Screening of the film 'White Torture' in the European Parliament; Narges Mohammadi: Women are assaulted in prison

The documentary 'White Torture,' created by Narges Mohammadi, a human rights defender imprisoned in Iran, was screened in the European Parliament with the presence of parliament members and several human rights activists. In a message to attendees at the screening on Monday, July 5, Mohammadi emphasized that 'assaults on women occur in solitary confinement cells' and that 'solitary confinement and white torture cannot be reduced to their constituent elements.' She added that her letter to Javaid Rehman, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, protesting the assault on women, which was prompted by observing the signs of assault on one of the detained women, led to 'a case being opened against her in the Security Prosecutor's Office.' According to Mohammadi, 'these days, the oppressive authoritarian regime, fully aware of its complete disconnection from society and the widespread anger and protests against it, has necessarily turned to opaque and secret agreements with governments in the international arena while intensifying repression domestically.' This human rights defender also stressed that even if a person in solitary confinement, which is the pathway to executions, can 'resist' and 'not break' under forced confessions, they cannot escape the lasting and devastating effects of such treatment. Hannah Neumann, a member of the European Parliament from the Green Party, described the documentary 'White Torture' as 'very impactful' and praised Mohammadi's courage in the face of imprisonment, torture, and solitary confinement, calling for her immediate release. Neumann also tweeted images from the screening event, stating that the 'regime' of the Islamic Republic of Iran 'systematically uses torture to suppress protests and extract forced confessions.' Delara Barkhordar, a member of the European Parliament from the Social Democratic Party of Germany, also described the film as 'deeply disturbing' and stated, 'We must fight against all forms of torture, including white torture and solitary confinement in prisons.' Kristy McCourt, director of Front Line Defenders, praised Mohammadi's ongoing efforts in prison and called for her immediate release, stating, 'We must strive to defend human rights worldwide.' Dozan Takal, founder of the Hawar Foundation, condemned torture anywhere and regarded the film as a document that 'accurately explains the concept of torture in solitary confinement.' Rezvaneh Mohammadi, a gender minority rights activist, emphasized that 'human rights must be respected for all people' and spoke about her experiences of detention and the pressures she endured in solitary confinement. Taghi Rahmani, Narges Mohammadi's husband residing in France, read her message to the attendees and answered their questions about 'solitary confinement, forced confessions, and the systematic torture process of the Islamic Republic in prisons.' Mohammadi's husband stated that many Iranian human rights activists are currently 'imprisoned and tortured' in the Islamic Republic's solitary confinement, naming individuals such as 'Nima Avidinia, Sarvnaz Mithaqian, Daniel Amin, Sayeh (Mahvash Amin), Amir Akhavan, and Farhang Azadmanesh.' Narges Mohammadi, 51, who has a long history of imprisonment and enduring severe punishments such as torture and solitary confinement, is currently serving her 16-year sentence in Evin Prison. The hearing for Mohammadi's new case, related to her testimony about assaults on imprisoned women, was held on Sunday, June 11, at Branch 29 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court. Her husband told VOA that she would not attend this court session because the 'outcomes' of the court are 'clear.' International human rights and civil organizations have repeatedly recognized Mohammadi's human rights activities by awarding her various prizes. This human rights activist won the 'Freedom to Write' award from the PEN America in June and, in May, UNESCO jointly awarded the 'World Press Freedom' prize to Narges Mohammadi, Niloufar Hamedi, and Elaheh Mohammadi, imprisoned journalists.