Forough Taghipour – The Woman Whose Dreams Could Not Be Imprisoned
A Voice from the Darkness That Dreams of the blue Seas
Forough Taghipour, 30, a graduate in accounting, is one of hundreds of young Iranian women who have spent their youth behind the towering walls of Qarchak and Evin prisons, simply for their beliefs, political views, and chosen path. Yet, her name is not just another file in a political prisoner registry. Forough is a human face, a luminous voice rising from the shadow of repression, refusing to be silenced.
A Childhood That Painted Black Walls with the Colors of Freedom
In a letter written from inside Evin Prison on International Women’s Day, Forough reflects not in metaphors but in lived realities:
“Since childhood, I was familiar with the word ‘prison’… Before I was born, my parents each spent years behind the walls that, in my childish imagination, were just ‘black, black walls.’ My uncle and two aunts were executed in their thirties.”
She not only inherited a legacy of resistance but chose to follow it. As she grew older, she felt the painful contradictions: gender discrimination, lack of educational and professional opportunities, and the denial of basic freedoms.”
Arrest, Torture, Resistance – A Narrative of Injustice
Forough was arrested for the first time in February 2020 along with her mother and taken to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. She endured months of interrogations and psychological pressure before being sentenced to five years in prison. Her incarceration began in Qarchak Prison, later transferred to Evin. During her sentence, she suffered from gastrointestinal illnesses and COVID-19 but was denied hospital care because she refused to wear shackles or handcuffs. After serving three years, she was released in February 2023—but only briefly.
In August 2023, she was arrested again. This time, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court sentenced her to another 15 years without a fair trial. She was denied independent legal representation, and her complaints of torture and inhumane treatment were ignored.
She writes:
“It’s been nearly five years now that I’ve been imprisoned solely for my beliefs. It seems that for dictators, repetition has become a habit. Even if they try to silence my voice, echoes through Maryam’s words,, resisting oppression and discrimination.”
Women: Imprisoned Hopes, Unyielding Spirits
Even from within the prison, Forough clings to hope. From the pain of her past, she draws strength. She writes of fellow women prisoners and the legacy of resistance:
“I hear the voices of women imprisoned during the Shah and the current regime… women like Fatemeh Amini, Marzieh Ahmadi Eskouhi, and Ashraf Rajavi, who cried out against tyranny. Their blood has become a guiding light for me.”
She points to a new generation of women who are bold, aware, and unafraid. She learned:
“We can and must overcome what seems impossible… We can turn those ‘black walls’ into seas—just as free, just as stormy.”
Forough: A Representative of Resistant Women
Forough sees herself as part of a collective that sacrifices for one another and finds unity in shared struggle:
“Women discovered the power of leadership, responsibility, and collective resistance. They created a unified body, stronger and more determined each day.”
Through her steadfastness, Forough is not only a symbol of resistance, but also a voice calling for an end to repression, freedom of belief, and the recognition of women’s human rights in Iran.
An Urgent Call for International Action
Forough Taghipour’s case is a stark example of systematic human rights violations by the Islamic Republic of Iran:
- Arbitrary arrest
- Psychological and physical torture
- Deliberate medical neglect
- Denial of fair trial rights
We call on the international community and human rights organizations to:
- Issue an immediate statement condemning her unjust sentence
- Send fact-finding missions to Iran’s prisons
- Sanction and prosecute the judicial and security officials involved in her case
- Demand the unconditional release of Forough Taghipour and all female political prisoners
Forough is one voice, but she carries the echo of generations. A voice that, if heard, can shake the conscience of the world.
