Update: Narges Mohammadi was released on medical furlough after heart surgery, showing once again the potential of mass international outcry to pressure the IRI.

Taghi Rahmani, the husband of Narges Mohammadi, wrote on social networks this week (unofficial translation by IEC):

As of Wednesday, Narges Mohammadi suffers from severe respiratory problems. She was transferred to the hospital twice Thursday, a second time was diagnosed with a severe cardiovascular congestion, which is about 50 percent. Today Friday she had heart surgery.

But Qarchak prison is not a suitable place for any imprisoned patient. Because Qarchak prison is also a disease spreader even for a prisoner that is not sick." He has no exact information about Narges' situation and called her transfer to Qarchak "revenge".

On February 14, Taghi Rahmani quoted Narges as saying, “In Qarchak prison, we are denied the basic needs of a human being, namely the right to breathe clean air and drink potable water." “When I arrived, I was put in solitary confinement. The water was so bad that I couldn't drink it. I was forced to drink tea, which made me feel nauseous and vomit. In prison, the same water is used for everything.”

RSF (Reporters Without Borders) reports that Qarchak, notorious for its appalling hygiene, currently holds at least 1,200 women. The latest Covid-19 wave has exacerbated the situation even more and has increased the risks for vulnerable prisoners. Mohammadi reported via her husband, “Those who test positive are quarantined in the prison gym, which is unheated and has no beds, without receiving any special care.”

The prison’s sewers emit not only an “unbearably” nauseating stench but also ammonia and another type of gas that cause respiratory problems among the detainees.