Exclusive; Protests Against the Behavior of Evin Prison Officials; Sarvaneh Ahmadi on Hunger Strike

Reports received by Voice of America indicate that Sarvaneh Ahmadi, a political prisoner held in the women's ward of Evin Prison, has gone on a hunger strike. According to these reports, Ms. Ahmadi, a children's rights activist, has refused to take her prescribed medications for epilepsy and stress in protest against the Evin prison officials' denial of her medical leave. This situation has raised concerns among the family and close ones of Sarvaneh Ahmadi, especially since she has informed the Evin prison authorities that if she suffers a seizure, she will not consent to use the prison's medical services. Ms. Ahmadi's hunger strike began after she was examined about a month ago, and the doctor stated that due to the recurrence of her epilepsy caused by the conditions in Evin Prison, she should be granted medical leave. However, prison officials have only provided her with medication and postponed her leave. Furthermore, the health status of Sarvaneh Ahmadi in Evin Prison has been reported as 'very critical,' with officials opposing her medical leave. Previously, the news agency HRANA, the news organ of human rights activists in Iran, reported that Sarvaneh Ahmadi's health condition is 'very critical.' One of Ms. Ahmadi's acquaintances told HRANA: 'On August 14, Sarvaneh was sent from Evin Prison to a neurologist. The judiciary's trusted doctor, based on test results and EEG, described Sarvaneh's condition as very critical in a letter to prison authorities and requested emergency leave, but security agents do not allow her to exercise this right.' According to him, Sarvaneh Ahmadi suffered a nervous attack, seizures, and severe muscle contractions due to the security forces' raid on the hunger strike of female prisoners. The prison officials' opposition comes despite the fact that Ms. Ahmadi has served one-third of her 3 years and 6 months sentence and, according to the law, is eligible for leave and conditional release. Sarvaneh Ahmadi was arrested on May 1 last year, just before International Workers' Day, along with several labor and union activists at the home of Mohammad Habibi, a teachers' union activist, and was transferred to Evin Prison. In the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran, Ms. Ahmadi was sentenced to 5 years in prison for 'collusion and conspiracy to disrupt national security' and 1 year for 'propaganda against the regime,' which was ultimately reduced to 3 years and 6 months in the Tehran Court of Appeals. Sarvaneh Ahmadi was also arrested on November 6, 2022, during nationwide protests following the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police and was temporarily released on bail on December 7 of that year. She holds a master's degree in social work from the University of Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences in Tehran and is a children's rights activist. Sarvaneh Ahmadi's husband, Kamyar Fakour, a journalist and labor activist, is also imprisoned on security charges. Civil activists have warned about the 'inhumane conditions' of female prisoners: the situation of non-political prisoners is worse. The execution of the prison sentence of Behrad Alikennari, a protesting rapper; 2 female political prisoners in Evin have been denied medical care. The denial of medical treatment for Jamal Ameli, a civil activist prisoner, from medical care. Osman Ismaili, a labor activist, was transferred to prison instead of a hospital. Shirin Ebadi warns about the situation of Narges Mohammadi and other political prisoners: the government has drawn its sword. The Evin guards' blows to the chest of the Nobel Peace Prize winner; Taghi Rahmani reported on Narges Mohammadi's 'breathing attack.' The Human Rights Campaign in Iran: 17 female prisoners were injured in the Evin guards' attack. Exclusive; the direct role of the head of Evin Prison in suppressing protests by female political prisoners.