In the latest wave of restrictions against female political prisoners in Evin Prison, nine detainees, including Varisheh Moradi and Pakshan Azizi, have once again been denied visitation with their families and lawyers. Some of these prisoners are facing harsh sentences, including the death penalty, and have repeatedly been stripped of their human rights due to their peaceful protests.
According to informed sources, as of January 12, 2025, in-person family visits for these prisoners have been canceled. Additionally, two other prisoners, Maryam Yahyavi and Sakineh Parvaneh, have been denied the right to make phone calls to their families.
The list of prisoners deprived of visitation includes Anisha (Maryam) Asadollahi – Golrokh Iraee – Vida (Vaheedeh) Rabani – Zahra Safaei – Pakshan Azizi – Elaheh Fouladi – Motahareh Gonaei – Varisheh Moradi – Maryam Yahyavi
These restrictions have been imposed despite the fact that these prisoners were previously subjected to similar bans in the summer of 2024 due to their protests against death sentences.
The recent ban is part of a series of oppressive measures against female political prisoners in Evin. In August 2024, following two protest actions in the women’s ward of Evin Prison in response to the issuance of a death sentence for Pakshan Azizi and the execution of Reza Rasaei, 17 female political prisoners were punished by having their phone and visitation rights suspended for one to three months.
These actions constitute a clear violation of the prisoners’ human and international rights. The right to communicate with family members and access to legal counsel are fundamental rights guaranteed under international law.
