Family of Iranian twins sentenced to death and decades in jail ask UN for help

Taraneh and Romina Rahimi were charged with ‘waging war against God’ after joining protests against Tehran regime The family of 21-year-old twins who have been sentenced respectively to death and decades in jail for protesting against the Iranian regime have appealed to the United Nations for help. A formal “submission of information” relating to the case of Taraneh and Romina Rahimi has been submitted by British human right lawyers on their family’s behalf. The move could lead to the UN’s human rights council opening talks with the Iranian regime about resolving the case if it is found to involve human rights violations. The president of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, told the UN’s general assembly in New York this week that the country was “ready for dialogue and diplomacy”. Taraneh and Romina Rahimi were taken from their beds by men from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps eight months ago after they joined nationwide protests against the regime. They were tried over charges that included moharebeh (waging war against God) for taking to the streets of Isfahan, in central Iran, on 8 and 9 January. At the end of August, Taraneh, along with nine others, was sentenced to death. Romina received a 25-year prison sentence. The girls’ family are seeking to appeal against the sentences but human rights groups have raised concerns that Taraneh’s execution could be fast-tracked.

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