Continued Detention of Maryam Akbari Monfared Despite Completion of 15-Year Sentence Without Leave; New 2-Year Prison Term Enforced
15-October-2024
Category: executions، Freedom of Expression، Women
October 14, 2024
News Category: Freedom of Expression – Women – Prisoners
Breathing in Confinement: On Saturday, October 12, 2024, despite completing her 15-year sentence, political prisoner Maryam Akbari Monfared, held in Semnan Prison, was prevented from being released. Her new two-year sentence, imposed due to cases brought against her during her imprisonment, has been enforced. Throughout her 15 years in prison, Mrs. Akbari Monfared has not received a single day of leave.
According to Breathing in Confinement, the news agency of the Prisoners’ Rights League of Iran, Maryam Akbari Monfared’s release was blocked despite the completion of her 15-year sentence, and a new two-year sentence has been enforced against her.
Hossein Taj, her attorney, commented on the matter: “The 15-year sentence, with exile and without a single day of leave, is over. During this time, several cases were filed against my client, most of which were closed with a ruling of acquittal. However, the latest case, without any evidence being presented, resulted in a two-year prison sentence, which has now been enforced. According to the law, the two-year prison term should be served in Tehran.”
In an interview with Shargh newspaper, Mr. Taj detailed the case filed against Maryam Akbari Monfared: “Based on four pages sealed in an envelope that neither I, as her attorney, nor Mrs. Akbari Monfared, as the accused, were allowed to see, she was sentenced to two years for ‘spreading falsehoods’ and an additional year for ‘propaganda against the state’.”
Mr. Taj explained: “Two years ago, a case was filed in Branch 1 of the Semnan Revolutionary Court against Mrs. Maryam Akbari Monfared, based on a report from the Ministry of Intelligence. The report alleged that she had conducted interviews and published various statements from inside the prison. She was accused of propaganda against the state and spreading falsehoods. I requested the evidence supporting these claims, but the court did not provide it, and Mrs. Akbari Monfared was acquitted due to the lack of evidence.”
He added: “I firmly believe there is no evidence to support these allegations against Mrs. Akbari Monfared. She has spent 15 years without a single day of leave, and all her phone calls have been monitored by prison staff. When she contacts me, her attorney, another person speaks to me first before allowing her to take the call. This same procedure applies to her family visits and phone calls. In such conditions, committing such acts is simply impossible.”
Her attorney stated: “A year later, the same charges were filed again, this time in a new case in the Semnan Revolutionary Court when presiding judge was changed. The basis of this case was statements allegedly published online in her name. Our argument was based on the presumption of innocence, and we argued that she never released any statements, yet we were expected to prove the absence of a crime! While there was no solid evidence to support the allegations against her.”
Mr. Taj continued: “Ultimately, despite numerous objections, the court sentenced her to two years for ‘spreading falsehoods’ and an additional year for ‘propaganda against the state,’ based on four pages in a sealed envelope that we were not allowed to review. We appealed the sentence, but both our appeal and request for a retrial were swiftly rejected, leaving her to face a new two-year prison sentence.”
Emphasizing the necessity of her transfer to Tehran, he added: “The two-year prison sentence for Mrs. Akbari Monfared has started today. According to Article 513 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, she should be transferred to Tehran, and the Prison Organization is responsible for this. We hope that this transfer will occur within the next 10 days. Mrs. Akbari Monfared requested the transfer to Tehran two weeks ago, and prison officials have confirmed that they are legally required to facilitate this transfer.”
Breathing in Confinement has previously reported on the cases filed against this political prisoner by the Ministry of Intelligence and the statements made by her lawyer.
In March 2021, Maryam Akbari Monfared was exiled from Evin Prison to Semnan Prison after serving 12 years. Following her transfer to Semnan, she was deprived of the right to make phone calls outside the prison, and has only been allowed to contact her family in the presence of security personnel.
Maryam Akbari Monfared was arrested by security forces in January 2009. In an unfair trial conducted by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court under Judge Salavati, she was sentenced to 15 years in prison on charges of “enmity against God.”