Iranian Twins Face Brutal Torture Following Anti-Regime Protests
Horrific Abuse of Young Demonstrators
Iranian twin sisters were brutally tortured for four months for protesting against the regime, with one sentenced to death after she was forced to confess to save her sister from being raped, their family revealed.
Severe Physical Trauma Inflicted in Custody
Taraneh and Romina Rahimi, 20, who were still in high school when they joined millions in the January anti-regime protest, suffered beatings, broken feet, and had their hair ripped out while in custody, their cousin, Masoud Nourmohammadi, told The Post.
Harrowing Accounts of Prison Violence
“They had swollen faces and bodies, broken knuckles and elbows, and they didn’t even have hair because the guards would drag them by the hair when they were in prison,” Nourmohammadi said.
A Mother’s Heartbreaking Prison Visit
The twins were unrecognizable by their mother, Marzieh Nourmohammadi, 43, during a visit five months ago, with the family only learning recently that Taraneh would be put to death after confessing to taking part in the demonstrations.
Coerced Confessions Under Threat of Assault
Their mom claims her daughter only confessed after prison guards threatened to rape Romina in front of her, The Guardian first reported. Romina, meanwhile, was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Aspirations of a Resilient Generation
Masoud Nourmohammadi, who lives in the US, described Taraneh as a kind soul and athlete who dreamt of opening her own horse training center. He said Romina was a brave and smart person who symbolizes the strong and independent nature of Iran’s new generation.
Weaponizing the Death Penalty Against Dissent
Nourmohammadi accused the state of trying to use his cousins to instill fear as the regime brutally cracks down on dissent and abuses the death penalty on political prisoners.
Lack of Due Process and Sham Charges
“There is no evidence against them, and they didn’t even let their lawyers read the case until two weeks after they were sentenced,” the cousin said. “They are just looking for people to hang,” he added. “All [my cousins] did was protest and chant along with millions. They didn’t do anything wrong.”
Capital Offenses Levied in Isfahan Court
The twins are among the 16 people tried in Isfahan in connection to the demonstrations held in the city, where two people died in the unrest. The defendants were accused of making Molotov cocktails and attacking Iranian security forces, but no murder charges were brought forth; instead, many of the defendants were charged with waging war against God, a capital offense in the country.
Unrecognizable After Months in Detention
Nourmohammadi, a healthcare IT specialist living in Utah, slammed the sham trial and the horrific conditions their mother found them in. “She did not recognize her own children,” he said of the first meeting that took place in prison around May. “She could only tell it was them when they started talking and she recognized their voice.”
Obstacles in the Legal Appeal Process
The family has filed complaints over the sisters’ torture and threat of sexual abuse, but the complaints have not progressed in Isfahan’s courts. The sisters’ lawyers are also preparing an appeal, which has been shot down before for the other defendants in the Isfahan case.
Imminent Execution and Ongoing Repression
“They do not even follow their own law,” Nourmohammadi said. “There is an 18-day period that lawyers can go and appeal, but they can kill Taraneh at any moment. The regime carried out a mass killing during the protests in January, but they’re carrying out another mass murder inside their prisons,” he added.
Defiance in the Face of Tyranny
Despite the horrific circumstances Taraneh and Romina find themselves in, Nourmohammadi said he was proud of his cousins for standing up to the regime.
Taken from: nypost.com
