Shakila Monfared's Brother: Political Prisoners in Women's Ward of Evin are Being Transferred to Various Prisons

Ashkan Monfared, brother of Shakila Monfared, a political prisoner in the women's ward of Evin prison, announced on Wednesday, December 27, via the social media platform 'X' that the female inmates who are Shakila's fellow prisoners are being scattered across various prisons in Iran. Mr. Monfared wrote: 'Judge Iman Afshari, by entering the women's ward of Evin and creating tension and conflict, has ordered that within a week, the female prisoners in this ward be transferred to prisons in different cities.' Ashkan Monfared added that the order for his sister Shakila's transfer to Sistan and Baluchestan has been issued, but he has not yet been able to speak with her, especially since her phone card has been blocked. The brother of this political prisoner noted that he heard this news indirectly from the women's ward of Evin prison, but his family is seeking confirmation of this news. So far, the judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic have not reacted to this news. Mr. Monfared wrote that the reason for Judge Afshari's order is to prevent the political female inmates in Evin prison from communicating with each other. In recent months, messages from several female political prisoners, such as Narges Mohammadi, have been published on social media. Shakila Monfared was sentenced in Bahman 1400 (January 2022) by Branch 26 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran to 'two years and eight months in prison and a fine of 10 million tomans' for the charges of 'spreading falsehoods' and 'membership in opposition groups.' This sentence was also issued for a case that was opened against this political prisoner during her imprisonment. Previously, Shakila Monfared had also been sentenced by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran to six years in prison and four months of forced labor in agricultural jihad for the charges of 'propaganda against the regime and insulting Islamic sanctities,' which was reduced to four years and two months by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals. The brother of this political prisoner had previously told Voice of America that the issuance of the prison sentence for the charge of 'insulting sanctities' has no basis, and 'the lawyer has also said that there is nothing in the case that they could cite to justify the charge of insulting sanctities and issue a sentence.' Ashkan Saadatmehr, one of the detainees from the 1401 protests, was sentenced in absentia to seven years in prison. The Revolutionary Court sentenced the protesting student to prison and deprivation of social rights. Concerns are growing about the health status of Zeinab Jalalian in Yazd prison; this political prisoner has been deprived of medical care. Reactions to the suspicious death of Ashkan Baluch after another summons: the Islamic Republic killed him.