Maryam Akbari-Monfared Archives

Human Rights Day: Introducing Imprisoned Civil Activists in Iran and Honoring Their Stand Against Human Rights Violations

Human Rights Day is also an opportunity to reexamine the values that form the foundation of human dignity, values such as justice, freedom, and equality, rooted in international documents and human experience

Posted on December 9, 2025December 9, 2025 by . .

News, Other

Abbas Lesani, Abbas Vahedian Shahroudi, Abdolaziz Azimi Ghadim, Abolfazl Khoran, Ahmadreza Haeri, Ali Kheirjou, Amirsalar Davoudi, Anisha Asadollahi, Arak prison, Arman Shadivand, Arsham Rezaei, Darreh Shahr Prison, Davoud Rezavi, Ehsan Rostami, Evin Prison, Farhad Fahandezh, Fariba Kamalabadi, Fatemeh Sepahri, Fatemeh Tedrisi, golrokh iraee, Hashem Khastar, Hassan Tozandejani, Human Rights day, Jahangir Rostami, Javad Lal Mohammadi, Karaj Central Penitentiary, Lakan Rasht Prison, Mahbubeh Rezaei, Maryam Akbari-Monfared, Maryam Jalal Hosseini, Masoud Farhikhta, Matin Yazdani, Mehran Raoof, Mohammad Abolhasani, Mohammad Davari, Mohammad Najafi, Mohammad Nourizad, Morteza Parvin, Morteza Seyyedi, Narges Mansouri, Narges Mohammadi, Nasrollah Amirlu, Negin Rezaei, Nima Mahdizadegan, Payam Vali, Peyman Farhangian, Qarchak Varamin Prison, Ramin Rostami, Reza Aghdasi, Reza Mohammadhosseini, Saeed Madani, Salar Taher Afshar, Sara Jahani, Shakila Monfared, Sharifeh Mohammadi, Shiva Shah Siah, Tahir Naqavi, Vadoud Asadi, Vakilabad Prison (Mashhad), Yasaman Hashdari, Yousef Kari, Zahra Dadras, Zartosht Ahmadi Ragheb, Zohreh Dadras

HRANA News Agency –Human Rights Day is an opportunity to reflect on the condition of imprisoned civil activists in Iran, individuals who are behind bars solely for defending fundamental human rights. HRANA, by publishing a list of these brave activists, calls on the international community to amplify their voices and demand the immediate release of advocates for freedom and justice.

This day serves as a moment to reconsider the role of human rights defenders and civil activists in societies where fundamental rights are still subject to structural violations. Marked annually on the global calendar, it commemorates the principles laid out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted on December 10, 1948, principles that recognize freedom of expression, the prohibition of torture, the right to a fair trial, and human dignity as inalienable rights of all individuals. Nevertheless, the current reality in Iran highlights a stark gap between these international standards and the domestic situation.

In Iran, many human rights defenders, civil society activists, trade unionists, environmentalists, and advocates for fundamental freedoms face the threat of arrest, harsh sentences, and long-term deprivation, even for entirely peaceful activities conducted within the framework of domestic laws. These individuals, who constitute a significant part of the country’s civil society fabric, consistently encounter security pressures, broad restrictions, and systematic rights violations in their pursuit of transparency, justice, and equality. Most have been sentenced following closed-door trials, with limited access to legal counsel and based on vague or unsubstantiated charges, a process that not only contradicts Iran’s international obligations but also deeply impacts the civic space in the country.

In this report, HRANA publishes a list of over 61 imprisoned human rights defenders and civil activists in Iran, including 8 of whom currently being held in pretrial detention. This list is the result of ongoing collection, verification, and documentation efforts, aiming to provide a clear representation of the various dimensions of human rights violations against these defenders. The publication of this list is not merely the release of names; it tells a part of the story of Iranian civil society, in which the struggle to defend human rights can come at the cost of one’s freedom, health, and personal security.

Beyond commemorating foundational principles, Human Rights Day is also an occasion to consider the role of society and international institutions in supporting these defenders. Raising public awareness, demanding accountability from authorities, and supporting activists’ efforts are essential tools for advancing human rights in Iran. Through this report.

This report, in addition to documenting and reporting on these individuals’ conditions, is a step toward transparent and continuous documentation, aimed at preserving the truth, preventing collective amnesia, and laying the groundwork for accountability. Despite pressures and restrictions, human rights defenders in Iran remain a vital part of the collective effort to achieve a freer and more just society. Human Rights Day is a moment to once again bring their names and efforts to the forefront.

List of names:

	1. Mohammad Najafi, Civil Rights Activist *Charges:* Sending a voice message from Arak Prison and expressing support for the 2022 nationwide protests; spreading falsehoods; propaganda against the regime; insulting the Supreme Leader. *Conviction:* At least six separate cases totaling more than 24 years in prison. *Place of imprisonment:* Evin Prison.
	2. Sharifeh Mohammadi, labor activist Charges: Propaganda against the regime; acting against national security; baghi (armed rebellion) through membership in one of the opposition groups. Conviction: Following an order by the head of the judiciary, her sentence was reduced by one degree and changed to 30 years in prison. Place of imprisonment: Lakan Prison in Rasht.
	3. Fatemeh Sepehri, civil activist Charges: Cooperation with hostile governments; assembly and collusion; insulting the Supreme Leader; propaganda against the regime; spreading falsehoods and disturbing public opinion. *Conviction:* In five separate cases, a total of 41 years and 9 months in prison plus a monetary fine. Place of imprisonment: Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.
	4. Golrokh Iraee, civil activist Charges: Assembly and collusion against national security; propaganda against the regime; disrupting public order. Conviction: Five years in prison and social deprivations. Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.
	5. Maryam Akbari Monfared, civil activist Charges: Propaganda against the regime and assembly and collusion against national security. Conviction: Two years in prison. Place of imprisonment: Qarchak Prison in Varamin.
	6. Zartosht Ahmadi Ragheb, civil activist Charges: Propaganda against the regime; assembly and collusion to commit crimes against internal and external security. Conviction: In two separate cases, a total of six years and eight months in prison, social deprivations, and exile. Place of imprisonment: Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.
	7- Payam Vali, Baha’i civil activist Charges: Cooperation with hostile governments; inciting or persuading people to war and killing each other; propaganda against the regime. Conviction: In three separate cases, 11 years and 5 months in prison, social deprivations, and exile. Place of imprisonment: Karaj Central Penitentiary.
	8. Mohammad Davari, labor activist Charges: Insulting the Supreme Leader and propaganda against the regime in favor of anti-regime groups on the Internet. Conviction: Four years and six months in prison, social deprivations, and exile. Place of imprisonment: Adelabad Prison in Shiraz.
	9. Hashem Khastar, civil activist Charges: Insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic; insulting sacred values; insulting the Supreme Leader; disturbing public opinion; cooperation with foreign media; participating in unlawful gatherings; and propaganda against the regime. Conviction: In two separate cases, a total of 18 years and six months in prison, social deprivations, and exile. Place of imprisonment: Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.
	10. Anisha Asadollahi, labor activist Charges: Assembly and collusion against national security and propaganda against the regime. Conviction: Five years and eight months in prison. Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.
	11- Mehran Raoof, labor activist Charges: Participation in running an unlawful group and propaganda against the regime. Conviction: Seven years and six months in prison. Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.
	12- Mohammad Nourizad, civil activist Charges: Sending an audio file out of Evin Prison; disrupting public order; spreading falsehoods; insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic; insulting sacred values; insulting the Supreme Leader; disturbing public opinion; cooperation with foreign media; participating in unlawful gatherings; propaganda against the regime; and damaging the door and window of the ward chief’s office. Conviction: In six separate cases, a total of 28 years and 9 months in prison, 148 lashes, and exile. Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.
	13- Saeed Madani, civil activist Charges: Forming and administering anti-regime groups. Conviction: Four years in prison. Place of imprisonment: Damavand Prison.
	14. Ahmadreza Haeri, civil activist Charges: Assembly and collusion with the intent to commit a crime against national security; propaganda activities against the regime; and spreading falsehoods. Conviction: In two separate cases, a total of six years and three months in prison. Place of imprisonment: Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.
	15. Reza (Gholamreza) Aghdasi, labor activist Charges: Propaganda against the regime and assembly and collusion with the intent to commit a crime against national security. Conviction: Four years and three months in prison. Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison
	16. Arman Shadivand, environmental activist Charges: Propaganda against the regime and insulting the Supreme Leader. Conviction: Two years in prison. Place of imprisonment: Darreh Shahr Prison.
	17. Narges Mansouri, civil activist Charges: Assembly and collusion against national security, and propaganda against the regime. Conviction: Nine years in prison. Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.
	18. Abbas Vahedian Shahroudi, civil activist Charges: Forming a group with the intent to act against national security, and cooperating with groups opposing the regime. Conviction: A total of 24 years in prison and two years of exile in three separate cases. Place of imprisonment: Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.
	19. Mohammad Abolhasani, civil activist Charges: Disrupting public order; assembly and collusion against national security; and propaganda activities against the regime. Conviction: In three separate cases, a total of five years and three months in prison, social deprivations, and 12 lashes. The flogging sentence has been carried out. Place of imprisonment: Choubindar Prison in Qazvin.
	20- Taher Naghavi, attorney and civil activist Charges: Propaganda against the regime and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security. Conviction: Six years in prison and social deprivations. Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.
	21- Maryam Jalal Hosseini, civil activist Charges: Inciting and persuading people to war and violence against one another with the intent to disrupt national security; propaganda against the regime; insulting the Supreme Leader; and forming a group aimed at undermining national security. Conviction: Six years in prison and exile. Place of imprisonment: Kachouei Prison in Karaj.
	22- Shakila Monfared, civil activist Charges: Membership in anti-regime groups; destruction of public property; disrupting public order and public peace; propaganda activities against the regime; and insulting Islamic sacred values. Conviction: In four separate cases, a total of 15 years and five months in prison, ten lashes, social deprivations, and exile. Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.
	23- Morteza Seydi, labor activist Charges: Forming a group under the name of a labor union with the intent to disrupt national security. Conviction: Two years in prison. Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.
	24. Nasrollah Amirloo, labor activist Charges: Forming a group under the name of a labor union with the intent to disrupt national security. Conviction: Two years in prison. Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.
	25. Morteza Parvin, Azerbaijani-Turk activist Charges: Propaganda against the regime and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security. Conviction: Six years in prison. Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.
	26. Foad Fathi, labor activist Charges: Membership in anti-regime groups; acting against national security; and propaganda against the regime. Conviction: Four years in prison. Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.
	27. Abdolrasoul Mortazavi, civil activist Charges: Insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic; insulting sacred values; insulting the Supreme Leader; disturbing public opinion; cooperating with foreign media; participating in unlawful gatherings; propaganda against the regime; and disrupting public order. Conviction: In three separate cases, 30 years in prison, with the maximum cumulative sentence stated as 15 years in prison. Place of imprisonment: Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.
	28. Fariba Kamalabadi, Baha’i civil activist Charges: Administering an organization described by authorities as a “deviant and misguided sect” with the aim of disrupting national security. Conviction: Ten years in prison. Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.
	29. Javad La’al-Mohammadi, civil activist Charges: Giving interviews to foreign media and membership in anti-regime groups. Conviction: In three separate cases, a total of 23 years in prison. Place of imprisonment: Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad.
	30- Golareh Abbasi, civil activist Charges: Assembly and collusion against national security, and propaganda against the regime. Conviction: 33 months in prison. Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.
	31. Arsham Rezaei, civil activist Charges: Assembly and collusion with the intent to commit a crime against national security; propaganda activities against the regime; inciting people to clashes and bloodshed; acquiring illicit gains; and spreading falsehoods. Conviction: In two separate cases, a total of 15 years in prison, a monetary fine, 50 lashes, and social deprivations. Place of imprisonment: Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.
	32- Vadood Asadi, Azerbaijani-Turk activist Charges: Propaganda against the regime; membership in opposition groups; insulting the Supreme Leader; and assembly and collusion against national security. Conviction: In two separate cases, a total of six years and three months in prison. Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.
	33- Salar Taher Afshar, Azerbaijani-Turk activist Charges: Assembly and collusion against national security. Conviction: Five years in prison. Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.
	34. Abdolaziz Azimi-Ghadim, Azerbaijani-Turk activist Charges: Propaganda against the regime and assembly, and collusion against national security. Conviction: Six years in prison. Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.
	35. Elham Salehi, civil activist Charges: Propaganda activities against the regime; spreading falsehoods; and appearing in public without a hijab. Conviction: One year in prison and complementary punishments. Place of imprisonment: Qarchak Prison in Varamin.
	36. Abolfazl Khoran, teachers’ union activist Charges: Insulting sacred values and disrupting public order and public peace. Conviction: A total of six years in prison, 74 lashes, and a 40 million toman fine in two separate cases. Place of imprisonment: Arak Prison.
	37- Masoud Farhikhteh, teachers’ union activist Charges: Assembly and collusion with the intent to commit crimes against the country’s internal security, and propaganda activities against the regime. Conviction: Four years, one month, and 17 days in prison. Place of imprisonment: Karaj Central Penitentiary.
	38- Reza Mohammad-Hosseini, civil activist Charges: Membership in anti-regime groups with the aim of disrupting national security; assembly and collusion to commit a crime against national security; and propaganda activities against the regime. Conviction: Initially 41 years and six months, later reduced to five years in prison at the appeals stage. Place of imprisonment: Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.
	39- Mahboobeh Rezaei, civil activist Charges: Membership in anti-regime 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 sacred values; unveiling (appearing without hijab); and displaying immoral behavior in cyberspace. Conviction: Initially 19 years and 9 months, later reduced to five years in prison at the appeals stage. Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.
	40. Abbas Lessani, Azerbaijani-Turk activist Charges: Forming an unlawful group; assembly and collusion against national security; and disrupting public order. Conviction: He is being held in pretrial detention and has not yet been tried. Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.
	41. Farhad Fahandej, Baha’i civil activist Charges: No information has yet been made available regarding the charges brought against Mr. Fahandej. Conviction: He is being held in pretrial detention and has not been tried. Place of imprisonment: A Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facilities in Gorgan.
	42. Jahangir Rostami, teachers’ union activist Charges: No information has yet been made available regarding the charges brought against Mr. Rostami. Conviction: He is being held in pretrial detention and has not been tried. Place of imprisonment: The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison.
	43. Ehsan Rostami, cultural activist Charges: No information has yet been made available regarding the charges brought against Mr. Rostami. Conviction: He is being held in pretrial detention and has not been tried. Place of imprisonment: The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison.
	44. Hassan Tozandehjani, cultural activist Charges: No information has yet been made available regarding the charges brought against Mr. Tozandehjani. Conviction: He is being held in pretrial detention and has not been tried. Place of imprisonment: The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison.
	45. Ramin Rostami, cultural activist Charges: No information has yet been made available regarding the charges brought against Mr. Rostami. Conviction: He is being held in pretrial detention and has not been tried. Place of imprisonment: The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison.
	46. Nima Mahdizadegan, cultural activist Charges: No information has yet been made available regarding the charges brought against Mr. Mahdizadegan. Conviction: He is being held in pretrial detention and has not been tried. Place of imprisonment: The Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility, known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison.
	47. Mehdi Farrahi Shandiz, teachers’ union activist Charges: No information has yet been made available regarding the charges brought against Mr. Farrahi Shandiz. Conviction: He is being held in pretrial detention and has not been tried. Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison.
The following list includes activists who are currently outside prison due to a suspension of their sentences, furlough, or other similar circumstances:
	1. Narges Mohammadi, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and human rights activist Charges: Propaganda activities against the Islamic Republic of Iran through publishing a statement (the statement against executions); staging a sit-in inside the prison office; disobeying the prison warden and officials (for refusing to end the protest sit-in); breaking windows; defamation and causing bodily harm; confrontation with an officer and disobedience; and additional propaganda activities against the regime. Conviction: In seven separate cases, a total of 15 years and six months in prison, 74 lashes, exile, and social deprivations. Place of imprisonment: Evin Prison (currently on medical furlough with the execution of her sentence temporarily suspended).
	2- Amirsalar Davoudi, attorney and human rights activist Charges: Insulting the Supreme Leader; disturbing public opinion; and forming an anti-security group. Conviction: 14 years in prison. Case status: Following the Supreme Court’s Branch 39 decision to accept his request for retrial and refer the case to a parallel branch, the enforcement of his sentence has been halted.
	3- Fatemeh (Mojgan) Tadrisi, civil activist Charges: Inciting and persuading people to war and violence against one another with the intent to disrupt national security; propaganda against the regime; insulting the Supreme Leader; and forming a group aimed at undermining national security. Conviction: Six years in prison and exile. Place of imprisonment: Kachouei Prison in Karaj (currently on medical furlough).
	4. Peyman Farhangian, labor activist Charges: Propaganda against the regime and forming a group with the intent to disrupt public order. Conviction: In two separate cases, a total of 11 years in prison and social deprivations. Place of imprisonment: Azbaram Prison in Lahijan (currently on furlough).
	5. Jelveh Javaheri, women’s rights activist Charges: Propaganda against the regime. Conviction: One year in prison. Case status: Following the request for retrial at the Supreme Court, the execution of her sentence has been temporarily halted, and she has been released on bail pending review.
	6. Yasamin Heshdari, women’s rights activist Charges: Membership in a group and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security. Conviction: Six years, one month, and 17 days in prison. Case status: Following the request for retrial at the Supreme Court, the execution of her sentence has been temporarily halted, and she has been released on bail.
	7- Sara Jahani, women’s rights activist Charges: Membership in a group and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security. Conviction: Six years, one month, and 17 days in prison. Case status: Following the request for retrial at the Supreme Court, the execution of her sentence has been temporarily halted, and she has been released on bail.
	8- Matin Yazdani, women’s rights activist Charges: Membership in a group and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security. Conviction: Six years, one month, and 17 days in prison. Case status: Following the request for retrial at the Supreme Court, the execution of her sentence has been temporarily halted, and she has been released on bail.
	9- Negin Rezaei, women’s rights activist Charges: Membership in a group and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security. Conviction: Six years, one month, and 17 days in prison. Case status: Following the request for retrial at the Supreme Court, the execution of her sentence has been temporarily halted, and she has been released on bail.
	10- Forough Sami-Nia, women’s rights activist Charges: Membership in a group and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security. Conviction: Six years, one month, and 17 days in prison. Case status: Following the request for retrial at the Supreme Court, the execution of her sentence has been temporarily halted, and she has been released on bail.
	11- Shiva Shah-Siah, women’s rights activist Charges: Membership in a group and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security. Conviction: Six years, one month, and 17 days in prison. Case status: Following the request for retrial at the Supreme Court, the execution of her sentence has been temporarily halted, and she has been released on bail.
	12- Azadeh Chavoshian, women’s rights activist Charges: Membership in a group and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security. Conviction: Six years, one month, and 17 days in prison. Case status: Following the request for retrial at the Supreme Court, the execution of her sentence has been temporarily halted, and she has been released on bail.
	13- Zohreh (Fatemeh) Dadras, women’s rights activist Charges: Forming a group with the aim of disrupting national security, and assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security. Conviction: Nine years, six months, and two days in prison. Case status: Following the request for retrial at the Supreme Court, the execution of her sentence has been temporarily halted, and she has been released on bail.
	14. Zahra Dadras, women’s rights activist Charges: Membership in a group and assembly, and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security. Conviction: Six years, one month, and 17 days in prison. Case status: Following the request for retrial at the Supreme Court, the execution of her sentence has been temporarily halted, and she has been released on bail.

Human Rights Day is also an opportunity to re-examine the values that form the foundation of human dignity, values such as justice, freedom, and equality, rooted in international documents and human experience. The names recorded in this report reflect only a portion of a broader reality, one in which human rights defenders and civil activists in Iran, solely for their commitment to human principles and peaceful activities, face deprivation of liberty, security pressures, and fundamental rights violations.

These individuals, despite the limitations and high costs, embody values recognized by the international community. Silence or indifference toward their condition is not only a disregard for human suffering but also a dismissal of the principles on which the international system is built. In this context, on Human Rights Day, the following are demanded from Iranian authorities and the international community:

• Immediately and unconditionally release all individuals detained for the peaceful exercise of their rights, and review all related convictions to vacate unjust charges and ensure reparations for victims.

• End unlawful restrictions on the freedom of expression, association, assembly, and civic engagement, and halt the use of vague national security charges that criminalize peaceful dissent.

• Guarantee due process and fair trial rights, including access to independent legal counsel from the moment of arrest, transparent legal proceedings, and full access to families, medical care, and communication.

• Prohibit torture and all forms of ill-treatment, end the use of coerced forced confessions, and allow independent monitoring and inspections of all detention facilities.

• Allow independent monitoring and international engagement, including granting access to the UN Fact-Finding Mission, Special Rapporteurs (Thematic and Geographic Mandates), and credible civil society organizations to assess conditions and investigate violations.

• Establish effective accountability and oversight mechanisms to prevent recurrence of abuses, ensure judicial independence, reform vague criminal provisions enabling arbitrary detention, and hold perpetrators who enable the cycle of abuse against activists, responsible.

Finally, civil society as well as citizens across the globe are called upon to continue their support, advocacy, and awareness-raising efforts, ensuring that the situation of these prisoners is not sidelined. Amplifying their voices and demanding adherence to human rights obligations are essential steps toward achieving lasting change and alleviating the suffering of those who have sacrificed their freedom in defense of human rights.

Qarchak Varamin Prison: Repeated Deaths Caused by Lack of Medical Care and Treatment Facilities

Posted on September 26, 2025September 26, 2025 by . .

News, Prisoners

HRANA, Maryam Akbari-Monfared, Marziyeh Farsi, Parvin Mirasan, Qarchak Prison, Raheleh Rahemipour, Somayeh Rashidi, Sudabeh Asadi, Varamin

HRANA – Repeated Deaths in Qarchak Varamin Prison Amid Medical Neglect and Lack of Treatment Facilities

Systematic violations of prisoners’ rights in Qarchak Varamin Prison, particularly the denial of medical care, continue to result in fatalities. Inadequate access to health services and delays in transferring prisoners to hospitals remain among the most critical issues, repeatedly leading to preventable deaths.

In the most recent case, Somayeh Rashidi, a political detainee, died yesterday after prison doctors misdiagnosed her condition and failed to transfer her to a hospital in time. On Tuesday, September 16, she was eventually taken to Mofatteh Hospital in Varamin after her health deteriorated. By then, her level of consciousness was critically low, and doctors described her condition as beyond recovery.

Less than a week earlier, on Friday, September 19, Jamileh Azizi, a prisoner convicted of financial charges, also died following medical neglect. She was taken to the prison infirmary with symptoms of a heart attack. Despite clear warning signs, doctors dismissed her condition and sent her back to her ward, where she soon died in Moshar 2.

Today, HRANA also confirmed the death of Sudabeh Asadi, another prisoner held on financial charges, further underscoring the lethal consequences of medical deprivation in this facility.

A former staff member of Qarchak told HRANA:

“One of the prison’s most serious problems is poor medical care. The infirmary doesn’t even have a blood pressure monitor. Oxygen tanks are often empty, the ECG machine is broken, and no defibrillator is available. Transfers to hospitals face complicated procedures and are frequently blocked.”

He continued:

“Medical diagnoses are often incorrect, and prisoners are regularly accused of faking illness. Medicine is in short supply—sometimes a single bottle of syrup is given to all prisoners with a common cold. Because of overcrowding, each prisoner is allowed only one infirmary visit per month. Even basic equipment such as stretchers and wheelchairs is missing, severely limiting urgent care.”

A prisoner recently told family members about the behavior of medical staff:

“When we go to the infirmary, not only are we not properly examined, but we’re insulted with comments like, ‘You’re not dead yet,’ ‘Why do you keep coming here?’ and ‘I wish you’d die sooner.’”

According to HRANA’s information, several political prisoners—including Raheleh Rahemipour, Parvin Mirasan, Maryam Akbari Monfared, Marziyeh Farsi, and Shiva Esmaeili—suffer from multiple health problems. The number of non-political prisoners facing similar conditions remains unknown, though investigations are ongoing.

Qarchak Varamin Prison holds at least 1,000 inmates. A former employee told HRANA:

“The prison has at least 11 wards. Political prisoners are held in quarantine, financial prisoners and sick detainees in Moshar 2, and foreign nationals are housed among other prisoners depending on their charges.”

Additional concerns include frequent power and water outages, lack of cooling systems that contribute to widespread skin diseases, broken bathroom facilities that force inmates to queue for long periods, and failed ventilation that worsens already poor hygiene.

Food quality is another major issue. A relative of one inmate explained:

“Meals for prisoners convicted of general crimes are both smaller and of lower quality than those for others. If chicken is on the menu, they only get a few shredded scraps floating in broth—no real pieces of chicken in the stew.”

Following Israeli strikes on Evin Prison, HRANA reported the large-scale transfer of female political prisoners from Evin to Qarchak. Since then, those placed in Ward 11 (formerly the quarantine ward) have faced severe overcrowding, lack of ventilation, shortages of essential items, and discriminatory treatment by officials—conditions that families continue to raise concerns about, but which remain unresolved.

Maryam Akbari Monfared’s Imprisonment Extended by Two Years After Completion of 15-Year Sentence

Posted on October 12, 2024 by . .

News, Prisoners

evin court, Hossein Taj, Maryam Akbari-Monfared, moharebeh, Semnan, Zeinab Jalalian

On October 11, Maryam Akbari Monfared completed her 15-year prison sentence, but she remains behind bars due to the enforcement of a new two-year sentence. This extension means the political prisoner, who is the second longest-held female political detainee in Iran, will continue her incarceration.

Akbari Monfared’s lawyer, Hossein Taj, commented on the situation: “After 15 years of imprisonment with exile and not a single day of furlough, my client’s sentence ended. Over the years, several cases were initiated against her, most of which ended in acquittal. However, the latest case, presented without evidence, resulted in a two-year sentence. According to the law, the new sentence should be served in Tehran.”

Akbari Monfared was arrested on December 31, 2009, following the Ashura protests, demonstrations that erupted in response to the disputed results of the 2009 presidential election. In June 2010, she was sentenced by Branch 15 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, led by Judge Abolqasem Salavati, to 15 years in prison. She was charged with “enmity against God (Moharebeh)” for alleged membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, an accusation she has consistently denied.

On March 9, 2021, Akbari Monfared was transferred from Evin Prison to Semnan Prison, where she has been held in the general ward. Her detention conditions violate the principle of separating prisoners based on the nature of their crimes, and she has had limited access to health facilities.

In July 2022, two new cases were brought against her in the courts of Evin and Semnan. A year later, in July 2023, her lawyer confirmed that she had been sentenced to an additional two years in prison by the Revolutionary Court.

Akbari Monfared’s family has a history of political persecution. Two of her brothers were executed in 1981 and 1984 by Iran’s Revolutionary Courts for alleged membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran. In 1988, her younger brother and sister were also executed during the mass killings of political prisoners.

A mother of three daughters, Maryam Akbari Monfared now holds the position of the second longest-serving female political prisoner in Iran, following Zeinab Jalalian.

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

Posted on March 6, 2024 by main

News, Women

Anisha Asadollahi, Arghavan Falahi, Armita Pavir, Azar Korundi Mousa Zadeh, Azita Foroughi Motlagh, Bahareh Hedayat, Batool Omidy, Elaheh Fouladi, Faezeh Hashemi, Fakhri Omidy, Farahnaz Nikkhoo, Fariba Asadi, Fariba Kamalabadi, Farideh Ghahremani Far, Farideh Moradkhani, Farshid (Tahereh) Nouri, Farzaneh Gharahasanloo, Farzaneh Moeini, Fatemeh (Mozhgan) Tadrisi, Fatemeh Sepehri, Fereshteh Fadaee Far, Fermisk Babai, Forough Taghipour, Gina Pendar, Glavizh Tahmasbi, golrokh iraee, Hajar Saeidi, Kubra Bigi, Laleh Sa’ati, Lalikhan Niknia., Lian Darvish, Mahboubeh Rezaei, Mahnaz Tarahhomi, Mahsa Saeidi, Mahvash Adalati Aliabadi, Mahvash Shahriari, Maryam Akbari-Monfared, Maryam Ebrahimi, Maryam Hajj Hosseini, Maryam Jalal Hosseini, Maryam Vahidfard, Marzieh Farsi, Marzieh Jani Pour, Masoumeh (Akram) Akbari, Masoumeh Yavari, Mina Khajavi, Moloud Hossein Doost, Nahid Khodajoo, Nahid Shirpisheh, Nahid Taghavi, Narges Mansouri, Narges Mohammadi, Narges Soleimani, Nasim Gholami Simiari, Nasim Sultan Beigi, Nasrin Hasani, Nasrin Khazri Javadi, Nasrin Roshan, Nasrin Sadat Shahraeeni, Neda Fotouhi, Negin Hosseinzadeh, Niloufar Bayani, Niloufar Ghazaleh, Niloufar Sadat Hashemian, Noushin Mesbah, Pakshan Azizi, Parastoo Afshari Nejad, Parisa Mohammadi, Parvin Mirassan, Raha Pour Ebrahim, Rahleh Rahmi Pour, Razavaneh Ahmad Khan Beigi, Reyhaneh Ansari Nejad, Roya Malakouti, Roya Sabat, Saeideh (Samira) Sabouri, Safoura Maleki, Sahar (Fateme) Makhtari, Sahar Ahmadi, Sahar Salehian, Sakineh Parvaneh, Samaneh Norooz Moradi, Samira Nejatian, Sanaz Jahan Tigh, Sanaz Tafazzoli, Sara Nasiri, Sarina Jahani, Sarvnaz Ahmadi, Sepideh Gholian, Sepideh Kashani, Sepideh Keshavarz, Shadi Shahidzadeh, Shakila Monfared, Sharifeh Mohammadi, Shirin Saeidi, Shiva Ismaeili, Soha Mortazai, Soodabeh Fakharzadeh, Tina Deljoo, Varisheh Moradi, Vida Rabani, women day, Yasamin Saboohi, Yekta Fahandezh-Sa`adi, Zahra Safaei, Zahra Saru, Zeinab Hamrang Seyed Beglo, Zeinab Jalalian, Zhila Hejbari, Zhinous Shadabi, Ziba Gholich Khani

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

Maryam Akbari Monfared Assaulted in Semnan Prison

Posted on August 25, 2022 by A MN

News, Prisoners

Maryam Akbari-Monfared, Semnan prison

On August 24, 2022, political prisoner Maryam Akbari Monfared was beaten by a prison official in Semnan Prison.

According to an informed source, the prison deputy chief cancelled Monfared’s family visit because he considered her daughters’ cover improper. He ordered the guards to return Monfared to the ward. When she resisted, a prison guard squeezed her throat and beat her violently. Ultimately, they let Monfared visit her children.

Akbari Monfared is currently serving her 15-year sentence in Semnan Prison. She has been imprisoned since 2009 without a furlough.

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

Posted on October 24, 2018August 10, 2021 by admin-hr

Prisoners

Atena Daemi, Evin Prison, golrokh iraee, iran human rights, Maryam Akbari-Monfared, prisoner of conscience, Zanyar Moradi

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.

On World Day Against Death Penalty, Women in Evin Prison Urge UN Special Rapporteur to Visit Iran

Posted on October 12, 2018 by Sara

Executions, Prisoners

Atena Daemi, Golrokh Irayee, Maryam Akbari-Monfared, open letter, un special rapporteur on iran, World Day Against the Death Penalty

Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) – From the walls of Evin Prison’s Women’s Ward, political prisoners Maryam Akbari Monfared, Golrokh Irayee, and Atena Daemi wrote a letter dated October 10th — the World Day Against the Death Penalty — urging the United Nations Special Rapporteur Javaid Rehman to come and witness Iranian human rights violations in person.

In observance of the same occasion, Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI) recently published its annual report on the death penalty, pending, and carried out since October 2017. According to this report, 256 executions were carried out in Iran between October 10, 2017, and October 9, 2018, a 50% decrease from last year due likely to newly-ratified laws precluding death-sentence rulings on drug-related cases. Due process is glaringly absent from the judicial processes leading up to executions in Iran.

Recently, another group of prisoners from Rajai Shahr in Karaj wrote to Rehman, requesting that members of the United Nations place on their dealings with Iranian authorities a condition: demonstrate further respect for human rights by abolishing the death penalty, which the prisoners called a “weapon of terror.”

The complete text of Akbari, Irayee, and Daemi’s letter, translated into English by HRANA, is below:

“To Mr. Javaid Rehman, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran,

As the World Day Against the Death Penalty approaches, we decided to report to you a summary of the countless instances of human rights violations that took place over the last decade in our country.

News agencies announced the elimination of the death penalty for drug-related offenses some time ago, yet killings on such accounts are still happening outside of the media spotlight. Drug dealing and homicide remain the judicial justification for a majority of the executions in Iran.

Current statistics — which you most certainly have seen — indicate that defendants, men & women alike, are sentenced to death every year on homicide and manslaughter charges, and lose their lives very soon after their convictions are delivered.

Alongside prisoners convicted on criminal charges, many prisoners of conscience and political prisoners have been executed by firing squad or in the gallows over the last four decades.

According to available documentation, these executions were at their peak in the first decade of the Islamic Republic (1978-1988). People were often executed without trial, their bodies piled in unmarked mass graves on the fringe of the city. (Meanwhile, those who oppose capital punishment have no license to speak, and are currently behind bars because of their dissent).

As the World Day Against the Death Penalty drew near, authorities carried out the execution sentence of Zaynab Sakavand, a 24-year-old woman who had spent many years in prison since being convicted as a minor. This was but one example among the thousands carried out over the past few years on charges of smuggling, theft, killing, […]. As long as the death sentence can be meted, its pool of victims will be populated by alleged offenders of this type, many of whom are victims of poverty and socioeconomic class struggle, or political and ideological activists who are victims of a corrupt system whose policies are rigged against them.

The current administration began selling in 2013 the well-known figurative promise to provide keys to unlock problems and free prisoners of politics and conscience. Yet executions [on these grounds] have pressed on. Sherko Moarefi, Ehsan Fattahian, and Gholamreza Khosravi were all executed shortly after the administration undertook its [“key”] project.

The summer of 2016 conjured memories of the 1980s. Prisoners of conscience (Sunni Kurds) were executed en masse, leading to the overnight evacuation of a Rajai Shahr Prison hall. Exactly one month before the World Day Against the Death Penalty, Ramin Hossein Panahi, Zanyar Moradi, and Loghman Moradi were executed without the slightest shred of evidence to support their conviction. Their bodies, like the bodies of Farzad Kamangar (the hanged teacher), were buried in an unknown location. They suffered the same fate as Roghiyeh Akbari Monfared, Mojtaba Mohseni, Mehrzad Pakzad, Abdolreza Akbari Monfared, the Behkish Family, and thousands of others who lost their lives in the mass executions of the 1980’s, many of whose names have been documented by the Committee for Enforced Disappearance of the United Nations.

Over the past few years, many Kurdish and Arab activists, as well as a number of ideological activists, have been arrested for subscribing to beliefs that countered those of the ruling body. They were accused of baseless crimes, and — with the ultimate intention of creating fear and repressing public unrest — were tortured, forced to implicate themselves by false confession, and hanged. Mohammad Salas was the most recent of these victims.

The Islamic Republic’s apology for the death sentence is its [supposed] role in preventing criminal recidivism and in setting an example for others. While experience has proven that execution is not and never will be an effective preventative measure, the Islamic Republic continues to argue for its necessity and consonance with Sharia law. This fact alone demonstrates their abuse of the religious spirit of Iranian society, with the intention of oppressing and deceiving the public mind. If Iranian authorities can actually produce reliable documentation in support of their position on these cases, which are only a few among countless cases like them in Iran, they should certainly welcome you in Tehran.

We the undersigned, political activists held at the Women’s Ward of Evin Prison, on this World Day Against the Death Penalty, express our abhorrence of the executions that have already taken place in Iran, and request that you — Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran, Mr. Javaid Rehman — travel to Iran to investigate violations of human rights, and advocate for a wholesale abolition of the death sentence, regardless of the crimes it aims to punish, be they political, ideological, or criminal. Your arrival in Iran and plea for accountability from authorities will clarify many ambiguities. The Islamic Republic’s refusal to welcome you would demonstrate their determination to eliminate human beings in their death machine and would confirm the criminal scope of their actions. While we harbor no delusions that things will improve, since we view the current administration as beyond reform, we nevertheless wish for an immediate halt on capital-punishment verdicts, and for a change to Iran’s oppressive penal law.

Signed:

Maryam Akbari Monfared, Golrokh Irayee, and Atena Daemi
Women’s Ward of Evin Prison, October 2018”

About the authors: Maryam Akbari Monfared was detained on December 31, 2009 following a widespread Ashura demonstration during the holy month of Muharram. In June 2010, Judge Salavati sentenced her to 15 years’ imprisonment in Branch 15 of Tehran Revolutionary Court. She was convicted of enmity against god, gathering and colluding against national security, and propagating against the regime through working with the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK). She has denied these charges.

Golrokh Ebrahimi Irayee 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. She was released on a bail of 800 million rials. On October 24, 2016, the IRGC arrested Irayee 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. Irayee was sentenced to six years in prison, which was reduced to 2.5 years based on amnesty and Article 134 of Islamic Penal Code. She was convicted of insulting the sacred and gathering and collusion against the regime.

Atena Daemi was detained October 21, 2014, and was transferred to Evin’s Women’s Ward January 14, 2015 after spending 86 days in a solitary cell of Ward 2-A. On May 15, 2015, she was sentenced by Judge Moghiseh of Revolutionary Court Branch 28 to 14 years’ imprisonment on charges of assembly and collusion against national security, propaganda against the regime, and Insulting the supreme leader. On February 15, 2016, she was released on a bail of 5500 million rials. Her appeals court convened in July of 2016, and reduced her sentence to seven years. She learned of the appeals decision two months later. After being arrested again in her parents home on November 26, 2016, her sentence was reduced to five years, pursuant to article 134 of Islamic Penal Code.

Earlier this month, HRANA reported on verbal orders from an Evin Warden that barred these women from having visitors for three weeks.

Kept Apart for 9 Years: a Mother Wishes her Daughter “Happy Birthday” from Evin Prison

Posted on October 10, 2018 by admin-hr

Prisoners, Women

Evin, Evin Prison, Maryam Akbari Monafred, Maryam Akbari-Monfared, open letter, Prisoner abuse, Women's Ward of Evin Prison

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) – Evin political prisoner Maryam Akbari Monfared wished her daughter a happy 13th birthday in letter she wrote from behind bars, where she has spent every one of her daughter’s birthdays for the past nine years.

Monfared, along with fellow prisoners of conscience Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee and Atena Daemi, was recently punished with a three-week ban on family visits per verbal orders from the director of the Evin Prison Women’s Ward. All three were told they were being disciplined for protesting authorities’ attempts to unlawfully interrogate them this past September.

The full letter of Monafred’s letter to her daughter, translated into English by HRANA, is below:

In the middle of a cold, rainy December night, they tore you from my arms. You were only three and a half years old, and you had your arms locked around my neck. You were in a deep, angelic sleep.

Nine years have passed since then. All these years, I have celebrated your birthday in the prison visiting room. All my cellmates have shared in my joy. Every year, I prepared for your birthday days ahead of time, as best I could. I have watched you grow from the other side of the visiting room glass, and I drew lines on the concrete for every year that you grew.

While I was in prison you started school, and then you were no longer a little girl. And now, this year, you’re turning 13. We spoke about our wishes a week ago on the phone: you asked me whether you could come for a visit the following week, on your birthday. “Why wouldn’t you?!” I replied. “Of course you can!” Little did I know that our rare joys were being watched with malice from afar.

Before you arrived Wednesday, the Ward Director Ms. Abdolhamidi told me I’d been banned from visits for three weeks. When you came, you jumped into my arms and told me, ‘Mom, it’s my birthday next week! I’ll come to visit you and it will just be you and me.’”

It was more than I could bear to tell you that our visit next week would be canceled. My heart burned with anger and loathing for [the authorities], who would rob even the smile off your face. Flames of rage are still burning inside me.

Tomorrow is your birthday. I’ve been talking to my friends about it all day. I close my eyes and travel back in time to Iran Hospital, October 8th, 2005.

It is 6 a.m., and I am sitting in the hospital lobby. It is 10 days past your due date, but looking back now, it seems you were stalling your arrival in this world, that you foresaw that you would be targeted by the storms of life. But finally, you came, and your very first cries at 12 p.m. brought a smile to my face. I still feel your beautiful face and your first cry, and sense the sweet feeling of taking you into my arms for the first time.

I opened my eyes and there you were, a beautiful doll in a pistachio-green blanket with snowflakes on it. The delight of breastfeeding you, the joy of when you first opened your eyes; the first steps you took towards a beautiful life and future, and the music of your first word.

My dear Nazanin: I was not with you on your 13th birthday. I know that by now you understand why we’re apart. I know that you’ve suffered a lot these past nine years. Yet, we have promised each other to smile until smiles light the faces of all of Iran’s children. We promised each other to cherish our brief visits, for all of the times that we miss being together. We have pledged together to vanquish a monster.

My dear Sara: our future is bright. I hope for the daybreak whose first morning rays will be freedom, when I will tousle your hair and embrace you without the pain and the stress of knowing our visit could end the next moment. Let us laugh until daybreak […]

Maryam Akbari Monfared
October 6, 2018
Evin Prison Women’s Ward

****
Maryam Akbari Monfared was arrested December 2009 during protests following Iran’s contentious election cycle of that year. In June 2010, Judge Salavati of Revolutionary Court Branch 15 sentenced her to 15 years in prison on the charge of “moharebeh” (enmity against God), on the premise that she was a member of the People’s Mujahedin of Iran (MEK). Monfared denied the charge.

Two of Monfared’s brothers were executed in 1981 and 1984 for membership in the MEK after being convicted in revolutionary courts. A younger brother and sister were also executed in 1988 as part of a mass execution of political prisoners.

Governance by Deprivation in Evin Prison: 3 in Women’s Ward Denied Visits for 3 Weeks

Posted on October 9, 2018 by admin-hr

Prisoners, Women

Atena Daemi, Evin Prison, Golrokh Irayi, Maryam Akbari-Monfared, Prisoner abuse, Women's Ward of Evin Prison

Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) – On October 2nd, Evin authorities punished three prisoners with a 3-week ban on visitation.

The head of the Evin Women’s Ward dictated the disciplinary measure to prisoners Maryam Akbari Monfared, Golrokh Iraee, and Atena Daemi, reportedly after the three chanted slogans and got involved in a verbal altercation last September in the prison’s visitation room when they had resisted authorities’ attempts to unlawfully interrogate them. The prison’s disciplinary council condemned them to the three-week ban in absentia.

A source told HRANA that Monfared, Iraee, and Daemi got a “no” when they asked to be shown the ban order in writing. The warden offered the pretext that authorities were acting on a verbal order from Prison Chief Chaharmahali and the prosecutors.

Akbari Monfared is a mother of three daughters, two of whom are currently in college and one of whom is school-age. Though her visitation hours were recently slated to change in accordance with her children’s academic schedules, Prosecution Representative Rostami put a stop to the change. She hasn’t had a furlough day in all of her nine years in prison.

Daemi and Iraee got their own backlash from authorities when the prison chief ordered their bodies to be searched multiple times without cause, presumably in reprisal for their public reaction to the September 8th executions of political prisoners Hossein Panahi, Zanyar Moradi, and Loghman Moradi.

Profiles: the Women’s Section of Evin Prison

Posted on September 30, 2018 by admin-hr

Prisoners, Women

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) – The 17 prisoners held on political or security-related charges in the Women’s Ward of Tehran’s Evin Prison live with deplorable conditions, compromised hygiene, and paltry nutrition. The following is a brief exposé of their quality of life, followed by a snapshot of their individual case files.

Many of these prisoners are mothers pained by the distance from their children, a pain that is only exacerbated by the prison chief’s refusal to grant them access to the phone on days of the week that their children are home from school. While the prisoners were granted permission from prosecutors to open the Saturday-to-Wednesday phone schedule to any day of the week, the chief, who goes by “Chaharmahali,” has refused to loosen up the former protocol.

In another blatant disregard of court orders, prison authorities refuse to send prisoners to outside medical clinics even when prosecutors and deputy prosecutors order or grant permission for the transfers. Prison authorities justify their refusal by saying that the prison clinic has its own doctors, or will recruit them as necessary; yet prisoners needing help from a psychologist, eye doctor, or internal specialist wait months to be seen.

These women are effectively hindered from providing even the most basic care to themselves, as clinic authorities refuse to distribute basic medicine or first aid kits to inmates. Many–insulted by the stipulations from Khani, the clinic head, that they take all of their nightly medication in one supervised sitting–have quit their medications in protest, and are experiencing aggravated symptoms as a result.

Evin Prison dentistry operates in less-than-sterile conditions and exposes patients to remarkably high risk for infections. Cavity fillings are expensive there, putting patients out as much as 20 million rials (approximately $114 USD) or preventing them, for lack of means, from getting the fillings they need. Many of the Evin women have trouble footing the bill, as the now-unemployed breadwinners of their households or as the wives of men who are also behind bars.

Prison food rations are growing more pitiful by the day. Forty-day rations of dry food items that are distributed to prisoners are depleted without fail within half that time. In the last six months, meat and vegetables have been cut from the prisoners’ diets.

Hygiene and cleaning items are also in short supply. Most prisoners run out, and those who can’t afford the pricey prison shop simply do without.

Deputy prosecutor Rostami oversees political and security prisoners and recently took up his position in Evin’s prosecutorial office. While he has verbally engaged to welcome prisoner families into his office on Sundays and Tuesdays, complaints from these families suggest that he is chronically unavailable, impassive to their requests, and generally unaccountable. Complaints lead nowhere, families say; requests for furlough or conditional release are routinely ignored.

Prison authorities rarely visit the Women Section, and tend to either lose or ignore any letters from its inmates.

Who are the women of Evin Prison’s Women’s Ward?

1- Maryam Akbari Monfared (born 1975)

Convicted of enmity against god, gathering and colluding against national security and propagating against the regime through working with the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), Monfared is serving a suspended sentence of 15 years.

Monfared was arrested December 31, 2009, following a widespread Ashura demonstration during the holy month of Muharram. She was tried the following May and sentenced by Branch 15 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, presided by Judge Salavati. She denied the accusations against her.

Monfared has been shuffled around different penitentiaries over the course of her imprisonment, inducing the solitary cells of Ward 209, the Methadone Ward, the Women’s Ward, Rajai Shahr Prison, and Qarchak Prison in Varamin. After writing several letters to clerics, prison authorities, and Ahmad Shaheed, then the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran, she was returned to Evin’s Women’s Ward and has remained there since.

Two of Maryam’s brothers were executed in 1981 and 1984 for their connections to the MEK. Another younger brother and a sister were also executed during the 1988 massacre.

Maryam, a mother of two, has been barred from conditional release and has not received a single day of furlough since she began her sentence in 2009.

2- Zahra Zahtabchi (born 1969)

Zahra Zahtabchi was issued a 10-year suspended sentence for Baqi (violation) and enmity against god through support of the MEK.

Zahtabchi was arrested with her husband and daughter on October 16, 2013. She came to Evin’s Women’s Ward after spending 14 months in the solitary cells of Ward 209. On December 8, 2014, Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Courts sentenced her to 12 years in prison. The sentence was reduced to 10 years in appeals court.

Her two daughters are Narges, 22 and Mina, 15.

In 2016, three years after her arrest, she went on furlough for three days.

3- Fatemeh Mosana (born 1967)

Fatemeh Mosana was sentenced to 15 years for Baqi and enmity against god through support of the MEK in Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, headed by Judge Ahmadzadeh. Her husband Hassan Sadeghi received the same sentence.

Mosana, Sadeghi, and their child were arrested January 28, 2013, by Intelligence Ministry forces. The child was released after six weeks.

Mosana spent 75 days in the solitary cells of Ward 209 before her transfer to the Women’s Ward.

On January 13, 2014, she was temporarily released on bail. Some of her family’s property, including Sadeghi’s shop and their personal house, was seized by the authorities.

On September 30, 2015, she was re-arrested and taken to the Women’s Ward. She has two children who currently live with their ailing grandmothers.

Mosana, who suffers from ulcerative colitis and severe nervous migraines, has never been granted furlough.

4- Narges Mohammadi (born 1972)

Narges Mohammadi is serving a 16-year sentence, compounded by a six-year sentence on a previous case.

Narges was first arrested in 2002 and then released on bail after a week. For that case, she received a one-year sentence.

In May 2010, she was arrested and held for weeks in the solitary cells of Evin’s Ward 209 before being released on a bail of 1 billion rials. In 2011, she was convicted of gathering and collusion against national security and propaganda against the regime, which carried a sentence of 11 years in prison. The sentence was later reduced to six years in appeals court.

She started serving her sentence in 2012, which began with one month in solitary confinement and four months in exile in Zanjan. She was released due to health conditions before being re-arrested in 2015 to resume her sentence. At that point, authorities opened up a new case file against her, convicting her anew of gathering and collusion, and of propaganda against the regime, with the additional charge of establishing LEGAM, a campaign to abolish the death penalty. Collectively her charges earned her 16 years in prison, but by Article 134 of Islamic Penal Code, she should only serve 10 [i.e. the sentence corresponding to the heaviest among her multiple charges].

She has two children, and on the prosecutor’s orders is barred from having contact with her husband.

She suffers from pulmonary embolism and was granted a three-day furlough on September 29th.

5- Reyhaneh Haj Ebrahim Dabagh

Born in 1982, Reyhaneh Haj Ebrahim Dabagh is serving a 15-year exile imprisonment sentence, ruled by Judge Salavati in Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court on charges of enmity against god through support of the MEK, gathering and colluding, and propaganda against the regime.

Ebrahim Dabagh has been in prison since early 2010. She suffers from ulcerative colitis and has served exile time in Qarchak and Rajai Shahr prisons. Her husband Ahmad Daneshpour and her father-in-law Mohsen Daneshpour are awaiting trial in Evin’s Section 350. They are both said to have been sentenced to capital punishment.

After seven years in prison, Ebrahim Dabagh went on furlough for the first time in December 2016, and was briefly freed on bail. On August 15, 2018, she was sent back to Women’s Ward to serve the rest of her sentence.

6- Azita Rafizadeh (born 1980)

As part of a 2011 crackdown on the Baha’i academic community, security agents raided the homes of managers and professors at the Baha’i Institute of Higher Education (BIHE), including Azita Rafizadeh’s. In the raid, her religious books, personal writings, and electronic devices were confiscated.

Rafizadeh was sentenced in 2014 to four years in prison on charges of acting against national security and membership in “the illegal Baha’i organization.” Her husband Peyman Kooshkbaghi was sentenced to five years in prison at the same time.

She presented hersef to Evin’s prosecutors in 2015 to begin her sentence. On February 28, 2018, her husband was detained without reason in Evin’s section 8 while trying to arrange a visit with her. Rafizade and Kooshkbaghi have a 10-year-old son name Bashir who in absence of his parents has been trusted to the care of another family.

7- Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe (born 1979)

Zaghari-Ratcliffe is serving a five-year suspended sentence on charges of gathering and collusion against national security.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested at the airport while visiting Iran on holiday in 2016. After a day in IRGC’s detention center, she was transferred to Kerman prison, and two months later to Tehran, where Judge Salavati issued her prison sentence in July of that year. A few months later, she was sent to the Women’s Ward.

On August 23rd, she was granted a three-day furlough after two and a half years in prison. She has a four-year-old daughter.

8- Aras Amiri (born in 1986)

A student of London’s Kingston University, Amiri was arrested by Intelligence Ministry forces on March 14, 2018, and released two months later after posting a 5000 million rial bail. On September 7, 2018, she was summoned and subsequently arrested by Evin prosecutors, after which she was sent to the prison’s Women’s Ward. She has denied the “gathering and collusion against national security” accusations against her and is still awaiting trial.

9- Golrokh Ebrahimi Irayi (born 1980)

Irayi was sentenced to six years in prison, which was reduced to 2.5 years based on amnesty and Article 134 of Islamic Penal Code. She was convicted of insulting the sacred and gathering and collusion against the regime. Earlier this year, she was exiled to Varamin’s Qarchak prison, and was brought back to Evin after going on hunger strike.

On September 6, 2014, Golrokh was arrested along with her husband, Arash Sadeghi. She spent two days in an IRGC safe house and then 20 days in the solitary cells of Evin’s Section 2A, which is under IRGC jurisdiction. She was released on a bail of 800 million rials.

Judge Salavati sentenced her to six year in prison while she was undergoing surgery in the hospital.

On October 24, 2016, the IRGC arrested her without a warrant. Her husband Arash Sadeghi was also arrested and sentenced to 19 years in prison. He is currently in Karaj’s Rajai Shahr prison and has undergone operations for cancer.

Arash and Golrokh have been forbidden from seeing each other for the past 8 months.

10- Nasrin Sotoudeh (born 1963)

According to Sotoudeh’s lawyer, she has been sentenced to five years in prison for espionage (a charge that does not figure on her charge sheet), a complaint from Kashan prosecutorial interrogators, and an arrest order from Branch Two of Evin’s interrogators. She currently awaits trial.

Sotoudeh was first arrested September 2010 and sentenced to 11 year in prison, a 20-year ban from the bar association, and 20-year travel ban. Appeals court reduced these sentences to six years in prison and a 10-year ban from the bar. She was in Evin prison from 2010 to 2013 on charges of “acting against national security.” Upon her release, lawyer’s court banned her from the bar for three years, which she protested in 2014 by organizing a sit-in in front of the Bar Association. Because of her sit-in, her attorney privileges were reinstated.

On June 13th of this year she was arrested in her home and taken to Evin prison. Her husband Reza Khandan is being held in Evin’s Section Four. Two of her children, Mehrave and Nima, are currently in the care of family friends.

11- Negin Ghadamian (born 1983)

Ghadamian was sentenced to a five-year suspended sentence on a conviction of against national security through membership in “the illegal Baha’i organization.”

On May 24, 2011, Negin was arrested by security forces and released on a bail of 500 million rials. In February 2013, along with eight other Baha’i citizens, she was convicted in absentia of working with the Baha’i Institute for Higher Education and sentenced to five years in prison by Judge Moghise. On December 16, 2017, she was arrested at the airport and sent to the Women’s Ward of Evin prison to serve her sentence.

12 – Masoumeh (Mino) Ghasemzade Malakshah (born 1976)

Malakshah and her ex-husband, Amir-Mehdi Tabasi were arrested in 2011 by the Intelligence Ministry agents. Both were detained and later released on bail on espionage charges after travelling to the Israeli embassy in Turkey and applying for residency in Israel. Both Malakshah and Tabasi were sentenced to 10 years, a sentence which was confirmed in appeals court in 2017.

Malakshah was taken to the Women’s Ward of Evin prison. Tabasi is detained in a different ward of same prison.

13- Ruqayya Haji Mashallah (born 1981)

Mashallah is awaiting trial on charges that are currently unclear.

Of Iranian origin, Mashallah is a citizen of Bahrain. She was arrested in May 2018 in Mashhad and taken to Evin’s Women’s Ward on June 27th of the same year. Her Bahraini husband has only been able to meet with her once since her arrest. She a mother to three children.

14- Leila Tajik (born 1973)

Tajik was arrested by IRGC’s Intelligence Department on September 5, 2017. She was taken to the Women’s Ward earlier this year after spending seven months in an IRGC safe house. Her husband, who is said to be a retired employee of IRGC’s Intelligence Department, is also under arrest. She awaits trial on charges of espionage.

Tajik and her spouse have two children aged 16 and 19.

15 – Atena (Fateme) Daemi (born 1988)

Daemi was arrested on October 21, 2014.

On May 15, 2015, Judge Moghise of Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court sentenced her to 14 year in prison on charges of collusion and gathering against national security, propaganda against the regime, and insulting the Supreme Leader. Her sentence was reduced to five years with application of Article 134 of Islamic Penal Code.

After her arrest and before her trial, she spent 86 days in the solitary cells of Section 2-A. On February 15, 2016, she was released on a bail of 5500 million rials. Her sentenced was reduced to seven years in appeals court in August of 2016.

Daemi was arrested in her father’s house that November, and cases against her two sisters and one of her brother-in-laws immediately followed. She went on hunger strike for 54 days until the charges against them were dropped. So far she has been acquitted of two case files that have been opened against her.

In January of this year, she was taken to Varamin’s Qarchak prison after being assaulted. On May 9th, she was taken back to Evin’s Women’s Ward. She has thus far been denied furlough and has yet to request parole.

16- Elham Barmaki (born 1968)

On December 28, 2011, Barmarki was arrested on the street and spent three months in the solitary cells of Section 209. She was then released on bail and was later acquitted.

On July 23, 2012, she was arrested again, this time spending 14 months Section 209 solitary cells. On September 29, 2013, she was transferred to the Women’s Ward.

In Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court, headed by Judge Moghise, Barmaki was sentenced to 10 years in prison and fines of 25,000 Euros, 70,000 USD, and 400 million rials. She has two children, Amir-Parviz and Anita, who both live abroad. She was released once on furlough in March 2017 for the Persian New Year. Her request for parole has been rejected.

17 – Sotoudeh Fazeli (born 1953)

Fazeli was arrested in early 2011 by the Intelligence Ministry. She spent 31 days in Evin’s Section 209 before being released on bail in 2011. Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court, headed by Judge Salavati, sentenced her to three years in prison on charges of “enmity against god by supporting the MEK.” She has been held in the Women’s Ward since June 29, 2016.

Fazeli suffers from eye and muscle problems, among other health conditions. She was released on a short furlough in 2016. Her requests for parole have been repeatedly rejected.

Since the beginning of the new Persian calendar year in 2018, 15 new prisoners have entered the Women’s Ward, including Zahra Zare, Negar Zarei, Mandana Azarmah, Akram Gholami, Aliyah Eghdamdoost, Akram Mirsane, Raha Fasayi, Parisa Rahmati, Batool Ezati and Arefe Aziz. A number of these women have been already released.

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

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

The complete text of Akbari, Irayee, and Daemi’s letter, translated into English by HRANA, is below:

The full letter of Monafred’s letter to her daughter, translated into English by HRANA, is below: