Maryam Akbari Monfared, one of Iran’s longest-serving female political prisoners, faces escalating harassment from the regime as authorities intensify efforts to break her spirit and extend her imprisonment. After 15 years behind bars without a single day of furlough, she was recently transferred from Semnan Prison to Qarchak Prison, a notorious facility in Varamin known for its harsh conditions and reports of abuse. This is a deliberate attempt to isolate and further punish her, preventing her release by fabricating new charges.
Despite completing her initial 15-year sentence, which under the regime’s own law should have seen her released in 2019 after 10 years, the regime continues to detain her. Authorities have recently imposed an additional two-year sentence on her, accusing her of “propaganda against the system” and “insulting the leadership,” among other vague charges. These allegations were used to justify her transfer to Qarchak, where she is expected to endure even more stringent conditions. Akbari Monfared’s steadfast refusal to renounce her calls for accountability for the deaths of her siblings, who were executed by the regime during the 1980s, has made her a target for continuous persecution.
Arrested in 2009, she was sentenced to 15 years in prison for allegedly supporting the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI). Her actual “crime,” however, has been her persistent demand for justice for her three brothers and sister who were executed by the regime. Alireza and Gholamreza Akbari were killed in the 1980s, while Abdolreza and Roghiyeh were victims of the 1988 massacre, during which over 30,000 political prisoners were executed.
Akbari Monfared’s situation has drawn international attention, with UN Special Rapporteur Javaid Rehman highlighting her case in a report in July. Rehman described her as a “poignant example illustrating this pattern of harassment and persecution.” He noted, “Ms. Akbari-Monfared displayed immense courage by filing an official complaint from inside prison on 15 October 2016, addressing the Iranian judiciary regarding the execution of her siblings during the 1988 massacre. In response to her pursuit of accountability, she has faced increased pressure while incarcerated, including the denial of visitations and her forced exile to a remote location, far from her children. Authorities have informed Ms. Akbari-Monfared that her release is contingent on retracting her call for accountability regarding her siblings’ murder. Despite enduring a 15-year sentence without a single day of furlough, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Akbari-Monfared’s ordeal continues. On 1 July 2023, she was summoned to the Courthouse of Evin Prison and arraigned on five new charges, subsequently receiving an additional two-year sentence. Information from sources within the prison suggests that her continued detention is aimed at coercing her into renouncing her pursuit of accountability.”
Akbari Monfared’s plight is part of a larger pattern of repression against female political prisoners in Iran. The regime has intensified its crackdown on dissidents, particularly women, who have been vocal in their opposition to the state’s policies. Recently, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) condemned new sentences handed down to five female political prisoners held in Evin Prison. Narges Mohammadi, Varisheh Moradi, Pakhshan Azizi, Mahboubeh Rezaei, and Pariwash Moslemi were sentenced to additional prison time for protesting the execution of another political prisoner, Reza Rasai, in August 2024.
The NCRI Women’s Committee called these sentences a blatant violation of human rights and a further demonstration of the regime’s attempts to crush the spirit of political opposition. The committee, alongside other international human rights organizations, has urged the United Nations to intervene and demand the release of these women, highlighting the need for a robust international response to the regime’s ongoing abuses.
The Iranian regime’s intensified campaign against political prisoners reflects its fear of growing dissent, particularly among women who have been at the forefront of protests and calls for reform. Since the nationwide protests of 2022, which saw a surge in activism led by women, the regime has increased its use of the death penalty, arbitrary detentions, and other harsh measures to maintain control. Female prisoners are often subject to additional layers of oppression, including physical abuse, denial of medical care, and prolonged solitary confinement.
In addition to Akbari, political prisoners across the country have been subject to intensified repression. Since the wave of protests in 2022, the regime has increased its use of the death penalty and other brutal tactics to intimidate dissidents. Recently, the regime sentenced PMOI supporters Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani to death. The regime’s judiciary has also upheld the death sentence of PMOI supporter Mohammad Javad Vafa’i Thani for the third time. Seven other political prisoners were recently put on trial on charges of supporting the PMOI and face the threat of execution.
As calls for the release of Maryam Akbari Monfared and other political prisoners grow louder, human rights organizations are urging the international community to hold the Iranian regime accountable. The NCRI has repeatedly called for action from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Human Rights Council, and special rapporteurs focused on Iran and violence against women. NCRI president-elect Maryam Rajavi has emphasized the need for a firm policy against the regime’s repressive measures, calling for immediate and concrete actions to ensure the release of these prisoners.