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Medical Release Now for Nahid Taghavi! Prison Doctors Use Excessive Oral Cortisone, Try to Force Psychiatric Drugs

In recent interview by Agence France-Presse, Narges Mohammadi calls attention to critical situation of her Evin wardmate NahidTaghavi.
As summarized in Instagram posts by @free.nahid and @duzentekkal:
"These days I see Nahid Taghavi being given repeatedly cortizone ampoules to relieve her pain. But she would actually have to be injected directly. A prison doctor has expressed concerns and explained that the ongoing situation could lead to calcium deficiency and serious disturbances in the immune system.
"Despite her claim for conditional release and detention according to Iranian laws, she is still imprisoned. The pointless doctor's visits only to deceive international organizations or delaying injections into joints by 2-3 months has led to a worsening of her illness and physical weakness. These doctor visits are carried out in a hospital that is contractual to the prison and whose doctors are not independent... In a recent alarming incident, a hospital doctor insisted on trying to administer psychiatric drugs to Nahid against her strong objections.”
As a follow-up to this report from Narges, the IEC has determined that Nahid Taghavi did refuse the psychiatric drugs, and they were not administered.
As world-renowned writer Ariel Dorfman stated in June 2023, in response to news about Nahid's joint pain becoming severe:
"... Evin Prison, in the northern hills of Teheran: it is notoriously filled with thousands of patriots whose only crime is to have spoken against the current regime. Among those political prisoners is Nahid Taghavi who has been detained there since October 2020. Despite being critically ill, the authorities have refused to give her medical leave so her life can be saved.... A first gesture would be to allow Nahid Taghavi to receive the medical aid she desperately needs. But that measure should be followed by the freeing of all political prisoners held in so many prisons in Iran."
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Women Prisoners Burn Headscarves in Evin Prison Courtyard

On September 16, the first anniversary of the murder of Jina Mahsa Amini and the start of the Woman-Life-Freedom uprising, four women political prisoners in Evin Prison burned their head scarves in the Women’s Ward courtyard where a number of them have been on a sit-down strike since September 15, at great personal risk. Below is their statement, posted on the Instagram account of prominent political prisoner Narges Mohammadi, followed by a listing of other prisoner actions.
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One year has passed since the tragic death of Iran’s daughter, Mahsa Amini (Jina), at the hands of the agents of the Islamic Republic government.
The bitterness of the unjust killings and executions of our innocent daughters and sons in our streets and prisons, the blinding of protesters, detention, torture, and imprisonment of the rising generation has wounded our souls and bodies.
However, it has ignited a flame of hope and motivation for the continuation of our struggle until victory. We, the women political prisoners of Evin, stand alongside all freedom seekers and equality advocates around the world, supporting the people of Iran and protesting the violent, repressive and ruthless policies of the dictatorial religious government.
Starting from September 15, we will be taking refuge in the courtyard of the women's ward in Evin Prison raising our voices alongside the people of Iran.
We call upon the people of Iran and the world to be the voice of protesters and dissenters and support us.
***
Some of the other significant actions by prisoners in Iran to mark this day:
- According to Kurdistan Human Rights Network, female prisoners in Varamin protested on the occasion of the anniversary of the government murder of Zina Mahsa Amini. According to an informed source, the forces of the special prison unit entered the protestors' cell to suppress these protests and severely beat the prisoners and shot a number of protesters.
- At least 20 women prisoners were reportedly injured after a fire broke out in the Qarchak prison for women, and security forces were rushed in to quell a protest, firing pellets and beating the women, according to Center for Human Rights in Iran.
- Male prisoners of conscience announced their hunger strike “to show solidarity with all non-violent activists for an independent, free, and developed Iran without any discrimination.” The prominent activists include Mohammad Najafi, Mostafa Tajzadeh, Saeid Madani, and Mehdi Mahmoudian. Also, imprisoned Sharif University students Ali Younesi and Amirhossein Moradi went on hunger strike on Sept 13 until the uprising’s anniversary.
Sepideh Gholian spits in the face of pig interrogator, sentenced to 15 months more

Two women confronted each other in court in Tehran, Iran, on August 22, 2023: one the epitome of the Islamic Republic’s hijab-enforcers and torturers who aim to drag women into a medieval past, the other a shining example of the fearless women of the future. One of them walked out with spit on her face.
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When Sepideh Gholian (Qolian), then a journalist/activist just 23 years old, was arrested in 2018 along with striking workers from the Haft Teppeh sugarcane conglomerate, she and fellow detainees were subjected to torture in solitary confinement and forced to confess to “collusion and propaganda to act against national security” and other charges. Their forced confessions were broadcast on state-sponsored TV. When Sepideh renounced this confession in court, she pointed to the role of supposed “TV reporter” Ameneh Sadat Zabihpour[i], who participated in the interrogations and handed Sepideh the statement that she was forced to read on camera.
Zabihpour filed a suit against Sepideh for defamation (for exposing her true role as pro-regime pig) and added charges of “espionage” and “incitement”. On August 22, 2023, this case went to court in a session which was private because Sepideh refused to wear a hijab (headscarf) in court.
Sepideh’s defense was typical of her bravery and rebelliousness. She “said her presence in court was not strictly for self-defense but to stand up for what the people have achieved through their movement.” She “mentioned honorable journalists such as Niloofar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi (arrested for reporting on Mahsa Jina Amini’s death), whom Ms. Zabihpour also called spies of Israel and the United States.” Finally, Sepideh “spit in her face at the end of the trial and, in her own words, spit on her ‘on behalf of the people’”.[ii]
The judge convicted Sepideh and sentenced her to another 15 months in prison, on top of the two years she is currently serving since March for “insulting the Supreme Leader”. See IEC’s #FreeSepideh Resource page.
[i] Zabihpour leads the Political and Security reporting at IRIB and has produced scurrilous “documentary exposés” against activists, including at Haft Teppeh. Faces of Crime, updated January 4, 2021.
[ii] Description of Sepideh’s defense and actions during the trial is from her brother’s Instagram, translated from Farsi by IEC volunteers.
"I have lived my life to the sound of your voice": Poem from Sepideh Gholian to Mehdi Yarrahi

From inside Iran's Evin Prison, Sepideh Gholian (Qolian) wrote a poem to the renowned singer/composer Mehdi Yarrahi, who was arrested by the Islamic Republic of Iran on August 27 after the release of his song “Roosarito”, Your Head Scarf, “dedicated to the noble women of my homeland, who bravely shine in the front lines of the Woman, Life, Freedom” movement”.
Like Sepideh Gholian, Mehdi Yarrahi is from the province of Khuzestan bordering Iraq, an oil-rich but environmentally devastated region. In addition, Yarrahi is an ethnic Arab, an oppressed nationality. He has been banned from performing multiple times, due to his daring protest lyrics, but has never backed down or fled the country.
The following excerpt of Sepideh's poem was posted on Burn The Cage and translated to English by IEC volunteers.
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I have lived my life to the sound of your voice, #Mehdi_Yarrahi.
You could have sided with the powers that be, been an ambassador for the ruling class,
gone on European tours, given dazzling performances, feasted at banquets, led a colorful life.
But you decided to stand on the other side 'though you knew it could cost you.
You became the voice of an Arab woman in Khuzestan,
the voice of Sepideh Rashnou, who resisted the forced hijab,
the voice of Toomaj, of workers, prisoners,
and of all those who are born in poverty and pain.
I have lived my life to the sound of your voice, #Mehdi_Yarrahi.
I have walked all of Khuzestan, which is my soul, to the sound of your voice
During the floods and in Sepidar prison, we danced to your songs and stood up together,
I saw how you live in the people's hearts. The same people who, like you,
are accused of being secessionists by ruling dictators and would-be dictators.
The people have learned from you, Mehdi, from your simplicity and whole-heartedness.
They worry for you, because they know you are unique and extraordinary!
I have lived my life to the sound of your voice, #Mehdi_Yarrahi.
#Woman_Life_Freedom!
#Mehdi_Yarrahi!
#Sepideh_Gholian
#Free_Political_Prisoners!
~Sepideh Gholian, from Evin Prison, August 30, 2023
(The full poem in Farsi is posted by Sepideh’s brother.)
Sepideh Gholian, arrested at 23 for her journalism in support of striking sugarcane workers, has spent most of the past five years in prison, and remains incredibly rebellious and unrepentant. Check out and share our Sepideh Gholian Resource page for background and images to share.