Amnesty international condemns sentencing Iranian youth for making homemade video

                  

Amnesty International has condemned the Iranian regime's authorities’ sentencing of seven people for making a homemade video saying it 'reveals the authorities' contempt for freedom of expression.'

The seven Iranians – three women and four men– were convicted of “participating in the production of a vulgar video clip” and of “illicit relations between group members” following their trial on 9 September.

Six of those who appear in the video dancing have been sentenced to six months’ imprisonment each and a seventh to one year, one of their lawyers said in a media interview. All seven have also been sentenced to 91 lashes.

“With these sentences, the absurd meets the unjust. If confirmed, it would be a ludicrous outcome; these individuals will have been convicted and branded criminals purely for making a music video celebrating happiness. The youths should never have been paraded before state TV to ‘confess’ nor brought to trial,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa programme.

“These convictions flagrantly flout Iran’s obligation to respect the right to freedom of expression. If the sentences are ultimately carried out, these individuals will be prisoners of conscience.”