Evin: the Meeting Ground for Families with Prisoners

The arrests of political activists, journalists and students continue as families of individuals who are in prison because of detentions on February 11 – the anniversary of the Islamic revolution in 1979 – spent every night in front of Tehran’s notorious Evin prison in their attempt to learn of their detained members.

While some prisoners have been released, there is still a large group behind bars and since the revelation of the manner in which Mehdi Karoubi’s son was arrested and then tortured, these family members are seriously concerned about the condition of their loved ones.

Still yet, the arrests and detentions continue. Amir Hossein Fotuhi was arrested on February 11, 2010 as was Naimeh Doostdar from Tehran. And so was Hamid Mafi in Ghazvin. The arrest of all of them was only officially announced just a few days ago.

Hamid Mafi, a journalist and web blogger, was arrested on February 9 in the town of Ghazvin while there is no news about the reason for his arrest or the location where he is being held.

Naimeh Doostdar, also a journalist and web blogger was arrested on February 16 in Tehran by security agents and transferred to Evin prison. In her case too, no official reason for the arrest or the charges against have been announced.

But Amir Hossein Fotuhi, web blogger and student who had been banned from continuing his higher education, was arrested when agents raided the house of his father and wile arresting him and searching the house, also took away his personal belongings.

Three Releases and Bails
Mohammad Moin, Ali Kalai and Sam Mahmudi-sarai, are three activists who were released on bail. Sam Mahmudi-Sarai, is a journalist who was arrested when mass arrests were made by officials on the day after Ashoura (the Shiite religious holiday commemorating the killing of the Prophet’s grand son) in January. He worked with Etemad newspaper’s Andisheh group and was released on bail on February 10 with a bail of 300 million Toman (about $300,000). Acting against national security and insulting the leader are among the charges raised against him through his interrogations.

Ali Kalai, another web blogger and human rights activist was also released February 14 with a bail of 50 million Toman (about $50,000).

Mohammad Moin, son of Mostafa Moin (Iran’s former minister of science during president Khatami’s administration) was also released on Sunday on bail. He had been arrested on Ashoura day.

Ardavan Tarakmeh, writer and movie critic, was issued a 30 million Toman bail. He is the son of Yunes Tarakmeh, the famous writer and critic who was arrested along with Mahin Fahimi, a mother from the peace movement on December 26, 2009 in Mahin Fahimi’s house, along with other guests at the house.

Bahareh Tarakmeh, another daughter of  Yunes Tarakmeh continues to be in detention after her arrest earlier.

Aides to Mir-Hossein Mousavi Still in Prison
The fate of Mir-Hossein Mousavi’s closest aides who were arrested last year and earlier this year continues to be uncertain. There is no news about them, no official indictment has been announced, and they have been forced to renounce political and social activities. With the passage of 26 days since the arrest of the director of Mousavi’s office, there is still no news about him. Foruzandeh was arrested along with Mousavi’s other advisors on December 27, 2009 and no news about him has been announced since 26 days ago and the attempts of family members to contact him or officials for detail about his arrest have lead to no results. This has led the family members to be seriously concerned about his situation and condition.

Ali Arab Mazar, economics professor at Alameh Tabatabai University and an aide to Mir-Hossein Mousavi too has not been given his indictment or charges after 50 days of detention. He managed to contact his family members 17 days after his arrest and briefly spoke with his father, wife and child daughter. His health condition sis said to be bad as he has a heard condition and a severe back problem.

Seyed Hassan Ahmadian, the head of Mir-Hossein Mousavi’s people’s committee has been sentenced to six years of prison and banned from having any political activity or setting up any organization. He has also been banned from social activism. This sentence was announced to his defense attorney on February 8. He was arrested on September 8, 2009 when agents from the ministry of intelligence raided the Rahyab organization in Tehran and was released on December 24, 2009.

According to Kalameh website, the sentence passed against Ahmadian is as follows: 1 year of prison for writing against the Islamic republic of Iran; 5 years of prison for co0mplicity in acting against state security; renunciation of the operating license of Rahyab organization; and, a ban on creating any organization or social and political activity for ever.

After his release, his family members have said that Ahmadian has been going for various blood and other tests and x-rays for the illnesses that he has. His doctors according to them have said that he must be immediately operated on for a number of issues.

Three Prison Years for a Journalist
Ali-Reza Saghafi, journalist and editor of monthly Rah Ayandeh journal and an editorial member of Naghde No has been sentenced to three years of prison. According to “Ta Azadi Rooznamenegaran Zendani” (in Persian Until the Release of Imprisoned Journalists) web blog the prison sentence of this civil and workers activist was issued after he had been arrested prior to the June 12 elections and then released and then arrested again, after which he was transferred to Evin prison. He is the son of Alireza Saghafi who was himself sentenced to 2 years of prison.

Shiva Nazar-Ahari continues to be in Solitary Confinement
Even though 2 months have passed since the arrest of Shiva Nazar-Ahari and the end of her interrogations, this human rights activist continues to be held in solitary confinement. She was arrested on December 19, 2009 in a bus carrying family members of political prisoners who were riding to Qom for the memorial of the late ayatollah Montazeri. This was his second arrest.  His first arrest was after the June 12 elections, and he was released after 4 months of detention.

Visits for Mahsa Jazini
Mahsa Jazini’s mother met this imprisoned journalist. She was arrested on February 7. After the visit, Mahsa’s mother said, “Her spirits were good and she was held in the general ward of the prison.” Not being told of the charges against her, the mother said, “In the meeting that we had with Mahsa, she was still following her concerns for women and requested that I take clothes for the child of another women prisoner and also bring clothes for two other fellow prisoners in her next visit.” She said that her daughter’s activities were all transparent and were in pursuit of women’s rights and within the laws, adding, “We hope that she will be released as soon as possible.”

Safai Farahani at the Appellate Court
The defense attorney for Safai Farahani announced that he had appealed the sentence of his client. According to Iran’s ISNA student news agency, Hushang Pourbabai said, “After the court issued a 6 year prison sentence for my client, I appealed the sentence.” He reminded his audience that his client’s dossier contained four charges: security against the state, engaging in propaganda against the regime, insulting authorities and publishing lies. The court rejected the charges of insulting authorities and publishing lies but sentenced him for six years for the other charges. The attorney, who is also defending Mirdamadi, said that the court session for this client has been postponed. Speaking about Mostafa Tajzadeh, a former senior official in Mohammad Khatami’s administration, he said a court session was held for him on February 8th, adding that they await he is waiting for the court sentence.

Interrogations end for Masoud Noor-Mohammadi
Masoud Noor-Mohammadi is the second member of the Mohammadi family who spoke of the end of his interrogation sessions. According to Nedaye Sabz Azadi, this political prisoner announced that he was still in solitary confinement and awaits the finalization of his situation.

Tajbakhsh Sentenced
An appellate court upheld the five-year sentence of the Iranian-American prisoner Kian Tajbakhsh. His attorney told Fars new agency that the appellate court reduced the original sentence to five years. His original sentence was for 12 years of prison. Tajbakhsh had been arrested first three years ago on charges of “propaganda against the state” but was released after four months after meeting the bail of 100 million Toman (about $100,000). His second arrest took place on July 8, 2009 in his own house in Tehran.

Maryam Ghanbari Still in Ward 209 of Evin
A number of attorneys, human rights activists and women met with the family members of Maryam Ghanbari, the imprisoned woman attorney on February 14, 2010. Maryam Ghanbari is an attorney and was arrested on February 8, 2010 by security forces in her own house. Five agents searched the house of this women’s rights activist and took her to Evin prison where she has been kept in the notorious solitary confinement ward number 209. The mother of this 27 year attorney who is very concerned about the fate of her daughter said in a telephone interview, “Maryam spoke with us from prison through the phone. Her health appeared to be ok and said that interrogators treated her well.” Maryam who also spoke with her father on the same day told him that she had been repeatedly interrogated but still does not know why she has been arrested and detained. According to Kalameh website Maryam’s mother had spoken of her daughter’s attorney visiting the revolutionary court and Evin adding, “At the revolutionary court or the Evin center nobody accepted responsibility.  At the court they said that there had till then been no dossier recorded for Maryam while her attorney was denied access to the court while at Evin nobody was willing to talk on the pretext that the judge and the interrogator had not yet come to the center.”

Maryam Ghanbari’s arrest has raised concerns with many fellow professionals in the legal profession. Those that went to her house consoled her family members and expressed their concerns about the fate of this young attorney.

Maryam is a known women’s rights activist and attorney who has for years worked in this field and was involved in the fight against the law allowing polygamy without the consent of the first wife.