Ghoncheh Ghavami

Ghoncheh Ghavami (born 1989), also spelled as Goncheh Ghavami , 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. 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.

Arrest and detention On 20 June 2014, Ghavami was detained while trying to enter a Volleyball World League match (Iran vs Italy) at Azadi Indoor Stadium in Tehran. She and other women's rights campaigners were protesting outside the stadium for equal access to sporting events. It is illegal for women to interact with male spectators at sports facilities in Iran. This law was allegedly introduced to protect female spectators from the lewd behaviour of other spectators. The arrested campaigners broke this law.

Iran's judiciary has denied that the charges against Ghavami are related to her stadium visit, stating she was charged with "propaganda against the regime".

Ghavami was released on bail in November 2014. The New York Times reported Ghavami's bail as being "around $30,000" and reported that the Iranian authorities would not allow her to return to the UK due to her two-year travel ban.

Responses A Change.org petition started by her brother, aiming to free her and bring her back to the United Kingdom, was signed by over 750,000.

In an open letter to President Hassan Rouhani, 300 Iranian human and civil rights activists highlighted the conditions Ghavami was being held under.

The foreign secretary of the United Kingdom, Philip Hammond, raised her case with Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iranian Minister for Foreign Affairs, at talks at the United Nations in New York City. However, Iran does not recognise her dual nationality as a British citizen.