Kurdistan Human Rights Network: Pakhshan Azizi, political prisoner in Evin, deprived of contact and visitation rights with family

Pakhshan Azizi, a political prisoner imprisoned in Evin prison on charges of 'baghi', has been deprived of contact and visitation rights with his family for the past two weeks. According to the 'Kurdistan Human Rights Network', this political prisoner has been denied these rights by the 'Disciplinary Council' of Evin prison. This decision was communicated to Pakhshan Azizi without any explanation regarding the reason and duration of this deprivation. This political prisoner, originally from Mahabad and a graduate in social work from Allameh Tabatabai University in Tehran, was arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence forces in Tehran on August 4, 2023, and transferred to Ward 209 of Evin prison. Several of his family members were also arrested at the same time and released after a few days of interrogation. Reports indicate that Ms. Azizi was deprived of the right to meet with family and have a lawyer during her detention and was subjected to pressure and torture to obtain forced confessions. On December 11, 2023, she was transferred from Ward 209 of Evin prison to the women’s section of the prison. Two court sessions for this political prisoner were held on June 27 and June 16, 2024, on the charge of 'baghi' in Branch 26 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari. The indictment of 'baghi' against this political prisoner and the holding of two court sessions on this charge have increased concerns about the risk of a heavy death sentence being issued against her. Pakhshan Azizi has a history of previous arrests by security forces. She was first arrested on November 16, 2009, during a protest by Kurdish students at Tehran University against political executions in Kurdistan. After four months of detention, she was released on bail and later left Iran. In recent years, she had been residing in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Vrishe Moradi and Sharifeh Mohammadi, two other political prisoners, are also imprisoned on charges of 'baghi'. According to Human Rights Watch, Iranian officials have intensified the 'suppression of activist women and human rights defenders' following the nationwide protests of 'Women, Life, Freedom' in 2022 and have resorted to harsher methods and heavy sentences to silence dissenters and those with differing views. Human Rights Watch has called for the 'immediate release' of Sharifeh Mohammadi. The condemnation of the death sentence issued for Sharifeh Mohammadi continues among organizations in Iran. Concerns are rising over the imminent execution of a political prisoner; Kamran Sheikha has been transferred to solitary confinement. A letter from 11 female political prisoners: revealing 'gender apartheid' is a pathway to fighting discrimination. The issuance of death sentences for four Baluch prisoners and the charge of 'baghi' for a Kurdish social worker. A female political prisoner has been charged with 'baghi' in the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor's Office in Tehran.