Imprisoned civil and human rights activist Narges Mohammadi has warned against increased violence against female prisoners inside the women's ward of Tehran’s notorious Evin prison.
In a letter published on Thursday, Mohammadi revealed disturbing details of physical harassment, abuse, and assault inflicted on women inmates over the past three months, in the lead up to the anniversary of the nationwide protests.
Mohammadi's letter, posted on her Instagram account, sheds light on a distressing pattern of escalating violence, extending from the arrest process to the transfer to prison facilities. She described detainees arriving at the Evin Prison with "bruised and battered heads, faces, and bodies," and expressed concern over the harrowing consequences if this distressing trend persists.
Having previously issued multiple letters highlighting the dire conditions within prisons and detention centers, Mohammadi specifically raised the alarm about violence targeting detainees and called for an investigation into allegations of "sexual assault against detained women."
Mohammadi labelled the acts of brutal and lethal violence as "systematic" and "intentional", orchestrated by the government against female protestors, aimed at instilling fear and terror.
Underscoring her point, Mohammadi detailed an incident where she witnessed the transfer of an injured woman with "bruised shoulders and hands" repeatedly uttering the words, "My leg is broken." This girl claimed that there were no surveillance cameras in her cell during the time of the beatings.
In her concluding remarks, Mohammadi sent a stern warning to the Islamic Republic, saying that the escalation of violence would not deter the unwavering determination of the people to liberate themselves from the grip of the oppressive religious regime.
