A number of female political prisoners in Evin are still deprived of phone contact and visits with their families

The news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran reported on Thursday, September 1, that 15 female political prisoners in Evin prison have been deprived of phone contact and visits with their families since August 7. According to HRANA, this action was carried out by the "Disciplinary Committee" of Evin prison and includes Pakhshan Azizi, Elaheh Fooladi, Pariush Moslemi, Nasrin Khazari-Javadi, Zahra Safaei, Narges Mohammadi, Samaneh Asghari, Anisha Asadollahi, Mahbubeh Rezaei, Varisheh Moradi, Golrokh Iraei, Reyhaneh Ansari-Najad, Maryam Yahyavi, Sarina Jahani, and Sanaz Yekta. This action by the Evin prison authorities followed a peaceful protest by female political prisoners on August 7 after learning about the execution of Reza Rasayi, a protester from the Scene area in Kermanshah province and a follower of the Yarsan faith, which led to an attack by the guards and clashes. HRANA reported that initially, 30 female political prisoners were deprived of phone contact and visits on that day, but after protests from these prisoners, some were allowed to have contact and visits. However, 15 prisoners still face these restrictions. The website cited "received information" stating that Pakhshan Azizi and Elaheh Fooladi have each been deprived of phone contact and visits for three months; Narges Mohammadi, Golrokh Iraei, Samaneh Asghari, Anisha Asadollahi, Mahbubeh Rezaei, Varisheh Moradi, and Reyhaneh Ansari-Najad for two months each; and Pariush Moslemi, Nasrin Khazari-Javadi, Zahra Safaei, Maryam Yahyavi, Sarina Jahani, and Sanaz Yekta for one month each. Some of these political prisoners, such as Narges Mohammadi, a human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, have been deprived of contact and visits since December 2 of last year; Pakhshan Azizi, a political prisoner sentenced to death, and Elaheh Fooladi since July 6 of this year, and Varisheh Moradi, another political prisoner, since mid-May of this year by order of Judge Abolqasem Salavati, head of the 15th branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran. The U.S. Department of State expressed concern on August 20 regarding reports of the beating of Narges Mohammadi, a human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate imprisoned in Evin. The department described the attack by prison officials on Narges Mohammadi and other female prisoners in Evin due to their peaceful protest against the execution of Reza Rasayi as "extremely troubling" and condemned it. The U.S. State Department also called on the Islamic Republic to stop attacks against human rights defenders and to release all unjustly detained prisoners in the country. A representative of the Catalan Parliament in Spain has taken political sponsorship of Pakhshan Azizi. The Iran Human Rights Campaign reported that at least 34 political prisoners have been deprived of adequate medical services in the past two and a half months. The United Nations declared the beating of Narges Mohammadi and other women in Evin prison as a form of "torture." Dozens of human rights organizations have called for an international investigation into the "brutal repression" of female prisoners in Evin. Mostafa Nili reported that prison officials have struck the area of a "tumor" in Narges Mohammadi's body. The health condition of Sarvnaz Ahmadi in Evin prison has been reported as "very critical"; officials are opposing her medical leave. Amnesty International reacted to the beating of Narges Mohammadi and other female prisoners in Evin, calling for independent observers to be granted access to prisons. Narges Mohammadi's phone was cut off in Evin prison; the Nobel Peace Prize laureate has requested a "meeting with her lawyers."