Transfer of Political Prisoner ‘Zahra Sarv’ to Solitary Confinement
“Zahra Sarv,” a political prisoner, was transferred to a punitive solitary cell after returning from a court session.
Zahra Sarv, 40, a political prisoner held in Evin Prison, was transferred to Qarchak Prison in Varamin days ago following severe violence. She has spent more than three and a half years of her imprisonment, lost her sick mother, and has herself contracted cancer in prison, from which she has unfortunately been deprived of medical treatment to date.
Zahra was active on social media under the username “Mahfar” and was arrested by security forces in early Mehr (September-October) 1400 and transferred to the IRGC Intelligence Detention Center. After extensive interrogations, she was first transferred to the women’s ward of Evin Prison and then to Qarchak Prison in Varamin, but in Ordibehesht 1402 she was returned to Evin Prison along with several other political prisoners.
She, who had previously been arrested and convicted, was sentenced to six years in prison, and after accepting a request for retrial and following re-examination, her sentence was confirmed as is. She had previously been sentenced by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court to seven years in prison on charges of “social activity, conspiracy, and propaganda against the system.”
In Mehr (September-October) 1403, Zahra Sarv’s request for conditional release was rejected for the nth time, while having calculated her time in detention, she had already served more than one-third of her sentence.
According to published reports, on Monday, the 16th of Tir month, a retrial session and renewed examination of Zahra’s case was held. During this session, she refused to comply with mandatory hijab requirements, which was met with a harsh reaction from court security personnel. After the court session ended and she returned to prison, she was transferred to solitary confinement as punishment.
Prison officials informed her that she would be held in solitary confinement for 15 days. Ms. Sarv also protested this action by going on a hunger strike. Her transfer to solitary confinement comes as female prisoners in Evin normally experience stressful conditions and a very unsuitable situation in the prison.
Their transfer to Qarchak Prison in Varamin following the Israel-Iran conflict also added to their stress, while in war conditions, prisoners should have been granted furlough. Beyond all these issues, they are also pressured to comply with mandatory dress code requirements to attend court sessions, which is an affront to human dignity and women’s personality.
