Faezeh Hashemi-Rafsanjani, a former member of Iran's Majlis (parliament) and a prominent fighter for women's rights, was sentenced Monday to five years in prison for calling for anti-government protests, Nida Shams, her lawyer, told Fars Haber news portal.

She said the daughter of former Islamic Republic President Ali Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani (1934-2017) was arrested on September 27 and imprisoned in Evin prison. "My client was sentenced by the trial court to five years in prison for inciting residents to demonstrate," Shams said. - We will try to appeal this decision within the legal deadline." Iranian justice also accused the 60-year-old activist of "conspiring against the security of the country and propaganda against the existing system of government.

Hashemi-Rafsanjani has been convicted several times in the past for participating in illegal assemblies. In 2009, she was banned from political and cultural activities for five years. In 2011, the activist was imprisoned for speaking at a rally in support of reformist leader Mir Hossein Mousavi. In 2017, she was again sentenced to a six-month prison term for releasing data denigrating Iranian statesmen.

In March, the activist was sentenced to 15 months in prison. As an additional punishment, the former deputy was banned from any social media activity for two years.

On November 28, Iranian authorities arrested Farida Muradhani, the niece of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This happened after she called on foreign governments to sever ties with Tehran.

The unrest in Iran began last September 16 after the funeral of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died after she was detained by the vice police for improperly wearing a headscarf. Rallies and marches covered some 160 cities and towns. Participants called for democratic change, condemned the repression of the authorities and demanded the release of those arrested.