Hana Human Rights Organization’s Report on the Situation of Kurdish Political Prisoner Zeinab Jalalian

1. Personal Information
   • Name: Zeinab Jalalian
   • Date of Birth: March 11, 1982
   • Place of Birth: A village in Maku County
   • Nationality: Iranian (Kurdish)
   • Current Status: Political prisoner held in Yazd Prison
   • Detention Period: Since 2007 (over 17 years without a single day of furlough)

2. Background of Arrest and Conviction

Zeinab Jalalian, a Kurdish political activist, was arrested by the security forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Kermanshah in March 2008. In July 2009, the Revolutionary Court of Kermanshah sentenced her to death on charges of “enmity against God” (Moharebeh) through membership in the PJAK group. Due to international pressure, her death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 2011.

Clear Violations of Fair Trial Principles:
• A trial lasting only a few minutes: Her trial lasted only a few minutes and lacked sufficient evidence.
• Denial of independent legal representation: Zeinab Jalalian was deprived of an independent lawyer and legal defense.
• Torture for forced confessions: Credible reports confirm that she was subjected to physical and psychological torture to extract confessions under duress.
• Judicial opacity: Her sentence was based on confessions obtained under torture, with no documented evidence.

3. Prison Conditions and Repeated Transfers

Throughout her imprisonment, Zeinab Jalalian has been repeatedly transferred to different prisons, often without informing her family or providing legal justification.
• May 2, 2020: Transferred from Khoy Prison to Qarchak Varamin Prison
• June 25, 2020: Transferred to Kerman Prison
• September 24, 2020: Transferred to Dieselabad Prison in Kermanshah
• November 2020: Transferred to Yazd Prison (her current place of detention)

Purposes of these transfers:
• Inflicting psychological and physical pressure
• Severing communication with her family and lawyer
• Preventing access to adequate medical care

4. Health Condition and Medical Violations

Due to physical torture and inhumane prison conditions, Zeinab Jalalian suffers from severe health issues:
• Vision impairment: In June 2014, Amnesty International warned that she was at risk of complete blindness, a condition that began following severe torture.
• COVID-19 infection: In June 2020, she contracted COVID-19 in Qarchak Prison, yet authorities denied her access to proper medical treatment.
• Hunger Strikes:
• June 20, 2020: Began a hunger strike demanding a transfer to Khoi or Evin Prison.
• July 31, 2020: Launched another hunger strike after contracting COVID-19 and being denied medical care.
• Denial of medical treatment: Despite her deteriorating health, security officials have refused to transfer her to a specialized hospital.

5. Torture and Ill-Treatment

According to reliable reports:
• Zeinab Jalalian has been subjected to severe physical and psychological torture to force confessions.
• She has been deprived of basic human rights, including contact with her family and access to an independent lawyer.
• Solitary confinement and enforced disappearance: At times, she was placed in solitary confinement, and her family was left unaware of her whereabouts (notably in July 2020).

6. International Reactions
   • Amnesty International has repeatedly called for her immediate release and access to medical care.
   • United Nations: The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran has expressed concern about her condition.
   • Other organizations: Human rights groups and Reporters Without Borders have continuously monitored her situation.

7. Human Rights Violations
   • Violation of the right to life and liberty through unlawful detention and an unfair life sentence
   • Torture and inhumane treatment, including physical and psychological abuse and denial of medical care
   • Denial of a fair trial and lack of judicial transparency
   • Enforced disappearance, with her family being uninformed about her whereabouts at certain times

Recommended Actions
Diplomatic Pressure: Urging the European Union, the UN, and international bodies to exert pressure on Iran for Zeinab Jalalian’s unconditional release.
• Media Campaigns: Launching global campaigns to raise public awareness and increase media coverage.
• Legal Pursuit: Submitting her case to international bodies such as the UN Human Rights Council and the Committee Against Torture.
• Support for her family: Ensuring legal and psychological support for Zeinab Jalalian’s family through human rights organizations.

Zeinab Jalalian is a symbol of Kurdish women’s resistance against the systemic oppression of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Her deteriorating physical and mental condition highlights the severe human rights violations in Iran. Continuing her detention under inhumane conditions may lead to irreversible consequences.

Hana Human Rights Organization calls on all international bodies to take immediate action and apply urgent pressure on the Islamic Republic of Iran for Zeinab Jalalian’s unconditional release.

Prepared by: Arslan Ahmadi Rikabadi – Germany
Hana Human Rights Organization
Wednesday, February 5, 2025