Maryam Akbari Monfared, one of Iran’s longest-serving female political prisoners, was released on April 8, 2026, from Qarchak Prison after enduring nearly 17 years of imprisonment without a single day of furlough.
Her release marks a moment of hope for freedom-loving people who have campaigned for her over the years. Despite suffering from multiple illnesses and severe physical conditions, she was never granted permission for medical treatment outside the prison by the authorities.
Political Prisoner Maryam Akbari Monfared Finally Freed After 17 Years in Iran Prisons without a Single Day of Leave
Despite suffering from multiple illnesses and severe physical conditions, she was never granted permission for medical treatment outside the prison by the…
— Women's Committee NCRI (@womenncri) April 8, 2026
Born on December 14, 1975, Maryam Akbari Monfared is the mother of three daughters. She was arrested following the 2009 uprising in Iran. On December 29, 2009, she was taken to Evin Prison “to provide some explanations,” without being able to say goodbye to her daughters and never returned home.
In June 2010, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced her to 15 years in prison on the alleged charge of “membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran,” a charge she has consistently denied.
Maryam’s family has long been a target of state repression. Two of her brothers were executed in 1981 and 1984, and her younger brother and sister were executed during the 1988 massacre.
During her imprisonment, Maryam Akbari Monfared inspired fellow detainees with her resilience and compassion. To prevent her influence on other political detainees, prison authorities separated her from fellow prisoners and transferred her to Semnan Prison on March 9, 2021.
She completed her 15-year sentence without a single day of furlough on October 12, 2024. However, authorities extended her imprisonment for another two years based on new charges. On October 22, 2024, she was transferred to Qarchak Prison for women in Varamin, where she spent some time in solitary confinement. On October 9, 2025, while other female political prisoners were returned to Evin Prison, she was not.
Maryam suffered from hypothyroidism, liver problems, chronic back and knee pain, numbness in her legs, and impaired knee function. Doctors repeatedly emphasized the urgent need for surgery, warning that delays could result in severe nerve damage, loss of mobility, and urinary incontinence.
