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Crouched alone on the floor, in a tiny, windowless cell, Nasim could hear what sounded like other prisoners being tortured.
She was “interrogated for 10 to 12 hours every day” and repeatedly threatened with execution.
The bare cell, no more than two metres across, had no bed or toilet.
Four months in solitary confinement was the 36-year-old hairdresser’s introduction to Iran’s notorious Evin prison.
They were among the tens of thousands of people arrested in connection with the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests that followed the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September 2022.
What we have heard reveals not only brutality, but a place of complex contrasts where the prisoners continue to campaign for women’s rights and defiantly challenge restrictions imposed on them.
There are surprising moments too – one inmate, occasionally allowed time alone with her husband, has even got pregnant.
Nasim – who loves rap music and make-up – was taken into custody in April 2023 after joining protests with her friends, one of whom was killed in the government crackdown.
Rezvaneh was also arrested following the protests, along with her husband, in 2023.
Three other women in the wing have been sentenced to death for drawing arms against the regime or affiliation to armed groups.
Every Tuesday, the women protest against executions, chanting in the prison yard, refusing to move all night and staging hunger strikes.
As Rezvaneh’s due date approached, the prison authorities allowed her to temporarily leave prison for the birth.
But her joy and relief at the safe arrival of her daughter is mingled with fear, sadness and anger. Her husband was not allowed out of prison with her.
And because of the stress, Rezvaneh has struggled to produce breastmilk.
However, one prisoner has said the challenges they face have made her “braver and stronger,” supporting their belief that “the future is clear: to fight, even in prison”.
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