Maryam Naghash Zargaran Moments After Release

Maryam Naghash Zargaran, a young Christian convert who was released from Evin Prison hours ago, was taken to the prosecutor’s office located within the prison minutes before her release. There she encountered a line of prison health personnel, ranging from ambulance drivers to health officials. She was informed that a new case would be opened against her for allegedly insulting health personnel, although this did not prevent her release from prison.

According to Hrana news agency, the news organ of the human rights activists collective in Iran, as time has passed, more details have emerged about the mistreatment and harassment of Maryam Naghash Zargaran in the minutes before her release.

Maryam Naghash Zargaran was released from Evin Prison hours ago after enduring 4 years of imprisonment. However, this period remained accompanied by harassment and distress even in its final moments for this prisoner of conscience.

It has been reported that while Maryam Naghash Zargaran awaited her release, prison personnel transferred her not to the exit door of the prison, but to Branch 1 of the Shahid Mogaddas Prosecutor’s Office located within Evin Prison.

At Branch 1, this prisoner unexpectedly encountered a large number of Evin Prison health personnel, including individuals from various ranks ranging from the head of health services to ambulance drivers.

The prosecutor of Branch 1 informed this prisoner of conscience that a new case has been opened against her for “insulting personnel” and a bail of 50 million tomans has been issued for her.

It is said that the matter of “insulting personnel” stems from an incident in which Ms. Zargaran’s leg was injured in the prison, and after being transferred to the health office, due to the disrespectful behavior of the health services director, a verbal altercation had ensued between the two.

The prosecutor, despite claiming the case has been opened and bail issued, claims there is currently no need to deposit the bail and she can be released until further contact is made with her.

Given the unusual procedure of prison personnel during the release of this prisoner and the unlawful conduct of the Branch 1 prosecutor, including the unnecessary bail deposit, it is unclear whether this incident represents new case-building against this prisoner who spent the last four years in prison or is merely a form of psychological harassment and torture.

It should be recalled that Abbas Khani, the head of Evin Prison health services, expressed displeasure that his conduct toward political prisoners had received media coverage, and had threatened various prisoners, including Atena Daemi, with retaliation, a report that was previously covered by Hrana.

Maryam (Nasim) Naghash Zargaran, a young Christian convert whose 4-year imprisonment was scheduled to end on 15 Khordad of the current year through counting absent days during her furlough, was finally released from Evin Prison today after a delay of approximately two months.

Ms. Naghash Zargaran, who began her 4-year imprisonment from the beginning of summer 1392, was supposed to be released on 15 Khordad, but this release was delayed due to claims of absence during her furlough.

Prosecutorial authorities had informed her family that Ms. Zargaran would be released on 6 Mordad under the title of furlough connected to her release. This statement caused the Naghash Zargaran family to wait for long hours in front of the prison on 6 Mordad for the futile release of their daughter.

Finally, after several announcements of different timelines, Maryam Naghash Zargaran received her release document today as a sign of the end of her imprisonment and, after completing legal procedures amid a welcome from family and friends, was released from Evin Prison.

It should be recalled that Ms. Zargaran was first summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence’s Follow-up Office in Esfand 1389 and was interrogated. These interrogations, accompanied by threats and harassment of her family members, mostly took place in informal locations and centered around questions about home churches and the general assembly.

She was ultimately summoned by telephone and arrested by security police a few days after the arrest of Saeed Abedini, an Iranian-American citizen, and on the same day her father’s residence was searched and his religious books, pamphlets, and personal belongings were confiscated.

This young Christian convert was transferred to Evin Prison for fingerprinting and, without any charge notification, was transferred to the Ministry building. She was detained for 5 days without the most basic sanitary facilities and was interrogated. Most of the questions concerned the quality of services held in these churches.

Ms. Zargaran was ultimately transferred to Evin Prison and was informed of her charges by Branch 2 of the Shahid Mogaddas Prosecutor’s Office. The only charge against her was propaganda against the system.

Maryam Naghash Zargaran, after 19 days of temporary detention in the women’s ward of Evin Prison, was released on a bail of 70 million tomans. She was sentenced to 4 years of punitive imprisonment by Judge Moghisseh, head of Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court, on the charge of action against national security through gathering and conspiracy. This was despite the fact that such a charge was never formally notified to her.

Source: Hrana