Sepideh Gholian (Qolian), a prominent civil rights activist detained in Evin Prison, commenced a hunger strike on April 3, 2024, demanding her transfer to Ahvaz Prison near her home.
A source close to her family confirmed Gholian’s hunger strike to HRANA.
Gholian’s troubles began on March 15, 2023, when security forces arrested her upon her return to Dezful shortly after her initial release. She was promptly sent back to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. Subsequently, she was transferred to the Women’s Ward of Evin Prison four days later.
In May 2023, the Tehran Revolutionary Court convicted Gholian of “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran,” resulting in a two-year sentence that included a period of detention. Alongside her imprisonment, she faced various restrictions, including a prohibition on joining political or social groups, limitations on cell phone usage, and a two-year ban from entering Tehran and its neighboring provinces. This verdict was upheld on appeal.
Furthermore, a case was initiated following a complaint filed by Ameneh-Sadat Zabihpour, an Iran-state TV reporter with ties to security agencies as an interrogator. In this case, Gholian received an additional sentence of one year and three months for her alleged involvement in “removing hijab, facilitating indecency, and persisting in committing criminal acts.”
It’s important to note that Gholian has a history of prior arrests and convictions related to her activism.
