On September 13, Tehran’s security forces apprehended former political detainees, Zahra Safaie, 61, and her daughter Parastoo Moeini, 23, detaining them in the infamous Evin Prison’s Ward 209 — a section notorious for its inhumane treatment of political prisoners.
Safaie’s record of political incarcerations dates back to the 1980s, with her supporting PMOI leading to an eight-year imprisonment. In 2006, she faced another arrest and, most recently, in 2019, from which she was released earlier this year. Despite her dire health condition, which includes severe diabetes, hypertension, and heart ailments, the regime persists in denying her essential medical care — a cruel method frequently employed against political detainees.
Safaie’s political activism lineage traces back to her father, Hassanali Safaie, a respected Tehran merchant and a political detainee during the Shah’s reign. In a tragic turn in 1981, Khomeini’s agents arrested and executed him for supporting the PMOI.
The young Moeini’s aspirations to continue her studies while imprisoned in Qarchak Prison in 2020 were dashed when regime authorities hindered her academic pursuits. After her release in February 2023, she faced further setbacks as authorities blocked her university re-enrollment.
Recent incidents further reveal the regime’s aggressive stance. In August, Marzieh Farsi and Forough Taghipour, both ex-political detainees and PMOI affiliates, faced arrest, followed by a complete communication blackout with their families. Additionally, Maryam Akbari Monfared’s imminent release from her 15-year sentence faces potential delays due to her PMOI affiliation.
Elsewhere, Azam Gholami, 35, faces a 16-year imprisonment, charged with “Conspiracy against the state,” and other offenses tied to her association with the PMOI. Gholami’s earlier brush with the regime saw her incarcerated in the 2010s. Mounting pressure on detainees is palpable.
In a concerning development, Javad Rouhi, 35, arrested during the 2022 uprising, died mysteriously in Nowshahr prison on August 31. Despite facing three execution sentences, domestic and global protests prevented his execution. The regime’s cause-of-death declaration citing health complications does little to assuage suspicions surrounding the actual circumstances.
This mounting evidence indicates a clear pattern of repression, with Iran’s regime tightening its grip on dissidents, particularly those linked to the PMOI.
MEK Iran (follow us on Twitter and Facebook), Maryam Rajavi’s on her site, Twitter & Facebook, NCRI (Twitter & Facebook), and People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran – MEK IRAN – YouTu
