Prominent Iranian Rights Activist Denied Heart Medication In Jail

Iranian civil and human rights defender Narges Mohammadi who has returned to prison after an open-heart surgery is denied her medications, her lawyer says.

Mostafa Nili said on Tuesday that despite the delivery of the medicines to the Qarchak Prison, the authorities have refused to hand them over to Mohammadi, who was on furlough for the surgery until last week.

He said that Mohammadi has a coronary stent in one of her main arteries and must take her heart medication regularly.

Nili added that any delay in taking the medications can make the treatment process ineffective and even endanger her health.

Taghi Rahmani, her husband, had told Radio Farda that doctors believe she needed a longer period of recovery before she had to return to prison.

In a five-minute trial in late January, she was sentenced to eight years in jail and 70 lashes by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court, for trumped-up political chagres.

Mohammadi was arrested in November last year at the death anniversary of a victim shot by security forces during the November 2019 protests, reportedly while shopping.

She has been to jail several times over the past two decades. She was freed from Evin Prison in September 2020 after serving more than five years when she had no contact with her husband and children for long periods of time.

Persecution of human rights and political activists and executions have increased since hardliner president Ebrahim Raisi took office last August.