Maryam Akbari Monfared has been released after spending 17 years in prison, including 3 additional years added to her sentence. A mother of 3 young children, she was arrested during the December 2009 protests in Tehran and sentenced to 15 years on charges including acting against national security, propaganda against the state, and “enmity against God.” Since 2013, she has continued to seek justice for her 4 siblings, who were executed by the Iranian authorities in the 1980s. Although she should have been released after completing her original sentence, a new case was brought against her in January 2024, resulting in an additional 3-year sentence, internal exile, and confiscation of her property. Throughout her imprisonment in Evin, Semnan, and Qarchak prisons, she was never granted a single day of leave or furlough, despite serving nearly 2 decades in custody.

Maryam Akbari Monfared, one of Iran’s longest-serving female political prisoners, was released on April 8, 2026, after nearly 17 years in prison without a single day of furlough. Her release marks a moment of hope for many who campaigned for her freedom. Despite suffering from multiple serious health conditions, authorities repeatedly denied her access to medical treatment outside prison.

Born on December 14, 1975, and a mother of three daughters, Maryam was arrested following the 2009 uprising. On December 29, 2009, she was summoned to Evin Prison “to provide explanations” and never returned home. In June 2010, she was sentenced to 15 years on charges of membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran—an allegation she has consistently denied.