Category: Prisoners

“We still can’t believe it” Imprisoned Lawyer Reacts to Death of Homa Soltani

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Prisoners
Abdolfatah Soltani, Evin Prison, homa soltani, iran human rights, letters from political prisoners, Nasrin Sotoudeh, revolutionary court, saeed moratazavi

Human Rights Activists’ News Agency (HRANA) — Nasrin Sotoudeh, a lawyer and human rights activist who has been detained in Tehran’s Evin prison since June 13th on charges of collusion and propaganda against the regime, has written an open letter in reaction to the sudden death of Homa Soltani, daughter of fellow Evin prisoner Abdolfattah Soltani who is also a lawyer and activist. Ms Soltani recently died from a heart attack at the age of 27.

Nasrin Sotoudeh is a prominent human rights lawyer who has a history of arrests and imprisonment for her outspoken defense of human rights. Below is the English translation of Ms Sotoudeh’s letter:

My darling girl, my dear Homa,

It has been three days since you flew away from this world and we still can’t believe it. In our disbelief, we still wish that it could be a lie. Ah, if only it could be a nightmare, if only…

The women’s prison mourns for you. You had lost the embrace of your father years ago, my dear one. You know what, Homa? A father’s embrace gives one security and you were without it for years. This was something no one else could give you.

Many only knew about the seven years that you had been deprived of your father thanks to the revolutionary courts of injustice. But as far as I remember, your father was always dealing with his cases – cases for activists, colleagues and those they made against himself. You were raised with this news around you, you grew up like this and anxiety filled your childish existence. The temptation of human rights, the rights of dissidents, the rights of the accused and the rights of this person or that didn’t leave your father, Abdolfattah Soltani, alone. He had so honestly given his honor to the community of lawyers that he had forgotten himself and his family; how sad is this story.

Your father was once sentenced to three months in prison. Another time, the revolutionary court of injustice gave him five years but the appeals court repealed it. But the machinery of violence didn’t stop working against this freedom-loving lawyer. During the election crisis of 2009, they once more sought him first and he had to spend two months in detention. He was freed and two years later again arrested. Prison, prison, prison…

I don’t think of what made your father tick because I know it so well. I think of the world of your childhood, your teenage years, your youth; how innocently it was crushed under the weight of our ideals and their violence.

My dear Homa,

What happened to you every time your father was arrested? To you, your sister, brothers and mother?

I have asked myself many times: If Homa had her father by her side every morning when she woke up; if her father took her to university, school or work on some days and was with her throughout her daily problems; if they had dinner together at nights and then slept under the same roof; would the same happen to Homa? No, never…

Nasrin Sotoudeh
Women’s Prison
August 2018

***

Abdolfattah Soltani, who is being held in Evin Prison, was granted a furlough to take part in his daughter’s funeral.

Amnesty International reacted to Homa’s death and asked for the immediate release of Abdolfattah Soltani and all human rights defenders.

On August 5th, Saeed Dehqan, Mr Soltani’s lawyer, wrote to President Hassan Rouhani to say his client had been arrested by the political decisions of people such as former judge Saeed Mortazavi.

Mr Soltani is spending his seventh year in Evin. He has contracted many illnesses in prison.

Abdolfattah Soltani was first arrested on September 10, 2011. He was accused of having accepted the International Nuremberg Human Rights Award, speaking to the media about his clients and taking part in the founding of the Center for the Defenders of Human Rights. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison and barred from practising law for 20 years. An appeals court reduced his sentence to 13 years and it was further reduced to 10 years based on the provisions of the new Iran penal code. His disbarring has also been reduced to two years.

Conditional Release for Political Prisoner Mohammad Mozaffari

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Prisoners
Evin Prison, iran human rights, judge Salavati, Mohammad Mozaffari, political prisoners in Iran, revolutionary court

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) – Mohammad Mozaffari, political activist serving a two-year sentence since June 18, 2018, was conditionally released from Tehran’s Evin Prison. A source close to Mr Mozaffari confirmed his temporary release to HRANA.

According to HRANA, Mr Mozaffari was sentenced on May 3, 2016, by branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided by Judge Salavati, to a two-year prison term, a 2,000,000 Tomans cash penalty (approximately $600 USD) and 74 lashes. His lashing sentence was reportedly carried out on August 5, 2018.

Mohammad Mozaffari was arrested on February 15, 2015, and transferred to the Revolutionary Guard’s Intelligence Unit in Evin Prison. After three months of interrogations, he was transferred to Ward 8 of this prison until his release on July 12, 2015.

Two Political Prisoners in Urmia Sentenced to Prison Exile

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Prisoners
hassan galvani, iran human rights, iran political prisoners, Urmia prison, vahed behabahani

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) – On August 1, 2018, political prisoners Hassan Galvani and Vahed Bebahani were reportedly sentenced to a total of eleven years of prison exile by branch 2 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court. They were reportedly arrested on May 4th and transferred to Urmia’s central prison.

The Judge, Ali Sheikhloo, sentenced Mr Galvani to five years of prison exile in the northwestern city of Ardabil and Mr Behbahani to six years of prison in exile in the north-central city of Qazvin. They were both charged with “Cooperation with anti-regime political parties”.

The details of their case were given to HRANA by a credible source who said Mr Galvani and Mr Behabhani were respectively held in sections 3-4 and 14 of Urmia’s central prison.

According to the source, both Mr Galvani and Mr Behbahani have exercised their right to appeal.

Hassan Galvani and Vahed Bebahani spent two months under detention by the forces of the Ministry of Intelligence before being transferred to Urmia’s central prison.

Zahedan Prisoner Osman Falazehi Denied Medical Care

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Prisoners
iran human rights, medical neglect, osman falazehi

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) – A prisoner identified as Osman Falazehi, 60, who is detained in section 4 of Zahedan’s central prison, has reportedly been denied medical care for more than two months.

Mr Falazehi was reportedly arrested two months ago on charges related to the participation in a group clash with security forces that occurred two decades ago. He was severely beaten and tortured on arrest in a detention center operated by the security police. Despite the poor state of his health, he was transferred to Zahedan’s central prison where is being medical care.

Osman Falazehi was first held in a detention center operated by the Intelligence department. Twelve days ago he was sent to section 6 of Zahedan’s central prison and subsequently to section 4. Mr Falazehi has yet to receive a day in court.

According to a source close to Osman, the prisoner’s brother was arrested twenty years ago in Iranshahr on drug charges. The arrest led to clashes in which dozens of security officials were killed and the arrestee was able to flee. Mr Falazehi was reportedly not there on that day and he was able to prove his innocence after he went to the Intelligence offices.

Now, after twenty years, Osman Falazehi was arrested in connection to his alleged role in the clash, the source said. According to the source, Mr Falazehi’s brother is an influential man in the region and Mr Falazehi was reportedly arrested to place pressure on his brother, the source said.

Azerbaijani Activist Released While Another Remains in Prison

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Ethnic Minorities, Prisoners
azerbaijani activist in Iran, babak fort, Ebrahim Noori, Evin Prison, iran human rights, kiumars eslami, kiyomars eslami

Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRANA) – Ebrahim Noori, an Azerbaijani activist from the city of Ahar who was arrested during the Babak Fort gatherings on July 2 and sent to Ward 209 of Tehran’s Evin Prison continues to be held after almost 40 days. Mr Noori is reportedly banned from contacting his family.
A source close to Mr Noori told HRANA that Mr Noori was only allowed to speak to his brother on the phone “for a few seconds”.
Born in 1991 in the city of Ahar, Mr Noori was previously convicted twice of “Acting against national security by waging propaganda against the regime.” He had received a combined suspended sentence of 16 months.
Babak Fort, a monument built during the pre-Islamic Sassanian period, is named after Babak Khorramdin, known for leading an uprising against the Abbasid caliphate in 893. In recent years, it has become a place of symbolic gatherings for Azerbaijani activists, especially during the annual commemorations in the first week of July.
Kiyomars Eslami, another Azerbaijani activist, was also arrested during the same annual gatherings. He was reportedly released on bail on August 9th.
Mr Eslami, who hails from the city of Moqan, was released on Thursday after a month in Moqan Prison. He posted a bail worth 120 million rials. He was arrested on July 4 and suffered bleeding in the head after he was beaten by Iranian authorities during interrogations. Mr Eslami had gone on a nine-day hunger strike which he began on July 28 in protest to the prison conditions and his unclear situation.
Ebrahim Noori is the only individual who remains detained from those who were arrested in connection to the Babak Fort gatherings.

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Telegram Admin Hamidreza Amini Charged in Court Hearing

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Prisoners
Evin Prison, hamidreza amini, iran human rights, judge Salavati, telegram admin arrested

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) – On Sunday, August 12, 2018, a court hearing was held for Hamidreza Amini, the admin of a telegram channel, in branch 9 of Tehran’s criminal court, presided by Judge Kashkuli. Mr Amini was charged with “Insulting the Prophet” and “Blasphemy”.

Mr Amini’s lawyer, Mohammad Hossein Aghasi, confirmed the news and told HRANA that he anticipates for the “Insulting the Prophet” charge to be dropped and that the outcome of the trial should be announced in the coming days.

On June 11, 2018, HRANA reported that a scheduled court hearing for Hamidreza Amini to investigate the charge of “Insulting the Supreme Leader and other high-ranking Iranian officials” was postponed by branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided by Judge Salavati. The hearing was reportedly postponed based on Article 48 of Iran’s Penal Code and to give Mr Amini time to select a court-appointed lawyer.

An informed source had told HRANA in June: “During the court session, Hamidreza Amini said he would not answer any questions without the presence of his lawyer, Mohammad Hossein Aghasi. Judge Salavati responded that his lawyer’s name is not on the list of 20 court-appointed defense lawyers. As a result, Mr Aghasi was not allowed to attend the hearing. His trial was delayed until the appointment of a lawyer.”

On May 30, 2018, Hamidreza Amini was reportedly sentenced by Branch 57 of a new court focused on media crimes to pay approximately a $4,000 USD (40,000,000 Rials) fine for the charge of publishing lies (against officials, government organizations and institutions) with the aim of disturbing public opinion.

Hamidreza Amini has been detained since December of last year on charges of “Disseminating lies”, “Blasphemy” and “Insulting high-ranking officials of the Islamic Republic”. He was arrested by security forces on December 2, 2017, and transferred to solitary confinement in Evin Prison’s Ward 2A, a section of the prison under the control of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Civil Rights Activist Mohammad Davari Arrested

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Prisoners
iran human rights, iran protests, Mohammad Davari

Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA)- Mohammad Davari, a civil rights activist from the city of Yasouj (southwestern Iran), was arrested by Ministry of Intelligence forces on August 10, 2018, at his parent’s home. Mr Davari was reportedly held incommunicado for three days before he was transferred to Yasouj’s central prison.

A source close to Mr Davari confirmed the news and told HRANA: “After the three days, he was remanded without bail for two months, and is currently in solitary confinement. At the time of his arrest, the agents confiscated some of his personal belongings such as his mobile phone, laptop and written notes.”

Mohammad Davari was previously detained on March 5, 2018, for pulling down a banner during the widespread popular protests in Iran. He was released eight days later on a 50 million Tomans (approximately $10,000 USD) bail. The authorities reportedly told Mr Davari’s family that he was arrested on the charge of “Acting against national security through disturbing the public peace of mind”.

Mohammad Davari, 26, was born in Deshdasht and is studying master of Political Science. He was arrested another time following the death of Hashemi Rafsanjani when he pulled down a banner bearing Rafsanjani’s photo. He was later released on bail.

Sunni Prisoner of Conscience Namegh Deldel on Hunger Strike

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Prisoners, Religious Minorities
Evin Prison, Namegh Deldel, Rajai Shahr Prison

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Namegh Deldel, a Sunni prisoner of conscience detained in Karaj’s Rajai Shahr Prison (Hall 21 of Ward 7), has been on hunger strike since August 1, 2018, in protest to the lack of attention from authorities to his medical needs.

An informed source told HRANA: ”Mr Namegh Deldel has suffered from pain in his right thigh bone during the past seven months and was prevented from being sent to a hospital out of prison, which led him to begin a hunger strike.”

In July 2015, HRANA had reported on a 10-year prison sentence term which was issued by Irans Judiciary to Mr Deldel.

Namegh Deldel was previously imprisoned for three years in Rajai Shahr. After his release on April 18, 2014, he was arrested again in Bukan and eventually transferred to Ward 209 of Tehran’s Evin Prison, a section of the prison under the control of Ian’s Ministry of Intelligence, and then to Hall 21 of Ward 7 in Rajai Shahr Prison.

Political Activist Nader Afshari Held Incommunicado

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Prisoners
Gohardasht, iran human rights, iran prisoners of conscience, Nader Afshari, Political Prisoners

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA)- Nader Afshari, a political activist who was arrested by Ministry of Intelligence agents on August 1, 2018, during the most recent wave of popular protests in the city of Karaj, continues to be held incommunicado.

Maryam Sabzeparvar, Mr Afshari’s mother, confirmed the news to HRANA: “…We had no news of Nader for six days following his arrest in Karaj’s Gohardasht. We looked everywhere, from security police and Intelligence offices to the Basij paramilitary base. Finally, on August 6th, Mr Ayoub Ebrahimian who presides over Branch 1 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court, told me that my son had been arrested by Intelligence Ministry security forces and is held in a “safe house” in Gohardasht. He told me Nader will be held there until the end of the interrogation sessions and will be possibly charged after the interrogations are concluded.”

According to Ms Sabzeparvar, her son was arrested last February and held in Ward 209 of Tehran’s Evin Prison, a section controlled by the Ministry of Intelligence, for 48 days. During this period Mr Afshari was reportedly under duress and experienced much abuse by the interrogators and prison officials. “We are very worried about the conditions he is being held right now, and we hope the events of his last arrest have not been repeated,” Ms Sabzevari said.

Nader Afshari was previously arrested on February 4, 2018, along with six other civil rights activists following the widespread protests in Iran.

According to Ms Sabzeparvar, Mr Afshari’s only contact with his family was a phone call which lasted a few seconds and during which he informed his family that he was fine.

UPDATE: Nader Afshari was released on August 14, 2018, on a 50 million Tomans (approximately $5,000 USD) bail, pending the completion of the investigations.

Rajai Shahr Prison: Ward Holding Sunni Prisoners Violently Raided

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Prisoners
iran prison raid, Rajai Shahr Prison, Sunni prisoners

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) – On the night of Tuesday, August 8, 2018, Ministry of Intelligence agents along with black-clad prison guards wearing face masks and anti-riot gear raided hall 21 of section 7 of Karaj’s Rajai Shahr Prison (Alborz province). This section of the prison holds dozens of Sunni minority prisoners jailed for their religious and/or political activism.

A source familiar with the raid told HRANA that around 11 PM on Tuesday, 30 Intelligence agents along with 50 prison guard forces attacked the ward and destroyed or confiscated all the personal belongings of the prisoners which they had bought with their own money.

The special guard forces reportedly insulted and desecrated the beliefs of the Sunnis in order to raise tension and provoke further violence. The prisoners were reportedly beaten up and then transferred to an open air area where they were kept until 2AM.

“The prisoners who were injured as a result of beatings were not transferred to the prison clinic except for three, Abdolrahman Sangani, Namegh Daldal, and Ayoub Karimi, who, due to heart disease and high blood pressure, were in a bad state or had lost consciousness. Two others, Soleyman Pirouti and Fouad Yousefi, were transferred to a hospital outside the prison due to their very poor health conditions,” the close source told HRANA.

The source also informed HRANA that Tohid Ghoreyshi, a Sunni prisoner from the city of Talesh (northern Iran) was transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison, a section of the prison under the control of the Ministry of Intelligence.

Reports indicate that, at least up until Wednesday night, access to water, electricity and phones were cut, and the prisoners were denied their open air time.

This was not the first instance of such raids, and prisoners in this ward have been subject to violent raids and destruction of their personal belongings many times in recent years.