Nahid Taghavi's daughter tells VOA: Authorities are refusing to send my mother on medical leave

Following the deterioration of the physical condition of Nahid Taghavi, a dual Iranian-German citizen imprisoned in Iran, her son says that despite posting a 2 billion toman bail and his mother's urgent need for back surgery, she is still being denied medical leave.

Maryam Klaren told VOA that Ms. Taghavi had been suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure before her arrest, adding that her mother is currently experiencing back problems and needs to undergo surgery immediately.

Ms. Klaren says that, despite the fact that the neurosurgeon at Tehran Hospital, after reviewing Ms. Taghavi's MRI, has informed prison authorities that she needs back surgery and a rehabilitation period, and despite the fact that the family provided bail of 2 billion Tomans on September 14, Ms. Taghavi has not been granted medical leave to date.

Referring to the arrest of Mustafa Nili, Nahid Taghavi's defense attorney, and stating that Mr. Nili has been in prison for a month, he told VOA that due to the lack of access to his mother's defense attorney, legal proceedings are being pursued by family members, and they are trying to hire a new attorney for the case so that he can carry out the necessary follow-up.

Maryam Klaren also said that the judiciary has not given a clear response to the demands of the Taqvi family.

Nahid Taghavi, an Iranian-German citizen who was arrested in her apartment in Tehran in October last year, was sentenced to 10 years and eight months in prison in August this year on charges of "membership in an illegal group" and "propaganda activity against the regime."

Currently, apart from Nahid Taghavi, several dual citizens are imprisoned in Iran, including Mehran Rauf, Siamak and Bagher Namazi, Kamran Ghaderi, Masoud Mosaheb, and Anousheh Ashouri.

Iran has intensified its detention of foreign nationals and dual citizens in recent years. The U.S. State Department has repeatedly condemned the Islamic Republic’s arbitrary and unjustified detention of U.S. and foreign citizens, including dual Iranian nationals, and called for their immediate and unconditional release.

Source: Voice of America