Human Rights Sources Report Zainab Jalalian's Denial of Family Visits

Human rights sources reported that the Ministry of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic has ordered the denial of family visits for Zainab Jalalian. The Kurdistan Human Rights Network stated in a report that "Zainab Jalalian, a Kurdish political prisoner sentenced to life imprisonment, has been deprived of her right to visit her family in the 17th year of her imprisonment at Yazd Central Prison, and has only met with her family once in the past five years." According to this human rights source, last week, after Zainab Jalalian's request for a family visit, prison officials informed her that she had been "banned from visits" by order of the Ministry of Intelligence. The website HRA News, the media organ of the "Human Rights Activists in Iran" group, also reported on August 5 that this political prisoner "has long suffered from multiple health issues," but judicial authorities have not accepted her "requests" for transfer to a hospital. Zainab Jalalian, from Maku, was arrested in 2007 and in 2009 was sentenced to one year in prison for "illegal exit from the country" and to death for "moharebeh due to membership in opposition groups (PJAK)." Her death sentence was confirmed by the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court, but was later commuted to life imprisonment. Jalalian has reported being subjected to torture methods such as "beating the soles of her feet, punches to the stomach, banging her head against the wall, and threats of rape" during her detention. The United States has repeatedly condemned the ongoing and systematic violations of the rights of prisoners and citizens in Iran by the Islamic Republic government. International human rights bodies, including UN rapporteurs, have consistently called on Iranian officials to end this trend. Civil activists have warned about the "inhumane conditions" of female prisoners: the situation of non-political prisoners is even worse. The 17th year of Zainab Jalalian's imprisonment; HRA News: Opposition to her request for transfer to medical centers continues. Zainab Jalalian, political prisoner: Stay home for one day and do not participate in the sham elections. Protests against executions continue; Tomaj Salehi and Zainab Jalalian join the hunger strike of prisoners in Evin. Concerns about Zainab Jalalian's health in Yazd prison; this political prisoner has been deprived of medical care. The Human Rights Defenders Center: Zainab Jalalian's eyesight is at "serious risk." Judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic are refusing to treat Zainab Jalalian, the political prisoner.