ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – A dual German-Iranian national was sentenced to more than ten years in prison on various charges after spending ten months in detention in Tehran, her daughter confirmed on Wednesday.
Nahid Taghavi was sentenced to 10 years and eight months in prison, her daughter Mariam Claren said on Twitter, following reports from a human rights monitor of her sentencing for alleged "membership of an outlawed group" and "making propaganda against the regime."
According to the Paris-based Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN), Taghavi and fellow detainee Mehran Raouf were given 10 years for supposed membership of an outlawed group and eight years for propaganda charges by the Revolutionary Court of Tehran. Several others were handed down lengthy prison sentences.
Her daughter slammed the sentencing, saying Taghavi is innocent.
Taghavi, in her 60s, was arrested at her Tehran apartment on October 16 last year. On Sunday, Claren said Taghavi’s condition “has worsened” after she contracted COVID-19 last month, and authorities have refused to grant her medical furlough.
The Iran-born architect, who has held German citizenship since 2003, had her passport and German identity card confiscated and is being used as a “political bargaining chip,” according to the Germany-based International Society for Human Rights (IGFM).
Tens of thousands of political prisoners are jailed in Iran over various charges. Many are dual Iranian nationals, which has been dubbed a policy of “hostage taking” on the part of Iranian authorities.
Foreign and dual nationals are most often detained on spying charges that carry sentences of up to ten years. Iran does not recognise dual citizenship, leaving dual national detainees with little assistance if they are taken into custody.
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