Narges Mohammadi Beaten for Not Observing Mandatory Hijab in Evin Prison

Narges Mohammadi, a imprisoned human rights activist, was beaten due to not observing the mandatory hijab in the presence of prison officials. According to a report published on Narges Mohammadi's Instagram page, the 'beating and insult' of this political prisoner occurred on Tuesday, September 20, because she was 'not wearing the mandatory hijab in front of prison officials.' The report states that Ms. Mohammadi had gone to the prison clinic with a sick inmate when an officer called her 'crazy' for not wearing the hijab and attacked her with insults. It emphasizes that 'Hadi Mohammadi, the deputy officer, Rouhollah Tosali, the health deputy,' and 'a person named Mohammadi, the head of prison security and his deputy along with two female guards witnessed the beating and insults against Ms. Mohammadi.' After the prison officer's attack on Narges Mohammadi, this political prisoner was 'forcibly taken away by an ambulance from the clinic.' The report stresses that 'there is currently no news about the health' of Narges Mohammadi, and it is said that she 'has probably been returned to the women's ward of Evin prison.' Narges Mohammadi, a 51-year-old human rights activist in Iran, has been imprisoned multiple times. She was released in October 2020 after serving five years in prison, but with a new case opened against her, she was sentenced in June 2021 to 80 lashes and 30 months of prison for 'propaganda against the regime,' 'sit-in in the prison office,' 'disobedience to the prison authorities,' 'breaking glass,' and 'defamation.' This human rights activist was imprisoned again in November 2021. Over the past year, she has repeatedly protested various issues from prison and has been condemned for her stances as engaging in 'propaganda activities' against the Islamic Republic. The judiciary's punishments against Narges Mohammadi increased with another new sentence to 10 years and 9 months in prison and 154 lashes. In May of this year, Narges Mohammadi jointly received the UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize with Niloufar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi, imprisoned journalists, and in June, she won the 'Freedom to Write' award from the American PEN Association. Narges Mohammadi stated: 'The song 'Rusari To Dar Biar' by Mahdi Yarahy was a disaster for the authoritarian religious government.' The increase in 'abuse of political prisoners'; a group of female prisoners in Evin called for a boycott of the 'Asiatech' company. Narges Mohammadi's letter from Evin: Violence against female political prisoners has increased. Bahareh Hedayat is on a hunger strike; she has lost 'eight kilograms' and is suffering from 'severe weakness and palpitations.' Exclusive: 'Case-making' against a civil activist; Hamidreza Najafi: The incompetent government is doomed to destruction. Isa Kalantari reiterated the innocence of imprisoned environmental activists; they were not spies. Solidarity among imprisoned teachers; Aziz Qasemzadeh called for the immediate release of Jafar Ebrahimi.