According to the Human Rights Activists news agency, Behkish has been sentenced to four years in prison for her role in forming a group called “Mourning Mothers.” She received an additional six-month jail term for being involved in “propaganda activities against the state.”

Mourning Mothers mainly comprises women whose children were killed, disappeared or imprisoned in the unrest that followed Iran’s disputed 2009 presidential elections. The group later grew to include families and supporters of other victims of human rights abuses in the country.

Behkish’s trial was held at Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court on 25 December 2011 and was presided over by Judge Salavati.

Behkish, 55, was arrested by security forces on 12 June 2011. She was released less than a month later on bail. She and 32 other women from the ‘Mourning Mothers’ were also arrested during a weekly meeting at Tehran’s Laleh Park on 9 January 2010 and held for several days.

Behkish is also banned from travelling abroad.