Shiva Nazarahari released from prison on furlough

Committee of Human Rights Reporters – Shiva Nazarahari, jailed human rights activist, women’s rights activist and founding member of Committee of Human Rights Reporters (CHRR) was granted temporary prison release today.

According to CHRR, Shiva Nazarahari who is among political prisoners detained after the contested election results of 2009 was released on furlough on September 8th. The founding member of Committee of Human Rights Reporters (CHRR) is a human rights activist, blogger, journalist, women’s rights activist, member of the One Million Signature Campaign, Right to Education Campaign, and Society for Defending Street and Working Children.

Shiva Nazarahari has been behind bars in Evin prison’s women’s ward since September 8, 2012. With the year she spent behind bars after her arrest in 2009, she has now spent about 2 years behind bars, which is half her sentence.

Nazarahari was detained twice in the aftermath of the contested 2009 presidential elections. Days after the elections on June 14, 2009, Shiva was detained. She was held in solitary confinement in Evin’s ward 209 for 36 days before being transferred to the general ward. She was released on bail on September 24th.

On December 20 2009 Nazarahari was detained with a number of other activists while on their way to attend the funeral of the late dissident cleric Ayatollah Montazeri. She endured 2 months of solitary confinement and was released on bail after 9 months of detention in September 2010.

Shiva Nazarahari was handed a 4-year prison sentence and 74 lashes on the charges of “moharebeh” (enmity with God), “propaganda against the regime,” and “illegal gathering with the intent of disturbing national security.” She turned herself in at Evin prison to serve her prison sentence on September 8, 2012.