Four-minute read
On October 11, Maryam Akbari Monfared, a political prisoner and tireless advocate for justice, should have been released after serving her unjust 15-year sentence in Iran. Instead, the regime has imposed an additional two years of imprisonment, further exemplifying its relentless attempts to silence her voice. Maryam’s journey is not just a personal story of resilience but one that mirrors the ongoing fight of countless Iranians for truth and justice.
Maryam’s imprisonment in 2009 followed her participation in mass protests after the disputed presidential elections in 2009, known as the Ashura protests. Five months later, she was sentenced to 15 years in prison by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, led by the notorious Judge Abolqasem Salavati. She was charged with “enmity against God” (Moharebeh) due to alleged ties to the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). Her true “crime” was demanding justice for her family—four of her siblings were executed in the 1980s during the regime’s brutal crackdown on political dissidents.
During her time in prison, Maryam has endured tremendous hardships. She has been denied prison leave for over 15 years, not even granted a single hour of furlough for essential medical care or to see her three daughters.
In 2016, Maryam took a bold step by filing a formal complaint from within the prison, calling for an investigation into the unlawful executions of her siblings. In July 2017, Maryam Akbari Monfared wrote a powerful letter to foreign ambassadors visiting Evin Prison, exposing the harsh realities and inhumane conditions hidden from their view by Iranian authorities. In her letter, she vividly described the brutality faced by prisoners, including the devaluation of human dignity, rampant physical abuse, and the manipulation of the prison’s image during their visit.
These acts of defiance only increased the pressure on her. She was transferred to a remote prison in Semnan in 2021, far from her family, and has faced numerous fabricated charges aimed at extending her imprisonment.
Maryam Akbari Monfared's case has become emblematic of the Iranian regime’s cruelty and determination to suppress dissent, particularly from those who dare to seek justice for past atrocities.#FreeMaryamAkbari #مريم_اكبری_منفرد https://t.co/xSzamNTYY5
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) October 13, 2024
Despite these harsh conditions, Maryam has remained an unbroken symbol of resistance. Her letters from prison reveal a woman of immense courage and strength. In one of her most powerful letters, she asked her interrogators, “Should I apologize for the fact that you have kept me away from my three daughters for nearly eight years? Should I apologize for my siblings being executed by you?”
Her words continue to inspire both inside and outside of Iran. Maryam is not only fighting for her family but for the countless victims of Iran’s regime, particularly the 30,000 political prisoners executed during the 1988 massacre. Her refusal to surrender to the regime’s demands, even when promised freedom in exchange for forced confessions, highlights her unyielding determination to seek justice.
Javaid Rehman, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, mentioned this case in his final report, ‘Atrocity Crimes,’ stating:
“One poignant example illustrating this pattern of harassment and persecution is the case of Maryam Akbari-Monfared, a political prisoner in the country. Ms. Akbari-Monfared displayed immense courage by filing an official complaint from inside prison on 15 October 2016, addressing the Iranian judiciary regarding the execution of her siblings during the 1988 massacre. In response to her pursuit of accountability, she has faced increased pressure while incarcerated, including the denial of visitations and her forced exile to a remote location, far from her children. Authorities have informed Ms. Akbari-Monfared that her release is contingent on retracting her call for accountability regarding her siblings’ murder. Despite enduring a 15-year sentence without a single day of furlough, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Akbari-Monfared’s ordeal continues. On 1 July 2023, she was summoned to the Courthouse of Evin Prison and arraigned on five new charges, subsequently receiving an additional two-year sentence. Information from sources within the prison suggests that her continued detention is aimed at coercing her into renouncing her pursuit of accountability.”
Say her name: Maryam Akbari Monfared
Iran regime’s judiciary refuses to release political prisoner Maryam Akbari after the completion of her 15-year sentence#FreeMaryamAkbari https://t.co/zFwH4hkwR4 pic.twitter.com/DdRKqzEGaJ
— Women's Committee NCRI (@womenncri) October 12, 2024
In recent months, the Iranian regime has intensified its crackdown on supporters of the PMOI, resorting to torture, arbitrary imprisonment, and a disturbing rise in executions. High-profile cases such as that of boxing champion Mohammad Javad Vafaie Sani, who was sentenced to death for the third time in September 2024, highlight the regime’s systematic persecution of PMOI supporters. Despite his severe physical and psychological torture, Vafaie has remained resilient, as have other political prisoners such as Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani, who were also sentenced to death earlier this year.
In addition to these individuals, the regime has also begun trials for seven other PMOI supporters, including Abolhassan Montazer, Pouya Ghobadi, Vahid Bani-Amerian, Babak Alipour, Ali Akbar Daneshvarkar, Mohammad Taghavi, and Mojtaba Taghavi. These prisoners have endured months of torture in Evin Prison, with their trials presided over by the same judges notorious for issuing death sentences to political dissidents. Many of these prisoners are long-time activists who have previously been imprisoned, with some, such as Montazer and Mohammad Taghavi, suffering from severe health issues as a result of their repeated imprisonments and torture.
Maryam’s lawyer confirmed that her original 15-year sentence ended in October 2023, but a new two-year sentence was imposed without any legal basis or evidence. This injustice reflects the regime’s fear of her influence. Over the years, human rights organizations and activists worldwide have rallied behind Maryam, recognizing her as a symbol of the Iranian people’s fight against tyranny.
Her story is a reminder of the brutal reality faced by many political prisoners in Iran, but also a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. As Maryam herself has written, she believes in a future where justice will prevail: “One day, I will sing the song of victory from the mountaintop like the sun.”
Maryam Akbari Monfared’s continued imprisonment is not just an attack on her, but on all those who dare to demand justice in Iran. Yet, every day she remains defiant, she proves that the regime’s attempts to silence her have failed and that means 5,401 days and counting.