Imprisonment and deprivation of liberty in Iran’s judicial system, especially for women and political prisoners, has become one of the prominent tools of repression. Examining the narratives of imprisoned women, illegal actions against political protesters, and the systematicity of mental torture in solitary cells, deals with the issue of human rights in Iran from different angles.
Marzieh Mohebi
Deconstructing the Narratives of Four Women Prisoners Sentenced to Death
Saeid Dehghan
Actions of the Islamic Republic against Political Prisoners and Solutions to Deal With It
Fatemeh Hosseinzadeh
Why Solitary Confinement Should be Abolished in Iran
Moderator: Afrooz Maghzi
The panel examines critical aspects of justice, human rights violations, and systemic oppression in Iran, drawing on various perspectives to address pressing issues.
Marzieh Mohebi delves into the narratives of four women imprisoned and sentenced to death in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad. Her study applies Jacques Derrida’s theory of deconstruction to examine how these women, marginalized by a patriarchal and hierarchical societal order, reconstruct their identities in response to the question of “Who are you?”
Mohebi explores the ideological underpinnings, gendered hierarchies, and systemic class oppression that shaped their experiences and social exclusion. She argues that these narratives unveil hidden ideologies and resist dominant binaries, serving as a profound critique of societal structures that render these women invisible and powerless.
Saeed Dehghan critiques the Islamic Republic’s policies concerning political prisoners, focusing on how the regime redefines political opposition as “security crimes.” Despite constitutional provisions recognizing political crimes, protesters are prosecuted under vague charges such as “moharebeh” (enmity against God) or “efsad-e-fil-arz” (corruption on earth) to delegitimize their motives and strip them of legal protections.
Dehghan highlights the state’s deliberate manipulation of legal terminology to maintain control and stifle dissent. Proposing strategies such as public education on civic rights, collaborative efforts between the Iranian diaspora and international civil societies, and transitional justice frameworks, he underscores the need for systemic change.
Fatemeh Hosseinzadeh critiques the systemic use of solitary confinement in Iranian prisons, identifying it as a form of psychological torture in violation of international human rights laws. Drawing on insights from White Torture by Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi, she details the long-term psychological and emotional impacts on political prisoners.
Hosseinzadeh suggests that organized efforts by journalists, academics, lawyers, and human rights advocates could amplify calls to abolish solitary confinement, potentially paving the way for broader human rights reforms, including the eventual abolition of capital punishment in Iran.