Peyman Aref became especially well known after the disputed presidential election of 2009. He was arrested in July 2009 and spent about 90 days in solitary confinement, according to human-rights organizations. He was later sentenced to prison and was also banned from journalism and membership in political parties. His case attracted international attention because of the severity of the punishment imposed on him.
One of the most widely reported events in Aref’s life occurred in October 2011. After completing a one-year prison sentence, he was subjected to 74 lashes before his release. The punishment was connected to a letter he had written to then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. In the letter, Aref criticized government policies toward universities. Human-rights organizations and international media reported extensively on the case and criticized the treatment of the student activist.
