Ward 5 of Mashhad’s Vakilabad Central Prison is a special ward for prisoners of conscience. This ward includes an approximately 30 meter square room. This includes the bathroom and shower. Currently, this room has been allocated to 6 Bahaii women. Five of these inmates have each been given 5 year sentences and the other has been sentenced to 4 years imprisonment. The charge against all of them is ‘acting against national security’ and ‘propaganda against the Islamic republic establishment’ through practicing the Bahai faith and spiritual activities.
Discriminatory conditions are imposed on this ward by prison officials. The inmates only have an early morning hour to use the gym and an hour and half to leave their room. The room door is closed during the rest of the day and night hours.
These inmates are deprived of the rights which other prisoners have. They are deprived of access to the prison library. They do not have the right to speak or communicate with other female inmates. During the hours which they use the gym or go out for air, other female inmates are evacuated from the areas. They have been completely isolated so that they do not come in contact with other inmates. The reason for their presence in this prison is unclear for other inmates. If they accidentally run into women while shopping at the prison store or at the telephone booth, they are punished.
These inmates are deprived of the right of having leaves, which other inmates use. As security prisoners, they can only have a leave with the permission of the prosecutor. Yet the prosecutor only implements the orders of Mashhad’s intelligence department.
The names of these Bahaii inmates are:
1. Rozita Waseqi, 5 year sentence
2. Sima Eshraqi, 5 year sentence
3. Nora Nabilzadeh, 5 year sentence
4. Sonya Ahmadi, 5 year sentence
5. Nika Kholousi, 5 year sentence
6. Nava Kholousi, 4 year sentence
Rozita Waseqi has now finished 4 years of her sentence, yet the Mashhad intelligence department hasn’t even given her a day of leave.
These 6 individuals are now awaiting the transfer of 2 other Bahaii inmates by the names of May Kholousi and Dorri Amri, who have now spent a month in solitary cells in the detention center of Mashhad’s intelligence.