Create two discussion questions from this text: Nassim Papayianni, Amnesty International’s Iran campaigner, said that adding fresh charges is commonly used to silence detainees, particularly when they have campaigned from behind bars. Increasing numbers of female activists have been arrested in recent years and given lengthy sentences for criticising or challenging state policies by advocating human and civil rights. US-based journalist and activist Masih Alinejad, who started the White Wednesdays campaign against mandatory veiling, said the increasing number of charges levelled against female activists like Afshari proved how desperate the Iranian state had become.