Tortured and Tried: Nasim Gholami Faces Death Sentence

Nasim Gholami Simiari, a young woman imprisoned in Tehran's Evin Prison, is one of the protesters of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement.

Incarcerated since April 2023, she faces the grave charge of "rebellion," which carries the risk of a death sentence. Despite these circumstances, her friends and relatives describe her as calm and supportive.

"Nasim is the best friend anyone could have. She’s the kind of person who would stay by your side if you were ill until the last drop of serum and is attentive to every detail. When Hamidreza Rouhi was killed and those videos of him singing on his motorcycle were released, it deeply affected Nasim. She would sing that song, her eyes filling with tears," recalls a friend of Nasim.

Nasim now stands trial before the notorious Revolutionary Court judge, Iman Afshari, facing serious charges that could lead to her execution.

Hasti Amiri, a student activist recently released after a year in Evin Prison, shared a photo of Nasim on Instagram, writing: "Nearly 470 days of temporary detention and a life suspended between death and imprisonment. The days of questioning: Imprisonment or execution? They pass by. Your image is not one of arrest and torture."

She added: "Your image is a beautiful one. A picture of a woman exercising after her trial. A woman who cooks delicious food. A woman mindful of her appearance. Your image is that of a fighter who has lived life fully - enjoying fun, travel, and friendship - who now resists in prison. The image of a sister who couldn't bear the killings on the streets."

In her post, Amiri addressed Nasim directly: "You didn’t receive the cheers for illegal temporary detention, nor the amnesty directive. Instead, they wrote a case of torture and forced confessions for you. Your image is of a fighter standing tall in Evin's women's ward."

Amiri refers to reports of physical and psychological torture Nasim endured during five months of temporary detention in the IRGC's secret facility in northeast Tehran, known as A1. After two months, she was transferred to Evin Prison’s Ward 2A, which operates under the supervision of the IRGC's intelligence unit.

Nasim, 37, is originally from Alamut in Qazvin Province and was living in Tehran before her arrest. A source close to her, who spoke to IranWire on condition of anonymity for security reasons, revealed that Nasim was a makeup artist before her arrest, and her appearance was very important to her. She was arrested on the street in April 2023.

Nasim's case, along with those of seven other young individuals, highlights the plight of victims of the crackdown on the Woman, Life, Freedom protests within the judicial system of the Islamic Republic.

According to a recent report by the human rights organization HRANA, Nasim Gholami Simiari, Hamidreza Sahlabadi, Ehsan Ravazjian, Amin Sokhanvar, Amir Velayati, Ali Herati Mokhtari, Hossein Mohammad Hosseini, and Hossein Ardestani are eight citizens being tried together in one case.

Of these eight, four - including Amir Velayati, who was injured during the protests - have been released on bail. However, the other four, including Nasim Gholami Simiari, Hamidreza Sahlabadi, Amin Sokhanvar, and Ehsan Ravazjian, remain in prison more than a year after their arrest.

A previous report from the Iran International TV network indicated that Nasim and Hamidreza are at particular risk of receiving severe sentences, including the death penalty.

On July 27, the second court session for these citizens, accused of "assembly and collusion with the intent to commit a crime against national security, disturbing public order and security, propaganda against the Islamic Republic, destruction of public property, rebellion, and membership in a rebel group," took place in Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

Given the recent issuance of death sentences for two other women activists, Sharifeh Mohammadi and Pakhshan Azizi, who were accused of rebellion, human rights activists have raised concerns about the increasing likelihood of death sentences, particularly for women facing similar charges.

Currently, two women, Nasim Gholami Simiari and Verishhe Moradi, a Kurdish women's activist imprisoned in Evin, are facing charges of rebellion and the potential for a death sentence.

According to information provided to IranWire, Simiari spent a total of four months in solitary confinement, which is considered a form of torture. During her interrogations at the IRGC Intelligence's secret detention center, she was subjected to severe torture to force a confession. Eventually, under immense pressure and psychological torture, she was coerced into making a video confession. The content of this video remains unpublished, and IranWire is not aware of its specifics.

Simiari's former cellmate told IranWire that she possesses a strong personality and refuses to see herself as a "victim of the government's repressive apparatus."

"Nasim was a fighter on the streets," her cellmate explained. "She put her life on the line and fought. She never talks about the torture or detention and how they pressured her."

According to this source, Gholami Simiari has a remarkably calm demeanour, even in the face of uncertainty and the threat of a death sentence. "She is always in control and calm. In the women’s prison, when Azizi was sentenced to death, Nasim sat beside her, offering support. Being in such a dangerous situation and still being able to support others is truly admirable."

An informed source noted that Nasim was out on the street, protesting the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the Morality Police and the deaths of other young people like Nika Shakarami, Hadis Najafi, and Hamidreza Rouhi.

The source described Nasim as a lively person who always had a smile on her face, was athletic, and loved to cook. "She’s an excellent cook and loves football. She also played basketball."