Sediqeh Voseqi Refuses Mandatory Hijab in Evin Prison; Narges Mohammadi Joined Her Protest

News sources reported that Sediqeh Voseqi, a critic of the Islamic Republic and a religious scholar currently in Evin Prison, staged a sit-in in the prison office to protest against the "imposition of mandatory hijab in exchange for basic rights of female prisoners." Narges Mohammadi also joined her. The account 'For Narges' on X announced on Sunday that Evin Prison officials denied Voseqi permission to leave the women's ward to meet her family due to her refusal to comply with the mandatory hijab. In protest, this political prisoner staged a sit-in in the prison office. According to reports, Voseqi informed the prison authorities: "I am not willing to submit to ridiculous and meaningless behaviors, and to meet my family in prison, which is my inherent right, I will not cover my head and pass through a door to reach them. Such policies and behaviors are degenerate and ridiculous, and I will not accept them." This political prisoner added: "The authorities of Evin Prison, representing the Islamic Republic, have violated my inherent rights in prison, just as they have violated the rights of all women in society." She also stated: "The Islamic Republic seeks to impose its ignorant, illogical, and entirely unjust policies on women by depriving them of their rights in all social spheres, even during incarceration, one of which is the mandatory hijab, which tramples the human dignity of the Iranian people." This is the second time in two weeks that prison officials have prevented Voseqi from leaving the women's ward while her family visited the meeting hall. According to this report, Voseqi stated, "The leadership does not have the authority to impose its red lines on women and violate their rights in this way. All policies that suppress women stem from this leadership's red line. I will not accept it." According to the report, Narges Mohammadi, a human rights defender and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, also joined this sit-in in protest against the repressive policies against women. Additionally, HRANA, the media organ of human rights activists in Iran, reported, citing "an informed source close to Voseqi's family," that "this Sunday morning, as the weekly visiting day at Evin Prison, Ms. Voseqi was denied a meeting with her family for the second time by order of Hedayat Farzadi, the prison chief," and "in protest against this action, she staged a sit-in with Narges Mohammadi in the office of the women's ward guard." Sediqeh Voseqi, a religious scholar and political activist critical of the government, was arrested at her home on Saturday, March 17. This political prisoner has refused to attend the Revolutionary Court for trial, stating that "defending in this unjust court" has no meaning.