Maryam Naghash Zargaran

Maryam (Nasim) Naghash Zargaran is a recently converted Christian. She was arrested for a joint case with Saeed Abedini but after Mr. Abedini who had American-Iranian dual citizenship was released, she remained in prison.

<coverage-outsourcing id='7382'> The constant interrogations by the security forces started on this date. Before that, she was held for 12 days by the security police of Tehran without an arrest warrant or arraignment: > For 12 days I had no shower or place to sleep or clean clothes. They wouldn't talk to or interrogate me and I didn't even know why I was there. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='2647'> She was summoned by the Security Police and was held in the Vozara Building for five days. This Christian citizen was then transferred to Evin Prison and was periodically sent to the Revolutionary Court after her initial interrogation was completed (only propaganda against regime) </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='7471'> She was tried in Branch 28 of Revolutionary Court presided by Judge Moghiseh on charges of "Propagating against the state" and "Assembly and collusion against national security through spreading house-churches in the country" and sentenced to four years in prison. This sentence was upheld by Appeals Court (Judge Zargar) </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='2648'> She was working in Turkey when she received a summon. She returned to Iran and got arrested. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='2646'> She was transferred to Modarres Hospital in Tehran </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='2649'> The Christian Solidarity Worldwide organization expressed serious concern about the well-being of this Christian convert and requested that President Hassan Rouhani deliver on his promises and strive to release prisoners of conscience </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='2645'> While she was returning from furlough for the first time during her incarceration, she was physically inspected in a sexually abusive and demeaning manner by female guards in Evin Prison </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='6646'> According to a report from HRANA her hands and feet are numb and she is suffering from constant pain in her joints and spine. Despite her physician's orders, the Judiciary is preventing her transfer to hospital. The same report claims that she underwent heart surgery due to suffering from Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='6351'> The defendant began a hunger strike in protest of the lack of medical attention, the condition of her case, and her inability to leave the prison for furlough </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='6353'> She was transferred to hospital </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='6352'> According to a report by HRANA she refused to attend visitation in protest. Many of her ward-mates also refused to attend visitation in solidarity with her </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='6629'> The defendant was allowed medical leave from the facility on the 11th day of her hunger strike after posting bail. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='6947'> HRANA reported that although she is still in recovery, the prosecutor has denied their request for extending the medical furlough and she has returned to Evin Prison. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='7383'> Maryam Naghash Zargaran went on hunger strike in support of the demands of Narges Mohammadi. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='7235'> She went on a hunger strike for unconditional release. This hunger strike got connected to the previous one in support of Narges Mohammadi. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='7305'> She published a letter titled "It is time to break my silence" in which she described some of the illegal actions she was exposed to. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='7394'> In a note titled "Crow", she refers to people who have taken the right to life and peace from others as crows. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='7472'> Her mother released a video explaining the process of her arrest, trial, and events related to her daughter. HRANA published the video. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='7554'> HRANA reported that the medical examiner has confirmed her heart disease, But the prosecutor says the security organizations are the decision makers. The report also states that Ms. Zargaran refuses to receive medical treatment in prison after the last time when she was insulted at the prison infirmary. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='9748'> She went on medical furlough but according to her letter to the chief of the judiciary, her furlough was documented as failure to report. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='7997'> She was taken to the infirmary. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='7875'> She ended her hunger strike. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='8023'> The Campaign to Defend Political and Civil Prisoners published a letter from her mother in which she asks for help from the UN special human rights reporter Ahmad Shahid to help with the release of her daughter and other prisoners. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='8623'> She was released on medical furlough. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='9078'> Hesar reported that the prosecutor has not extended her furlough and she needs to return to prison. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='9198'> She returned to prison. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='9749'> In a letter to the chief of the judiciary, she asked him to review her case and said she has been in prison for over three years and three months for being a Christian. The letter which was published by HRANA is in the supporting document section of this page. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='10500'> She was released on a furlough. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='10721'> She returned to prison at the end of her furlough. 55 days have been added to her sentence for failure to report to prison [some sources 44 and 45 days]. According to the reports, she was told not to return to prison until there was a decision about her parole, but after the parole request was denied, this period was considered a failure to report to prison. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='10785'> According to HRANA, a meeting was held on the occasion of the International Human Rights Day in the women ward of Evin Prison. At this meeting, Atena Daemi, Maryam Naghash Zargaran, Mahvash Shahriari, Fahimeh Arafi, Sotoudeh Fazel, Maryam Akbari Monfared, Fatemeh Mosanna, Golrokh Iraee, Fariba Kamalabadi, Mahin Izadi, Reyhaneh Tabatabaei, Ameneh Jaberi and Narges Mohammadi gave lectures and discussed on the issue of human rights </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='12399'> She went on a furlough. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='14169'> She went on Norwruz furlough. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='16087'> According to HRANA, she was recently assaulted by a prisoner from the general population but her complaint remains unanswered. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='17406'> She was released after serving her sentence. </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='17431'> According to HRANA Maryam Naghash Zargaran, hours before her release, was taken to the court at Evin prison and faced “a line of the infirmary’s staff from the driver of the ambulance to the head of the infirmary”. At the court they informed Ms. Nagash Zargaran that a new case has been opened for her for the charge of “insulting the infirmary staff”, but there is no need for posting the 50 million toman bail. It is not clear if this action was meant to psychologically intimidate and was part of the war on political and religious prisoners, opening a new case to keep pressure from the head of prison and infirmary on the prisoner </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='18586'> She told the International Human Rights Campaign that a non-suit order was issued for her in the case about "insulting the infirmary staff", but she has been banned from leaving the country for six months. </coverage-outsourcing>