The lives of women imprisoned in Iran's notorious 'Evin' prison: From threats of execution to permission to spend the night with their husbands
Surviving Evin The Harsh Realities and Rare Privileges of Women in Iran's Infamous Prison
BBC 100 WomenAhda,December,21,2024Pros
1. Awareness: Highlights human rights issues and the plight of women in oppressive systems. 2. Global Advocacy: Encourages international attention and pressure for reforms in Iran's judicial and prison systems. 3. Empathy Building: Personal stories create a stronger emotional connection with the audience, fostering advocacy. 4. Educational Value: Sheds light on the cultural and political nuances of the Iranian judicial system. 5. Diverse Viewpoints: Explores the tension between oppressive practices and the rare privileges granted under strict conditions. Cons
1. Political Sensitivity: May provoke backlash from Iranian authorities or their supporters. 2. Verification Challenges: Limited access to verifiable data from within Evin Prison could affect accuracy. 3. Safety Risks: Reporting on such topics might endanger sources or reporters covering the issue. 4. Audience Reception: The sensitive nature of the content could alienate certain audience segments. 5. Complexity: Balancing the narrative between threats of execution and the rare permissions granted could lead to controversy or misinterpretation.
Sitting on the floor in a small windowless room, Naseem could hear the sounds of other prisoners being beaten.
The guard knocked loudly on the door and said, "Can you hear the beatings? Get ready, it's your turn next."
She was interrogated for 10 to 12 hours a day and repeatedly threatened with execution.
She was in an empty barracks no larger than two meters wide, with neither a bed nor a toilet.
She had been in solitary confinement for four months. It was the 36-year-old hairdresser's first introduction to Iran's notorious Avon prison.
The only people she saw here were her interrogators.
She thought she would die here and no one would know.
We have confirmed the daily lives of Naseem and other women currently serving time in Evin Prison through information obtained from multiple reliable sources.
Many of the women imprisoned here are among the thousands who have been arrested in connection with the protests for women’s rights, lives and freedom following the murder of Mahsa Amini in September 2022.
It should be noted that Mahsa was arrested for allegedly breaking Iran’s law that requires women to wear the hijab. She died in police custody after her arrest.
Although people have written about her plight since her release from Evin Prison, it is rare to see anyone still imprisoned there being written about.
Naseem worked as a hairdresser until her arrest in April 2023.
What we heard revealed the cruelty and brutality that took place there, but also some strange stories. Prisoners here continue to campaign for women’s rights and defy the restrictions imposed there.
We also learned about surprising moments. One prisoner was occasionally allowed to spend time with her husband, and even became pregnant.
Naseem, who loves listening to rap music and wearing makeup, was arrested in April 2023 while she was protesting with her friends. One of her friends had died in a government crackdown.
She faced questioning while thinking about those who lost their lives on the streets.
Those who saw Naseem after she was released from solitary confinement say that she was covered in cuts and bruises. They tell how she was tortured into making a false confession.
Rizwane was also arrested along with her husband in 2023 after the protest.
They were both sent to Avon Prison, which has separate sections for men and women. Their interrogators said they would kill her husband and beat her until she turned black as coal and eggplant.
After being held in solitary confinement, interrogated and humiliated, Naseem was sent to the women’s section of the prison, where Rizwane was among about 70 other women. Most of the women had been arrested on political charges.
Caption: A video of a transgender prisoner barracks in Avon prison was leaked in 2020, similar to the barracks in a women's prison
This is where British-Iranian citizen Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was also held. She was allowed to return to the UK in 2022. She spent almost four years of her imprisonment here.
Many of these women were sentenced for their social and political activities. Their crimes included propaganda, speaking out against the state and endangering national security.
The women lived in four cells, each containing more than 20 women, and there were bunk beds with three beds on each.
Living together in cramped quarters often leads to tension and sometimes there are fights, both physical and verbal. But the women here also form very strong bonds.
In winter, everyone is shivering here and the women keep themselves warm by carrying hot water bottles around them. In summer, they are in a state of extreme heat.
There are a few stoves in the small kitchens. If these women have a few rupees to buy some food from the prison shop, they can cook something for themselves. This can be an alternative to the food that is given to them by the prison.
At the end of this corridor is a rather dark and dirty place for smoking. On one side of the cement ground is a net for playing, while a small area is for plants.
There are no uniforms, and women can wear clothes they bring from home and move freely around their living quarters. There are two bathrooms, and every evening, women have to queue to go to the toilet and then brush their teeth.
It was here, four months later, that Rizwane discovered she was pregnant.
She had been infertile for years and had given up hope of having a child. But according to Avon’s rules, she and her husband, who is still in the men’s section of the prison, were allowed to meet occasionally in private. After one such meeting, Rizwane became pregnant.
When Rizwane found out she was pregnant, she cried for days.
She felt that the worst part of the mental stress and tension was inside the prison. In the crowded barracks, where people spend most of the day sitting on their beds, the biggest challenge was finding a quiet place to be.
Despite the prison food, she craved apple juice, bread and meat, which she found to be a treat. Whenever she got meat from the prison shop, it cost twice as much as it did outside.
Finally, in the fourth month, the prison administration allowed her to have an ultrasound scan and the doctor told her that she was pregnant and carrying a girl.
Her hopes rose as soon as she heard the heartbeat. But she was concerned that the prison conditions would not pose a threat to the baby’s health.
Rizwane was not only worried about her diet, but she also suffered from epilepsy, so it was important for her to stay away from any stress.
There, the prison doctor told her that her pregnancy was at risk of miscarriage.
Veda is a journalist and a painter. She uses bed sheets as a canvas and also creates portraits of women.
One such portrait is of Pakshan Azizi, who was smuggled out of Ain. Pakshan traveled to the Kurdish regions of Iraq and Syria to help victims of the so-called Islamic State extremist organization.
Pakshan has been sentenced to death for using weapons against the Iranian government.
It is believed that the sentence may be carried out soon.
Veda has been warned not to paint anything that has a hidden meaning on the prison walls. On a wall in the courtyard, Pakshan painted falling bricks with a green forest behind it. The authorities sprayed the painting to hide it.
In a corridor, Pakshan painted a picture of a running Iranian leopard. Some women were heard saying that the picture gave them great courage. But one night the authorities painted over the painting and stopped the delivery of materials used for painting to the prison.
But one painting has been left, this one in the corridor where the women used to smoke. On this wall was painted a huge wave in the blue sea.
Veeda took this picture of Pakshan Azizi, who has been sentenced to death
Getting medical attention in the prison is a difficult process.
Another prisoner, Nargis Mahmudi, a human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, is also in danger of dying due to heart and lung problems.
But she fought a long battle to get access to a doctor in prison. Her relatives said authorities repeatedly blocked her treatment because she refused to remove her headscarf during her medical check-ups.
The authorities changed their stance after many of Nargis’ fellow prisoners went on a two-week hunger strike. Nargis was released in early December on medical grounds for 21 days.
Behind bars, she has protested with other women, crossed boundaries and continued to fight for her rights. Although the law requires them to wear headscarves, many female prisoners have refused to do so.
After a long battle with the authorities, women were allowed to hang curtains around their beds to give them some privacy and to avoid the sight of CCTV cameras.
One of the hardest things for women is waiting to hear their sentence. Naseem’s interrogators threatened her with the death penalty. She had to wait more than 500 days, or more than a year, to hear her fate.
She found solace in the closeness of other women in prison. She calls them her sisters, who gave her life and are like balm to her wounds.
Every morning, one of her colleagues pulls back the curtains of her bed and wakes her up for breakfast.
One woman told us that every day we think of something to do so that at the end of the day we can tell ourselves ‘we lived today’.
Veida, 35, is accused of spreading propaganda against the country and working against national security.
The other female prisoners spend their time reading poetry books, listening to songs, playing games on a homemade guard and watching TV. There are two TVs where they can watch dramas, documentaries and football matches on Iranian channels.
These are the little things that have become a source of support for Naseem, at a time when she is awaiting the verdict against her and is constantly threatened with execution.
And when the verdict is finally announced, she is sentenced to six years in prison, 74 lashes and 20 years in prison in a small village far from Tehran.
She is accused of spreading propaganda and taking up arms against the Islamic Republic.
Despite the severity of this sentence, Naseem knows that she will be able to breathe again and live again the life she thought was over.
Three other women have also been sentenced to death in the prison. They are accused of belonging to armed groups and taking up arms against the state. However, the death sentence of one of them, a female prisoner, was overturned.
According to the international human rights organization Amnesty International, more than 800 people were executed in Iran last year. This is the highest number in eight years. Most of them were involved in violent and drug-related crimes. Very few of them were women.
Every Tuesday, women protest against the death penalty, they chant slogans in the prison yard, they refuse to get up all night and even go on hunger strikes.
The campaign has spread to prisons across Iran and is receiving international support.
On the anniversary of Mahsa Amini, female prisoners in Evin Prison burned their scarves.
But they also have to suffer the consequences... Guards sometimes raid barracks and beat women, injuring them.
They may also be summoned for further questioning, placed back in solitary confinement, or have their visits and phone calls banned from prison.
Another source from the prison told us that “most of the guards here are women and sometimes they are kind and sometimes they can be cruel and hard-hearted, depending on the orders they receive from higher authorities.”
The Iranian government denies allegations of human rights abuses and says that conditions inside Evin Prison meet all standards and that prisoners are not mistreated.
Rizwane, who gave birth to a daughter in prison
As Rizwane’s delivery date approached, prison authorities granted her temporary leave to give birth to her baby. She gave birth to her baby girl in October this year.
But the joy and peace of her daughter’s arrival was mixed with fear, sadness and anger. Her husband was not allowed to leave the prison with her. However, he was allowed to visit her father in Avon with her daughter.
She expects to be recalled to Avon soon with her daughter to serve the remaining five years of her sentence.
Another painting by Veda, depicting the mountains of northern Tehran, visible from the Avan.
If Rezvane is not released soon, she will have to spend at least four more years in prison.
Children are usually allowed to stay in prison with their mothers until they are two years old. After that, such children are usually sent to live with close relatives, or if that is not possible, they are placed in a children's home for their safety.
But the treatment here has not broken these female prisoners... "The hardships we face make us braver and stronger, and strengthen our belief that the future will be bright, even if we have to fight for it in prison," one prisoner said.Related Topics
#Women's_Health #Mental_Health #Iran #Women #Prison #Women's_Rights #Health #100_Women
Pros
1. Awareness: Highlights human rights issues and the plight of women in oppressive systems.
2. Global Advocacy: Encourages international attention and pressure for reforms in Iran's judicial and prison systems.
3. Empathy Building: Personal stories create a stronger emotional connection with the audience, fostering advocacy.
4. Educational Value: Sheds light on the cultural and political nuances of the Iranian judicial system.
5. Diverse Viewpoints: Explores the tension between oppressive practices and the rare privileges granted under strict conditions.
Cons
1. Political Sensitivity: May provoke backlash from Iranian authorities or their supporters.
2. Verification Challenges: Limited access to verifiable data from within Evin Prison could affect accuracy.
3. Safety Risks: Reporting on such topics might endanger sources or reporters covering the issue.
4. Audience Reception: The sensitive nature of the content could alienate certain audience segments.
5. Complexity: Balancing the narrative between threats of execution and the rare permissions granted could lead to controversy or misinterpretation.
Sitting on the floor in a small windowless room, Naseem could hear the sounds of other prisoners being beaten.
The guard knocked loudly on the door and said, "Can you hear the beatings? Get ready, it's your turn next."
She was interrogated for 10 to 12 hours a day and repeatedly threatened with execution.
She was in an empty barracks no larger than two meters wide, with neither a bed nor a toilet.
She had been in solitary confinement for four months. It was the 36-year-old hairdresser's first introduction to Iran's notorious Avon prison.
The only people she saw here were her interrogators.
She thought she would die here and no one would know.
We have confirmed the daily lives of Naseem and other women currently serving time in Evin Prison through information obtained from multiple reliable sources.
Many of the women imprisoned here are among the thousands who have been arrested in connection with the protests for women’s rights, lives and freedom following the murder of Mahsa Amini in September 2022.
It should be noted that Mahsa was arrested for allegedly breaking Iran’s law that requires women to wear the hijab. She died in police custody after her arrest.
Although people have written about her plight since her release from Evin Prison, it is rare to see anyone still imprisoned there being written about.
Naseem worked as a hairdresser until her arrest in April 2023.
What we heard revealed the cruelty and brutality that took place there, but also some strange stories. Prisoners here continue to campaign for women’s rights and defy the restrictions imposed there.
We also learned about surprising moments. One prisoner was occasionally allowed to spend time with her husband, and even became pregnant.
Naseem, who loves listening to rap music and wearing makeup, was arrested in April 2023 while she was protesting with her friends. One of her friends had died in a government crackdown.
She faced questioning while thinking about those who lost their lives on the streets.
Those who saw Naseem after she was released from solitary confinement say that she was covered in cuts and bruises. They tell how she was tortured into making a false confession.
Rizwane was also arrested along with her husband in 2023 after the protest.
They were both sent to Avon Prison, which has separate sections for men and women. Their interrogators said they would kill her husband and beat her until she turned black as coal and eggplant.
After being held in solitary confinement, interrogated and humiliated, Naseem was sent to the women’s section of the prison, where Rizwane was among about 70 other women. Most of the women had been arrested on political charges.
Caption: A video of a transgender prisoner barracks in Avon prison was leaked in 2020, similar to the barracks in a women's prison
This is where British-Iranian citizen Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was also held. She was allowed to return to the UK in 2022. She spent almost four years of her imprisonment here.
Many of these women were sentenced for their social and political activities. Their crimes included propaganda, speaking out against the state and endangering national security.
The women lived in four cells, each containing more than 20 women, and there were bunk beds with three beds on each.
Living together in cramped quarters often leads to tension and sometimes there are fights, both physical and verbal. But the women here also form very strong bonds.
In winter, everyone is shivering here and the women keep themselves warm by carrying hot water bottles around them. In summer, they are in a state of extreme heat.
There are a few stoves in the small kitchens. If these women have a few rupees to buy some food from the prison shop, they can cook something for themselves. This can be an alternative to the food that is given to them by the prison.
At the end of this corridor is a rather dark and dirty place for smoking. On one side of the cement ground is a net for playing, while a small area is for plants.
There are no uniforms, and women can wear clothes they bring from home and move freely around their living quarters. There are two bathrooms, and every evening, women have to queue to go to the toilet and then brush their teeth.
It was here, four months later, that Rizwane discovered she was pregnant.
She had been infertile for years and had given up hope of having a child. But according to Avon’s rules, she and her husband, who is still in the men’s section of the prison, were allowed to meet occasionally in private. After one such meeting, Rizwane became pregnant.
When Rizwane found out she was pregnant, she cried for days.
She felt that the worst part of the mental stress and tension was inside the prison. In the crowded barracks, where people spend most of the day sitting on their beds, the biggest challenge was finding a quiet place to be.
Despite the prison food, she craved apple juice, bread and meat, which she found to be a treat. Whenever she got meat from the prison shop, it cost twice as much as it did outside.
Finally, in the fourth month, the prison administration allowed her to have an ultrasound scan and the doctor told her that she was pregnant and carrying a girl.
Her hopes rose as soon as she heard the heartbeat. But she was concerned that the prison conditions would not pose a threat to the baby’s health.
Rizwane was not only worried about her diet, but she also suffered from epilepsy, so it was important for her to stay away from any stress.
There, the prison doctor told her that her pregnancy was at risk of miscarriage.
Veda is a journalist and a painter. She uses bed sheets as a canvas and also creates portraits of women.
One such portrait is of Pakshan Azizi, who was smuggled out of Ain. Pakshan traveled to the Kurdish regions of Iraq and Syria to help victims of the so-called Islamic State extremist organization.
Pakshan has been sentenced to death for using weapons against the Iranian government.
It is believed that the sentence may be carried out soon.
Veda has been warned not to paint anything that has a hidden meaning on the prison walls. On a wall in the courtyard, Pakshan painted falling bricks with a green forest behind it. The authorities sprayed the painting to hide it.
In a corridor, Pakshan painted a picture of a running Iranian leopard. Some women were heard saying that the picture gave them great courage. But one night the authorities painted over the painting and stopped the delivery of materials used for painting to the prison.
But one painting has been left, this one in the corridor where the women used to smoke. On this wall was painted a huge wave in the blue sea.
Veeda took this picture of Pakshan Azizi, who has been sentenced to death
Getting medical attention in the prison is a difficult process.
Another prisoner, Nargis Mahmudi, a human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, is also in danger of dying due to heart and lung problems.
But she fought a long battle to get access to a doctor in prison. Her relatives said authorities repeatedly blocked her treatment because she refused to remove her headscarf during her medical check-ups.
The authorities changed their stance after many of Nargis’ fellow prisoners went on a two-week hunger strike. Nargis was released in early December on medical grounds for 21 days.
Behind bars, she has protested with other women, crossed boundaries and continued to fight for her rights. Although the law requires them to wear headscarves, many female prisoners have refused to do so.
After a long battle with the authorities, women were allowed to hang curtains around their beds to give them some privacy and to avoid the sight of CCTV cameras.
One of the hardest things for women is waiting to hear their sentence. Naseem’s interrogators threatened her with the death penalty. She had to wait more than 500 days, or more than a year, to hear her fate.
She found solace in the closeness of other women in prison. She calls them her sisters, who gave her life and are like balm to her wounds.
Every morning, one of her colleagues pulls back the curtains of her bed and wakes her up for breakfast.
One woman told us that every day we think of something to do so that at the end of the day we can tell ourselves ‘we lived today’.
Veida, 35, is accused of spreading propaganda against the country and working against national security.
The other female prisoners spend their time reading poetry books, listening to songs, playing games on a homemade guard and watching TV. There are two TVs where they can watch dramas, documentaries and football matches on Iranian channels.
These are the little things that have become a source of support for Naseem, at a time when she is awaiting the verdict against her and is constantly threatened with execution.
And when the verdict is finally announced, she is sentenced to six years in prison, 74 lashes and 20 years in prison in a small village far from Tehran.
She is accused of spreading propaganda and taking up arms against the Islamic Republic.
Despite the severity of this sentence, Naseem knows that she will be able to breathe again and live again the life she thought was over.
Three other women have also been sentenced to death in the prison. They are accused of belonging to armed groups and taking up arms against the state. However, the death sentence of one of them, a female prisoner, was overturned.
According to the international human rights organization Amnesty International, more than 800 people were executed in Iran last year. This is the highest number in eight years. Most of them were involved in violent and drug-related crimes. Very few of them were women.
Every Tuesday, women protest against the death penalty, they chant slogans in the prison yard, they refuse to get up all night and even go on hunger strikes.
The campaign has spread to prisons across Iran and is receiving international support.
On the anniversary of Mahsa Amini, female prisoners in Evin Prison burned their scarves.
But they also have to suffer the consequences... Guards sometimes raid barracks and beat women, injuring them.
They may also be summoned for further questioning, placed back in solitary confinement, or have their visits and phone calls banned from prison.
Another source from the prison told us that “most of the guards here are women and sometimes they are kind and sometimes they can be cruel and hard-hearted, depending on the orders they receive from higher authorities.”
The Iranian government denies allegations of human rights abuses and says that conditions inside Evin Prison meet all standards and that prisoners are not mistreated.
Rizwane, who gave birth to a daughter in prison
As Rizwane’s delivery date approached, prison authorities granted her temporary leave to give birth to her baby. She gave birth to her baby girl in October this year.
But the joy and peace of her daughter’s arrival was mixed with fear, sadness and anger. Her husband was not allowed to leave the prison with her. However, he was allowed to visit her father in Avon with her daughter.
She expects to be recalled to Avon soon with her daughter to serve the remaining five years of her sentence.
Another painting by Veda, depicting the mountains of northern Tehran, visible from the Avan.
If Rezvane is not released soon, she will have to spend at least four more years in prison.
Children are usually allowed to stay in prison with their mothers until they are two years old. After that, such children are usually sent to live with close relatives, or if that is not possible, they are placed in a children's home for their safety.
But the treatment here has not broken these female prisoners... "The hardships we face make us braver and stronger, and strengthen our belief that the future will be bright, even if we have to fight for it in prison," one prisoner said.
Related Topics
#Women's_Health #Mental_Health #Iran #Women #Prison #Women's_Rights #Health #100_Women
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