Transfer of Women Political Prisoners to Smaller Prisons; Nasrin Sotoudeh’s Husband Says They Have Been ‘Exiled’ Through ‘Deception and Trickery’

Reports and news published on social media indicate that following the transfer of Nasrin Sotoudeh, a lawyer and human rights defender imprisoned in Iran, from Evin Prison to Qarchak Prison in Varamin, Maryam Akbari Maragheh and Yasaman Aryani, two civil activists and protesters against mandatory hijab, have also been transferred to Karaj Prison, as well as Samane Norouzi Moradi, a political prisoner, who has been transferred to another prison.

Reza Khandan, the husband of Nasrin Sotoudeh, said on Wednesday, October 20, confirming these reports to Voice of America: “Officials stationed at Evin Prison, on Tuesday, October 19, without any preamble, through deception and trickery, released Nasrin Sotoudeh with the stated intention of taking her to a hospital outside the prison, but instead handed her over to Qarchak Prison in Varamin, which is known as the women’s prison. Ms. Sotoudeh was given no explanation regarding the reason for her exile to this prison.”

Mr. Khandan added: “This transfer occurred through trickery and under the guise of being transferred to a hospital, while Ms. Sotoudeh did not take any of her belongings with her, including clothes and other personal items that she had at Evin Prison, to Qarchak Prison.”

Ms. Sotoudeh’s husband also told Voice of America regarding the transfer of Maryam Akbari Maragheh and Yasaman Aryani that Ms. Akbari Maragheh’s husband has also confirmed the transfer of these civil activists from Evin Prison to another prison; however, it has been reported that up to this point, none of these prisoners have been able to contact their families.

On the other hand, Babak Paknia, the lawyer for Maryam Akbari Maragheh, Yasaman Aryani, and Samane Norouzi Moradi, also reported on Twitter about the “deception” and “lies” of prison officials regarding the transfer of his clients and wrote: “Samane Norouzi Moradi’s physical condition is not at all favorable. We were in the process of conducting legal medical procedures to obtain a certificate of inability to withstand imprisonment. They did not even give my clients the opportunity to take their medications and warm clothes with them! What kind of situation is this?”

Previously, Nasrin Sotoudeh’s husband, following this human rights defender’s prolonged hunger strike, had told Voice of America that after Ms. Sotoudeh was transferred to a hospital outside the prison, the doctor at the hospital had said that her angiography examination should be performed as soon as possible, but “no action has been taken so far and Ms. Sotoudeh’s physical condition is not appropriate.”

Mr. Khandan, referring to the statements made the previous day by the spokesperson of the Prison Organization regarding Ms. Sotoudeh’s transfer to Qarchak Prison in Varamin, told Voice of America: “The spokesperson of the Prison Organization, with limited or no legal literacy, attempted to provide explanations in this regard; but the reality is that these reasons are not at all the main reasons for these transfers. These incidents are not limited to the women’s ward, and they regularly transfer male political prisoners every now and then. This transfer is a very heavy psychological and mental blow to the prisoner, because the prisoner spends months and sometimes years trying to establish limited relationships and facilities within the prison ward for themselves.”

Based on available reports, the public relations office of the General Directorate of Prisons of Tehran Province stated on Tuesday, October 19 that the reason for Ms. Sotoudeh’s transfer to Qarchak Prison in Varamin was the finalization of the 12-year prison sentence for this imprisoned human rights activist and announced: “Based on clause B of article seven of the regulation on the method of separating and classifying prisoners, approved in December 2006, prisoners convicted in one of the general crimes, which also applies to Nasrin Sotoudeh, are not eligible to be held in a security ward.”

Mr. Khandan, continuing his conversation with Voice of America, refuted the claim by the General Directorate of Prisons of Tehran Province regarding the separation and classification of prisoners, saying that the excuse of separating prisoners in Iran is a futile excuse; because in Iran there is no prison exclusively for political prisoners, and all Iranian prisons, including Evin, Rajaee Shahr, and Greater Tehran, house both political prisoners and those convicted of general crimes.

Earlier, Voice of America had reported that Yasaman Aryani and Maryam Akbari Maragheh, civil activists and protesters against mandatory hijab in Iran, were convicted by Branch 54 of the Appeals Court to endure a sentence of 5 years and 6 months in prison.

Morgan Ortagus, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, condemned the confirmation of the sentences of these opponents of mandatory hijab in Iran and said: “No one should be forced to wear or not wear religious clothing.”

Mr. Khandan concluded his remarks to Voice of America by saying: “A system that claims: we catch terrorists in the sky, we bring such a person from France, and thousands of other claims, how is it that it resorts to deception and lies in the transfer of a prisoner? Is this from their religious teachings or technical teachings? What reason is there for this trickery? This is while for the judicial system, the prison organization, and security forces, transferring a prisoner is as easy as drinking water, and they can transfer the prisoner by simply showing a court order. Even if the prisoner resists, they can easily use force and transfer the prisoner to wherever they wish.”

Robert Menendez, a senior U.S. Senator, also announced on September 10 on Twitter that Nasrin Sotoudeh, an Iranian human rights defender, should never have been imprisoned in the first place. He continued in his Twitter message, stating that Iran should immediately and unconditionally release Nasrin Sotoudeh and end her hunger strike before her condition worsens.

Earlier, the U.S. State Department’s Office of Women’s Affairs also expressed support and deep concern for Nasrin Sotoudeh’s health and called on the Iranian regime to release this imprisoned human rights lawyer and all political prisoners who have been wrongfully detained.