Zhina Moderis, a prominent Kurdish journalist and women's rights activist, has been sentenced to 21 years in prison by the Revolutionary Court of Sanandaj, according to the Hengaw Human Rights Organization. The harsh sentence has sparked outrage among human rights advocates and raised concerns over the treatment of activists in Iran.

Moderis received a 10-year sentence for allegedly forming illegal groups with the intention of overthrowing the regime. Additionally, she was handed another 10-year sentence for purportedly collaborating with opposition groups and foreign countries. An extra year was added for charges of spreading propaganda against the government.

Her legal team has filed an appeal against the verdict, and the case is now with the Provincial Court of Appeal for re-examination. The final hearing regarding these charges took place on May 21st, with the official sentencing announced on Thursday, May 23rd.

This is not the first time Moderis has faced governmental pressure due to her activism. Her bookstore in Sanandaj, named 'Zhira,' was previously shut down by authorities for failing to comply with Iran's compulsory hijab laws.

Hengaw Human Rights Organization has highlighted the broader context of repression against women in Iran, reporting that over 300 women were detained last year for political or ideological reasons. More than 100 of these detainees remain imprisoned on various charges. The detainees include a wide range of individuals such as 18 students, 17 journalists and media activists, 10 artists and actors, and seven teachers.

The international community continues to monitor the situation closely, calling for greater protection of human rights and the immediate release of those unjustly imprisoned.