Iranian twins sentenced to death and prison over January protests

Twenty-year-old twin sisters Taraneh and Romina Rahimi have been sentenced by the Iranian judicial system following their participation in the anti-government protests that took place in January. Taraneh Rahimi received a death sentence, while her sister Romina was handed a 25-year prison term.

The sisters were apprehended during a nighttime raid by masked security forces. Their family reports that both women were subjected to torture while in state custody, alleging that their subsequent confessions were coerced under duress. These sentences highlight the ongoing severe crackdown by Tehran against individuals who took part in the mass civil unrest earlier this year.

The case of the Rahimi twins reflects a broader pattern of state repression in Iran, where hundreds of protesters face harsh penalties, including capital punishment, for their involvement in the January demonstrations. This crackdown has largely remained under the international spotlight despite shifts in news coverage following the escalation of tensions and the outbreak of conflict between Iran and the United States.