Dire Conditions in the Women's Ward of Adelabad Prison in Shiraz

NCRI Women's Committee

Adelabad Prison, located in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz, is notorious for its long-standing violations of human rights. This grim institution houses political, ideological, and general prisoners under conditions that reflect a systematic disregard for human dignity. Reports from former inmates reveal inhumane treatment, rampant torture, and appalling living conditions, especially in the women’s ward. These accounts provide a stark illustration of the clerical regime's widespread and systematic human rights abuses.

The Women’s Ward: A Microcosm of Injustice

The women’s ward in Adelabad Prison consists of eight rooms, one designated for political and financial prisoners, separated from the others. Currently, three female political prisoners—Hoda Mehreganfar, Maryam Deris, and Hakimeh Honarmand—are held in this ward under harsh and degrading conditions.

• Hoda Mehreganfar, arrested alongside her father Mohammad-Ali Mehreganfar, endured 40 to 50 days in solitary confinement.
• Hakimeh Honarmand, a political prisoner from the 1980s, has faced years of imprisonment and security pressures. She was arrested with her son.
• Maryam Deris, a master's student from the southwestern city of Kazerun, was detained during the nationwide protests of 2022.

The ward is overcrowded, forcing many prisoners to sleep "book-style" (side by side, with barely any room to move) on cold, unheated floors.

Poor sanitation exacerbates the dire conditions, with toilets and showers inside the rooms, emitting foul odors that permeate the air. The lack of heating during the winter months makes survival even more challenging.

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