{"id":324975,"date":"2024-10-14T12:56:28","date_gmt":"2024-10-14T11:56:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=324975"},"modified":"2024-10-14T13:33:57","modified_gmt":"2024-10-14T12:33:57","slug":"maryam-akbari-monfared-the-unyielding-voice-of-irans-political-prisoners-15-years-of-unjust-captivity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/human-rights\/maryam-akbari-monfared-the-unyielding-voice-of-irans-political-prisoners-15-years-of-unjust-captivity\/","title":{"rendered":"Maryam Akbari Monfared: The Unyielding Voice of Iran’s Political Prisoners, 15 Years of Unjust Captivity"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Four-minute read<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

On October 11, Maryam Akbari Monfared<\/a>, 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\u2019s journey is not just a personal story of resilience but one that mirrors the ongoing fight of countless Iranians for truth and justice.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Maryam\u2019s 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\u2019s Revolutionary Court, led by the notorious Judge Abolqasem Salavati<\/a>. She was charged with “enmity against God” (Moharebeh) due to alleged ties to the People\u2019s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI\/MEK). Her true “crime” was demanding justice for her family\u2014four of her siblings were executed in the 1980s during the regime\u2019s brutal crackdown on political dissidents.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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 <\/span>to see her three daughters. <\/span><\/p>\n

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<\/a> 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Maryam Akbari Monfared's case has become emblematic of the Iranian regime\u2019s cruelty and determination to suppress dissent, particularly from those who dare to seek justice for past atrocities.#FreeMaryamAkbari<\/a> #\u0645\u0631\u064a\u0645_\u0627\u0643\u0628\u0631\u06cc_\u0645\u0646\u0641\u0631\u062f<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/xSzamNTYY5<\/a><\/p>\n

— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI\/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) October 13, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n