Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee, jailed human rights and women’s rights activist
On hunger strike for more than 60 days
Her life is in a grave danger
#SaveGolrokh
Golrokh Iraee is a jailed activist in Iran. She is serving a six-year prison sentence. Her ‘crime’: defending human rights and practising her freedom of expression. She is currently on hunger strike. On 3rd April 2018 she was transferred to an unknown location while she was in a critical condition. WE NEED YOUR URGENT SUPPORT!
On 23rd January 2018, Golrokh Iraee and Atena Daemi, jailed children rights activist who is serving a seven-year prison sentence, were forcibly without any prior notice, transferred to infamous Gharchack Women Prison which is located in the city of Varamin, south of Tehran. Gharchak is a prison for women who are jailed on murder and drugs related charges and prisoners are kept in the most horrendous condition. It is a common practice by the authorities in Iran to psychologically torture political prisoners by transferring them to such prisons and wards.
Golrokh Iraee has begun a hunger strike on 4th February 2018 to protest against their transfer to Gharchack Prison. Golrokh and Atena’s demand is to be transferred back to Evin Prison where the female political prisoners are held. Families of
Golrokh and Atena have contacted the authorities several times but so far their request for an explanation with regards to the sudden transfer of Golrokh and Atena has been refused. Moreover, the families are not allowed to visit Golrokh and Atena.
According to the families, Golrokh’s health has been deteriorating and on the 3rd of April she was transferred to an unknown location/hospital. Golrokh’s family is extremely worried for her life.
Several human rights organisations have sent a letter to the authorities in Iran expressing their concern and demanding the release of Golrokh Iraee and Atena Daemi. Mr Pier Antonio Panzeri,Chair of the Human Rights Subcommittee (DROI) of the European Parliament, has released a statement in March 2018 calling for the release of Atena and Golrokh Iraee.
Golrokh Iraee needs your immediate and urgent attention. She is in the verge of losing her life and authorities have so far ignored her demand and her condition. Please send a letter to the authorities in Iran and urge them to release Golrokh Iranee and Atena Daemi immediately.
Background infomraiton about Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee:
Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee, 38, is a human rights and women’s rights activist. She wrote a story about a woman in a film called ‘The Stoning of Soraya M’. Through this story, Golrokh expressed how she feels about violence against women
and how she is outraged by the punishment of stoning. The security forces found the story Golrokh wrote when they raided her house in September 2014 and arrested Golrokh and her husband Arash Sadeghi who was a student activist.
Golrokh never published this story, but writing this story, along with her Facebook posts in support of political prisoners, was enough ‘evidence’ for the authorities to subject her to physical and psychological torture, and to sentence her to six years in prison. After just one year of marriage, Golrokh and her husband Arash were arrested and were taken to Evin prison forcibly. They were released on bail after seven months and were told to await sentencing.
Golrokh was not able to attend her final court hearing as she was hospitalised after having a major surgery on a tumour. The court never considered her medical records and never gave her a chance to defend herself. Her charges were announced as ‘insulting Islamic sanctities’ and ‘spreading propaganda against the system’ and she was sentenced to six years in prison on these unsubstantiated charges. While Golrokh was waiting to be called to prison, she wrote several letters to the ‘Revolutionary Court’ to request the appeal of her sentence. She also tried to appeal to human rights organisations for support. Golrokh’s letters to the judiciary bodies in Iran did not get a response; instead, she was threatened several times by the authorities to not speak to the media regarding her or her husband’s case.
On the morning of Monday 24th Oct 2016, the security forces in Iran broke the front door to Golrokh’s house and without showing any official summons for her arrest, they took her to Evin prison. When they arrested Golrokh, she asked the security guards to let her take her medication, at this point she was advised to forget about her medication as she will be in prison until she dies.
Golrokh has never given up fighting for freedom, even when she was under immense pressure. She needs our support now. Supporting Golrokh is supporting women’s rights in Iran. It is supporting humanity and freedom.
For more information please contact:
Shiva Mahbobi, Spokesperson
Campaign to Free political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI)
shiva.mahbobi@gmail.come , +44 (0)7572356661
www.cfppi.org