Christian convert Ghazal Marzban is among over 20 detainees in the women’s ward of Evin Prison who have been denied visitors in recent months as punishment for protesting against conditions in the notorious Tehran facility.

Ghazal, who is serving a sentence of nine years and eight months on charges of “propaganda against the state” and “gathering and collusion against national security”, was denied visits for four months earlier this year, and according to a recent report from HRANA has now gone another seven weeks without a visit.

A dozen prisoners, including Ghazal and the British woman Lindsay Foreman, have also been repeatedly denied the opportunity to call their family members, according to the report.

Article18 reported last month how Ghazal had gone on hunger strike to protest being denied access to a Bible in prison and having been threatened with the death sentence for apostasy. Ghazal also recently published an open letter reporting a “brutal rape” in a Ministry of Intelligence detention centre.

It was also reported that a British woman in the prison – assumed to be Mrs Foreman – had asked for a Bible on Ghazal’s behalf but had also been refused. Article18 understands that Ghazal was told that only Iranians born into Christian families – and not Christian converts – have the right to possess a Bible in prison.

HRANA’s article added that Ghazal has also “been deprived of receiving books and certain personal belongings by order of judicial authorities and prison security”, and that “no explanation regarding the reason for or duration of these restrictions has been provided”.

HRANA said the restrictions had been imposed “primarily in response to the prisoners’ protests regarding ward conditions and the conduct of prison guards and officials”.