Nargis Mohammadi writes a letter describing the conditions of a number of mothers in Evin Prison.
“I am woman, a mother and a human rights activist. In this country, both of these characteristics, being a woman and human rights activist are considered major crimes, because as far as those in power are concerned, a woman’s role is to stay put in the house and take care of the children, and if a woman is also a mother who has stepped out in public and is criticizing those in power, just like a male activist involved in civil, political or other beliefs, this will actually add up to a woman’s crime.
“As a mother, I have been separated from my 3-year old children and taken to solitary confinement, and I have experienced the suffering of a mother separated from her children.
“Right now I am in a prison called ‘Evin’ along with 17 other women, of which 11 are mothers and the children of three of these women are under the age of 10.
“We are women in prison, deprived of telephone calls (even with our children), and we see our children only once every 15 days just for a few minutes, after we have received permission from judiciary officials and while security agents are present at the scene.”
