Mohammad Maleki Receives Over Ten Years in Prison

Zanjan resident Mohammad Maleki has been sentenced to ten years and three months by the Zanjan Court of Appeal, with five years of the sentence suspended.

As per the December 11, 2023 verdict, Maleki faced eight months for “propaganda against the regime,” three years and seven months for “assembly and collusion against national security,” and six years for “forming and running a group named the Zanjan neighborhood youth channel to act against national security.”

Maleki was arrested by IRGC Intelligence agents on September 18, 2023, and was granted release on bail on October 18.

Injured protesters died due to infections

Mohammad Maleki

Mohammad Maleki, born in 1996, was married and a resident of Qaleh Mir in Baharestan County in Tehran Province. He was a peddler and his only child was born two weeks ago. Mr. Maleki, 23-year old, was shot in the waist by the security forces in Saveh road during the last November’s mass protests. He was permanently paralyzed after the bullet passed his lungs and destroyed his spine. He passed away because of the injuries on January 26, 2020, two weeks after the birth of his child. He was buried on January 28 in Tehran.

A source close to Mr. Maleki told HRANA that Mr. Maleki was released from the hospital in December 2019 and died on January 26, 2020, in his residence. The physician who was called to visit him refused to issue a death certificate after learning about his condition claiming that he should inform the police. After the physician called the police, his body was taken to the forensic medicine while four undercover security agents monitored his house. His body was taken to Kahrizak’s medical examiner’s office despite his family’s disapproval. His family was permitted to bury him in Emamzadeh Baqer Golestan Saleh Abad cemetery in Baharestan County in Tehran Province after medical examination a removing the bullet from his body.

According to this source, his family was pressured to permit medical examination and in return, he could be regarded as a martyr and his body would be given back to his family for burial. Otherwise, he should be buried overnight without any ceremony. Eventually, his family got permission to bury him, on the condition that if later authorities find out the bullet that was removed from his body was shot by a police’s weapon, the family should pay for the bullet.

While he was in the hospital, YJC reporter interviewed him and claimed that he is a victim of rioters who shoots ordinary people. During this report that was aired on November 22 on the Iranian state TV (IRIB), Mr. Maleki explains that there are still three bullets left in his abdomen. In this report, it was implied that he was shot by the protester. The source close to him added that Mr. Maleki was in a state of fear and his injuries made him do the interview, but he disagrees that the protesters shot him.

Amir (Shahpour) Ojani

Amir Ojani was 43 years old, married, and father to four children. He owned a sandwich shop in Parand city. Mr. Ojani was shot in the foot by the security forces during the last November’s mass protests in Parand city located in Tehran Province. Several state-owned hospitals refused to admit him claiming that they received an order not to admit the injured protesters. Eventually, Ebnesina private hospital admitted him. Mr. Ojani died on January 9, 2020, because of infection and pulmonary embolism.

A source close to Mr. Ojani told HRANA that Mr. Ojani was shot in foot during the last November’s mass protests in one of the main squares of Parand city, breaking his foot’s bone. He went to a local clinic in the first 3-4 days just to refresh his bondage. After a few days, he was transferred to several hospitals, including Firouzgar Hospital in Tehran but they refused to admit him because of his gunshot wound. Finally, a private hospital accepted him, but he died because of infection and pulmonary embolism. There were only 45 days between his injury and his death.

The source added that the security forces identified him after checking footages from the CCTVs and went to his residence to arrest him when they were informed by his wife that he is hospitalized and in a serious condition. The security forces went to the hospital to monitor him. He was banned from having a visitor in the last ten days of his life.

 

The nationwide protests of November are one of the most significant events of 2019. During the November protests that lasted more than 10 days simultaneously in 719 parts of the country. At least 7133 people were arrested, hundreds died on the streets, and many protesters got gunshot wounds.

Video Footage Of Activists’ Protest In Tehran

HRANA News Agency – The following short video shows the mass protest gathering of civil activists and families of political and civil prisoners in front of Dena Tiers. In this gathering doctor Maleki, mother of Saeid Zainali, missing student activist, mother of Omid Alishenas, imprisoned civil activist, and a group of Mohamad Ali Taheri’s supporters and a group of civil activists and human rights activists were present. Mother of Amin Anvari, a young civil activist who recently was arrested, for the first time had attended this rally, and demanded the freedom of her son.

A Report about Dr. Maleki’s Sit-In

HRANA News Agency – Dr. Mohammad Maleki has started a sit-in in front of one the IRGC buildings, in response to the seizure of his properties and being banned from leaving the country.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), this sit-in is being carried out since three weeks ago, on Mondays from 10 to 12, in front of the Dena building in Vanak square, and along with Dr. Maleki, some of the families of political prisoners and victims of violations of human rights are participating. Continue reading “A Report about Dr. Maleki’s Sit-In”

3 Civil Rights activists Arrested at Dr. Mosaddegh’s Tomb

HRANA News Agency – Mohammad Maleki, Mohammad Nourizad and Shahnaz Karimbaigi, three civil rights activists who intended to participate in remembrance of Dr. Mosadegh, had been arrested for few hours. There is no news about Mohammad Nourizad yet.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Mohammad Maleki, Mohammad Nourizad and Shahnaz Karimbaigi who had intended to attend the remembrance of Mohammad Mosadegh, in Ahmad Abad Mostoufi, were arrested for few hours by security forces, on Thursday, March 6. Continue reading “3 Civil Rights activists Arrested at Dr. Mosaddegh’s Tomb”

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Civil Rights Activists Arrested in Shahriar

HRANA News Agency – A group of civil rights activists who had planned to attend the anniversary of Mostafa Karimbeigi were arrested by security officers. Nasrin Sotoudeh, Narges Mohammadi, and Reza Khandan were among those arrested.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), on 26th December, a group of civil rights activists planning to attend the anniversary of Mostafa Karimbeigi (one of Green movement’s members who were killed in Ashura 2009), in Shahriar, were arrested by security forces. Continue reading “Civil Rights Activists Arrested in Shahriar”

Dr. Mohammad Maleki summoned and his house was searched

HRANA News Agency – Dr. Mohammad Maleki, Iranian academic and pro-democracy activist and former president of the University of Tehran, was summoned to Evin prison and his house was searched by security forces, today.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Mohammad Maleki  is an Iranian academic and pro-democracy activist and former president of the University of Tehran.

Continue reading “Dr. Mohammad Maleki summoned and his house was searched”

A Moving Letter from Dr. Maleki to UN Special Rapporteur

HRANA News Agency – Dr. Mohammad Maleki, the first president of Tehran University after the revolution, has written an open letter to Dr. Ahmad Shaheed, the Special Rapporteur appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council.Pointing out the tragic plight of human rights in Iran, Dr. Maleki has underscored the crimes committed by totalitarian rulers and has announced that he is ready and available to testify about the torture and execution of prisoners in Iran.Dr. Maleki has also declared that he stands by his words and is prepared to face the consequences of his testimony.

Dr. Mohammad Maleki has spent a long time behind bars in various Iranian prisons and was once sentenced to death.During his last incarceration, Dr. Maleki spent 191 days locked up in prison while being harmed and harassed throughout that time until he was temporarily released from Evin Prison because of his deteriorating health.Although Dr. Maleki received a seven year suspended prison term in March 2000, he remains in a legal state of limbo thus far.

The content of Dr. Maleki’s letter in its entirety as released by Daneshjoo News is as follows:

In the Name of Justice
Your Excellency, Dr. Ahmad Shaheed

With warm greetings, I wish you success in the grand, humanitarian endeavor you have undertaken.

I am Dr. Mohammad Maleki, a retired professor and the first president of Tehran University appointed after the revolution.I am writing this letter in order to share with you a small portion of human rights violations in my country as witnessed by me.I provide this information to you with the hopes of taking a step towards rescuing my people from the tyranny, corruption and cruelty of the rules oppressing this nation.

My brother, Mr. Shaheed, I am one the tens of thousands of individuals whose human rights have been violated multiple times by authoritarian and oppressive rulers reigning the Islamic Republic of Iran for thirty two years.In Iran’s prisons, I have witnessed numerous crimes but can draw your attention to only a small number of them in this letter.

In 1979, after the revolution succeeded and following my appointment to the presidency of Tehran University, in order to achieve one of the revolutionary goals, I strived to establish a democratically elected council consisting of professors, students and employees who would run all university affairs.This undertaking wasn’t received favorably by a government monopolizing all aspects of life within the country.At last, a coup d’état dubbed as “the Cultural Revolution” was orchestrated to attack universities, kill a number of students, injure scores of them and finally arrest the rest.Then, universities were closed down, and student dissidents detained, tortured severely and eventually executed.

The Management Council of Tehran University and the High University Council responsible for the day to day operations of the university opposed “the Cultural Revolution” and raised their voices against it.Nonetheless, instead of addressing these concerns, the government detained a number of dissidents including me and under the pretence of opposing the Supreme Leader’s (Ayatollah Khomeini) decree, imprisoned us.

I was unlawfully tried in a court without legal representation and was sentenced to death at first.This verdict was then modified to ten years in prison.During this time, I have endured the most brutal treatments such as being beaten on the soles of my feet and elsewhere with an electric cable and being hung from the ceiling.My head was repeatedly banged against the wall, and I was punched, kicked and forced to tolerate a number of other forms of torture.As a result, I lost vision in my left eye and suffered from a broken bone in my right wrist.The markings of some of those tortures still remain, and my body bears the scars to this day.

After five years, I was supposedly released from prison, but for months, I had to report to the judiciary every few days to be interrogated and tormented in other forms.

Together with tens of other activists, I was arrested again in March 2000 under the pretext of plotting to overthrow the government and was locked up in an isolation cell measured 1×2 meters in one of the most gruesome and dreadful prisons (Eshratabad) operated by IRGC.Legal experts and psychiatrists refer to the incarceration of prisoners under extreme sensory deprivation and isolation as “white torture.”After tolerating approximately seven months of “white torture,” I was released in order to stand trial.Subsequently, I was illegally tried again behind closed doors and received seven years of suspended prison sentence.

On August 22, 2009, intelligence agents raided my house in the early hours of the day.After searching the premises and seizing many books, they took me out of my sickbed and directly transferred me to Evin Prison, Ward 209, where I spent three months in solitary confinement.At the time of my arrest, I suffered from prostate cancer, irregular heartbeats and abnormal blood pressure.I was also receiving chemotherapy and struggled with regular fainting spells and blackouts.

During interrogations, I was insulted and humiliated in so many different ways, and only because of my writings, I was charged with the crime of Moharebeh [Waging War Against God] and insulting the supreme leaders of Iran, Mr. Khomeini and Mr. Khamenei.Eventually, after 191 days of incarceration and due to rapidly deteriorating health, I was granted a sick leave from prison in order to continue my chemotherapy and undergo a surgery to implant a pacemaker in my heart.

Recently, I have been summoned to court to stand trial behind closed doors once more against the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran.For now, I spend very difficult and agonizing days, waiting to find out the court’s ruling.Although I am a 78 year old, sick elderly man, I am ready to face any verdict issued against me because my goal has always been and will remain to be fighting against tyranny, oppression and injustice imposed by those holding power in Iran.

I lean on God and the masses and fear no punishment.I wish to meet with you in order to recount the reality of what has happened in Iran during the last three decades and what injustice has been inflicted upon this nation.

Your Excellency, Dr. Shaheed, I will testify that during 1980s, how young prisoners and students including men and women, after being brutally tortured, were taken in groups of tens or hundreds every night to face the gallows.And down that road they went to face their destiny while chanting songs. I am prepared to cite the facts as witnessed by me in the prisons of the Islamic regime and stand by my words to pay the price for such testimony.

At the end, as an Iranian, I wish you every success in all your undertakings.Rest assured that God is with you.With warmest regards and hoping to meet you,

Dr. Mohammad Maleki
Political Prisoner and Tehran University Retired Professor

September 2011

 

 

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