International Women’s Day; Comprehensive List of Female Political Prisoners in Iran

HRANA News Agency – International Women’s Day, celebrated annually on March 8th, is an opportunity to celebrate women’s achievements in various social, economic, cultural, and political arenas and to emphasize the importance of fighting for women’s rights and their irreplaceable role in society. In Iran, this day takes on added significance as Iranian women, despite facing numerous challenges, play a leading role in civil and social movements in the country and are at the forefront of the struggle for their rights. Women in Iran face gender discrimination, legal and social restrictions, and inequalities in career advancement and education, and yet, against all odds, they continue to fight.

In an effort to increase public awareness about the status of women, namely those women who are imprisoned in Iran owing of to their ideological, political, or religious beliefs, HRANA releases this report on the occasion of International Women’s Day. These women, active in defending human rights and equality, play a crucial role in the fight for justice. This day is a time to focus attention and strengthen global support for the struggles and challenges they face.

They stand not only for their own rights, but for the rights of all women, against oppression and discrimination in all forms.

The situation for women has been fraught with struggle.

From the pre-revolution era to the present, Iranian women have faced obstacles in social, economic, and legal sectors. While progress has been made in accessing education, and the workplace, for some, gender discrimination and legal restrictions related to marriage, divorce, custody, and inheritance to name a mere few hold women in unequal positions within society. These inequalities are enshrined into the law.

Well-known restrictions faced by women related to mandatory hijab can lead to fines, arrest, and severe punishments. Furthermore, these restrictions can limit a women’s access to jobs and social activities. For an in-depth look at individuals and institutions involved in serious human rights violations related to women’s rights in Iran reference the Spreading Justice report: The State of Women’s Rights in Iran: Institutional and Individual Violations

A growing trend of civil activity and protest led by women 

In recent years, there has been an increase in civil activities and protests led by Iranian women. These movements, which are largely against mandatory hijab, see women demanding equality in law, and defend women’s rights in the workplace and in society. The movements reflect Iranian women’s efforts to take control, to fight back , and to achieve equal rights and combat gender discrimination for themselves, and for future generations of Iranian women.

These efforts have become particularly visible in light of the nationwide protests that began in September 2022 following the death of Mahsa Zhina Amini. Women played a key and leading role in these protests, becoming symbols of resistance against gender discrimination, human rights violations, and restrictions on freedom of expression. Their role in these movements is seen not only in Iran but also internationally as a turning point in the struggle for rights and freedoms. For an in-depth analysis of the advocacy efforts by Iranian women and the international response reference HRA’s statement: Unveiling Injustice: Advocating for Women’s Rights and Accountability in Iran

On the eve of International Women’s Day, the publication of a list of names and stories of women who are imprisoned in Iran for fighting for their rights and defending human values is not only a tribute to their courage and resilience but also an effort to increase global awareness about the ongoing struggle for women’s rights in Iran. These stories are a testament to the indomitable spirit of women who, despite all hardships and deprivations, continue to raise their voices in protest and demand.

Sharing this list goes beyond mere information dissemination; it is an invitation to join in international solidarity. This solidarity provides the necessary support and backing for these women and their families and demonstrates the power of global unity in combatting human rights violations. This support, formed through awareness campaigns, legal activities, and international pressure, can ultimately contribute to ensuring these women achieve what they are fighting so hard for against all odds.

This list is not just a collection of names but a compilation of stories of struggle, hope, and perseverance. The women on this list come from diverse backgrounds, yet all share common elements in their fight for justice and equality. The diversity of backgrounds illustrates the breadth and depth of women’s struggles across Iran and indicates that the demand for justice and equality transcends social, cultural, and economic boundaries.

Women imprisoned in Iranian jails on ideological, political, or religious charges.

This list shows the details of female political prisoners in Iran, describing their names, charges, sentences, the dates their cases were filed, and the locations of their prisons.

The charges range from “propaganda against the regime” and “assembly and collusion” to more severe allegations such as “corruption on earth” and “espionage.”

The sentences vary significantly, including life imprisonment, several years in prison, and uncertain conditions for those still awaiting verdicts.

Many of these women are held in notorious prisons like Evin, with some cases dating back years, highlighting the long-term nature of these types of punishments.

1. Full Name: Zeinab Jalalian
Charges: Waging war against the regime through membership in opposition groups
Sentenced: Life imprisonment
Case date: 2007 (1386)
Place of imprisonment: Yazd Prison
2. Full Name: Maryam Akbari Monfared
Charges: Waging war through membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran
Sentenced: 15 years imprisonment
Case date: December 31, 2009 (10 Dey 1388)
Place of imprisonment: Semnan Prison
3. Full Name: Mahvash Adalati Aliabadi
Charges: Propaganda activities against the regime – Assembly and collusion
Sentenced: 1 year imprisonment
Case date: November 26, 2018 (5 Azar 1397)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
4. Full Name: Shiva Ismaeili
Charges: Assembly and collusion
Sentenced: 10 years imprisonment
Case date: May, 2023 (Khordad 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
5. Full Name: Fereshteh (Tahereh) Nouri
Charges: Assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security – Disturbing public order
Sentenced: 6 years imprisonment
Case date: September 25, 2022 (3 Mehr 1401)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
6. Full Name: Parvin Mirassan
Charges: Corruption on Earth through widespread action against national security – Assembly and collusion to commit a crime
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: November 3, 2022 (12 Aban 1401)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
7. Full Name: Soodabeh Fakharzadeh
Charges: Assembly and collusion
Sentenced: 5 years imprisonment
Case date: May, 2023 (Khordad 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
8. Full Name: Arghavan Falahi
Charges: Propaganda against the regime – Assembly and collusion to commit a crime against security – Membership in opposition groups
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: November 4, 2022 (13 Aban 1401)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
9. Full Name: Masoumeh (Akram) Akbari
Charges: Assembly and collusion with the intent to act against national security – Propaganda activities against the regime
Sentenced: 6 years imprisonment
Case date: Not specified
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
10. Full Name: Shadi Shahidzadeh
Charges: Membership in illegal groups and organizations with the aim of disrupting national security
Sentenced: 5 years imprisonment
Case date: May 1, 2023 (11 Ordibehesht 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
11. Full Name: Narges Mansouri
Charges: In two separate cases with identical charges of assembly and collusion against national security – Propaganda against the regime
Sentenced: 6 + 3 years imprisonment, a total of 9 years
Case date: Autumn 2019 (Fall 1398)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
12. Full Name: Saeideh (Samira) Sabouri
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Not specified
Case date: Not specified
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
13. Full Name: Yasamin Saboohi
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Not specified
Case date: Not specified
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
14. Full Name: Bahareh Hedayat
Charges: In two separate cases; assembly and collusion – Propaganda against the regime – Promoting corruption and prostitution
Sentenced: 4 years and 8 months imprisonment + Indeterminate from another case
Case date: February 10, 2020 (21 Bahman 1398)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
15. Full Name: Vida Rabani
Charges: In two separate cases; assembly and collusion with the intent to commit a crime against national security – Propaganda against the regime – Insulting the sacred – Disturbing public order
Sentenced: 5 years + 6 years and 15 months imprisonment
Case date: November 23, 2020 (2 Azar 1399)
Place of imprisonment: Not specified
16. Full Name: Reyhaneh Ansari Nejad
Charges: Assembly and collusion against the system and propaganda against the system
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: May 12, 2023 (22 Ordibehesht 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
17. Full Name: Maryam Haji Hosseini
Charges: Corruption on Earth and spying for Israel
Sentenced: 10 years imprisonment and the return of received funds
Case date: Late Shahrivar 1398 (September 2019)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
18. Full Name: Nahid Taghavi
Charges: Participation in running an illegal group – Propaganda activities against the regime
Sentenced: 10 years and 8 months imprisonment
Case date: October 17, 2020 (25 Mehr 1399)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
19. Full Name: Narges Mohammadi
Charges: In four separate cases with charges including propaganda activities against the regime through issuing statements, disrupting prison order through sit-ins, defying prison leadership and authorities, damaging glasses, slander, and assault
Sentenced: 30 months imprisonment, 80 lashes, and payment of two fines + 15 months imprisonment and supplementary punishments + 1 year imprisonment + 15 months imprisonment; totaling 12 years and 6 months imprisonment, 80 lashes, payment of two fines, and supplementary punishments
Case date: November 16, 2021 (25 Aban 1400)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
20. Full Name: Anisha Asadollahi
Charges: Assembly and collusion – Propaganda against the regime
Sentenced: 5 years and 8 months imprisonment
Case date: May 9, 2022 (19 Ordibehesht 1401)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
21. Full Name: Sepideh Kashan-Doust (Kashani)
Charges: Cooperation with the United States government
Sentenced: 6 years imprisonment
Case date: February 2018 (Bahman 1396)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
22. Full Name: Marzieh Farsi
Charges: Membership in opposition groups
Sentenced: 15 years imprisonment
Case date: August 21, 2023 (30 Mordad 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
23. Full Name: Zahra Safaei
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: 5 years imprisonment
Case date: September 12, 2023 (21 Shahrivar 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
24. Full Name: Farahnaz Nikkhoo
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Not specified
Case date: December 3, 2022 (12 Azar 1401)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
25. Full Name: Marzieh Jani Pour
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Not specified
Case date: January 19, 2023 (29 Dey 1401)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
26. Full Name: Golrokh Iraee
Charges: Assembly and collusion – Propaganda against the regime – Disturbing public order
Sentenced: 5 years imprisonment
Case date: September 26, 2022 (4 Mehr 1401)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
27. Full Name: Shakila Monfared
Charges: In three separate cases with charges including propaganda activities against the regime and insulting Islamic sanctities, membership in opposition groups, and spreading lies
Sentenced: 6 years imprisonment + 2 years and 8 months imprisonment and a fine of 10 million tomans + 15 months of corrective imprisonment, 2 years of exile, and supplementary punishments; totaling 9 years and 11 months imprisonment, 2 years of exile, a fine, and supplementary punishments
Case date: August 31, 2020 (10 Shahrivar 1399)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
28. Full Name: Razavaneh Ahmad Khan Beigi
Charges: Propaganda against the regime – Assembly and collusion against internal security
Sentenced: 5 years imprisonment
Case date: September 18, 2023 (27 Shahrivar 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
29. Full Name: Nasrin Khezri Javadi (Azam)
Charges: Assembly and collusion to act against national security
Sentenced: 5 years imprisonment
Case date: May 1, 2019 (11 Ordibehesht 1398)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
30. Full Name: Niloufar Bayani
Charges: Cooperation with America
Sentenced: 10 years imprisonment
Case date: February 2018 (Bahman 1396)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
31. Full Name: Faezeh Hashemi
Charges: Assembly and collusion against national security, propaganda activities against the regime, and disturbing public peace and comfort
Sentenced: 5 years imprisonment and a ban on leaving the country
Case date: September 27, 2022 (5 Mehr 1401)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
32. Full Name: Fariba Kamalabadi
Charges: Espionage, promoting the Bahá’í faith, and promoting indecency in the country
Sentenced: 10 years imprisonment
Case date: July 31, 2022 (9 Mordad 1401)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
33. Full Name: Mahvash Shahriari
Charges: Espionage, promoting the Bahá’í faith, and promoting indecency in the country
Sentenced: 10 years imprisonment
Case date: July 31, 2022 (9 Mordad 1401)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
34. Full Name: Mahboubeh Rezaei
Charges: Membership in opposition groups with the aim of disrupting national security – Assembly and collusion with the intent to commit a crime against national security – Propaganda activities against the regime – Insulting Islamic sanctities – Unveiling and demonstrating corruption in cyberspace
Sentenced: 19 years and 9 months imprisonment, payment of 8 million tomans fine, and supplementary punishments
Case date: May 22, 2023 (1 Khordad 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
35. Full Name: Shirin Saeidi
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Not specified
Case date: Not specified
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
36. Full Name: Hajar Saeidi
Charges: Membership in one of the opposition parties
Sentenced: 1 year imprisonment
Case date: June 8, 2020 (18 Khordad 1399)
Place of imprisonment: Sanandaj Correctional and Rehabilitation Center
37. Full Name: Sarina Jahani
Charges: Assembly and collusion
Sentenced: 2 years imprisonment
Case date: September 16, 2023 (25 Shahrivar 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
38. Full Name: Mina Khajavi
Charges: Forming an illegal group with the aim of disrupting national security – Acting against national security through proselytizing Christianity and establishing a home church
Sentenced: 6 years imprisonment
Case date: July 2020 (Tir 1399)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
39. Full Name: Zohreh Sarv
Charges: Assembly and collusion – Propaganda against the regime
Sentenced: 7 years imprisonment
Case date: October 2021 (Mehr 1400)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
40. Full Name: Samaneh Norooz Moradi
Charges: Membership in opposition groups with the goal of disrupting national security – Assembly and collusion with the intent to commit a crime against national security – Propaganda activities against the regime
Sentenced: 11 years imprisonment
Case date: April 24, 2023 (4 Ordibehesht 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
41. Full Name: Soha Mortazai
Charges: Assembly and collusion with the intent to act against national security
Sentenced: 6 years
Case date: November 2019 (Aban 1398)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
42. Full Name: Nasim Sultan Beigi
Charges: Assembly and collusion with the intent to commit a crime – Propaganda against the regime
Sentenced: 4 years, 1 month, and 16 days imprisonment and supplementary punishments
Case date: January 22, 2023 (2 Bahman 1401)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
43. Full Name: Mahnaz Tarah
Charges: Assembly and collusion to commit a crime – Propaganda against the regime
Sentenced: 4 years and 4 months imprisonment
Case date: November 13, 2023 (22 Aban 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
44. Full Name: Sarvnaz Ahmadi
Charges: Assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security – Propaganda against the regime
Sentenced: 3 years and 6 months imprisonment
Case date: April 28, 2023 (8 Ordibehesht 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
45. Full Name: Nasim Gholami Simiari
Charges: Rebellion
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: April 2023 (Ordibehesht 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
46. Full Name: Kubra Bigi
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Not specified
Case date: Not specified
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
47. Full Name: Rahleh Rahmi Pour
Charges: Assembly and collusion – Propaganda against the regime
Sentenced: 6 years imprisonment
Case date: November 12, 2019 (21 Aban 1398)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
48. Full Name: Sepideh Gholian
Charges: In two separate cases with charges of insulting the leadership, unveiling and facilitating corruption and prostitution, and insistence on committing the aforementioned crimes in court sessions
Sentenced: 2 years imprisonment and supplementary punishment + 1 year and 3 months corrective imprisonment; totaling 3 years and 3 months imprisonment and supplementary punishments
Case date: March 14, 2023 (24 Esfand 1401)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
49. Full Name: Sahar (Fateme) Mokhtari
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Not specified
Case date: Not specified
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
50. Full Name: Azar Korvandi Mousa Zadeh
Charges: Assembly and collusion with the intent to act against national security through cooperation with an opposition group
Sentenced: 5 years imprisonment
Case date: Summer 2019 (Tabestan 1398)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
51. Full Name: Zeinab Hamrang Seyed Beglo
Charges: Assembly and collusion
Sentenced: 5 years imprisonment
Case date: March 11, 2024 (21 Esfand 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
52. Full Name: Pakhshan Azizi
Charges: Membership in opposition associations
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: August 4, 2023 (13 Mordad 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
53. Full Name: Varisheh Moradi
Charges: Rebellion
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: August 1, 2023 (10 Mordad 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
54. Full Name: Elaheh Fouladi
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: December 12, 2023 (21 Azar 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
55. Full Name: Nasrin Roshan
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Not specified
Case date: Not specified
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
56. Full Name: Maryam Vahidfard
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Not specified
Case date: Not specified
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
57. Full Name: Moloud Hossein Doost
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Not specified
Case date: Not specified
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
58. Full Name: Samira Nejatian
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Not specified
Case date: Not specified
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
59. Full Name: Laleh Sa’ati
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Not specified
Case date: Not specified
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
60. Full Name: Neda Fotouhi
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Not specified
Case date: Not specified
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
61. Full Name: Lian Darvish
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Not specified
Case date: Not specified
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
62. Full Name: Nahid Khodajoo
Charges: Assembly and collusion to act against national security and disturbing public order and peace
Sentenced: 5 years imprisonment and 74 lashes
Case date: May 1, 2019 (11 Ordibehesht 1398)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
63. Full Name: Forough Taghipour
Charges: Membership in an opposition group
Sentenced: 15 years imprisonment
Case date: August 21, 2022 (30 Mordad 1401)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
64. Full Name: Sepideh Keshavarz
Charges: Propaganda activities against the regime – Assembly and collusion
Sentenced: 1 year imprisonment
Case date: November 20, 2018 (29 Aban 1397)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
65. Full Name: Armita Pamir
Charges: Insulting the leadership – Propaganda activities against the regime
Sentenced: 1 year, 10 months, and 17 days imprisonment
Case date: June 28, 2023 (7 Tir 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Tabriz Prison
66. Full Name: Noushin Mesbah
Charges: Membership in an opposition group with the aim of disrupting order and security of the country
Sentenced: 1 year imprisonment
Case date: Early September 2023 (Early Shahrivar 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad
67. Full Name: Nasrin Sadat Shahraeeni
Charges: Cyber spreading of lies, inciting people to massacre and conflict, propaganda against the regime, and disturbing public minds
Sentenced: 1 year and 3 months imprisonment
Case date: September 9, 2023 (18 Shahrivar 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad
68. Full Name: Roya Malakouti
Charges: Forming groups and societies with the aim of disrupting national security – Propaganda activities against the regime
Sentenced: 6 years and 8 months imprisonment
Case date: July 29, 2023 (7 Mordad 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad
69. Full Name: Azita Foroughi Motlagh
Charges: Membership in an opposition society with the intent of disrupting national security – Propaganda against the regime
Sentenced: 3 years and 8 months imprisonment
Case date: July 29, 2023 (7 Mordad 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad
70. Full Name: Negin Hosseinzadeh
Charges: Propaganda activities against the regime – Filming forbidden places – Assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt public order – Insulting the leadership – Membership in opposition groups
Sentenced: 3 years, 6 months, and 1 day imprisonment
Case date: August 22, 2023 (31 Mordad 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad
71. Full Name: Raha Pour Ebrahim
Charges: Forming an opposition group – Propaganda against the regime- Virtual activities aimed at disrupting public order
Sentenced: 3 years imprisonment
Case date: September 7, 2023 (16 Shahrivar 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad
72. Full Name: Sakineh Parvaneh
Charges: Assembly and collusion against national security – Propaganda against the Islamic Republic regime – Insulting the leadership
Sentenced: 7 years and 6 months imprisonment
Case date: March 2023 (Farvardin 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad
73. Full Name: Fatemeh Sepehri
Charges: In two separate cases with charges of collaboration with hostile governments – Assembly and collusion – Insulting the leadership – Propaganda against the regime, spreading lies and disturbing public minds through online activities and interviews with foreign media
Sentenced: 18 years + 1 year corrective imprisonment and a fine of 20 million tomans; totaling 19 years imprisonment and a fine
Case date: August 1, 2021 (10 Mordad 1400)
Place of imprisonment: Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad
74. Full Name: Sanaz Tafazzoli
Charges: Forming a group with the intent of disrupting internal security – Assembly and collusion with the intent of committing a crime against national security – Deviant educational or promotional activity contrary to or undermining the sacred Sharia within the framework of a sect, group, society, or the like
Sentenced: 10 years and 9 months imprisonment
Case date: November 22, 2022 (1 Azar 1401)
Place of imprisonment: Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad
75. Full Name: Sara Nasiri
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Not specified
Case date: December 6, 2022 (15 Azar 1401)
Place of imprisonment: Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad
76. Full Name: Ziba Ghelich Khani
Charges: Propaganda against the regime in cyberspace
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: September 18, 2022 (27 Shahrivar 1401)
Place of imprisonment: Sanandaj Correctional and Rehabilitation Center
77. Full Name: Zhila Hojabri
Charges: Membership in opposition groups – Propaganda activities against the regime – Defiance of a government official
Sentenced: 3 years and 8 months imprisonment
Case date: August 2022 (Mordad 1401)
Place of imprisonment: Sanandaj Correctional and Rehabilitation Center
78. Full Name: Farideh Moradkhani
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: 3 years imprisonment
Case date: January 13, 2022 (23 Dey 1400)
Place of imprisonment: Tehran Correctional and Rehabilitation Center
79. Full Name: Farzaneh Gharahasanloo
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: 5 years imprisonment
Case date: November 4, 2023 (13 Aban 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Mashhad Prison
80. Full Name: Nasrin Hasani
Charges: In two cases with charges of spreading lies – Non-compliance with the Sharia veil in public places and public view, propaganda activities against the regime
Sentenced: 1 year imprisonment + 7 months imprisonment and a fine of one million tomans; totaling 1 year and 7 months imprisonment and a fine
Case date: September 3, 2023 (12 Shahrivar 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Bojnurd Prison
81. Full Name: Nahid Shirpisheh
Charges: Assembly and collusion – Propaganda against the regime
Sentenced: 5 years imprisonment
Case date: July 11, 2023 (20 Tir 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Zanjan Prison
82. Full Name: Masoumeh Yavari
Charges: Destruction of public property – Membership in an opposition group – Propaganda against the system
Sentenced: 13 years imprisonment
Case date: September 4, 2023 (13 Shahrivar 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Dolatabad Prison, Isfahan
83. Full Name: Mahsa Saeidi
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: September 11, 2023 (20 Shahrivar 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Sepah Intelligence Detention Center, Yazd
84. Full Name: Sanaz Jahan Tigh
Charges: Propaganda against the regime and inciting people to disrupt national security
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: September 21, 2022 (30 Shahrivar 1401)
Place of imprisonment: Sari Prison
85.Full Name: Shiva Khalili
Charges:
Propaganda against the regime
Sentenced:
1 year of imprisonment – Seizure of mobile phone
Case date:
16 November 2021 (25 Aban 1401)
Place of imprisonment:
Babol Prison
86. Full Name: Sharifeh Mohammadi
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: November 25, 2023 (4 Azar 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Lakan Prison, Rasht
87. Full Name: Roya Sabet
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: February 14, 2024 (25 Bahman 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Detention Center Plate 100, Shiraz
88. Full Name: Niloufar Sadat Hashemian
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: February 14, 2024 (25 Bahman 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Sepah Intelligence Detention Center, Semnan
90. Full Name: Niloufar Ghazaleh
Charges: In two separate cases, charged with publishing photos without a hijab
Sentenced: 5 years imprisonment from the first case and indeterminate from the second case
Case date: November 28, 2023 (7 Azar 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Intelligence Detention Center, Isfahan
91. Full Name: Zhinous Shadabi
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: November 7, 2023 (16 Aban 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Intelligence Detention Center, Hamedan
92. Full Name: Narges Soleimani
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: Early October 2023 (Early Mehr 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Intelligence Detention Center, Sanandaj
93. Full Name: Fereshteh Fadaee Far
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: Early October 2023 (Early Mehr 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Intelligence Detention Center, Sanandaj
94. Full Name: Sahar Salehian
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: September 23, 2023 (1 Mehr 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Intelligence Detention Center, Sanandaj
95. Full Name: Farideh Ghahremani Far
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: September 18, 2023 (27 Shahrivar 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Intelligence Detention Center, Kermanshah
96. Full Name: Parisa Mohammadi
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: September 16, 2023 (25 Shahrivar 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Intelligence Detention Center, Kermanshah
97. Full Name: Farzaneh Moeini
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: September 16, 2023 (25 Shahrivar 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Intelligence Detention Center, Yasuj
98. Full Name: Maryam Jalal Hosseini
Charges: Incitement of people to war and slaughter with each other with the aim of disrupting national security – Propaganda against the regime – Insulting the leadership – Forming a group with the aim of disrupting national security
Sentenced: 6 years imprisonment and 2 years exile to Ilam
Case date: August 27, 2023 (5 Shahrivar 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Kachooii Prison, Karaj
99. Full Name: Parastoo Afshari Nejad
Charges: Unveiling, propaganda against the system, and inviting people to war and slaughter each other
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: September 16, 2023 (25 Shahrivar 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Dolatabad Prison, Isfahan
100. Full Name: Batool Omidy
Charges: Propaganda against the regime
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: September 11, 2023 (20 Shahrivar 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Ilam Prison
101. Full Name: Fakhri Omidy
Charges: Propaganda against the regime
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: September 11, 2023 (20 Shahrivar 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Ilam Prison
102. Full Name: Glavizh Tahmasbi
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: September 16, 2023 (25 Shahrivar 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Intelligence Detention Center, Sanandaj
103. Full Name: Tina Deljoo
Charges: Propaganda against the regime
Sentenced: 1 year imprisonment
Case date: Not specified
Place of imprisonment: Lakan Prison, Rasht
104. Full Name: Yekta Fahandezh Saadi
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: December 18, 2023 (27 Azar 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Adelabad Prison, Shiraz
105. Full Name: Safoura Maleki
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: August 13, 2023 (22 Mordad 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Intelligence Department Detention Center, Ilam
106. Full Name: Maryam Ebrahimi
Charges: Unveiling – Propaganda against the regime – Disobedience to police orders
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: April 2023 (Ordibehesht 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Dolatabad Prison, Isfahan
107. Full Name: Fermisk Babai
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: August 17, 2023 (26 Mordad 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Intelligence Detention Center, Kermanshah
108. Full Name: Fatemeh (Mozhgan) Tadrisi
Charges: Incitement and provocation of the people to war and slaughter each other with the aim of disrupting national security – Propaganda against the regime- Insulting the leadership – Forming a group with the aim of disrupting national security
Sentenced: 6 years imprisonment and 2 years exile to Zanjan
Case date: Early September 2023 (Early Shahrivar 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Kachooii Prison, Karaj
109. Full Name: Sahar Ahmadi
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: July 31, 2023 (10 Mordad 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Intelligence Department Detention Center, Sanandaj
110. Full Name: Jhina Pendar
Charges: Not specified
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: July 23, 2023 (1 Mordad 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Intelligence Detention Center, Sanandaj
111. Full Name: Lalikhan Niknia
Charges: Association with one of the opposition parties
Sentenced: Indeterminate
Case date: June 25, 2023 (4 Tir 1402)
Place of imprisonment: Intelligence Detention Center, Urmia
112. Full Name: Maryam Sadat Yahyavi
Charges: Propaganda against the regime
Sentenced: 1 year of imprisonment
Case date: November 2014 (Aban 1393)
Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
113. Full Name: Mina Karami
Charges: Deviant educational and promotional activity contrary to or corrupting the sacred Sharia
Sentenced: 5 years of punitive imprisonment, 5 million tomans of fine, deprivation of social rights for 10 years, and prohibition of leaving the country for 2 years
Case date: Spring 2022 (Spring 1401)
Place of imprisonment: Adel Abad Prison, Shiraz
 

Call to Action on the Occassion of International Women’s Day 

HRA calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all women who are imprisoned solely on the basis of their beliefs, religions, political or social activities.

We urge Iranian authorities to respect their international obligations and to observe the fundamental rights of Iranian women, including, the right to due process and fair trial, the freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and freedom of religion. Ensuring these fundamental rights is not only a step towards maintaining respect for human dignity but also lays the groundwork for progress within the country and the sustainable development of society.

In this context, the importance of international pressure and support for organizations fighting for women’s rights in Iran is more crucial than ever. The international community united with all human rights organizations must unanimously declare their support for imprisoned women and their struggles to obtain rights. There are a number of ways the international community can support imprisoned Iranian women, be it through diplomatic pressures, awareness campaigns, or direct assistance to Iranian human rights organizations working daily to advocate for women’s rights.

Every small action can be part of a larger wave that creates fundamental changes in society,  towards achieving a world where justice and equality are guaranteed for all, regardless of gender.

 

 

 


For more information please contact Skylar Thompson, Director of Global Advocacy and Accountability at Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) skylar[at]hramail.com


 

Golrokh Iraee’s Sentence Reduced to Five Years on Appeal

Golrokh Iraee, a former political prisoner, has had her sentence reduced to five years by the Tehran Court of Appeals. Initially, she had been sentenced to seven years in prison.

The court handed down this verdict in response to charges of “assembly and collusion against national security,” “propaganda against the regime,” and “disturbing public order.” In addition to the prison term, Iraee has also been prohibited from joining political and civil groups, restricted from staying in Tehran, barred from leaving the country for two years, and had her cell phone confiscated.

The court session took place on June 18, 2023.

Iraee was violently arrested by security forces at her residence in Tehran on September 26, 2022. After being held in multiple detention facilities, she was eventually imprisoned in Evin Prison on October 30, 2022. In April 2023, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced her to seven years and additional punishments.

It is noteworthy that Iraee has faced previous arrests and convictions on multiple occasions.

 

 

Golrokh Iraee Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison and Additional Punishments

Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced former political prisoner Golrokh Iraee to seven years and additional punishments.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee was sentenced to imprisonment and additional punishments.

Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced Iraee to six years in prison for “assembly and collusion against national security” and one year for “propaganda against the regime.” In addition, she has been banned from leaving the country, travelling to Tehran, and joining political and civil groups for two years. Her cell phone has also been confiscated by the court.

If the verdict is upheld on appeal, based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, six years in prison for the first charge will be enforceable.

An informed source close to her family told HRANA, “the Judge sentenced Golrokh to six years despite the maximum five years sentence for the charge of assembly and collusion, determined in the Islamic penal code. The judge cited the possibility of reoffending as the reason for the longer sentence, even though Iraee has never been convicted of this crime in her previous legal cases.”

“Iraee and her family were told by security and judicial officials that the only way to avoid incarceration is to submit a written request for a pardon, which Iraee has repeatedly refused to do. As a result, Judge Afshsari has refused to grant her bail,” the source added.

On September 26, 2022, security forces arrested Iraee violently at her home in Tehran.

Iraee faced other arrests and convictions on prior occasions. In the last case, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced her to three years and seven months, which was upheld later on appeal. Applying Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, two years and one month was enforceable.

Also earlier, in April 2021, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced her in absentia to one year and additional punishments for “propaganda against the regime.” She was released on Amol Perison on May 9, 2022.

 

Golrokh Iraee Still in Detention after Five Months

Former political prisoner Golrokh Iraee is detained in the women’s ward of Evin Prison for over five months.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Golrokh Iraee is still in detention at Evin Prison for over 170 days.

On September 26, 2022, security forces arrested Iraee violently at her home in Tehran. They also searched the house and seized some of her belonging.

In October 2022, she was arraigned and notified of the charges of “assembly and collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the regime.”

Iraee faced other arrests and convictions on prior occasions. In the last case, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced her to three years and seven months, which was upheld later on appeal. Applying Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, two years and one month was enforceable.
Also earlier, in April 2021, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced her in absentia to one year and additional punishments for “propaganda against the regime.” She was released on Amol Perison on May 9, 2022.

 

Golrokh Iraee Still in Detention after 52 Days

Former political prisoner Golrokh Iraee is still in detention in poor conditions in the quarantine section of Qarchak Prison. A while ago, she was briefed on her charges.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Golrokh Iraee is still detained, awaiting further legal proceedings after 52 days.

Recently, she has been notified about the charges of “assembly and collusion” and “propaganda against the regime.”

According to an informed source, Iraee is currently held in an ill-equipped, overcrowded ward in Qarchak Prison in Varamin.

On September 26, 2022,  security forces arrested Iraee violently at her house in Tehran.

 

 

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Open Letter: Atena Daemi Lauds the Emotional Labor of Iranian Mothers

Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) – Atena Daemi, a civil rights activist imprisoned since October 21, 2014, has written an open letter to her mother marking her fourth year of incarceration.

In the note, Daemi describes the difficulties endured by her family — particularly her mother — who she characterizes as one of her most important sources of strength in recent years.

With fellow political prisoners Maryam Akbari Monfared and Golrokh Iraee, Daemi was punished October 3rd with a three-week ban on family visits, per verbal orders from the Women’s Warden at Evin. All three were told the ban served to punish them for refusing an unlawful interrogation this past September.

HRANA has translated the full text of Daemi’s letter below:

Four years ago to this day, I was on my way to work on a cold autumn morning. You had gone to buy fresh bread for us. I was running late, so I didn’t get to see you before dad and I left the house. Before we could reach the end of the alley, they blocked our way, arrested me, put me in another car, and returned to the house with dad, all 11 of them. I don’t know how you reacted when you saw them. After an hour, they brought me back home. I was shocked to see you. I was shocked by your screams at the agents.

“Go on and take my daughter too. You took all of these young people – and how far did that get you? You know what? Go ahead and kill my daughter too. You killed Sattar Beheshti [a blogger who died in prison in 2012] and all those other young people. And what came of it?”

They threatened to detain you too, and you shot back, “Take me! You’ve outdone yourselves putting mothers behind bars and bereaving them.”

I thought you would be scared, but you weren’t; I thought you would blame and reproach me, but you didn’t. In our own language, you told me to go– that this would be the first night I would spend away from home, but that you were still behind me, still with me, and that one day no child would be separated from their mother. That lifted a weight off my shoulders; it felt as though you had given me wings. I went, but you never left me for a moment; we were bonded more than ever, together, united.

I remember your face that day in the Revolutionary Court when I was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Giddily and sarcastically, you quipped, “14 years is nothing– we expected the death penalty!” I know you felt a quiver of fear, but you didn’t show it. Sixteen months later, I returned home and you were in good spirits, though you knew I wouldn’t be staying long. They came back for me nine months later. You weren’t in Tehran then. I called you to let you know they were taking me. You told me to put you on speakerphone so that they could hear you. You were screaming “What do you want from our children? What have they done? What did they ever ask of you? The day will come when us mothers will hold you accountable…”

After I went, they opened cases against your other two daughters, convicting them. You laughed and said that we should ask them to set up a family suite in the prison that would house us all!

I went on hunger strike. I will not forget the concern in your eyes, but your words, filled with hope and promise, only made me more steadfast. Your daughters were acquitted, and I stayed. They filed new cases and lawsuits against me, one after the other. Then, they dragged me to Gharchak Prison, beating me and insulting me. That following Thursday I called home. You were happy to hear my voice and asked how the prison administrators had come to be so charitable on a Thursday [the beginning of the weekend in Iran].

I laughed and said, “I’m calling you from Gharchak Prison.” You replied that it was only right that I see the women held in Gharchak as well. “Let’s see how far they want to go!” you said.

When I contacted you a few days later, you did not answer. I was told that you went to the Prosecutor’s office to see about my case. The more time passed without any news from you, the more worried I became. You finally replied after 7 p.m. and told me that they had detained you along with Hanieh [my sister]. You told me how they beat you both and shocked you with stun guns. My body trembled at that thought.

You told me they shocked your leg when you refused to get into their car. You said it didn’t hurt, that it felt like stinging nettles. I was trembling with anger, but you were laughing and said that you didn’t back down and gave them a piece of your mind.

My phone rights and visits were cut.

Then came your little girl’s wedding day– my sister Hanieh was getting married…

They did not let me go on furlough to come to the wedding. You came to visit me in Gharchak. Hanieh was restless but you calmed her down, telling her not to cry but to laugh and be joyous so that the authorities wouldn’t get the idea that their tactics can break [me]. I remember that you reminded her that Fariba Kamalabadi [Baha’i prisoner of conscience] hadn’t been granted furlough to attend her own daughter’s wedding. You asked me to distribute sweets to my cell and ward mates to celebrate my sister’s wedding inside the prison. What a memorable night that was!

I was returned to Evin Prison. Then we heard news of the execution of Zanyar, Loghman, and Ramin. You went on a hunger strike, wore black, and came to visit me in tears. They had harassed me that day, but the three of us just held hands and sang a song for our fallen brothers. Again, they cut me off from family visits.

Mother, would you look at how pathetic and short-sighted they are? When Zanyar Moradi hadn’t seen his mother in nine years when he was killed, and they think they’re going to break me by withholding my visiting rights for a while? The pain of mothers never ends. If they think they can reform us, silence us, or make us remorseful with such childish measures, they are sorely mistaken. We won’t be disciplined; rather, we will carry on with more resolve than before.

It has been three weeks since we last saw each other. You’ve gone to visit with Ramin’s mother, Zanyar and Loghman’s families, and the family of Sharif, who died in the fire[Kurdish activist who died fighting wildfires in western Iran]. You visited Narges [Mohammadi] and the family of Homa [Soltanpour]. While we haven’t seen each other, you have embraced the pains and sorrows of fellow mothers.

Send my regards to all the mourning and bereaved mothers of Iran and tell them I shall call for justice for them as long as I live!

Atena Daemi
October 21, 2019
Evin Prison

___________________________________________________________________________

After her arrest on October 21, 2014, Atena Daemi spent 86 days in solitary confinement before being transferred to the Women’s Ward of Evin prison. In May 2015, Judge Moghiseh of Revolutionary Court Branch 28 sentenced her to 14 years’ imprisonment on charges of assembly and collusion against national security, propaganda against the regime, and insulting the supreme leader. She was released February 2017 on 5.5 billion IRR [approximately $140,000 USD] bail. Her sentence was then reduced to seven years on appeal. She was detained November 26, 2016 to serve her sentence, which since been reduced to five years.

Golrokh Iraee Calls Citizens to the Defense of Persecuted Activist Soheil Arabi

Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) – Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee, a civil rights activist imprisoned at Evin, has written an open letter in response to the recent re-sentencing of Soheil Arabi, a prisoner of conscience in Great Tehran Penitentiary who has been held without furlough since November 7, 2013.

On new charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “disturbing the public mind,” Tehran Revolutionary Court Branch 26 sentenced Arabi to three more years of imprisonment and three years of exile on September 22, 2018. Cited as evidence against him were voice files he allegedly sent from inside the prison, in which he can be heard comparing Evin to a torture chamber.

In her letter, Iraee accuses authorities of using the exile sentence to banish dissidents like Arabi from public memory.

Golrokh Iraee pictured here with husband and fellow prisoner of conscience Arash Sadeghi

While behind bars on separate charges in June of this year, Arabi was issued a six-month prison sentence by Judge Moghiseh on charges of “blasphemy” and “propaganda against the regime.” The charges stemmed from a case file opened up against Arabi and his ex-spouse Nastaran Naimi, who was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment for “blasphemy” and “aiding and abetting.”

Iraee’s letter warns the Iranian public that apathy towards the extension of Arabi’s detainment would be ignoring symptoms of a malaise for which all Iranian citizens are responsible.

The full text of her letter, translated into English by HRANA, is below:

“He has been behind bars for years without having committed a crime. He is held captive by a vengeful system that has no tolerance for dissenting views, that stifles them instead in bondage, with physical and mental tortures.

Soheil Arabi was first detained on a misunderstanding that devolved into a blasphemy charge. After spending years behind bars and nearing the end of a sentence that tore his family apart (after the immoral and inhumane pressures they submitted him to, to break his spirit), yet another case file emerges, yet another prison sentence is leveled against him. After compounding his suffering with a ban on visits from his daughter, they now want to do with him what they did with Arjang Davoudi and Gholamreza Kalbi: exile him to the middle of nowhere, remove him from public memory, and let his existence perish into the abyss.

After the hunger strikes and beatings he endured in prison, Soheil’s condition is worrisome indeed. It is fitting that we be reminded, after commemorating the World Day against the Death Penalty, of Soheil’s initial execution sentence. He was made to suffer for a long time under the threat of execution, and the [long-term] imprisonment to which his death penalty was commuted, yet we are still witnessing concerted efforts to annihilate him with continued torture and new case files extending his imprisonment.

This method of eliminating activists, protesters, and dissenters may be the current status quo of the judicial system, but it is critical we consider these actions as the red flags that they are, and that we increase public sensitivity and attract the attention of international organizations so that we can put a stop to the annihilation of political and ideological activists. Abandoning them in this state renders us guilty of spreading the disease of our judicial system, and condoning the repetition of such crimes.

Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee, Women’s Ward of Evin Prison, October 2018.

***

Golrokh Iraee was arrested along with her husband on September 6, 2014. She was first held at an IRGC safe house for two days and then spent 20 days in the solitary cells of Evin’s Section 2A, which is under IRGC jurisdiction, before being released on a bail of 800 million rials. On October 24, 2016, the IRGC arrested Iraee again, without a warrant. Her husband Arash Sadeghi, who was sentenced to 19 years in prison, is currently in Karaj’s Rajai Shahr Prison and has undergone operations for cancer. Iraee was sentenced to six years in prison, which was reduced to 2.5 years based on amnesty and Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code. She was convicted of “insulting the sacred” and “gathering and collusion against the regime.”

Prison Authorities Withhold Medical Care from an Ailing Arash Sadeghi

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) – Per orders from Assistant Prosecutor Rostami, who manages the political prisoners of Rajai Shahr, imprisoned civil rights activist and bone cancer patient Arash Sadeghi has been denied transfer to a hospital despite a severe infection to the surgical site on his arm.

A close source told HRANA that Sadeghi was recently sent to Imam Khomeini hospital after his infection and biopsy results were flagged for concern. “If the infection does not go away, it will lead to a bad outcome for him,” the source said. “Yet it’s been more than two weeks, and Rostami is still ordering that all political prisoners be denied transfers for outside medical treatment.”

Against the orders of his doctor, Sadeghi was returned to prison just three days after a September 12th surgery for chondrosarcoma at Imam Khomeini hospital. His surgical site would contract a severe infection soon after, prompting his return to the hospital September 22nd at noon. Despite his decline into critical condition, he was again returned to prison, reportedly due to the absence of an appropriate specialist to treat him.

Chondrosarcoma is the most prominent malignant bone cancer in youth, affecting an estimated 100 patients per year in Iran. In this type of cancer, malignant tumors are composed of cartilage-producing cells.

Amnesty International issued a statement on Wednesday, September 26, 2018, saying “The Iranian authorities are torturing jailed human rights defender Arash Sadeghi, who has cancer, by deliberately depriving him of the specialist medical care health professionals have said he desperately requires.”

On July 21st of this year, HRANA reported on Sadeghi’s transfer to the hospital under tight security controls. Saying that the doctor was not present, hospital officials turned him away, postponed his scheduled treatment, and returned him to the prison.

Arash Sadeghi was sentenced to 19 years’ imprisonment by Tehran Revolutionary Court. In December 2016, he staged a 72-day hunger strike to protest the continued imprisonment of his wife, Golrokh Iraee.

Against doctor’s orders, authorities take Arash Sadeghi back to prison after surgery

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) – Arash Sadeghi, a human rights activist imprisoned in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj, underwent a critical operation on September 12th for malignant bone cancer at Imam Khomeini hospital and was returned to prison just three days later, against the orders of his doctor.

According to an informed source, an individual introducing himself a judicial official insisted on the early transfer against the clear orders of doctors.

Sadeghi’s doctor had instructed that he be hospitalized under close medical supervision for at least 25 days following a very difficult surgery, said the source. According to the source, the doctor explained that Arash needs to stay in the hospital as he requires a medical team in case of stroke, infection, or severe fever. Furthermore, the medical team needs the 25 days to determine whether a patient will require chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or additional surgery.”

A source with information about Sadeghi’s condition told HRANA that specialists had determined Sadeghi needed to be hospitalized three days prior to his surgery, due to an irregular heartbeat and severe weakness, so Sadeghi could be prepared for the intensive surgery through proper nutrition and vitamin injections.

The surgical department had contacted the prison several times on September 8th, asking for Sadeghi’s transfer. Prison officials claimed, however, that the prosecution office had not issued the necessary permits for his early hospitalization. Just one day remaining until his surgery, the authorities finally transferred Sadeghi to the hospital on September 11th.

The source added that there was a heavy presence of plainclothes agents, whose organizational affiliation was unclear, in the cancer department of the hospital since early Tuesday, before Arash arrived.

Sadeghi’s surgery time had been given to another patient due to his late transfer, however, the doctor responsible for Sadeghi reportedly managed to secure an operating table. Sadeghi underwent a 7.5-hour operation, beginning on the morning of Wednesday, September 12th. Doctors removed a bone tumor from his right arm and collarbone, and samples were collected from areas suspected of metastasis, such as his rib cage and underarm. Bone taken from his pelvis was mixed with platelets and special [injectable] cement to replace the removed sections of his arm bone.

The source said that agents imposed restrictions on Sadeghi from the moment the surgery ended, thus complicating his recovery process. They prevented his stay in the recovery room as required by post-surgery procedure.

“While he was still unconscious, they handcuffed and shackled his left hand and leg, and blockaded the area around his bed, a move that prevented his doctor’s required constant checkups, and which was protested by his doctor,” the source said.

According to the source, Sadeghi suffered from wounds similar to bedsores from having to lie on his back due to handcuffs on one hand and operation bandages on the other.

Sadeghi was allowed to use the bathroom only three times a day, accompanied by three agents each time. The inhumane conditions and the restrictions imposed on Sadeghi provoked negative reactions from the hospital staff, and in several cases led to verbal altercations between them and the security agents.

Arash Sadeghi was not allowed any visitors during his stay at the hospital. His wife, Golrokh Iraee, remains imprisoned at Evin Prison serving a six year sentence.

Tensions Mount over Unlawful Execution of Three Kurdish Political Prisoners

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA)- Shock, sorrow, and censure over the executions of Zanyar Moradi, Loghman Moradi, and Ramin Hossein Panahi continue to pour in from both international institutions and Iranian citizens in-country, further straining relations between Iranian authorities and the human rights activist community at large.
A number of Kurdish opposition groups have sounded the call to strike to Kurdish regions of Iran, inviting fellow Kurds to protest their comrades’ executions.
Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has stated, “I deeply deplore the executions last week of three Iranian Kurdish prisoners despite the serious concerns raised by Special Procedures mandate holders that they were not afforded fair trials, and were subjected to torture.” Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s Research and Advocacy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, has also condemned these executions.
Imprisoned civil rights activist Atena Daemi was among a number of imprisoned civil rights activists publishing separate letters expressing sorrow and outrage over the men’s deaths. Golrokh Iraee and Human Rights Lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, two more imprisoned activists, wrote and published their own messages of protest and sympathy, with Sotoudeh likening their executions to the *political massacres of 1988.
Some of these letters have reportedly incited blowback from prison authorities, who have subjected Daemi and Iraee to repeated non-routine body searches after their letters were published. When these women inquired about the reason for the searches, they learned the order for frisking had been issued by the Prison’s Director. A Prosecutor Assistant has since promised to investigate.
Excerpts from the letters of Sotoudeh and Iraee, translated into English by HRANA, are below.
Nasrin Sotoudeh:
“The judicial system has executed three Kurdish compatriots. Our Kurdish compatriots have been plagued by oppression for decades. The verdict and sentences of the Revolutionary Court, condemning these three compatriots to die, was the product of an unlawful process that runs counter to Human Rights principles and the laws of the Islamic Republic. In at least one of these trials, had due process been respected, the defendant may very well have been acquitted.
Zanyar and Loghman Moradi were on hunger strike when they were hanged, another testament to the inherent brutality of the judicial system, who itself is supposed to protect us from violence.
I extend my condolences to our Kurdish compatriots, who have had a steadfast, crucial presence in the cultural promotion of Iran; to all Iranians; and, in particular, to the families of Moradi, Moradi, and Panahi. I hope that in heeding the diverse manifestations of Iran’s judicial violence, the urgent need to renounce all forms of it will become clear.”
Golrokh Iraee
“[Their death] invites the wrath of Kurdistan’s Children […] Zanyar Moradi, Loghman Moradi, and Ramin Hossein Panahi, freedom fighters, Kurdistan’s immortal resistance, teachers of patience and persistence, have left behind a lesson in determination. They were hanged while on hunger strike, in protest of their mistreatment at the hands of authorities; they stood up to the monsters of despotism and reactionarism.
They unmasked those traitors who call themselves statesmen and rulers. Let it be known that the time for lip service has passed. To hold them accountable, we must act.”
****
After being hanged to death in an undisclosed location in Tehran on September 8th without notice to their lawyers, the bodies of the Moradis and Hossein Panahi were *confiscated by the Iranian authorities. The Ministry of Intelligence has since threatened the men’s surviving family members.
Ahmad Amouee, journalist and former prisoner of conscience, published an account of the Moradi and Moradi families’ visit to Tehran’s main cemetery, Behesht-e Zahra, where officials had summoned them to bid farewell to their sons’ bodies. Their final resting place remains unknown.
* In the summer of 1988, on the orders of Ayatollah Khomeini, the Supreme Leader of Iran at the time, thousands of prisoners of conscience and political prisoners were executed after inquisition-style interrogation sessions. Almost all of these prisoners had already been tried and were either serving their sentence or, having completed their sentence, were awaiting release. All were buried in unmarked, often secret, mass graves.