Fatemeh Sepahri Sent to Medical Commission; Her Lawyer Requests Suspension of Prison Sentence

Following the deterioration of Fatemeh Sepahri's health after being transferred to prison just a week after open-heart surgery, her defense attorney announced that this political prisoner was 'sent from Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad to the Medical Commission.' Khosrow Ali-Kordi, Ms. Sepahri's lawyer, wrote on the messaging platform 'X' on Wednesday, October 11, that 'Fatemeh Sepahri has been sent from Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad to the Medical Commission to express its opinion on whether she is able to endure imprisonment after open-heart surgery.' Mr. Ali-Kordi has also submitted a petition to the prosecutor's office in Mashhad, referring to his client's heart surgery and her transfer to Vakilabad Prison. In this petition, emphasizing the 'deterioration of her health' and the 'necessity of recovering outside of prison' based on 'the stipulation of Article 502 of the Criminal Procedure Code,' he requested the prosecutor's order to 'suspend the execution of the sentence and release her from prison.' Fatemeh Sepahri's brother stated on Tuesday, October 10, to Voice of America that this political prisoner, opposing the Islamic Republic, was taken to Vakilabad Prison while she could not even get off the hospital bed, and they say to prove that she cannot endure punishment. Asghar Sepahri emphasized in this conversation that his sister 'could not move at all from the bed, and transferring her to prison practically seems like an intention to take her life, and there are no suitable conditions in prison for someone who has undergone open-heart surgery, as the hygiene, medication, nutrition, and psychological conditions are not adequate.' According to him, 'they have placed a hospital bed in prison,' and the family has not been able to speak to Fatemeh Sepahri 'by phone because she cannot even get off the bed to answer the phone. They have learned about her condition through her cellmates, and [the authorities] say they are trying to ensure she has good conditions.' Fatemeh Sepahri was arrested shortly after the killing of Mahsa Amini and the onset of nationwide protests in Iran and has been in prison for over a year. This political prisoner, who openly opposes the Islamic Republic and its leader Ali Khamenei, stated to Voice of America a day before her arrest: 'The people do not want the Islamic Republic, and this time they will finish the job.' In August 2019, Fatemeh Sepahri, along with 13 women activists, signed a letter demanding the resignation of Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, and a 'transition from the Islamic Republic.'