He Has Lost Power to Move and Speak

Abdollah Momeni, spokesperson for the Iranian Alumni Association (Advar-e Tahkim Vahdat), was arrested at Mehdi Karoubi’s campaign headquarters 45 days ago.  According to eyewitness reports, he was severely beaten and dragged by officers who arrested him without a warrant.  Now, after spending 45 days in prison, Momeni has lost nearly 20 kilograms as well as his physical and mental stability.  

His wife, who met with him yesterday, discusses his worrying situation with Rooz. 

Abdollah Momeni’s wife, brother and children visited him at the Evin Prison yesterday while the student activist was not able to move or speak. 

Momeni’s wife, Fatemeh Adinevand, who was extremely worried and distraught, told Rooz, “My children did not even recognize Mr. Momeni.  We were extremely shocked to see him like that.” 

She adds, “They brought him from the Evin Prison in a green car.  When he exited the car, he would have fallen down if his brother and I hadn’t held him up.  He couldn’t walk even one step.  We helped him walk to the visitation room. 

Noting that “We could not believe our eyes,” Momeni’s wife continues, “Abdollah’s hair and beard had grown and were completely disheveled.  His face had extremely darkened due to weight loss.  His eyes were puffy and the area under them was bruised.” 

Mrs. Adinevand adds, “Abdollah’s voice was severely shaking, and he couldn’t even talk.  The children were traumatized to see him like that and only cried, constantly asking, ‘what happened to dad?’” 

According to her, Abdollah Momeni had lost his mental and psychological stability, constantly saying hello and repeating, “My place is good.”

Wondering “why he looks like that if his place is good,” Mrs. Adinevand adds, “My husband is still in solitary confinement and subjected to extreme physical and psychological torture.  He has lost about 20 kilograms.”

Mrs. Adinevand emphasizes, “The person who we saw today wasn’t Mr. Abdollah Momeni at all; he was just skin and bones who had lost his mental and psychological stability and was unable to move or speak.  Nothing is left of Abdollah.” 

According to Momeni’s wife, the meeting lasted for ten minutes and was held in the presence of Momeni’s interrogator, who recorded everything by placing a tape-recorder on the table. 

Noting that “the children are shocked and scared,” Momeni’s wife says, “The children have only been crying since we came back.  They don’t know what has happened to their father.  We cannot calm them.” 

Severely criticizing her husband’s condition, she adds, “Today, when I saw Abdollah’s condition and my children’s cries, I asked the interrogator if this is fair to my family which has lost five martyrs in the Iran-Iraq war.  What have you done to my husband?”