The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention called for immediate release of Kurdish political prisoner Zeinab Jalalian.
The working group also urged the Iranian regime to take the necessary steps to remedy the situation of Ms. Jalalian without delay in order to compensate for irreparable harms done to her.
According to the statement, the deprivation of liberty of Zeinab Jalalian is arbitrary and contravening the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on civil and political rights. The Iranian regime is further urged by the working group to put the authorities in charge of violating the rights of this Kurdish political activist on trial.
The working group transmitted a communication to the Iranian regime on February 12, 2016 and asked about Zeinab Jalalian’s conditions but they have not responded although Iran is a party to the International Covenant on civil and political rights.
Jalalian was arrested in March 2008 on the charge of complicity with PEJAK and sentenced to life in prison.
During her time with PEJAK, a good part of Ms. Jalalian’s activities consisted of educating and providing aid to improve the situation of Kurdish women. She has emphasized that she had no military or armed activities.
Zeinab Jalalian has been in detention for at least 8 years without any leave. Her heath has deteriorated due to torture and prison conditions.
Jalalian is suffering from an eye condition that has made her incapable of seeing the distance by neither of her eyes and is about to go blind.
During her time in prison, she has also suffered severe intestinal infection and internal hemorrhage due to long term detention and needs special treatment urgently.
