Three Kurdish female political prisoners Sakineh Parvaneh, Soheila Hijab and Zeynab Jalalian are still on a hunger strike in Qarchak Prison. Meanwhile, the health condition of Zeynab Jalalian is reported critical with severe coughs and chest pain, informed sources have told the Kurdistan Human Rights Network.

Sakineh Parvaneh, who is being held in Ward 3 of Qarchak Prison, has been on a hunger strike since June 15, in protest to a five-year prison sentence and failure to comply with the principle of Separation of Crimes in Qarchak Prison. During this time, she ended her hunger strike once for several days upon the promise of the authorities to follow up on her demands but she resumed her strike after her demands were not met. The political prisoner has also been summoned to court several times in recent days over a new case, but she has refused to appear in court. Her charges in this new case are not clear yet. It is noteworthy that she was previously been sentenced to five years in prison on charges of “membership in opposition parties.”

Soheila Hijab a lawyer from Kermanshah has been on a hunger strike since June 17 in protest to the continued detention of herself and Zeynab Jalalian in the quarantine ward of Qarchak Prison and demanding her transfer from Qarchak Prison to Evin Prison, as well as pressure from security agencies.

Soheila Hijab was sentenced to a total of 18 years in prison on March 18, 2020, on charges of “propaganda against the state,” “gathering and collusion,” “disturbing public opinion with intent to cause unrest,” and “forming an illegal group.” According to the law of Aggregation of Crimes, 5 years of the sentences will be enforceable.

Zeynab Jalalian, who was recently diagnosed with coronavirus is in a critical health condition. She was transferred from Khoy Prison to Qarchak Prison on May 10, went on a hunger strike on Jun 19 not being transferred to Khoy Prison. She was recently diagnosed with coronavirus. Although the prison’s medical doctors have advised her that continuing the hunger strike would lead to deterioration of her physical disability, she has announced that she would continue her hunger strike until she is transferred to Evin Prison.

Zeynab Jalalian has been held in Kermanshah, Evin, Khoy and Qarchak prisons for the past 13 years. Her death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 2011.