Narges Mohammadi and Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s Letter to the Prosecutor

Narges Mohammadi and Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, two prisoners of conscience who are serving sentences at Tehran’s Evin Prisoner and who recently went on a three-day hunger strike, have written a letter to Tehran’s Prosecutor, Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi, demanding medical attention. Unless these demands are met, they write, they will take action in the form of protest.

The letter, published by the Defenders of Human Rights Center [Persian link], is as follows:

Mr. Jafari Dowlatabadi

Honorable Prosecutor of Tehran

About two months ago we went on a three-day hunger strike to protest against lack of medical attention and lack of access to our doctors and our medication. With favorable promises from some officials we were hopeful that our treatment would resume. At the same time, comments by some responsible officials about our access to medical facilities and services, at least in regard to recent months, were incorrect.

Now, more than two months after our hunger strike and despite our numerous letters to, and calls on, responsible officials, unfortunately we are still deprived medical attention and from being sent to [outside] medical facilities. During the years that we have spent in prison, sending us to medical centers to [see] our doctors was a usual occurrence but, for unknown reasons, it is no longer done.

Access to doctors, treatment and medication is the right of any human being and prisoners are no exception.

Therefore, we request from responsible officials to agree to send us to our doctors and make it possible for us to receive treatment and medication. We must point out that we have been deprived of our medication because we have been unable to visit our doctors.

It is obvious that if anything happens or if our illnesses get worse, the responsibility lies with the officials of the Islamic Republic. And if our requests continue to be ignored, we will take protest actions.

Nazanin Zaghari, Narges Mohammadi

Evin Prison

March 2019

Related Coverage:

Iran's Female Political Prisoners, February 13, 2019

Iranian Prisoners’ Hunger Strike Is a Plea for Basic Rights, January 16, 2019

Iranian TV’s New Conspiracy Series, January 12, 2019

Iranian Prisoners’ Hunger Strike Is a Plea for Basic Rights, January 16, 2019

Nazanin on Temporary Release, August 23, 2018

Imprisoned Human Rights Lawyer Narges Mohammadi Hospitalized, August 15, 2018

No Release for Nazanin Until UK Pays Debt, July 23, 2018

Narges Mohammadi Awarded Sakharov Prize, April 16, 2018