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Mansoureh Behkish

Mansoueh Behkish, is an Iranian human rights activist known for her work against the death penalty. In particular her work to help the mothers, sisters and wives of the thousands imprisoned or executed by the Islamic Republic authorities, to seek justice through legal and humanitarian channels.

Activism
Ms. Behkish lost four brothers, a sister and a brother-in-law since 1981. In response, Ms. Behkish founded the Mourning Mothers movement– also referred to as the Mothers of Laleh Park – an alliance of Iranian mothers and other relatives of prisoners who have been executed or disappeared in Iran from the 1980’s onwards.

Threats and human rights concerns
As a result of her work as a HRD, she has faced harassment, confiscation of her passport and three terms of imprisonment. On 4 April 2010 Behkish was charged with “assembly and conspiring with the intent to harm national security” as well as “propaganda against the system” and sentenced by Branch 15 of the Central Islamic Revolutionary Court. On July 5, 2012, the Appeals Court combined two parts of her sentence, sentencing her to four years of imprisonment, including three years and six months suspended for a period of five years, meaning she would serve those 3.5 years in addition to any new sentence, if convicted on similar charges over the next five years. On 4 February 2013, following a summons from the authorities, Behkish presented herself at Evin prison to begin her sentence, but upon arrival she was told to go home by the prison officials.

Honors
Mansoureh Behkish was a finalist for the 2013 Front Line Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk.