Report on the Latest Situation of Fatemeh Sepehri in Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad

HRANA News Agency – Fatemeh Sepehri, a political prisoner held in Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad, is enduring poor physical and environmental conditions despite needing regular medical care. Due to a heart condition and past surgery, she requires quarterly medical examinations.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Sepehri’s specialized medical needs remain unmet in prison, contributing to her deteriorating condition.

Her brother, Asghar Sepehri, stated that Fatemeh was examined by a cardiac surgeon on December 25 due to her heart condition. Additionally, three days later, she was seen by an orthopedic specialist for severe pain in both hands. The doctor administered pain-relieving injections and prescribed 10 physical therapy sessions, attributing the pain to psychological stress and the pressures of the prison environment.

Since December 5, Sepehri has only been allowed two hours of daily outdoor time under the supervision of a guard. Her brother emphasized that these harsh conditions are exacerbating her physical and mental health challenges.

Following her heart surgery in October last year, Sepehri has repeatedly requested medical or conditional leave, all of which have been denied by security agencies and the prison’s overseeing judge.

In June of 2024, Sepehri and her brothers, Mohammad-Hossein Sepehri and Hossein Sepehri, were sentenced to a total of 18 years and six months in prison. The charges against her included “assembly and collusion against national security,” “insulting the Supreme Leader,” and “propaganda against the regime,” as well as an additional charge of “supporting a hostile government (Israel).”

Sepehri is currently serving a sentence from a prior case in Vakilabad Prison. She was temporarily released on medical leave on October 16, 2023, but was re-arrested at her home in Mashhad just three days later, and returned to prison.

In February 2023, the Mashhad Criminal Court sentenced her to an additional one year of imprisonment and a fine of 20 million tomans for “spreading falsehoods and disturbing public opinion.” She was also arrested on September 21 of that year at her home and transferred to Vakilabad Prison.

Fatemeh Sepehri is one of the signatories of a letter calling for the resignation of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In the initial trial, Branch 4 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court sentenced her to five years of imprisonment, later reduced to three years and six months on appeal. In May, 2023, this sentence was conditionally suspended for five years, leading to her temporary release.

Sepehri Siblings Receive Lengthy Sentences from Mashhad Revolutionary Court

Branch 5 of the Revolutionary Court in Mashhad has imposed lengthy prison sentences on three members of the Sepehri family.

Asghar Sepehri, the brother of these convicted siblings, revealed on his social media that during the court session on June 6, 2024, presided over by Hossein Yazdankhah, Fatemeh Sepehri received an 18-year and six-month sentence, Mohammad-Hossein Sepehri eight years, and Hossein Sepehri five years and six months.
The siblings were found guilty of multiple charges including “assembly and collusion against national security,” “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran,” and “propaganda against the regime.” Furthermore, Fatemeh Sepehri was also charged with “supporting the adversary country, Israel.”

Asghar noted significant ambiguities in the increased sentences for “assembly and collusion against national security” and “insulting the Supreme Leader,” as well as the specific examples cited by the court for these charges. HRANA will provide more information for further clarification on this matter in subsequent reports.

On September 28, 2023, Mohammad-Hossein Sepehri and Hossein Sepehri were arrested by security forces in Mashhad and subsequently detained at Vakilabad Prison. Hossein Sepehri was released on bail on January 1, 2024.

Their sister, Fateme Sepehri, already serving a sentence for a prior conviction in Vakilabad Prison, was granted medical leave for one week on October 16. However, she was re-arrested just three days later at her residence in Mashhad and returned to prison. Her prior convictions include ten years for “collaboration with hostile foreign governments,” five years for “assembly and collusion against national security,” two years for “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran,” and one year for “propaganda against the regime.” Her ten-year sentence was upheld under Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code after an unsuccessful appeal.

Moreover, Fatemeh Sepehri faced additional charges from the Mashhad Criminal Court for “disseminating false information to disturb public opinion on the Internet and having interviews with foreign media,” which resulted in one year of imprisonment and a fine.

Fatemeh Sepehri, known for her role as one of the signatories of a letter demanding the resignation of Ali Khamenei, has faced repeated arrests and convictions on similar grounds. Advocates are urgently calling for her release due to her deteriorating health and the need for appropriate medical care.

Brothers of Civil Rights Activist Fatemeh Sepehri Arrested in Mashhad

On September 28, Mohamad-Hossein Sepehri and Hossein Sepehri, siblings of Fatemeh Sepehri, a civil rights activist held in Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad, were apprehended and subsequently taken to an undisclosed location.

The arrest of Sepehri’s brothers was executed by security forces in Mashhad, leaving their current whereabouts and the nature of the charges against them shrouded in uncertainty.

It is worth noting that Fatemeh Sepehri’s health condition had deteriorated significantly, necessitating her urgent hospitalization just the day before this incident.

Mohamad-Hossein Sepehri had previously been imprisoned on political charges and was released from Vakilabad Prison on May 29, 2023.