Ghoncheh Ghavami (born 1989), also spelled as Goncheh Ghavami (Persian: غنچه قوامی), is a British-Iranian law graduate of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London who was held in solitary confinement in Evin Prison for protesting for equal access to sporting events in Iran.
On 20 June 2014 she was arrested for the first time after she attempted to attend a men-only volleyball match in Azadi Indoor Stadium of Tehran. Women have been prohibited from attending male-only football matches in Iran since 1979, and this restriction was extended to volleyball matches in 2012.[1] Although she was released on the same day, she was re-arrested days later when she returned to collect her belongings; she was then taken to Evin Prison. Her arrest raised international protests, but Iranian officials denied the link between her arrest and the volleyball match. She was charged with "propaganda against the regime", according to Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejeie, the second-ranking member of Iran's judiciary.
Ghavami was released on bail on 23 November 2014. She was sentenced to a one-year jail term and a two-year travel ban.[2]
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