Narges Mohammadi Transferred to Hospital After Weeks of Security Forces' Obstruction

Narges Mohammadi, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and imprisoned human rights activist, was transferred to a hospital in Tehran after suffering from health issues for over two months and being obstructed by security forces from being sent for treatment. Taghi Rahmani, Ms. Mohammadi's husband, who lives in France, announced on his social media accounts on Sunday, November 6, that 'after nearly 9 weeks of medical neglect, Narges Mohammadi has finally been hospitalized thanks to the support of civil and human rights activists, the Narges Freedom Coalition, and pressure from the global community and media.' According to Mr. Rahmani, this delay 'along with years of imprisonment and solitary confinement has severely harmed Narges's health.' In recent weeks, Narges Mohammadi's family has repeatedly informed about the deteriorating health of this human rights activist and the obstruction by security and judicial authorities in sending this political prisoner to the hospital for an angiography. The security forces' obstruction of Ms. Mohammadi's transfer to the hospital came despite a doctor's recommendation for her immediate angiography. During this time, the efforts of Narges Mohammadi's lawyers with the prosecutor's office, the head of Evin prison, and the prison medical staff had also been fruitless. Recently, several of Narges Mohammadi's fellow inmates in the women's ward of Evin prison protested against her not being sent to the hospital, highlighting the health status of this Nobel Peace Prize laureate. 'Three times' Narges Mohammadi's transfer to the hospital has been prevented. The 52-year-old Mohammadi has spent over 10 years in prison over the past 20 years and has been sentenced to a total of more than 36 years in prison. During this time, Iranian judicial authorities have repeatedly issued sentences for her in new cases. She is currently serving a 12-year sentence in Evin prison in Tehran for 'propaganda against the regime.' This human rights activist was sentenced to an additional six months in prison on October 20 of this year for 'disobedience and resistance against orders' by Branch 2 of the Quds Criminal Court. This charge against Ms. Mohammadi and four other political prisoners in the women's ward of Evin was raised after they protested against the execution of Reza Rasayi, a Kurdish political prisoner, in August of this year.