“Political Prisoner Women: Maryam Akbari Monfared, 14 years in prison without a single day off.”
More than sixty women political prisoners demand the unconditional release of political prisoner Maryam Akbari Monfared.
“Female Political Prisoners: Maryam Akbari Monfared, 14 Years in Prison Without a Single Day of Leave”
More than sixty female political prisoners have demanded the unconditional release of political prisoner Maryam Akbari Monfared.
According to the Iranian Human Rights Society, Maryam Akbari Monfared, a political prisoner in exile, has been in prison for 14 years without a single day of leave.
On the eve of Iranian New Year (Nowruz) 1403, 64 of her former cellmates, with the signing of a statement, demanded her unconditional release.
These female political prisoners, some of whom released and some are still in prison, wrote in part of their statement:
“We, her former cellmates, regardless of our beliefs and convictions, remember the prison spring with Maryam and her longing for Nowruz, yet another Nowruz passes, and she is still in prison. We remember her understanding of freedom and her right to it, we remember the injustice imposed on the women of this land and the leaders of the struggle and resistance against it.”
Maryam Akbari Monfared, a political prisoner, imprisoned for 5107 days without any furlough. She arrested on the night of 30 of December 2009 and sentenced to 15 years in prison. She is currently serving her 14th year in prison, exiled to Semnan prison since 9th of March 2020, miles away from her family. Recently, she has been sentenced to an additional three years of imprisonment for supporting protesters by releasing a statement.
She is one of the oldest female political prisoners in Iran and has witnessed the imprisonment, torture, and execution of her family members since childhood. Without any formal death sentences or under torture, her sister and three brothers killed or executed.
She also witnessed the imprisonment and eventual death of her grieving mother. Throughout these years, she has always faced various pressures and restrictions, such as depriving of even a single day of furlough.
Throughout these years, Maryam Akbari has always faced various pressures and restrictions
Some of the signatories of this letter imprisoned with her for years or months, and we have only witnessed a small part of the suffering and injustice that Maryam and her family have endured for decades. Maryam is a mother of three children who has been deprived of living with them for many years, yet she remains steadfast and has not succumbed to the hardships of prison life.
The arrest and unjust sentencing of Maryam Akbari Monfared to 15 years of imprisonment, denial of her right to furlough and freedom, her exile to Semnan prison, and now her re-sentencing to three years of imprisonment are further examples of relentless oppression against the Monfared family, women in Iran, and the suppression of people’s rights, including the right to seek justice.
As former allies, regardless of our beliefs and convictions, we remember the spring in prison with Maryam and her enthusiasm for Nowruz, but another Nowruz has arrived, and she is still in prison. We recall her understanding of freedom and her right to enjoy it, as well as the injustice that imposed on women in this land, and the leaders of the struggle and resistance against it.
Former allies and signatories of this letter wrote:
As former allies and signatories of this letter, we demand the unconditional release of Maryam Akbari Monfared and all political and ideological prisoners.
Signatories:
Anisha Asadollahi, Golrokh Iraei, Nazi Eskooyi, Yasmin Aryai, Aras Amiri, Mehrnoush Amiri, Hasti Amiri, Marzieh Amiri, Maryam Asadi, Mitra Ebrahimi, Shahnaz Akamli, Rahleh Ahmadi, Noushin Ahmadi Khorasani, Mitra Ebrahimi, Zhila Bani Ya’qub, Giti Purfazl, Niloufar Bayani, Fariba Totounchi, Sousan Tabianian, Nayereh Tohidi, Mahvash Sabte Shahriari, Maliheh Jafari, Atfeh Charmahaliyan, Leila Hosseinzadeh, Maryam Hatami, Athena Daeimi, Parisa Rafiei, Shahla Rahmati, Nazanin Zagheri, Zahra Zahtabchi, Maryam Zandi, Nasim Sultan Beigi, Bahareh Suleimani, Ehteram Shadfar, Fakhri Shadfar, Saba Shear Doost, Hakimeh Shakari, Mansoureh Shojai, Elahe Shakrayi, Hadeeseh Sabouri, Zahra Sadeghi, Pegah Zia, Maryam Talebi, Nargess Zarifian, Monireh Arabshahi, Raha Askari Zadeh, Nahid Fathalian, Sepideh Gholian, Negine Ghodamian, Ghoncheh Ghavami, Samaneh Ghasemi Zahed, Fariba Kamalabadi, Sepideh Kashani, Mehrangiz Kar, Mahdieh Golrou, Zhaleh Gohari, Nargess Mohammadi, Aliyeh Matlabezadeh, Firoozeh Mahajer, Zhila Makvandi, Mahnaz Mortezaei, Shiva Nazar Ahari, Sadigheh Vasmaghi, Shokoufeh Yadolahi.
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