The Twin Sisters Facing the Wrath of Iran’s Crackdown - WSJ
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Twin sisters Romina and Taraneh Rahimi were detained in Iran in January following a wave of protests, with one sentenced to decades in prison and the other condemned to death. Both young women endured torture and sexual assault during their mysterious detention.
The Twin Sisters Facing the Wrath of Iran’s Crackdown - WSJ
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https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/the-twin-sisters-facing-the-wrath-of-irans-crackdown-81adce68
1. World
2. Middle East
The Twin Sisters Facing the Wrath of Iran’s Crackdown
Romina and Taraneh Rahimi were detained in January after a wave of protests. One was sentenced to decades behind bars; the other condemned to death.
By
Margherita Stancati
---
!Taraneh and her twin sister Romina pose together.
*Taraneh, wearing red, and Romina Rahimi, pictured a few months before they were taken away.
Family of Taraneh and Romina Rahimi*
Taraneh Rahimi was staying with friends on the night of Jan. 24 when masked, armed men barged into the house, put a bag over her head and took her away. They later came for her twin sister, Romina.
For months after that, their loved ones didn’t know where they were, or whether they were even alive. Their mother searched for her 20-year-old daughters everywhere, begging staff at hospitals, in courts and outside prisons for information about them, to no avail.
In April, she received an anonymous call, a family member said. “Your daughters are at Dowlatabad Prison. You can book an appointment to see them,” the caller told her.
When she finally saw the twins again, in Isfahan’s female prison, their mother could hardly recognize them. Their faces were puffy and there were bald patches where their hair had been ripped out. They recounted harrowing tales from their time in detention, where they were tortured and sexually assaulted, according to information obtained by relatives and lawyers who reviewed their case.
Copyright ©2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
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* Latest Headlines
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* World
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* Free Expression
* Arts
* Lifestyle
* Real Estate
* Personal Finance
* Health
* Style
* Sports
Advertisement
This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by
our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact
Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com.
https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/the-twin-sisters-facing-the-wrath-of-irans-crackdown-81adce68
1. World
2. Middle East
The Twin Sisters Facing the Wrath of Iran’s Crackdown
Romina and Taraneh Rahimi were detained in January after a wave of protests. One was sentenced to decades behind bars; the other condemned to death.
By
Margherita Stancati
---
!Taraneh and her twin sister Romina pose together.
*Taraneh, wearing red, and Romina Rahimi, pictured a few months before they were taken away.
Family of Taraneh and Romina Rahimi*
Taraneh Rahimi was staying with friends on the night of Jan. 24 when masked, armed men barged into the house, put a bag over her head and took her away. They later came for her twin sister, Romina.
For months after that, their loved ones didn’t know where they were, or whether they were even alive. Their mother searched for her 20-year-old daughters everywhere, begging staff at hospitals, in courts and outside prisons for information about them, to no avail.
In April, she received an anonymous call, a family member said. “Your daughters are at Dowlatabad Prison. You can book an appointment to see them,” the caller told her.
When she finally saw the twins again, in Isfahan’s female prison, their mother could hardly recognize them. Their faces were puffy and there were bald patches where their hair had been ripped out. They recounted harrowing tales from their time in detention, where they were tortured and sexually assaulted, according to information obtained by relatives and lawyers who reviewed their case.
Copyright ©2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
---
Videos
---
Most Popular News
---
Most Popular
OPINION
---
Further Reading
‘Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie’ Review: Free Speech and Survival
Advertisement
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Tags:#إيران#القمع#الاحتجاجات#حقوق الإنسان#اعتقالات#العدالة الجنائية
Source: Wall Street Journal
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