Atena Farghadani speaks out

Jul 14, 2023 | News

Following her sudden and unexplained arrest in June, three weeks of harsh detention, and ultimately hospitalization, a video of cartoonist and visual artist Atena Farghadani was aired via Iran International television describing the events she alleges occurred while held at Qarchak Prison outside Tehran.

Last month, CARTOONISTS RIGHTS and our partner organizations made a joint statement calling for the release of the Iranian cartoonist Atena Farghadani, who was given our Courage in Cartooning Award in 2016. At that time, Ms Farghadani was a prisoner, convicted on multiple charges, but all stemming from a drawing of parliamentarians as animals. It was not clear what had sparked the most recent summons and arrest.

Atena Farghadani describes what she has experienced in recent weeks.

In the video posted online Ms Farghadani said that following her transfer to prison, she experienced various symptoms and became convinced that she was being poisoned. Refusing food and even water, she said that an attempted force-feeding took place and that she was beaten. She describes an unidentified “wax-like” substance that she was pressured to swallow. This failed, and she was held in solitary confinement during which time she was denied use of a lavatory or sanitary products, despite her complaint of incontinence brought on by her hunger strike.

Ms Farghadani says that attempts were made to force an on-camera confession and that obscenities and threats of violence were used. At the end of June, she was taken to a hospital’s Intensive Care Unit while unconscious, and so her family was forced to pay bail money (contrary to Atena’s wishes) in order to ensure her safety, and have her discharged from the hospital.

In an earlier interview with Iran International TV, based in London, lawyer Mohammad Moghimi said that Ms Farghadani’s arrest mid-June was arbitrary: ”Ms Farghadani has been constantly harassed since her freedom in 2016 for her art and critique. This time, she protested to the Ministry of Intelligence about harassment and abuse, and after this protest, a case was filed against her as a disturbance of public order, and she was arrested after being summoned.”

In the footage, Ms Farghadani appears to have made an adequate physical recovery from her time in prison, but her emotions are readily apparent. It is clear she is greatly disturbed and angered.


“In her unflinching testimony, Atena Farghadani proves her bravery once again, providing us with an insight on the handling of dissenters, and women in particular, by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s police, prosecutors, and prison officers. Her most serious allegations suggest an intent to maim if not murder using poison, and in her description of her interrogation and treatment during solitary confinement, callous cruelty and tendency toward gendered abuse is described. This is wholly in keeping with what occurred during her prior imprisonment. It seems that the regime is intent on destroying this ferocious and undaunted exponent for freedom. They will have a very hard time doing so.”



– Terry Anderson, Executive Director, CARTOONISTS RIGHTS

At the time of writing, Ms Farghadani is freed on bail, and there is a possibility of further summons and more court appearances.

We call for this harassment, bullying, and abuse of Atena Farghadani to end immediately.