human rights defender

Sepideh Gholian

Actions and Campaigns

HRD's year of birth

1994

HRD's Gender

Woman

Type of HRD

  • Journalist/Blogger
  • Social and community leader
  • Trade union leader
  • Whistle blower

HRD's thematic area of engagement

  • Civil and political rights
  • Fight against impunity
  • Labour rights
  • Women's rights

HRD's bio and work

Sepideh Gholian is a law graduate and is recognized as a social activist and human rights advocate. She has been arrested and imprisoned multiple times due to her activism focused on women's rights and her criticism of the policies of the Islamic Republic. As a prominent figure in civil and social movements in Iran, she works to raise awareness about human rights and civil liberties. Despite facing significant challenges, Gholian continues her activism and is seen as a symbol of resistance and the struggle for human rights in Iran

Current Status

Released

Detained since

Dec 12, 2025

Date of release

May 30, 2026

Charge(s)

  • Anti-government propaganda
  • Threatening national security

Sentence

5 years and 10 months in prison

Latitude: 36.30339520255212

Longitude: 59.606149380329455

Geolocation of detention

Country or area of detention

Region of detention

  • Asia: Southern Asia

Location of detention - City/Town

Mashhad

Allegations / reports of ill-treatment

During her previous period of imprisonment in Evin Prison, Sepideh Gholian was denied phone contact with her family since early April by order of the prison’s disciplinary committee because she had given her phone card to another prisoner.

During her re-arrest occurred on 12 December 2025, Sepideh Gholian was allegedly beaten by Iranian security forces.

Recent case update / evolution

Sepideh Gholian, a civil activist, was previously detained on 15 March 2023 and released from Evin Prison on 11 June 2025 after completing her 2-year sentence.

On 12 December 2025, she was re-arrested while attending a memorial service in honour of human rights lawyer Khosro Alikordi and charged with 'spreading propaganda against the system' and 'assembly and collusion against national security’.

On 17 February 2026, Branch One of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court sentenced Sepideh Gholian to five years in prison on charges of 'assembly and collusion against national security’ and to ten months in prison on the charge of 'spreading propaganda against the system'.

On 30 May 2026, she was released fafter serving six-months of her sentence.

Any other relevant documents

Sepideh Gholian – FLD Profile https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/profile/sepideh-gholian

بیانیه سازمان عفو بین الملل در خصوص وخامت وضعیت جسمانی سپیده قلیان در پی اعتصاب غذا https://www.hra-news.org/statements/a-411/

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