Sixteenth Year of Zahra Jalalian's Imprisonment; Exile to Yazd and Denial of Visits and Leave

Zahra Jalalian is spending her sixteenth year in prison under conditions in Yazd, where Iranian security officials have stated that she can only meet with her family if she confesses to the 'truth of their claims' and expresses 'regret.' According to the human rights organization 'Hangaw,' Ms. Jalalian, a Kurdish political prisoner, is in poor health and has been deprived of leave and family visits while serving her sentence in exile in Yazd. The report refers to Zahra Jalalian as 'the longest-serving female political prisoner in Iran,' noting that she has been exiled to Yazd prison for 'two years and eight months' and has not met with her family during this time. The report states that 'security officials have conditioned the possibility of a meeting' between Zahra Jalalian and her family on 'confessing to the truth of their claims regarding her case' and also on her 'expressing regret.' She has previously been held in prisons in 'Khowy, Evin, Kermanshah, Qarchak, and Kerman' and has not been granted leave despite suffering from illnesses including 'kidney and gastrointestinal issues' as well as 'vision impairment and dental infections.' Zahra Jalalian, from Maku, was arrested on February 26, 2008, and was sentenced to death by the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Kermanshah on charges of 'waging war through membership in the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK),' but this sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment. The U.S. Department of State has repeatedly condemned the violent crackdown on protesters and the ongoing and systematic violations of the rights of Iranian citizens by the Islamic Republic. Additionally, see: U.S. Congress member: Iran should heed the UN's request for Zahra Jalalian's release. International human rights organizations state that the situation of human rights violations in Iran has worsened compared to previous years.