Broken feet, ripped-out hair and now a death sentence: the fate of twin sisters jailed over Iran protests
Taraneh Rahimi was told prison guards would rape her sister, Romina, if she did not sign a confession
TL;DR
- Taraneh and Romina Rahimi, 19 at the time of arrest, were seized by masked men linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps for joining January protests.
- During a prison visit, their mother found them unrecognisable, with injuries including patchy scalps, bruised faces, broken bones, and hair loss from being dragged.
- Taraneh was allegedly threatened with her sister's rape if she did not sign a confession.
- Taraneh has been sentenced to death, and Romina to 25 years in prison, with neither seen by family since sentencing.
- The family's US-based cousin criticises the regime for not following its own laws and for allegedly using executions to suppress dissent.
- Iran has executed over 500 people this year, including at least 29 in connection with the anti-government protests.
- The UK and 30 other countries have condemned the executions of protesters as an attempt to silence dissent.