A/HRC/43/20 19. On 8 October 2019, two human rights defenders imprisoned in Evin Prison, Mohammad Habibi and Farhad Meysami, released an open letter detailing restrictions imposed on detainees by the new director of the prison that are contrary to Iranian law and prison regulations. The restrictions include the denial of telephone contact, family visits and reading material. Both men have been denied family visits for publishing the letter. Mr. Meysami was reportedly transferred to Rajaee Shahr Prison on 9 November 2019. On 10 August 2019, the appeals court upheld his six-year prison sentence on charges stemming from his peaceful protests against compulsory veiling. 20. Human rights defenders continued to be sentenced for defending the human rights of others. On 5 September 2019, the convictions of Atena Daemi and Golrokh Iraee were upheld. They will serve a further two years and one month in prison allegedly due to their comments regarding prison conditions and the execution of prisoners of conscience. Ms. Daemi remains imprisoned on previous convictions for defending human rights. She has reportedly not received appropriate medical care for a diagnosed tumour. According to reports, Ms. Iraee, who had been released on bail on 8 April 2019, 28 was rearrested on 9 November 2019. On 30 September 2019, an appeals court upheld the one-year prison sentence of Shahnaz Akmali, despite concerns that she was forced to confess under duress with no lawyer present. Her conviction and sentence relate to her campaign to seek justice for the killing of her son during the 2009 protests. 21. The Secretary-General remains deeply concerned about the repression of human rights defenders. He notes with concern the sentences imposed on Yasaman Aryani, Monireh Arabshahi and Mojgan Keshavarz, three human rights defenders arrested in April 2019 for protesting compulsory veiling laws on 8 March 2019, as one such example. 29 Ms. Keshavarz was sentenced to 23 years and six months’ imprisonment, and Ms. Aryani and Ms. Arabshahi were each sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment. 22. On 1 June 2019, Saba Kord Afshari was arrested due to a video of her protesting against compulsory veiling, which appeared on the social media account of the founder of the “My stealthy freedom” campaign, Masih Alinejad. Ms. Afshari was interrogated on multiple occasions with threats that her family would be harassed if she did not record a confession. She was held in solitary confinement for 11 days and reportedly forcibly disappeared for 12 days in July. In August, she was convicted on morality and national security charges. The Government confirmed that she will serve 15 years in prison. Close relatives of women’s rights defenders are also harassed, and some have been arrested. On 24 September 2019, Ms. Alinejad’s brother was arrested at his home in Tehran and taken to an unknown location for questioning about his sister’s activities.30 23. Human rights lawyers Nasrin Sotoudeh, Mohammad Najafi and Amirsalar Davoudi remain imprisoned for charges stemming from their representation of members of marginalized groups and human rights defenders. 31 C. Right to freedom of opinion and expression, the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association and the right to privacy 1. Prohibition of independent trade unions 24. Only State-sanctioned trade unions are officially recognized. 32 The prohibition of independent trade unions creates a monopolistic system of representation in labour relations and is contrary to the obligations of the Islamic Republic of Iran under article 22 of the 28 29 30 31 32 6 A/74/273, para. 38. Ibid., para. 37. See www.hrw.org/news/2019/10/02/joint-letter-arrests-activists-relatives-iranian-government; www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2019/09/iran-family-of-womens-rights-activist-arrested-indespicable-attempt-to-intimidate-her-into-silence/; and www.dw.com/en/iran-detains-familymembers-of-womens-rights-activist-masih-alinejad/a-50593709. A/74/273, paras. 31–32. A/74/273, paras. 18–19.