Unveiling the Untold Horrors: Iranian Activist Narges Mohammadi Exposes Shocking Realities of Women's Sexual Abuse

Ali, a sixteen-year-old, has a vivid recollection of the last time he saw his mother at their residence. Prior to their departure for school, she prepared a nutritious breakfast for Ali and his twin sister, Kiana, consisting of eggs. In addition to encouraging them to study diligently, she bid them farewell. Upon their return, however, their mother was no longer present. This occurrence took place when they were only eight years old.

Their mother is Narges Mohammadi, an iconic figure in the Iranian human rights movement, whose relentless struggle for justice has come at great personal sacrifice.

Throughout the last twenty years, Mohammadi has spent the majority of her life behind bars, repeatedly convicted for daring to give a voice to the silenced. Her unwavering advocacy against capital punishment and the horrors of solitary confinement has subjected her to endure weeks of agonizing isolation on multiple occasions.

She continues to defy the oppressive confines of Evin Prison in Tehran, where she is serving a sentence of 10 years and 9 months for charges related to actions against national security and propaganda against the state. Despite also being subjected to a potential punishment of 154 lashes and various travel and other restrictions, her indomitable spirit prevails.

In Evin, a recording captures Mohammadi taking charge of the chant, "woman, life, freedom," the rallying cry of the uprising ignited by the tragic demise of 22-year-old Mahsa Jhina Amini while under the watch of the nation's morality police. Amini's arrest was allegedly due to her perceived improper wearing of her headscarf.

Obtained by CNN

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The recording is briefly interrupted by an automated message - "This phone call is from Evin Prison" - while the women sing a Farsi version of "Bella Ciao," an Italian folk song from the 19th century that served as a resistance anthem against Fascists and has now been embraced by Iran's freedom movement.

In written responses to questions posed through intermediaries, Mohammadi informed CNN that "This time was and continues to be the period of most significant protest within this prison."

The movement ignited by Aminis death was largely suppressed by Iranian authorities, who took harsh measures against protesters. In July, the morality police resumed their patrols to enforce the wearing of headscarves, leading to accusations of them assaulting a teenage girl in a Tehran metro station. The girl was hospitalized with severe injuries, though Iranian authorities claimed it was due to low blood pressure. Mohammadi expressed concern over the government's actions, viewing it as an attempt to hide the truth about Armita Geravand.

Narges Mohammadi is being held in the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran, Iran, pictured last October.

Majid Asgaripour/WANA/Reuters

Compulsory hijab

Mohammadi is well aware of the consequences of speaking out in public. In August, she received an extra year of imprisonment for her persistent activism while incarcerated. This occurred after she granted a media interview and made a statement regarding sexual assaults that take place in prison.

Prior to this, Mohammadi was already serving a sentence for publishing a book in the previous year. The book shed light on Iran's cruel prison tactics and was titled "White Torture: Interviews with Iranian Women Prisoners." Additionally, she had also directed a documentary film, sharing the narratives of prisoners held in solitary confinement – a punishment she herself had experienced.

The image shown here captures Iranian women walking on a street in Tehran, Iran, on April 15, 2023. This picture reflects the newly implemented hijab surveillance in the city. The photograph was taken by Majid Asgaripour and has been provided by WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS. Editors should acknowledge that this image has been supplied by a third party.

Majid Asgaripour/WANA/Reuters

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However, she refuses to be discouraged. Mohammadi recently penned a comprehensive letter to CNN, passionately criticizing the Islamic Republic's enforced hijab policy that has been in place for the past four decades. She also sheds light on what she perceives as the religious state's hypocrisy in employing sexual violence against female prisoners. According to her, upon seizing power four decades ago, the religious regime utilized the obligatory hijab as a tool to project an image of dominance, oppression, and manipulation over women as a means of exerting control over society.

"They were unable to enforce the wearing of traditional clothing, namely an abaya and turban, on half of the population, which refers to men in society," states her letter. "However, they effortlessly imposed mandatory hijab, veil, chador, manteau, and dark-colored trousers on the other half of Iran's population, presenting the repulsive image of the tyrannical religious system to the world."

"Imagine the plight of Iranian women who, for 44 years, have been coerced into wearing head coverings, long coats, and dark-colored pants despite the scorching summer temperatures, and in certain areas, even black chadors."

Systemic abuse of women detainees

In addition to that, these women have been subjected to immense psychological pressure in order to strictly follow the requirement of hijab, solely for the purpose of upholding the perception of devout Islamic men and safeguarding the security and integrity of women. Astonishingly, these very women are now facing situations of sexual assault and harassment directed towards them.

In her correspondence with CNN, Mohammadi provides a comprehensive account of numerous instances of sexual violence inflicted upon both herself and other women who were detained in various facilities, tracing back to 1999. These acts of violence were committed by security forces, prison officials, and medical staff, targeting political prisoners as well as women incarcerated on criminal charges.

According to Mohammadi, the occurrence of sexual violence against female detainees has experienced a notable surge since the protests that engulfed Iran last year. As a result, she characterizes the mistreatment as currently being "systematic."

Elahe Tavakolian is pictured in Milan, Italy, in August 2023.

Mark Esplin/CNN

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According to Mohammadi, the victims recounted their experiences during meetings with officials who visited Qarchak prison for inspection. In the prison, she personally heard the stories of three women who were victims of sexual assault. One of them was a prominent activist in the student movement who, upon entering the prison, immediately filed a complaint with the authorities. She revealed that after being arrested on the street, her one hand and one leg were handcuffed and tied to the car door's rings. In this vulnerable position, she was subjected to sexual assault.

Furthermore, Mohammadi and another prisoner visited the "quarantine" section of the prison, purportedly to deliver food to another inmate. There, they witnessed the young woman with bruises on her stomach, arms, legs, and thighs.

The Iranian government has refuted the extensive accusations of sexual assaults on detainees, which were exposed in a detailed CNN investigation last year, dismissing them as "false" and "baseless."

For a considerable time, Mohammadi has bravely spoken out about the issue of sexual violence against prisoners, challenging societal norms in her conservative country. In 2021, she utilized the Clubhouse social media app to facilitate a discussion where women, including Mohammadi, shared their personal accounts of assaults by government "agents" spanning from the 1980s to 2021. According to Mohammadi and human rights organizations, she faced penalties for her actions.

Endure all the hardships

The experience of sexual harassment instills a profound sense of anger, fear, and insecurity within women. However, when their womanhood is concealed and suppressed due to ideological and religious assertions, their emotional turmoil intensifies. In addition to feeling enraged and terrified, they also experience a deep sense of betrayal and manipulation by the government, exacerbating their distress. Such sexual abuse leaves indelible scars on their souls and minds, making the journey to recovery arduous, and perhaps even unattainable, she emphasized.

Mohammadi has been prohibited from communicating directly with her husband and children for the past 18 months due to her refusal to remain silent while incarcerated.

Taghi Rahmani, her husband, expressed his constant concern for receiving distressing news each day upon waking up when his wife, the most significant person in his life, is imprisoned. Rahmani shared this during a recent interview with CNN in France, where he has been living in exile with their children since shortly after Mohammadi's imprisonment in 2015.

Taghi Rahmani, pictured in Paris, says he met Mohammadi when she attended his underground contemporary history classes in 1995.

Mark Esplin/CNN

Rahmani and human rights groups have raised concerns about Mohammadis health and access to medical care after she suffered a heart attack and underwent surgery last year.

He proudly displays the prestigious international awards he has received on her behalf, stating that she possesses an unwavering passion for freedom and human rights. Rahmani, who personally endured 14 years of imprisonment for his political beliefs, asserts that he crossed paths with Mohammadi in 1995 during his clandestine contemporary history lectures.

He has shouldered the responsibility of both father and mother to their teenage twins for the last eight years.

"Kiana used to remark that dad is absent when mom is around. It's not ideal," he commented. "However, when one decides on a certain path, they must face all the difficulties that come with it."

Ali and Taghi Rahmani, seen in their apartment in Paris, say they are proud of Mohammadi's activism on behalf of Iranians.

Mark Esplin/CNN

Ali, like his father, is resolute, saying his mother must keep going "for Iran, for our future."

"I am truly proud of my mother," Ali confided in CNN. "Though she wasn't consistently present in our lives, whenever she was, she wholeheartedly looked after us… she has always been a remarkable mother, and she continues to be one… I have now come to terms with this way of life. Any hardship I must endure is inconsequential."

Kiana, who chose not to speak with CNN, yearns for her mother's companionship. Her father asserts that Kiana firmly believes that if you bring a child into this world, it is your duty to assume responsibility and nurture that child.

Mohammadi lives with the constant pain of being separated from her family. It is a sacrifice she has willingly chosen, driven by her desire for a future where she can experience true freedom.

In her letter to CNN, she describes the moment when she had to bid farewell to Ali and Kiana. She compares it to a near-death experience she had in the tree-lined yard of Evin, although she does not provide specific details about when this occurred. She reminisces about picking dandelions in that yard, standing barefoot on the scorching asphalt on July 14. It was on this day, just weeks after their final breakfast together, that she said goodbye to her children in prison before they were sent into exile in France. As she faced the unbearable heat beneath her feet, her heart burned with love. She released the dandelions into the sky, watching her children's hands, feet, and innocent faces flash before her eyes as tears streamed down her face like spring rain.

Looking out of my heart's window, I was a greater stranger to my own daughter and son than any unfamiliar person. I have regrettably forfeited the prime years of my life, irreplaceable moments that are now lost forever. However, I firmly believe that a world devoid of freedom, equality, and peace holds no value, rendering it unworthy of existence, let alone observation.

"I have made the decision to shield my eyes from the sight of my children and refrain from hearing their voices. Instead, I have chosen to become the voice for the oppressed individuals, particularly women and children in my homeland," she affirms.