Narges Mohammadi Describes the Presence of Over 20 Female Prisoners Over 60 in Evin as a Reflection of Women's Will and the Cruelty of the Islamic Republic

Narges Mohammadi, a political prisoner and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, stated in a message shared on her Instagram account that the "presence of over 20 political-prisoner women in Evin who are over 60 years old" is a "sign of women's will for liberation, as well as the cruelty and brutality of the Islamic Republic." She referred to the presence of Mahvash Shahriari, Kobra Beigi, Raheleh Rahimi, and Nahid Taghavi, "four activist women over 70 years old," saying: "Dear people of Iran and especially the brave and courageous girls of Iran, be aware and encouraged that as long as such mothers stand in the ranks of fighters, tyranny will fail and freedom will be powerful." She described them as "mothers who, in the seventies of their blessed lives, grant the blessing of freedom-seeking, equality, and the dignity of opposing oppression to the history of humanity." In another part of her message, Narges Mohammadi wrote, "Among the 69 political-prisoner women in Evin, 21 women over 60 years old are enduring imprisonment." According to her, their continued imprisonment "demonstrates the cruelty, anti-people stance, and savagery of the regime, which, to maintain its hollow power, has turned a blind eye to ethics, societal values, and humanity, becoming more and more despised every day." Narges Mohammadi emphasized that some of these women are suffering from severe physical problems and illnesses, and "at least three of them are unable to endure imprisonment, yet with an incredibly high spirit and solidarity with the other prisoners, they are exemplary political-prisoner women." Narges Mohammadi, an honorary winner of the "Freedom of Expression" award from the American PEN Association in 2023, remains behind bars despite numerous high-level calls and global efforts for her release. Over the past three decades, she has been arrested and imprisoned multiple times. In her latest legal case, she was sentenced to 10 years in prison for "propaganda against the regime" and is currently in Evin prison in Tehran. Recently, in a message from prison for Nowruz 1403, she wrote: "I congratulate and celebrate Nowruz as a sign and hope for the end of the tyrannical religious regime and the establishment of democracy, freedom, and equality to all the people of Iran and the world." In a recent report, the American PEN Association stated that Iran maintains the rank of the largest prison for female writers in the world.