In the days before elections in Iran on March 1, for which the ruling theocrats desperately tried to drum up participation, the regime took several vengeful steps against political prisoners. They denied 2023 Nobel Prize winner Narges Mohammadi’s request to attend her father’s funeral, sparking protest in Evin Prison and outrage beyond. And they suddenly terminated Nahid Taghavi’s medical furlough, and returned her back to prison.
On February 29, female political prisoners staged a sit-in protest according to an Akhbar Rooz newspaper report[i]. Described in the social media of Golrokh Iraee, imprisoned along with Narges Mohammadi in the political prisoners’ women’s ward,, women prisoners “fortified” the ward and sang protest anthems to demand that the prison grant Narges leave to attend her father’s services that were held that same day[ii]:
[Sitting in] in Evin Prison Women's ward they sang the anthem [“Blood of the Purple Tulip”] in protest against the refusal to allow Narges Mohammadi to be present at her father's funeral...
Narges Mohammadi has not been able to contact her family by phone since November 29 [2023].
It is the most basic human and legal right of all prisoners to be able to be with their family and other relatives to endure such a loss.
Karim Mohammadi, the father of Nargis Mohammadi, died on [February 27] without even hearing his daughter's voice for 3 months and without seeing her for 22 months.
Sixty women in Evin signed a statement of condolence and support which noted that “Mr. Karim Mohammadi, a man of honor, spent his later years while his daughter, Narges, endured years of separation from her children in government prisons. Despite never seeing Narges and being deprived of her voice in his last months, he consistently encouraged her to stand against injustice. On February 25th, 2024, at age ninety-two, he joined the hunger strike in Evin Prison protesting the execution of young people.”
Nahid Taghavi Ordered Back to Evin
Mariam Claren, daughter of political prisoner Nahid Taghavi, announced via social media and press interviews on February 29:
Randomly and for no apparent reason my 69-year-old mother Nahid Taghavi was forced to return to Evin Prison last night.
She was released on January 9 with an electronic ankle [bracelet] due to health reasons. Necessary medical care was hardly possible during this time, as her freedom of movement was limited to 1,000 meters from her apartment. In addition, she had developed a painful eye disease in the last weeks, which needs to be strictly monitored by doctors. Nahid Taghavi suffers from severe joint pain, herniated discs, hypertension and diabetes.
The Islamic Republic of Iran and its judicial system are responsible for everything that happens to my mother.”
Mariam Claren’s post ends with this urgent call, which we echo wholeheartedly:
I ask all freedom loving people to be the voice of my mother and all political prisoners.
#FreeNahid #cuttherope
[i] “News Bulletin: Female political prisoners staged a sit-in in support of Narges Mohammadi”, Akhbar Rooz (in Farsi), February 29, 2024.
[ii] https://www.instagram.com/p/C351YrJLig6/ Translation to English by IEC volunteers.
