Houra Nikbakht, a publisher, director of Mashq-e Barabari Publishing, university professor, and women's rights activist based in Tehran, has been imprisoned for her civil activities and opposition to the policies of the Islamic Republic. In mid-August 2024, she released a letter from prison discussing women's rights, after which she was deprived of family visits and phone calls. In response to these conditions, Houra initiated a hunger strike and staged a sit-in protest within the prison.