Informed Source to VOA: Rezvaneh Ahmadkhani's Maternity Leave Has Been Revoked

This report has been updated based on received information. A source close to Rezvaneh Ahmadkhani informed VOA that this political prisoner, who is on maternity leave outside of prison, will not have her time outside counted as part of her sentence due to the opposition of judicial authorities, despite a forensic letter stating 'inability to endure imprisonment.' This informed source told VOA's Persian section on Monday, October 15, that 'Rezvaneh Ahmadkhani's leave ends on Tuesday' and 'Niri, the supervising prosecutor of political prisoners, has stated that her leave cannot be extended.' The source also mentioned the pressures from 'judicial agents and the supervising prosecutor of political prisoners' on Ahmadkhani just a few days after giving birth, noting that 'authorities could make the forensic opinion of inability to endure imprisonment permanent or at least consider it as medical leave that counts towards her sentence.' According to the informed source, when Ahmadkhani went to the prosecutor's office last Tuesday to request an extension of her leave, she was told that 'her leave would not be extended' and 'a forensic letter was shown to her stating that a certificate of inability to endure imprisonment has been issued for her until December 25,' with Niri telling her that 'you have two and a half months of suspended imprisonment,' meaning that 'this two and a half months will not count as part of her sentence.' Ahmadkhani has been on maternity leave since September 19, and according to this report, her leave will not be extended by judicial authorities. Previously, a source close to Ahmadkhani had informed VOA that judicial authorities had sent this political prisoner on a short maternity leave 'to relieve the burden of hospital costs from the prisons organization and the judiciary.' Rezvaneh Ahmadkhani and her husband Behfar Lalehzari, two constitutionalist political activists, were last arrested on September 18, 2023, by the 'Anti-Security Police' in Tehran and have been in prison since then. Ahmadkhani's pregnancy in prison was particularly concerning as she suffers from multiple illnesses, and specialist doctors had determined that continued imprisonment for her and her fetus was 'very dangerous.' Pressure on political prisoners by Niri, the supervising prosecutor of prisons, has been reported before. According to a previous VOA report, Reza Mohammadi, a political prisoner held in Qazalhesar, had previously revealed that during his attempts to grant power of attorney to his family members for inheritance, 'Niri, the supervising prosecutor of political prisoners, officially stated that the IRGC opposed granting your power of attorney,' thus attempting to prevent him from managing his expenses in prison through 'repentance.' Furthermore, prison authorities opposed Mohammadi's request for leave to visit his father's grave, even for a few hours and under guard.