Repeated Reaction of the Judiciary to Reports on the Death of a Former Prisoner; 'No Physical Harm Recorded'

Mizan News Agency, the official organ of the Judiciary of the Islamic Republic, reacted to the recent reports about the death of a former political prisoner in Rasht by denying the incident, stating that 'Sara Deldar had no illness or physical harm upon entering and leaving prison.' Yesterday, some informed sources, including the 'Hirkani Human Rights Media,' published news indicating that Sara Deldar, a former political prisoner from Rasht and a Gilan activist, 'lost her life after suffering infections resulting from pellet wounds.' According to these reports, Ms. Deldar was shot with pellet guns by the forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran during the nationwide protests of 2022 in Rasht while helping the injured. After her arrest, she was sentenced to one year, three months, and six days in Lakan Prison in Rasht and was released on conditional freedom after serving just over six months. In her last Instagram post on July 22 of this year, she mentioned suffering from infections in her body after being released from prison and hospitalized. She referred to severe physical weakness, anemia, and enlargement of her spleen, kidneys, and ovaries as some of the issues she faced in that post. Ms. Deldar also stated that other released prisoners from Lakan Prison in Rasht were also struggling with similar illnesses. However, the Judiciary's news agency confirmed her imprisonment 'to serve her sentence' but did not mention her arrest that led to this conviction. The Mizan report stated: 'The late Deldar entered Lakan Prison in Rasht in August 2023, about a year after the events of 2022, to serve her sentence and was subsequently released under legal provisions.' To substantiate its claim, the Judiciary referred to 'existing minutes' in the published news, stating: 'According to the existing minutes in the General Directorate of Prisons of Gilan Province, Ms. Deldar had no physical harm, injuries, or pellet wounds on her body upon entering Lakan Prison, and this is officially recorded in the minutes.' Meanwhile, it has been previously established that the documents and records kept in prisons, especially regarding the health status of prisoners, are not reliable at all, and no independent body has been allowed to verify them. The Judiciary deemed the reports about this former prisoner as 'a planned fabrication by adversaries to create a tense atmosphere in society' and stated: 'The late Deldar had suffered from liver disease in recent months and was receiving treatment in Rasht and Tehran.' Voice of America cannot independently verify the accuracy of this news. The report of Sara Deldar's death due to injuries caused by government officials' violence comes as five political prisoners in the women's ward of Evin Prison in Tehran - Narges Mohammadi, Mahbubeh Rezaei, Pariush Moslemi, Varisheh Moradi, and Pakhshan Azizi - were previously subjected to 'beatings' by prison officials following protests against the execution of Reza Rasayi. Reza Rasayi was a young protester following the Yarsan faith. The U.S. Department of State described the attack by prison officials on Narges Mohammadi and other women prisoners in Evin due to their peaceful protest against the execution of Reza Rasayi as 'extremely distressing' and condemned it. Prince Reza Pahlavi, following the execution of Reza Rasayi, stated: 'Khamenei is taking revenge on the Iranian people for his humiliation.'