Narges Mohammadi, the imprisoned Iranian activist and 2023 Nobel Peace Prize winner, began 21 days of medical leave from the notorious Evin Prison by shouting “Azadi! Women, life, freedom!” from her stretcher as she arrived at her home in Tehran by ambulance Dec. 4, doubling down her resistance to Iran’s repressive regime.
While Mohammadi’s temporary release is welcome, it is also far too short at 21 days and was granted far too late. Doctors recommended a three-month recovery period following surgery related to suspected cancer on Mohammadi’s leg Nov. 14, yet she was at first transferred back to Evin Prison only two days later. Unsanitary conditions in her overcrowded cell complicated her recovery and intensified pain she was already experiencing.
The Iranian regime is likely hoping it can return Mohammadi to prison when many around the globe may not be watching, as her 21-day sentence suspension concludes around the Christmas holiday. The international community, led by the United States, should prove Tehran wrong and continue calling for Mohammadi’s unconditional release from prison.
The Iranian regime has repeatedly denied Mohammadi access to medical care and even abused medical treatments, despite a history of illnesses and conditions including seizures and heart attacks that have been exacerbated by harsh prison conditions and extended periods of solitary confinement. In August, Mohammadi and several other female prisoners were reportedly beaten and denied treatment by a doctor after chanting a protest against Iran’s use of the death penalty.
Advocates for Mohammadi have also pointed out that the regime could have granted Mohammadi medical furlough but instead opted for a three-week suspension of her sentence during her home recuperation – meaning her time in prison will be extended by that amount when she returns.
And the regime continues to target women based on their style of dress and public behavior.
A new law took effect Dec. 13 that authorizes even stricter penalties for women who refuse to wear the compulsory hijab – up to the death penalty for those who even protest the law. This legislation is undoubtedly intended to send a message to Mohammadi and others like her. Despite already having faced charges on nine occasions by the Iranian authorities, Mohammadi has pledged to continue her work. “This is not a movement that is going to lose its strength, and it’s still going strong because our women are very strong,” she told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour in an interview conducted remotely from her home in Tehran. The international community should send its own message by vocally supporting Iranian women in their fight for dignity and freedom.
