Iranian Artist Reveals Brutal Torture, Forced Confession

An Iranian artist arrested during the Women, Life, Freedom protests has spoken of the severe torture she endured in custody.

Now in exile in Turkey after fleeing Iran, Elham Modarresi was arrested last November on charges such as vandalism of facilities, anti-government propaganda, disrupting public order and inciting people to kill.

In January, rights activists Hengaw told of her hunger strike while imprisoned at Karaj's Kachoui prison. During her detention, the artist originally from Kurdish province Sanandaj, was deprived of the right to access a lawyer as well as her case, and she also suffered from liver and intestinal disease, the group said.

In her latest update from Turkey, Modarresi revealed that during her imprisonment, she was subjected to severe physical torture, including brutal beatings that led to internal bleeding.

Minority Kurdish Iranians have historically been treated with extreme oppression under the regime, as a recent report revealed at length. 

The artist was temporarily released from Karaj's Kachoui prison on January 22, with bail posted, allowing her to escape.

In a message shared on the X network, Modarresi said, "12 Iranian security agents stormed our house, violently pushed my mother, put handguns against my mother and brother's heads, blindfolded me, and took me away."

She spoke of how intelligence officers destroyed her ultrasound records, concealing the abuse, and the recurrent threats of sexual violence, part of systematic state sanctioned sexual violence well documented by Iran's Me Too movement.

Throughout her time in prison, Modarresi was denied access to medication and medical care as the regime pressured her into a forced confession.

She now faces an uncertain future with no guarantees of safety in Turkey and has pleaded for help to find refuge.