Women’s rights activist Monireh Arabshahi had to report to Kachouii Prison in Karaj on October 4, 2021. She was on leave to follow up her medical treatment but returned to prison before completing her medical treatment.
Monireh Arabshahi managed to receive a medical leave on May 3, 2021, by depositing a heavy bail of 500million Tomans. She returned to prison on July 23, after undergoing an operation on her thyroid gland. Her health deteriorated in prison, because of which prison authorities sent her to a civic hospital on July 31. Prison agents, however, returned her to prison the next day before being medically examined.
On August 4, she received another medical leave to continue her treatment. Nevertheless, in October, Kachouii Prison authorities summoned her without completing her medical treatment.
Kachouii Prison authorities also refused granting leave to Yasaman Aryani, Ms. Arabshahi’s daughter, to take care of her while under treatment.
Background information
In mid-December 2020, when the women’s rights activist Monireh Arabshahi had a swollen throat and had difficulty breathing, doctors said that she needed to be urgently tested.
Kachouii Prison authorities, however, prevented her from having a thyroid gland scan and other tests, which prove whether she needs to undergo surgery.
The Forensics Medicine Office has verified that Monireh Arabshahi cannot endure prison conditions and that she should be granted medical leave.
One of the regime’s common practices is torturing political prisoners by depriving them of medical treatment. The method proved even more efficient during the pandemic. Prisoners infected by the virus are detained in contaminated sub-standard quarantines and left unattended as a bid to torture and murder them.
The women’s rights activist Monireh Arabshahi and her daughter, Yasaman Aryani, are imprisoned for opposing the mandatory veil and serving a sentence of 5.5 years.
The 28th Branch of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Monireh Arabshahi and her daughter, Yasaman Aryani, to 16 years in prison, each, for “assembly and collusion against national security, propaganda against the state, and encouraging corruption and prostitution.” The Revision Court commuted their sentence to 9 years and 7 months, of which 5 years and six months has been implemented for each of them.
On October 21, 2020, the Evin Prison authorities sent Monireh Arabshahi and Yasaman Aryani to exile to the Kachouii Prison in Karaj.