashnu.” According to HRANA, five days after Sepideh Rashnu’s arrest and on 21 July 2022, security forces transferred her to Tehran’s Taleghani Hospital.

Earlier on 27 July 2022, HRANA had reported that Sepideh Rashnu was held at Ward One Alef at the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran. The ward is run by the IRGC Intelligence Organization. Taleghani Hospital is a 16 minute drive from Evin Prison.

Taleghani Hospital (35.79960948983195, 51.401528724734426) is a 16 minute drive from Evin Prison (35.797312177891754, 51.38723791515424).

HRANA quoted an “informed source” as saying: “Sepideh Rashnu was taken to Tehran’s Taleghani Hospital escorted by a large number of security officers at night for CT scan due to the risk of internal bleeding caused by beating injuries in the abdominal area.”

HRANA also quoted “witnesses” as saying that Sepideh Rashnu “had low blood pressure, was listless, and had difficulty moving when she was transferred to the hospital.”

The sources added that security officers present did not allow Sepideh Rashnu to talk with others at the hospital and did not even leave her alone during the doctor’s examination, which HRANA described as a violation of doctor-patient privacy.

The source also added that Sepideh Rashnu was transferred back to Evin Prison the same night.

Sepideh Rashnu’s forced confessions were aired by state media on 30 July 2022 and nine days after her hospitalization on 21 July 2022 due to suspected internal bleeding caused by injuries she had sustained during her arrest and detention.

Court Hearings

On 20 August 2022, Iran judiciary’s official outlet Mizan News Agency reported that Judge Iman Afshari, the Head of Branch 26 of Tehran Revolutionary Court, had officially informed Sepideh Rashnu of her charges:

“Assembling and colluding with the intention of committing a crime against national security through communication with diaspora; disseminating propaganda against the Islamic Republic; encouraging people to commit corruption [on earth] and prostitution.”

Covering the news of indictment, the semi-official Mehr News Agency published a photo of Sepideh Rashnu in the Courtroom.

On 29 August 2022, Mizan, and semi-official ISNA and Mehr news agencies reported that Sepideh Rashnu’s first court hearing was held at Branch 26 of Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari.

Covering the court hearing, the semi-official Mehr News Agency published a photo of Sepideh Rashnu in the Courtroom.

According to Mizan, the hearing started with the prosecutor’s representatives reading the indictment as follows:

“Sepideh Reshnou’s charges are conspiracy and collusion with the intent to commit a crime against national security, dissementing propaganda against the Islamic Republic, and providing means for corruption. The accused followed Masih Alinjad’s call and while removing her hijab in public spaces recorded a video of herself and published it on cyberspace. The same video was published by TV channels such as Saudi [backed] Iran International. In continuation of her criminal conduct, on 16 July [2022], after removing her hijab on a BRT bus, the accused filmed a woman practicing Amri bi Maʿruf Va Nahyi al-Munkar and threw her out of the bus. In the continuation of these actions, the accused sent the recorded video to Masih Alinjad. Considering the documents and the discovery of criminal evidence from the accused’s cellphone, the crime attributed to the accused is clear and her actions fall under articles 500, 610, and 639 of the Islamic Penal Code.”

Iran’s Islamic Penal Code (IPC), as translated and documented by Iran Human Rights Documentation Center (IHRDC) states:

Article 500 — Anyone who engages in any type of propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran or in support of opposition groups and associations, shall be sentenced to three months to one year of imprisonment.

Article 610 — When two or more individuals collude and conspire to commit crimes against the national or foreign security of the country or prepare the facilities to commit the aforementioned crimes, unless they are regarded as mohareb, shall be sentenced to two to five years’ imprisonment.

Article 639 — The following individuals shall be sentenced to one year to ten years’ imprisonment and in respect to paragraph (A), in addition to the punishment provided, the relevant place shall be closed temporarily at the discretion of the court.

(A) Anyone who establishes or directs a place of immorality or prostitution.

(B) Anyone facilitates or encourages people to immorality or prostitution.

Note: If the above mentioned act is regarded as qavadi (procuring), in addition to the punishment provided above, [the offender] shall be sentenced to the hadd punishment for qavadi (procuring).

The prosecution’s claim that Speideh Rashnu “threw her [Rayehe Rabiei] out of the bus” is in contradiction to publicly available evidence. In the incident video Sepdideh Rashnu is clearly at a distance from the hijab enforcer and throughout the incident several others are between the two women. The video is uninterrupted and at no point any physical contact between Sepideh Rashnu and Rayehe Rabiei is visible.

Following the prosecution’s statement, Judge Afshari once again listed the same charges and warned Sepideh Rashnu that her charges are “not limited to what happened on the BRT bus,” implying that the national security-related charges can span beyond the incident. He did not elaborate.

During the court hearing, Judge Afshari approved Sepideh Rashnu’s request for posting bail. A day after the hearing and on 30 August 2022, she was released on a hefty 8 billion rials ($26,845 at the time $1: 298,000 rials) bail. At the time, minimum wage was 41 million rials ($137) in Iran.

On 30 August 2022, Sepideh Rashnu (2nd R) was released from Evin Prison on a hefty bail. Her brother, Saman Rashnu (3rd R) posted a photo of her with a group of people outside the jail. One of the prison’s entrances is visible in the picture. (Prison’s geolocation, not the specific gate: 35.79736140281884, 51.38647317670753)

Two days after her release on bail and on 1 September 2022, Saman Rashnu posted a video message from his sister on X. In the video, Sepideh Rashnu says that she is recovering her health and thanks people for their support.

On 1 September 2022, Saman Rashnu posted a video message from his sister on X (formerly Twitter).

On 27 December 2022, Saman Rashnu wrote on X, that his sister was facing a suspended prison sentence for five years. In comments republished by HRANA, the court dropped the charge of “providing means for corruption” and sentenced Sepideh Rashnu for “gathering and collusion against national security, dissementing propaganda against the regime and not wearing hijab in public spaces [Article 638 of IPC].” He added that the court has suspended the sentence for the time being while banning Sepideh Rashnu from traveling abroad without a court permit and also requiring her to visit an office of the security agencies once every season to register her location. He also noted that the court used pieces of literary critique Sepideh Rashnu had published about works of writer and thinker Sadegh Hedayat (1903 – 1951) as evidence of “propaganda against the regime.”

Suspension from University

On 13 May 2023, Sepideh Rashnu wrote on Instagram that she has been suspended by her university, Alzahra University in Tehran, for two semesters, over not wearing a headscarf.

Sharing a photo of herself, on what appears to be the university campus, she said that the suspension had been introduced by the University’s Disciplinary Committee and added that she had earlier been banned from entering the campus for the same reason.

She concluded her post with: “We stand for freedom, since the only thing more beautiful than freedom is standing for freedom.”

Announcing the news about Sepideh Rashnu being suspended from university for two semesters, her brother posted a photo of her at what appears to be the university campus.

He also posted a scanned copy of a letter issued by the Disciplinary Committee of Alzahra University accusing Sepideg Rashnu of “noncompliance with Islamic dress code” and “ignoring verbal warnings from security experts” about her clothing.

The distinct logo of Alzahra University is visible on the top right corner and the green stamp of the Disciplinary Committee (bottom left).

New case

On 28 May 2023, Sepideh Rashnu shared a scanned copy of a court summons issued for her in a new case. The scanned document does not name her alleged charges.

In her Instagram post, Sepideh Rashnu speculated that the summons have been in response to her social media posts. A common practice of the Islamic Republic’s judiciary and security forces when releasing political prisoners on bail is demanding the person to sign a written undertaking that they would not use social media. The summons were issued by the Branch 1 of Tehran Prosecutor’s Office at Evin judicial complex.

On 28 May 2023, Sepideh Rashnu shared a scanned copy of a court summons on Instagram.

On 1 June 2023 and after her first court hearing for the new case, Sepideh Rashnu wrote on Instagram that she has been charged with “encouraging people to [engage in] corruption and prostitution and dissementing propaganda against the regime” (Articles 639 and 500 of Islamic Penal Code). HRANA also reported the same and added that following the court hearing, she was arrested, interrogated, and transferred to Evin Prison Ward 209. According to HRANA, a few hours later, Rashnu was released on 10 billion rials ($19,646 at the time $1: 509,000 rials) bond. The Ward 209 is infamous for torture and misstreatment of political prisoners.

Recounting the interrogations, Sepideh Rashnu wrote on her Instagram: “They argued that since I follow social media accounts of some people, I am in contact with them. [They also argued that] by publishing one photo and only one photo of myself without a headscarf, I am encouraging people to engage in corruption and prostitution. The argument is that I, as a citizen, do not have the right to protest, and if I do, it will result in a serious political security case, which will result in the implementation of the suspended sentence of the previous case.”

On 2 October 2023, Sepideh Rashnu posted a photo of herself outside Ershad Judicial Complex in Tehran saying that she will appear at the court with the same clothes with her lawyer Milad Panahipour to defend herself “against charges that I have not committed; to defend the right to choose my clothes and the right to write about what happened to me [during detention]; to defend being a ‘woman’ and [the right to show my] hair, a part of the body that we all —men and women— have.” HRANA covered the development as well.


On 2 October 2023, Sepideh Rashnu posted a photo of herself outside Ershad Judicial Complex before appearing at court.

Screengrab from local map Neshan’s street view of Ershad Judicial Complex shows an identical entrance.

Local map Nesha	Google Maps
The complex is register on Google and Neshan maps with exact corresponding geolocation: 35.72511091973148, 51.432718467731135.

On the same day, 2 October 2023, the judiciary’s official outlet Mizan News Agency reported that Sepideh Rashnu “did not appear before the court. Therefore, her lawyer presented the defense [in her absence].”

This is while the IRGC-linked Mashregh News reported that she “was barred from entering” the judicial complex since she refused to wear a headscarf. Covering the news BBC Persian also quoted Mashrgh described her move as “breaking the norms.”

On 29 October 2023, Sepideh Rashnu published the preliminary court sentence for her second case (court hearing on 2 October 2023). The sentence was: “six months jail, 100 million rials fine [$194 at the time $1:513,000 rials], ban from using Instagram for a year and permanently deleting the current Instagram page.” Sepideh noted that the new sentence, in effect, would lead to implementation of the suspended three years and seven months prison sentence from her first case as well, meaning that she will have to serve four years and one month in prison. She concluded the post by writing: “Why? Because she is demanding her basic rights.” HRANA also covered the news.

On 5 December 2023, local news service Shargh published a detailed interview with Milad Panahipour, the lawyer of Sepideh Rashnu. The lawyer told Shargh that Sepideh Rashnu was sentenced to three years and seven months (43 months) prison for the first case (BRT bus case). However, the court suspended the implementation of the sentence for five years, meaning that she would not have to go to prison unless committing another “crime.”

The lawyer added that a secondary case was opened against Sepideh Rashnu for publishing a photo of herself on Instagram (charged under Article 639 of IPC: “encouraging people to engage in corruption and prostitution”) and reporting her university suspension (charged under Article 500 of IPC: “dissementing propaganda against the Islamic Republic.”) According to him, the court dropped the charge of “dissementing propaganda against the Islamic Republic” and subsequently sentenced Sepideh Rashnu to four months in jail for the second case.

The lawyer noted that with the new ruling, the previous suspended sentence will also be implemented, meaning that Sepideh Rashnu will have to serve three years and 11 months (47 months) in prison.

Her lawyer also pointed to security officers barring Sepideh Rashnu from attending the 2 October 2023 hearing “over hijab.” Lawyer Milad Panahipour said: “None of the relevant laws prevent the presence of the accused in the hearing of her case due to hijab, and all the laws emphasize [on the right of] the accused to defend herself in the hearing.” He noted that a third court case was opened against Sepideh Rashnu for going to court without a hijab with the hearing slated for 3 January 2024.

Lawyer Milad Panahipour said that during the hearing the charge was changed from “encouraging people to engage in corruption and prostitution” to “infringing upon public decency” as per Article 640, Clause 3 of IPC.

Article 640 of the Islamic Penal Code translated by HRDC states:

The following individuals shall be sentenced to three months to one year of imprisonment and a fine of one million and five hundred Rials to six million Rials and up to 74 lashes or to one or two of the above punishments.

Anyone who, for distribution and business purposes, displays and shows to the public, or produces or keeps any writing or design, gravure, painting, picture, newspapers, advertisements, signs, film, cinema movie, or basically anything, that violates public prudency and morality.
Anyone who, whether personally or through someone else, for the above mentioned purposes, imports or exports the aforementioned objects, or by any means deals or acts as a broker to the [abovementioned] business or any other businesses, or benefits from renting the said objects.
Anyone who, by any means, advertises to encourage dealing and promoting the above mentioned objects, or introduces people who commit the above mentioned illegal acts, or the place the said objects can be obtained.

According to Milad Panahipour, he appealed the sentence. However, the appeals court was held without informing or summoning the defense and the accused, he added. The lawyer stated that the appeals court in absence of the defense and the accused and without their knowledge of the hearing being held, changed the charges to “publishing indecent images on social media” as per Article 742 of IPC and sentenced Sepideh Rashnu to four months in jail.

Article 742 of IPC also recorded as Article 14 of Iran’s Computer Crimes Law criminalizes “producing, sending, publishing, distributing, saving or financially engaging in obscene content by using computer or telecommunication systems or portable data storage devices.”

Milad Panahipour concluded the interview with a breakdown of the sentences handed to Sepideh Rashnu by the time as follows: a final three years and seven months sentence (43 months) for the BRT bus case, a final sentence for four months jail (over the second case), therefore a total of three years and 11 months (47 months) imprisonment.

On 15 February 2024, Sepideh Rashnu wrote on Instagram that she had received the sentence for the third case opened against her for appearing at court without mandatory hijab and she was sentenced to a 15 million rials fine ($26 at the time $1: 564,000 rials). She also noted that the court had accumulated the sentence for her first two cases sentencing her to three years and seven months (for the BRT bus incident) and four months (for announcing the news about her university suspension), therefore a total of three years and 11 months (47 months) imprisonment. She also added that she has been banned from leaving the country, but clarified that she had no intention of leaving Iran.

Summons to jail

On 23 July 2024, Saman Rashnu wrote on X that his sister Sepideh Rashnu has been summoned to begin serving her prison sentence starting on 27 July 2024. He noted that the sentence for the second case had been reduced to a fine by the appeals court. She will be imprisoned for three years and seven months (43 months in total).

Despite facing a draconian sentence for exercising her basic human rights including the freedom of expression and bodily rights, Sepideh Rashnu has consistently displayed courage and resilience. In addition to continuing her literary work, she has extended support for other prisoners of conscience, including rapper Toomaj Salehi, who has been sentenced to death for his dissident music and lyrics. Furthermore Sepideh Rashnu has written and produced music about Woman, Life, Freedom protests and resistance against oppression.