Agents Confiscate 15 Cartons of Documents and Evidence

The offices of the Tehran-based Association for the Defense of Prisoners’ Rights were sealed off on Monday on orders of the new prosecutor general of Tehran and the agents from this office removed all the documents related to prisoners and their clients of the organization.

In this connection, Mohammad-Reza Faghihi, a managing member of the association told Rooz, “At around six pm on Monday a person contacted Ms Farideh Gheyrat, the chairman of the board of the association and said that they had a warrant to close and seal off the association and wanted her to be at the association.” This attorney continued, “Mr Mozaffar, the deputy chair of the association came to the association. The agents took minutes of the event and took away computers, documents and other files in the offices and then sealed off the offices.”

According to Mr Faghihi, agents took away 15 cartons containing documents and property at the association offices.

“The warrant that the agents showed was signed by the new prosecutor of Tehran but the warrant did not have the name of the association on it and a reason for sealing off the offices was not provided,” according to Faghihi, and only the address of the association had been mentioned.

Faghihi added that the association’s activities were transparent and added that, “This is a public organization active in human rights with more than 5 years of existence during which time it has defended the rights of prisoners. We have nothing to hide.”

This association member also pointed that Mr Emadedin Baghi, the former head of the association had been called many times to branch 15 of the revolutionary court where a case has been registered with judge Salavati. “This situation has always existed for the association and there is at least one case at the revolutionary court concerning the activities of the association and its president, but no judgement has been issued till today in this regard,” he elaborated.