Family visit is denied for Maryam Akbari Monfared, a political prisoner in Evin Prison
20-February-2020
Category: Uncategorized
Breathing in Confinement – Maryam Akbari Monfared, a political prisoner serving her 11th year in Evin Prison, was denied a family visit for three weeks.
According to Breathing in Confinement, the news organ of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, Maryam Akbari Monfared, just because of protesting against keeping a female inmate in a bad condition without receiving any care from the Evin prison officials, has been denied a family visit for three weeks.
An informed source told the reporter of Breathing in Confinement: “Maryam Akbari has been denied a family visit without any disciplinary proceedings. While according to the prison’s policy, if a prisoner commits wrongdoing, first a disciplinary committee shall be formed and then the punishment will be considered accordingly. However, Maryam Akbari has not committed any wrongdoings. She only has protested the prison’s guardians against keeping another prisoner in a bad condition and depriving her of any care. ”
“If Maryam Akbari had committed wrongdoing she was supposed to be informed of her charge and the relevant article in prison’s policy as the first step. Then in the next step, she could be penalized. Whereas, her punishment has only been communicated to her by the head of the women’s ward!” the informed source said.
Maryam Akbari has been deprived of visiting her family while she is the mother of three children and the only way to see her children is their visits to Evin Prison.
Regarding the appeal, the informed source said that:” Ms. Akbari has not objected the punishment but at a meeting with the head of Evin Prison- Ziaie, she was told to make a written request for an investigation. Ms. Akbari however, rejected to do so saying I have not done anything illegal. ”
It should be noted that Maryam Akbari has been in prison since December 30, 2009, without having even one leave day. Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court chaired by Judge Salavati, sentenced her to 15 years in prison. And the verdict was upheld by the appeals court. Akbari Monfared is currently serving her 11th year in Evin Prison. It is noteworthy that one of her brothers and her sister were executed during the mass executions in the summer of 1988, two of her brothers also were executed in the 1980s.