JINHA

NEWS CENTER- A report has been released by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). Acoording to the report, At least 40 women are imprisoned on political, ideological and security charges in a number of prisons in Iran. Prison conditions are also very poor and inhumane. As such, many of imprisoned women have developed various illnesses. Some of them have children but are deprived of visiting them.

The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) has released a report about the female prisoners in Iran. The report reads, "At least 40 women are imprisoned on political, ideological and security charges in a number of prisons in Iran.However, this figure must be considered minimum, as the Iranian regime conceals most of the information about political detainees held in secret prisons.Under the mullahs' rule in Iran, women are supposed to stay home and therefore, having any kind of political or civil rights activity is considered a serious crime for women and evokes greater retaliation by the government.Prison conditions are also very poor and inhumane. As such, many of imprisoned women have developed various illnesses. Some of them have children but are deprived of visiting them.A number of prisoners and prison conditions have been briefly reviewed in this pamphlet."

The report also gives a list of Female Political Prisoners. One of these female prisoners is Maryam Akbari Monfared was arrested in January 2009 and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Maryam's three brothers and one sister were executed in 1981, 1984, and 1988 in connection with the PMOI. Another brother of hers, Reza, is presently imprisoned in Rajaii-shahr Prison. Maryam wrote a letter to UN Special Representative on Iran, Ahmad Shahid. Maryam cited Judge Salavati who had presided over her court, as telling her, "You are paying the price of your sister and brothers."

Maryam has become ill in detention and needs to be visited by a rheumatologist, but prison officials have prevented her from going to doctor and postponed the visit under various pretexts.

Another prisoner is Fahimeh A'arafi. Fahimeh was arrested by the Revolutionary Guards Corps at her residence on August 25, 2015 and taken to Qarchak Prison of Varamin. She had not received any advanced written or verbal notice.She had been arrested twice before. In April 2015, she was kidnapped on the street because she had protested deviation of the judiciary system. She was subsequently detained in solitary confinement in Evin and interrogated for 42 days.

Baharin Asgarieh is another female political prisoner. She was arrested on August 25, 2015, during prayer in the shrine of Hazrat Massoumeh in the city of Qom. She was blindfolded and handcuffed and taken to an unknown location. Baharin had been previously arrested in 2011. She was detained and interrogated for 40 days in Ward A of Evin Prison under mental and psychological torture, but was subsequently abandoned outside the city.

(gd)