Iran: Concern for Narges Mohammadi’s Ailing Health in Prison

According to Iran Human Rights (IHR), over the past week, there has been worrying news regarding Narges Mohammadi contracting COVID-19. This is while the acute lung condition she has been suffering from for many years, increases her vulnerability to the disease.

Speaking to IHR, Narges Mohammadi's said: "She has been gravely ill from 1st to the 18th July, she has lost her sense of smell, had a fever, muscle pain, abdominal pain, and vomiting, and once passed out. They tested Narges a week ago, but they haven’t revealed the test results and haven’t taken any relevant action."

Narges Mohammadi was last arrested on 5 May 2015. In May 2016, she was sentenced to 16 years in prison by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, ten of which were for her activism in LEGAM - the step by step abolition of the death penalty. The court found her work with the peaceful campaign, the sole aim of which is to abolish the death penalty, as "forming a group with the aim of disrupting national security." She was also sentenced to five years in prison for "conspiracy to commit a crime against national security" and a further year for "propaganda against the system."

Narges Mohammadi, who was the vice-president of the Centre of Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) prior to her arrest, has continued her human rights activism in prison. Along with several other prisoners at Evin Prison, Narges protested the brutal crackdown of the nationwide November 2019 protests in Iran, which resulted in hundreds of deaths. Consequently, she was transferred to Zanjan Prison in December 2019.

Since her imprisonment five years ago, and despite her ailing health, Narges was only granted leave for three days in 2018. The leave was not extended, and she returned to prison.