Today CARTOONISTS RIGHTS is one of five organizations making an urgent plea for the freedom and safety of Iranian cartoonist Atena Farghadani. We join Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) and PEN America, Cartooning for Peace, and Freedom Cartoonists in sounding the alarm as we learn of serious allegations concerning Ms Farghadani’s mistreatment at the hands of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) personnel mid-April.
CW: violence against women
CARTOONISTS RIGHTS expresses the gravest possible concern over the health and well-being of cartoonist, visual artist, and human rights activist Atena Farghadani.
Previously detained last summer, when the cartoonist alleged an attempted poisoning, Farghadani first came to the world’s attention a decade ago when she was made a prisoner over a cartoon depicting parliamentarians as apes and oxen. During that time she was subjected to a virginity test, recognized as torture by international human rights standards.
Atena was arrested again April 13, 2024 after she attempted to make a public display of artwork on Pasteur Street, Tehran. According to local sources and her family’s legal representative, she was very violently abused immediately after being detained. Indeed, serious allegations of police brutality been made. The details are horrific:
“[Farghadani] suffered severe mistreatment during her arrest, leaving visible scarring on her face. She was initially taken to a so-called ‘safe house’ run by the IRGC and was severely beaten. She became unconscious after being struck several times on her nose and head. When she regained consciousness she found herself in the prayer room of the Fateb security police detention center. She noticed that she was missing some pieces of clothing that she had been wearing during the arrest. When they were returned to her, they were stained with blood, though they had been washed.”
Proceedings are expected to begin in a Revolutionary Court on charges of “propaganda against the state” and “insulting the sacred [the Messiah the twelfth Imam Shia]”.
Today we join Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) and PEN America, Cartooning for Peace, and Freedom Cartoonists in a joint statement, calling for Atena Farghadani’s swift acquittal and release, and an end to the heinous abuse heaped upon her.
