Sedigheh Vasmaghi, a prominent writer and Islamic scholar currently held in Tehran's notorious Evin prison, has refused a summons to appear before the Tehran Revolutionary Court branding it "illegal".
In response to the summons, Vasmaghi said, "The Revolutionary Court is not lawful, and defending oneself in this unjust court is meaningless. I will not appear there and I do not want to confront the unjust judges."
She was arrested on Saturday after her ongoing criticism of compulsory hijab laws and her characterization of Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, as a “dictator”, and the ruling regime as “oppressive”.
Vasmaghi's warrant levies accusations against her including "anti-government propaganda on social media" and "appearing in public without Islamic hijab". She has long been an advocate of women's rights. She first gained attention after she removed her own hijab in protest following the death of Armita Geravand, a teenager killed by hijab-enforcement agents in the Tehran metro last year.
Vasmaghi's family now fear for her health as she is deprived of access to adequate medical facilities. A source close to her family told Iran International that her health deteriorated on Monday morning in prison, with her heart rate exceeding 120 and her blood pressure rising above 160.
Evin prison authorities also denied Vasmaghi permission to meet her family on Sunday, citing her refusal to wear a headscarf and comply with mandatory hijab rules.
