Ahlam Bandar and Others: The Suffering of Ahwazi women prisoners in Iranian occupation Prisons

On March 8 every year, the world celebrates International Women’s Day, an occasion that highlights women’s issues globally, including their rights, freedoms, and gender equality. However, in Ahwaz, women continue to suffer from oppression and injustice, as Ahwazi women prisoners face political repression and arbitrary arrests for their simple demands for basic rights.

The women’s prison in Howeyreh, also known as “Sepidar,” is notorious for its severe human rights violations against female prisoners in Ahwaz. Although prisons are typically meant to detain criminals, Sepidar prison has become a place for many innocent individuals who have been arrested without legal justification.

Many of these women are detained due to their family ties to individuals opposing the Iranian regime or simply because they belong to the Arab Ahwazi community.

According to human rights sources, Arab women in Iranian prisons endure far worse conditions than their non-Arab counterparts. Being an Arab woman exacerbates their suffering, exposing them to torture, humiliation, and mistreatment by prison officials who treat them with hostility and cruelty.

Many female prisoners in Sepidar prison have been subjected to physical and psychological torture to coerce them into confessing to charges that are often politically motivated and baseless.

Families of these prisoners have raised legitimate concerns about these violations, calling on the international community to pressure the Iranian authorities to hold those responsible accountable.

Despite being highlighted in several international human rights reports, many arrests go unreported in the media. The Iranian government maintains silence on these crimes, avoiding accountability and making it difficult for international human rights organizations to monitor the situation.

Prominent Ahwazi Women Prisoners:
In Iranian prisons, many Ahwazi women are detained due to their political activities or their familial relationships with individuals opposing the regime:

– Najat Anwar Hamidi: A 68-year-old retired teacher arrested in March 2019 for allegedly supporting an opposition group.
– Lamia Hamadi: A 28-year-old woman arrested in October 2018 on charges of rebellion and acting against national security. She was sentenced to seven years in prison.
– Zeinab Afrawi: Arrested in September 2018; no additional information is available about her health condition. She was one of the detainees in a crackdown on Ahwazi activists.
– Fatemeh Touni Zadeh: Arrested in October 2018 without a fair trial. She is among the women detained for expressing political views.
– Zoweida Al-Afrawi: Arrested in September 2018 during a raid on her home in Khafajiyeh. She continues to suffer from the effects of torture endured in prison.
– Masoumeh Saedawi and Souzan Saedawi: Arrested due to their political activities, although no further details about their detention have been disclosed.
– Elaheh Darwishi: Detained for her political activities and is currently suffering from serious health conditions in prison.
– Amina Zaher Sowari: Suffers from a severe illness in prison and is denied necessary medical care.
– Maryam Al-Ameri: Arrested for her political activities in Ahwaz.

Activist Ahlam Bandar:
In January 2025, Ahwazi cultural and civil activist Ahlam Bandar was arrested in the capital city of Ahwaz and taken to an unknown location. No further details have been released regarding the reasons for her arrest or her current status.

Ahlam Bandar is known for managing a library in the Arvish neighborhood of Ahwaz and organizing cultural events that promote Arab identity in opposition to the Iranian regime’s policies of Persianization. Following her arrest, her Instagram account was blocked by the Iranian occupation authorities.