Zeinab Jalalian, a Kurdish political prisoner and the only woman in Iran serving a life sentence for political reasons, is reportedly in critical health condition at Yazd Central Prison.
Zeinab Jalalian, who recently underwent surgery for uterine fibroids, was forcibly returned to prison just 24 hours after the operation, against explicit medical advice and without completing her post-surgical recovery period.
For years, Jalalian has suffered from internal bleeding, kidney complications, and chronic pain. In July 2024, despite experiencing severe pain, she was only taken to the prison infirmary, where she received painkillers instead of being examined by a specialist. Following her recent surgery, her condition has further deteriorated due to the lack of medical care, poor nutrition, and unhygienic conditions inside the prison.
According to sources close to her family, repeated requests for her immediate transfer to a hospital have gone unanswered. Prison medical staff have reportedly warned that the continuation of her current condition could result in kidney failure and irreversible health damage.
Beyond medical neglect, Zeinab Jalalian continues to face security pressures. In June 2024, intelligence agents met with her twice, conditioning her access to outside medical care on signing a “letter of repentance.”
She refused, denouncing the demand as a form of torture and a blatant violation of her fundamental rights, insisting that medical care is a legal entitlement and must not be weaponized for political coercion.
This pattern of abuse echoes an earlier incident in November 2023, when authorities threatened to strip her of her basic rights, including healthcare, unless she expressed remorse.
Who is Zeinab Jalalian?
Zeinab Jalalian was arrested in 2007 and, in 2009, was sentenced to one year in prison for illegal border crossing. Additionally, she was sentenced to death on charges of “enmity against God” for alleged membership in opposition groups. Her death sentence was upheld by the appeals court and the Supreme Court but later commuted to life imprisonment.
She has repeatedly stated that during her detention, she was subjected to severe torture, including being flogged on the soles of her feet, punched in the stomach, having her head slammed against walls, and being threatened with sexual assault.
