Maryam Naghash Zargaran Returned to Evin Prison

HRANA News Agency – On December 6, Maryam (Nasim) Naghash Zargaran, Christian convert returned to Evin prison by the end of her furlough and also 42 days has been added to her sentence because of her “absence”.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Maryam Naghash Zargaran returned to women’s ward of Evin prison by the end of her furlough on December 6.

In the latest development of the case, 42 days has been added to her sentence because of her “absence”.

A close source to Naghash Zargaran family told HRANA’s reporter: “Maryam, who previously after a hunger strike was sent to medical leave, was said that ‘you would mind to be free until your probation demand becomes clear.’ After a while her parole was refused and she was called to return to prison. However, the time of furlough was considered as her absence so 42 days has been added to her sentence”.

It is worth noting, female political prisoners in the women’s ward of Evin prison gathered on November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. At the meeting Miss Zargaran spoke on the theme of “female genital mutilation and its continuation in some parts of the world and Iran as one of the forms of violence against women”.

Nasim Zargaran has been diagnosed with ASD and had a heart operation 9 years ago and needs constant medical care. She had gone on hunger strike several times to protest against her verdict and lack of medical care

Maryam (Nasim) Naghash Zargaran was summoned to the intelligence office for the first time in February 2011 and was interrogated. These interrogations which were accompanied by threatening and harassing her family members and happened in unofficial locations, continued around the subject of home churches.

Finally, she was summoned by the security police on the phone and was arrested, Saeid Abedini, Iranian-American citizen who came back to Iran for foundation of an orphanage in North of Iran was arrested, too. On the same day her father’s house was investigated by the police and her books, religious pamphlets and personal accessories were seized.

She was transferred to Evin prison in order to be finger printed and then transferred to Vozara building without any charges. She was kept there for 5 days and nights with minimum facilities for living and was interrogated there. The main topic of the interrogations was home-churches, reason of increasing number of them, their members and quality of rituals in these churches.

Ms. Zargaran was transferred to Evin prison and in branch number 2 of Shahid Moghadas charged with propaganda against the regime.

After 19 days of being under temporary arrest, she was released on the bail of 700 million IRR. She was sentenced to 4 years in prison in branch number 28 of the revolutionary court by judge Moghiseh, on charge of collusion and acts against the national security. This is while she never had a hearing about this allegation.