Human Rights Watch Calls for Unconditional Release of Narges Mohammadi

Human Rights Watch has pointed out that Iranian authorities have threatened to return Narges Mohammadi to prison, warning that the "ongoing harassment" against this Nobel Peace Prize laureate must end and she should be released unconditionally. In a statement released early on Monday, April 1, the organization called for the complete freedom of Ms. Mohammadi and others who have been "arbitrarily detained due to their human rights activities." The judiciary of the Islamic Republic has repeatedly opened new cases against Narges Mohammadi over the past three years. Narges Mohammadi, who has been sentenced to 13 years and 9 months in prison, has been free since December 14, 1403 (according to the Iranian calendar) with a 21-day suspension of her prison sentence and is currently receiving medical treatment. Prior to that, she had been denied access to medical care for months. Doctors have stated that she needs to be outside of prison for at least six months for proper treatment, but despite the forensic medical organization's approval to extend her suspension, pressures for her return to prison continue. Narges Mohammadi has stated that there is no way but to criminalize "gender apartheid." Federico Borello, the head of Human Rights Watch, emphasized in the organization's statement: "Narges Mohammadi has used this short leave from prison to continue her activities and to shed light on the dire human rights situation in Iran." He added: "The threat from Iranian officials to return her to prison is a clear reminder of their intolerance towards dissenters." Earlier this month, Ms. Mohammadi discussed the human rights situation in Iran in an online conversation with Federico Borello. The Human Rights Watch press release also referred to the dire conditions of other political prisoners, including Zeinab Jalalian, Fatemeh Sepahri, Raheleh Rahimipour, Vrisheh Moradi, Matlab Ahmadian, and Mahvash Sabat, emphasizing that the deprivation of prisoners from treatment constitutes torture and a violation of human rights. Human Rights Watch has called on the international community to hold the Islamic Republic accountable for violating the right to freedom and the right to life in detention.