Amnesty International’s Response to Reports that Iranian Cartoonist Mahmoud Shokraye Has Been Sentenced to 25 Lashes
Responding to the news that Iranian cartoonist Mahmoud Shokraye has been sentenced to 25 lashes for drawing a caricature of a former MP, Ann Harrison, Deputy Middle East and North Africa Programme Director for Amnesty International, said:
"Mahmoud Shokraye's brutal sentence, just for drawing a harmless cartoon, sends a chilling message to all Iranians that they cannot freely and peacefully express their views without the fear of facing harsh reprisals from the Iranian authorities.
"This is yet one more example of the Iranian authorities' relentless attack on freedom of expression. Flogging is a cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment for any crime, and as such is prohibited under international law. The Iranian authorities should be working to remove it as a punishment in law instead of sentencing ever more people to lashes."
For further information, see:
Iran: Flogging sentences used to repress free expression (11 October 2011)https://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/093/2011/en