Sepideh Gholian, a 30-year-old activist from Dezful in southwest Iran, has described enduring harsh treatment during her repeated imprisonments by Iranian authorities amid ongoing internal unrest and broader geopolitical tensions. Gholian was last detained six months ago as the conflict in the region escalated, following her participation in a memorial service for Khosrow Alikordi, a human rights lawyer who had represented her and whose death raised suspicions.

During her arrest in December, Gholian reported experiencing severe physical abuse, stating that she and others were “tortured almost to death” and that she spent 70 days in solitary confinement. She was later held in a prison in Mashhad during a nationwide protest movement that erupted in January. According to Gholian, many female protesters brought into the prison had been injured by gunfire, sexually assaulted, and were in poor physical condition. She characterized the charges against these detainees as “absurd.”

Gholian recounted an episode in prison where, despite the thick walls and the distance from the frontline of the conflict, a sudden explosion pierced the silence. Prisoners collectively voiced their desire for freedom, chanting “Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!” This outburst, she explained, was not necessarily an expression of opposition or support for the ongoing war, but rather a reaction to the oppressive conditions they were enduring. “We were suffocating. We are still suffocating,” she said.

Before her release, Gholian shared a cell with Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian who was also imprisoned by Iranian authorities. Zaghari-Ratcliffe had taught her leather-working skills during their time together in Evin prison. Following her release, Gholian established a workshop where she and other former prisoners hand-stitch leather bags, using the craft as a means of livelihood and resilience.

Gholian emphasized that the threat of imprisonment in Iran extends beyond periods of conflict or protest. She said, “Even when there is no war you can be sent to prison simply for going about your daily life. It makes no difference. We are already dead in this land.” Her testimony sheds light on the ongoing challenges faced by activists and detainees within Iran’s security apparatus amid a backdrop of political repression and social unrest.