Atena Daemi campaigns in particular against the death penalty – she was sentenced to prison in 2015. This Iranian woman writes from her exile: Her conscience has tormented her since the day she fled.
Tehran – One of Iran’s best-known human rights activists says she fled to Canada. Atena Daemi described her trip outside Iran on the X platform (formerly Twitter). The activist is known for her criticism of the death penalty in the Islamic Republic. Until early 2022, Daemi had been imprisoned for years.
When nationwide protests erupted in the fall of 2022 against the repressive policies of state leaders, Daemi reportedly feared being arrested again. That’s why she hid at first. His health also deteriorated after he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
Daemi eventually crossed the border into neighboring Iraq, into the Kurdistan region, with her older sister. She then requested asylum in Canada.
Sentenced to 14 years in prison
“Since the day I left Iran, the sadness and torments of my conscience have not left me for a single moment,” Daemi wrote on
The 35-year-old activist was released from prison in early 2022. A revolutionary court sentenced her to 14 years in prison in 2015. The sentence was later reduced to seven years. Daemi has since been released on bail. She also went on hunger strike at the infamous Ewin Prison. dpa
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