Iranian Photographer Sentenced to 15 Years for Documenting Regime's Repression

Iranian photojournalist Yalda Moayery, who has documented over two decades of repression under the Ayatollah regime, was sentenced to 15 years in prison. An Iranian court convicted her of "acting in favor of the Zionist regime's interests against national security." Moayery's stories and photographs have been published internationally, and she has urged the world not to forget her amid her imprisonment.

Moayery captured violent crackdowns on protests in January, the ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel, and the regime's current wave of repression. Despite facing a lengthy sentence in Iran's notorious prison system, she vowed to continue bearing witness as long as possible, stating, "I am not willing to work within their propaganda framework."

In previous interviews, Moayery described the unprecedented scale of protests but noted that hope faded due to government suppression. She reported that many Iranians initially hoped that attacks against the US and Israel would topple the regime, but that hope has since vanished, with the conflict instead strengthening the regime. She characterized the current regime as "the worst version of the Islamic Republic I have ever seen," growing "angrier and harsher."

Authorities threatened to raid her home if she spoke again with international media, but Moayery remained defiant, saying, "I will not give up. I have no regrets." Her case highlights the intensifying crackdown on dissent amid growing protests in Iran.