Narges Mohammadi Expresses Concern for Fatemeh Sepehri's Condition, Political Prisoner

Narges Mohammadi, a human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, expressed concern on Saturday, February 23, regarding the physical condition of Fatemeh Sepehri, a political prisoner in the central prison (Vakilabad) of Mashhad, through a message on her Instagram account. Ms. Mohammadi wrote: "For a long time, alarming news about Fatemeh Sepehri's physical condition has been reported by her family, and the responsible authorities have refused to address her medical situation and provide her with treatment." She emphasized that Fatemeh Sepehri is imprisoned for expressing her thoughts and beliefs and has committed no crime. In her message, Narges Mohammadi called on international and human rights organizations to work for the freedom of political and ideological prisoners, especially those who are ill and in need of treatment. Previously, Ali Sepehri, the brother of this political prisoner, had written on Instagram: "My sister Fatemeh Sepehri has recently suffered from blurred vision, severe weakness, and excessive sweating. It is unclear whether these symptoms are due to heart disease or another cause, but the lack of immediate attention to this situation could endanger her life." He noted that Fatemeh Sepehri was sent to see a hand surgeon on January 8, and the specialist instructed that after an injection in the shoulder area, she should undergo 10 sessions of physiotherapy after a week and return for a follow-up examination after a month. However, despite a month of delay, she was transferred to Mashhad Emergency Hospital on February 7. The hospital doctor also emphasized the need for a follow-up visit to the hand surgeon. Nevertheless, as of now, neither physiotherapy sessions have been conducted nor has there been a visit to the hand surgeon. Mr. Sepehri pointed out: "Since December 6, coinciding with Bashar al-Assad's fall, the door of Ward 5 of the prison has been locked on the orders of the supervising judge, Navid Tabatabai. This action has increased psychological pressure and severe stress on the prisoners, including my sister." He stressed that "the direct responsibility for these delays and lack of medical attention lies with Navid Tabatabai, the supervising judge of the prison, Hadi Ismailzadegan, the head of Mashhad Central Prison, and Ali Khamenei himself," calling for immediate follow-up on this matter, a specialized examination of his sister's health status, and full implementation of the treatment process according to the specialists' orders. Previously, Fatemeh Sepehri, a political prisoner and one of the signatories of the '14 Signatories Statement' for the transition from the Islamic Republic and the resignation of its leader, had referred to Ali Khamenei as the 'real mercenary' and 'life-destroying looter' of Iranians in a joint message with her imprisoned brother, Mohammad Hossein Sepehri, predicting that soon he and his 'decayed regime' would be trampled underfoot by the people. The increased pressures on Fatemeh Sepehri by judicial authorities in the central prison (Vakilabad) of Mashhad, despite her multiple illnesses, comes at a time when violations of the right to treatment have previously endangered the lives of prisoners and even led to their deaths.