A Women's Rights Activist in Prison Diagnosed with 'Atelectasis'

A women's rights activist has announced on her Instagram page that part of her lung has suffered from 'atelectasis.' Matin Yazdani stated, 'Her medical leave was not extended, but according to the forensic medical opinion, her lung condition and involvement with tuberculosis, the sentence should be suspended for six months.' In this Instagram post, Ms. Yazdani emphasized that she had no history of underlying health issues and, based on evidence, faced 'tuberculosis bacteria' in unsanitary prison conditions, leading to part of her lung suffering from 'atelectasis.' This women's rights activist criticized the poor conditions in Iranian prisons and expressed concern for other prisoners. Atelectasis refers to the collapse of part or all of a lung, which prevents sufficient oxygen from being absorbed through the lung. Matin Yazdani was arrested in August of last year along with Golva Javaheri, Forough Saminiya, Yasamin Hashedari, Negin Rezaei, Zahra Dadras, Zohreh Dadras, Vahideh Khusirat, Shiva Shahsiah, Sara Jahani, Azadeh Chavoshian, and Hooman Taheri in northern Iran. The Gilan Intelligence Department claimed without providing any evidence that the detainees intended to carry out 'subversive actions.' Matin Yazdani was detained on Saturday, July 23, when she went to the execution of sentences and was transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht. In this case, 11 civil and women's rights activists from Gilan were sentenced to a total of more than 60 years in prison. In July of this year, Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur, expressed concern over long prison sentences and reports of violent arrests, torture, and threats by the security forces of the Islamic Republic to rape and kill these prisoners during interrogation, calling for an end to the repression of women's human rights activists. Three other women's rights activists were arrested in Rasht to serve their prison sentences. The UN Special Rapporteur found the threats by interrogators to 'rape and kill' six female prisoners in Iran alarming. Six other women's rights activists from Gilan were sent to prison. Zahra and Zohreh Dadras, among those sentenced in the case of the 11 Gilan activists, were imprisoned. Sentences of more than 60 years for Gilan activists were sent to the execution branch of the Rasht Prosecutor's Office. Sentences of more than 60 years for Gilan activists were confirmed 'without a trial.' Two civil and human rights organizations criticized the issuance of 60-year prison sentences for Gilan activists.