Marzieh Farsi and Forough Taghipour suffer medical denial in Evin Prison. Cancer patient Farsi gets no treatment while Taghipour faces harsh conditions and white torture.
Iran Human Rights Society, Saturday, November 28, 2025 – Marzieh Farsi and Forough Taghipour serve five-year sentences in Evin Prison’s women’s ward. Both women now battle severe health issues. Prison officials deny them proper medical care.
Who Are Marzieh Farsi and Forough Taghipour?
Security forces arrested Marzieh Farsi and Forough Taghipour on 21 August 2023. This date marked the anniversary of Iran’s nationwide protests. Agents first took them to Ward 209 of the Ministry of Intelligence. After months of harsh interrogation, Judge Iman Afshari sentenced each woman to 15 years for “baghy” and ties to the Mujahedin-e Khalq. Appeals later cut the term to five years.
Cancer Patient Marzieh Farsi Loses All Medication
Marzieh Farsi, born in 1967, fights cancer and heart disease. She raises several children. Chronic headaches, dizziness, and weakness plague her daily. Symptoms worsened after her transfer from Qarchak to Evin. Her doctor prescribed drugs to stop cancer growth and steady her heart. Prison guards block every pill. They cite “security reasons.”
Human rights defenders call this deliberate medical denial “white torture.” Authorities avoid visible scars yet destroy health through slow neglect.
Farsi faced arrest before, in February 2020. She served part of a five-year term and left prison in March 2023. Less than five months later, agents rearrested her.
Forough Taghipour Endures New Arrest and Harsh Ward Conditions
Forough Taghipour, born in 1994, holds an accounting degree. Agents arrested her and her mother in February 2020. She served until February 2023, tasted freedom briefly, then returned to Evin in August 2023.
Ward 6 holds about 60 women. High humidity rots walls. Hot water rarely flows. Hygiene items vanish. Overcrowding forces women to sleep on floors. Guards delay all medical visits. They insult and threaten inmates daily. These acts break Taghipour’s body and spirit.
Authorities Ignore Families’ Pleas
Families send letter after letter. They demand hospital referral for Marzieh Farsi’s cancer. They ask for basic care for Forough Taghipour. Judicial officers, security agents, and the Prisons Organization give no answer. Silence equals approval of suffering.
Systematic Medical Denial in Iran’s Prisons
Activists see a clear pattern. Iran’s regime withholds treatment from political prisoners. Many have died or lost limbs because doctors arrived too late. Marzieh Farsi and Forough Taghipour now follow the same path.
International Law Violations in Evin Prison
Prison officials break multiple laws:
- Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees life and security. Neglecting cancer threatens both.
- Article 5 bans torture and inhumane treatment. Medical denial equals torture without marks.
- Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights forbids cruel punishment. Blocking medicine violates this rule.
- Nelson Mandela Rules 22, 24, and 25 demand prompt medical care and hospital transfer when needed. Evin ignores every rule.
See also the below articles:
- Iran’s Surge in Executions: 26 Prisoners Hanged Amid Protests
- Tuesdays No to Executions: Protests Erupt Across Iran Cities
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