In a chilling turn of events, Iran is reportedly planning to return Nobel Laureate Narges Mohammadi to prison, as a tactic to stifle her unwavering commitment to human rights advocacy. Human Rights Watch has urged the authorities to cease this continuous harassment and grant her, along with all those unjustly detained, unconditional freedom.
Currently, Mohammadi is facing an extended prison term of 13 years and nine months, stemming from her courageous efforts for human rights. After enduring severe health conditions and undergoing surgery, she was temporarily released from Evin prison on December 4, 2024. This reprieve came only after a long struggle for medical attention that was often denied to her.
Despite her brief release, Mohammadi has continued to raise awareness about Iran’s dire human rights landscape. Federico Borello from Human Rights Watch highlighted that the threats against her freedom demonstrate the Iranian regime’s intolerance towards dissent. He reiterates the necessity for the unconditional release of Mohammadi and others similarly detained, emphasizing their right to medical care.
In a recent virtual meeting with Borello, Mohammadi depicted the dark realities faced by human rights defenders, revealing alarming trends such as an increase in death penalties and the systematic repression of dissenters. She underscored the torture endured by political prisoners and stressed the need for ongoing international scrutiny to mitigate these abuses.
Mohammadi’s struggle was exacerbated by her ongoing health issues, including heart disease and severe back pain, for which she was repeatedly denied proper care. When authorities pressured her to return to prison on December 25, 2024, after her medical suspension ended, her lawyer sought further extension based on medical advice, which was preliminarily approved, yet pressure continued.
The Iranian government has a notorious reputation for denying medical treatment to politically motivated prisoners—an act deemed punitive and silencing. This maltreatment extends to others locked away for their beliefs, like Zeynab Jalalian and Fatemeh Sepehri, among many who lack adequate medical attention.
International laws stipulate that ill prisoners must receive timely medical care; violations could lead to acts deemed torturous. As Amnesty International has documented, the refusal of necessary medical access has tragically resulted in inmates losing their lives due to arbitrary neglect.
Borello stressed the urgency for the global community to confront Iran’s disregard for human rights, asserting that prolonging this policy could have fatal repercussions. He calls for accountability from Iranian officials in respect not only to personal liberties but the very right to life itself.
The Iranian authorities threaten to revoke the temporary release of Nobel Laureate Narges Mohammadi, a human rights advocate serving a lengthy sentence for her activism. Despite ongoing health issues, her continued advocacy exposes the grim human rights situation in Iran. Human Rights Watch demands her unconditional release and adequate medical care for all detainees, criticising the government’s oppressive policies and lack of accountability.
The dire situation surrounding Narges Mohammadi highlights Iran’s blatant disregard for human rights and the treatment of political prisoners. Mohammadi’s health continues to deteriorate under the threat of imprisonment, showcasing a systemic denial of adequate medical care for those unjustly detained. The international community must urgently act to address Iran’s violations, ensuring the protection of human rights and health for all prisoners, especially those like Mohammadi who risk their lives for advocacy.
Original Source: www.hrw.org
