Maryam Abbassi Nikou has been detained for 52 days in the Dowlatabad Prison of Isfahan, without standing trial.
Maryam Abbassi Nikou is from Shahinshahr, in the central province of Isfahan. Agents of the Department of Intelligence raided her residence at 11 pm on June 26, 2023. They were looking for her daughter who was not home at the time. Instead, they brutalized her parents and arrested and took away her mother. The agents said Ms. Abbassi Nikou was to attend a simple questioning session and return home.
Maryam Abbassi Nikou was detained at the Department of Intelligence and eventually transferred to Dowlatabad Prison.
Her case has been referred to the Third Branch of the Interrogation Court of Shahinshahr. In the preliminary stage of investigations, Ms. Nikou has not been allowed to have a lawyer of her own choice and the court appointed her a lawyer.
She is reportedly accused of “insulting the Prophet,” a charge that is punishable by the death penalty.
Maryam’s daughter, Bita Shafii, 17, was arrested after protesting security forces for the poisoning of students. She bravely stood up to the judge and interrogators for which they broke her middle finger. Her sentence was suspended for one year and she was released after some time.
Maryam Abbassi Nikou, 42, is the mother of two children.
