Recent weeks have seen multiple political prisoners and civil rights activists in Evin Prison, launch hunger strikes in protest of their mistreatment.
These individuals, many of whom were convicted on charges related to their activism, are raising serious concerns about the conditions of their detention, denial of basic rights, and lack of access to medical care and family visits. Three prominent cases involve Sarvnaz Ahmadi, Parivash Moslemi, and Houra Nikbakht, all of whom are demanding better treatment and the fulfillment of their legal rights as prisoners.
Sarvnaz Ahmadi’s Hunger Strike for Medical Leave
Sarvnaz Ahmadi, a children’s rights activist, began a hunger strike on September 7, 2024, after Iranian regime officials repeatedly denied her request for medical leave.
Sarvnaz Ahmadi, who is serving a sentence in Evin Prison in Tehran, suffers from neurological and psychological conditions. Despite medical recommendations from her doctors, who have stressed the importance of external medical care, prison authorities have refused to release her for treatment. In protest, Ahmadi has stopped taking her medication, which has further worsened her condition.
Ahmadi’s family has expressed concerns over her declining health, noting that she suffered a panic attack earlier in prison, which led to her hospitalization. Doctors suspected that her condition may be linked to epilepsy and recommended proper medical attention outside the prison. Additionally, Sarvnaz Ahmadi has complained that her required medications are often delivered with delays, exacerbating her symptoms.
Ahmadi was arrested in April 2023, on the eve of International Workers’ Day, along with other activists at the home of Mohammad Habibi, a teachers’ rights advocate. She was sentenced to six years in prison by the Tehran Revolutionary Court for “assembly and collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the regime.” Her sentence was later reduced to three years and six months upon appeal.
Parivash Moslemi’s Protest Against Communication Restrictions
Parivash Moslemi, another political prisoner in Evin, has been on hunger strike since September 3, 2024.
Parivash Moslemi, arrested in July 2024, is protesting her inability to contact her family and the prison’s refusal to allow family visits. She was promised a visit from her children, who traveled from the northern city of Qazvin, and her husband from Mazandaran province, northern Iran, only to have prison officials cancel the visit at the last moment.
Parivash Moslemi, born in 1978, was charged with “propaganda against the regime,” “insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic,” and “collusion against national security.” Her arrest in March 2023, following the anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini, led to widespread attention. Moslemi had previously been detained during protests related to Amini’s death, which occurred while Amini was in police custody for allegedly violating Iran’s compulsory hijab law.
On August 21, 2023, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced Moslemi to two years in prison for “collusion,” one year for “insulting the Supreme Leader,” and an additional eight months for “propaganda against the regime.”
Houra Nikbakht’s Hunger Strike for Family Contact
Houra Nikbakht, another political prisoner in Evin Prison, has been on hunger strike since September 7, 2024, in protest to her limited access to phone calls and visits with her family.
Ms. Nikbakht, who published an open letter criticizing the Iranian regime’s treatment of women, was subsequently denied contact with her family for a month. In her letter, she condemned the regime for what she called the “trade” of rights, where prisoners must forfeit certain freedoms to gain access to others. Her act of defiance included a sit-in protest in front of the prison guard’s office.
Houra Nikbakht, who was arrested in June 2023 and detained in the women’s ward of Evin Prison, was charged with “propaganda against the regime” and “insulting the Supreme Leader.” She was sentenced in early August to one year in prison.
The cases of Sarvnaz Ahmadi, Parivash Moslemi, and Houra Nikbakht highlight the ongoing struggles faced by political prisoners in Iran, particularly women activists and advocates for social change.
Their hunger strikes not only draw attention to their individual cases but also serve as a broader critique of the Iranian regime’s treatment of dissenters. Without access to fair legal processes, medical care, or family contact, these prisoners continue to challenge the systemic injustices they face behind bars.
