Thursday , 28 March 2024

Labor Activist’s Twitter Deactivated After Suing State TV Reporter

Radiofarda – A labor and rights activist who in her tweets yesterday said she was suing one of the state-run broadcaster’s reporters for forcing her to make televised confession has had to deactivate her account.

In several tweets on December 25 Sepideh Gholian (Qolyan) said she had sued the reporter for her role in the production of a so-called documentary for which Gholian and some other activists had to make forced confessions that incriminated them.

Gholian who is no longer available on social media platforms has apparently been forced to deactivate her account under pressure from intelligence and security bodies.

The 24-year-old labor and rights activist was released on bail along with five other political prisoners on October 26 after going on dry-hunger strike to protest “unbearable” conditions at the notorious Qarchak prison where she was held.

The Islamic Republic often resorts to broadcasting forced confessions of political activists and others and even social media celebrities considered as threats to the establishment.

According to Gholian she and other activists were subjected to brutal physical and psychological torture in prison. She also said their interrogators taped these confessions and used them in a documentary aired by the IRIB.

The documentary called “Failed Planning” was aired by the state broadcaster in January. In the film, Gholian “confessed” to shooting videos and photos in January 2018 protests and sending them to journalists outside Iran.

The Islamic Republic often resorts to broadcasting forced confessions of dissidents, activists and even social media celebrities considered as threats to the establishment.

A revolutionary court sentenced Gholian to over 19 years in prison for “collusion and action against national security”, “propaganda against the Islamic Republic” and “contributing to an online magazine”.

Gholian was arrested in November 2018 for reporting on a labor protest organized by the Workers Union of Haft Tapeh Sugarcane Agro-Industrial Company.

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