Civil Activist Sepideh Gholeyan Transferred from Evin Prison to Bushehr Prison
Sepideh Gholeyan, an imprisoned civil activist, was transferred from the women’s ward of Evin Prison to Bushehr Prison in the late hours of Wednesday night, the 20th of Esfand. Sepideh Gholeyan has been serving her five-year prison sentence in the women’s ward of Evin Prison since June of this year.
According to a report by Hrana news agency, the news organ of the Iranian Human Rights Activists’ Network, in the late hours of Wednesday night, the 20th of Esfand 1399, Sepideh Gholeyan, an imprisoned civil activist, was transferred from Evin Prison to Bushehr Prison.
Ms. Gholeyan’s transfer from the women’s ward of Evin Prison took place at 11 p.m. last night while handcuffed and shackled. The distance between Bushehr Prison and Dezful, where Sepideh Gholeyan’s parents reside, exceeds 600 kilometers. The transfer to Bushehr Prison occurred despite Ms. Gholeyan’s repeated requests to be transferred to Sepidbar Prison in Ahvaz due to the long distance from her family.
On Tuesday, the 19th of Esfand, Maryam Akbari Monfared, another political prisoner held in the women’s ward of Evin Prison, was also transferred to Semnan Prison. Additionally, on Sunday, the 5th of Bahman 1399, Golrokh Ebrahimi Irayi, a political prisoner, was transferred from Qarchak Prison in Varamin to Amol Prison. On the 15th of Azar, Hrana reported the transfer of three other prisoners, including Sepideh Farhan and Mojgan Keshavarz, from the women’s political ward of Evin Prison to Qarchak Prison in Varamin. Previously, on the 30th of Mehr, Yasmin Aryani and her mother Manizheh Arabshahi were transferred from Evin Prison to Kachioi Prison in Karaj, and Samane Nowruz Moradi was transferred to Lakan Prison in Rasht. Furthermore, between the 29th of Mehr and the 17th of Aban, Nasrin Sotoudeh and Maryam Ebrahimvand were sent to Qarchak Prison in Varamin, and Sekineh Parvaneh was sent to Qouchane Prison.
The transfer of a number of these prisoners was carried out without prior notice and suddenly. Moreover, these citizens were deprived of their belongings during transfer, particularly at the onset of the winter season when warm clothing is needed. In recent months, Evin Prison officials and the Prison Organization have visited the ward and spoken with prisoners on several occasions. In one instance, the judicial deputy of Evin Prison, while disclaiming responsibility, stated that these transfers were carried out by orders from other authorities and they only played an executive role in the matter. This official attributed the sudden transfers to possible prisoner resistance and told the prisoners that if they cooperate with us, you will be notified in advance in future cases.
On the 27th of Aban 1397, Sepideh Gholeyan, along with at least 19 others including all members of the Haftapeh Sugar Cane Workers’ Representative Assembly, several labor activists, and a number of company employees and managers who had come to the Security Police to follow up on the status of the detained, were arrested at the Shush Security Police headquarters and was released on bail on the 27th of Azar of the same year. During the broadcast of coerced confessions of Sepideh Gholeyan, Esmail Bakhshi, and several others by the Islamic Republic News Network, these two citizens had stated before the broadcast of this documentary that intelligence ministry and other security forces had tortured them. Hours after these statements, they were again arrested by security forces.
On the 4th of Aban, Sepideh Gholeyan was temporarily released from prison by posting bail until the completion of legal proceedings. On the 23rd of Azar 1398, she was sentenced to five years imprisonment by Tehran Province’s Court of Appeals.
Ms. Gholeyan was ultimately arrested on the 1st of June of this year after appearing at the Evin Court’s Sentence Enforcement Unit and was transferred to Evin Prison to serve her sentence.
Source: Hrana
