German woman caught Covid in Iran jail, daughter says

BERLIN: The daughter of a German-Iranian woman held in Iran said Wednesday that her mother has contracted Covid-19 in prison and her life is in “imminent danger.”
Nahid Taghavi was arrested at her Tehran apartment in October after years fighting for human rights in Iran, in particular for women’s rights and freedom of expression, according to the human rights group IGFM.
According to Taghavi’s daughter, Mariam Claren, the 66-year-old architect is being held in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, where she is awaiting sentencing on a “security charge.”
“At the beginning of this month, a Covid-19 outbreak started in the women’s wing” of the prison and “authorities have not implemented the required hygiene measures,” Claren said in a statement.
Taghavi has tested positive for the virus and her condition is “very bad,” Claren said.
“She is suffering from a fever, chills and severe pain in her limbs,” she said, noting that her mother suffers from pre-existing conditions including high blood pressure and diabetes.
“For someone at her age with pre-existing health conditions and now testing positive for Covid-19, her life is in imminent danger,” she said, calling for her mother’s immediate release.
Germany’s foreign ministry said in October that it was aware of the arrest of a German-Iranian woman in Iran, but did not name the detained citizen.
Iran is rushing to contain a new record surge in Covid cases, with government offices, banks and many businesses shut in the capital Tehran on Tuesday.
Already hit by the deadliest outbreak in the Middle East, the Islamic republic has been gripped by what authorities warned would be a “fifth wave” driven by the aggressive Delta variant.

German woman caught Covid in Iran jail, daughter says