Renounce Mousavi

Eight months after the June 12, 2009 electoral coup in Iran, the security atmosphere continues to govern Iran. And while the arrest of political, student and media activists continue, a new round of pressures has been launched on individuals who are in prison.  The families of political prisoners have discussed the latest condition of their loved ones in interviews with Rooz.

Political prisoners are under extreme pressure to pledge that they will halt their political activities forever, and Mir-Hossein Mousavi’s advisors, who were arrested en masse after the Ashoura Day protests last December are under extreme pressure to renounce the wartime prime minister.  So far, Mousavi’s advisors have not given in to the demands.  Meanwhile, the families of political prisoners were not allowed to enter the Majlis building yesterday.  

All Mousavi’s Men

Mir-Hossein Mousavi’s advisors are under extreme pressure to renounce and confess against the wartime prime minister.  One informed source told Rooz: “Alireza Beheshti, Behzadianejad, Arab Mazar, Beheshti-Shirazi and other advisors close to Mousavi are under heavy pressure and are told that the only route to their release from prison is to renounce Mousavi, something they have withheld from doing.

According to this informed source, despite all the pressure, Mir-Hossein Mousavi’s advisors have announced that they have full trust in the wartime prime minister and share his views about the election and post-election events.

Suspicious Transfers

Yesterday, prominent Iranian journalist Ahmad Zeidabadi was transferred from Ward 350 of Evin Prison to an unknown location.  

Previously Hamzeh Karami, Jahanbakhsh Khanjani, Hedayatollah Aghaie, Reza Rajabi, Abdollah Momeni, Shahab Tabatabaie, Mohammad-Reza Nourbakhsh and Masoud Bastani had been transferred from Ward 240 to the Rajaie-Shahr Prison in Karaj, losing their privileges of making telephone calls to their families in the process.

Two Arrests

Ultra conservative pro-administration Kayhan daily today reported the arrest of Hadi Ghaffari, the Friday prayer leader of the Alamolhoda mosque.  This cleric is arrested after rumors were circulating yesterday that weapons had been found at the Alamolhoda Mosque’s storage in Tehran.  Hadi Ghaffari has announced that the mosque’s storage room had been rented out. Hadi Ghaffari is a cleric who came to fame during the early months of the 1979 revolution for his extreme attacks on monarchists.

Mousavi’s Advisor Remains in Solitary Confinement

One month after his initial arrest, seyyed Alireza Beheshti Shirazi continues to remain in solitary confinement and is deprived of the right to counsel.  Beheshti Shirazi, who is among Mousavi’s closest advisors, was arrested last month on the day that most of Mousavi’s advisors were arrested. Beheshti is the son of the prominent cleric who along with Khomeini and others founded the Islamic republic in 1979, but who was later killed in a bomb blast in Tehran.

Noting that one of her husband’s charges is owning several mobile phone lines, the wife of ayatollah doctor Beheshti’s son said, “My husband has not accepted any of the charges against him.”  

Visiting Mehdi Mahmoudian

Mehdi Mahmoudian, member of the Mosharekat Party’s information committee was visited by his mother on Thursday.  

Mehdi Mahmoudian was arrested after revealing horrendous facts about the Kahrizak detention facility, and has not been able to meet with a lawyer since his arrest five months ago.

According to the reformist website Norooz, Mahmoudian has been heavily beaten in prison.  After visiting her son, Mahmoudian’s mother announced that signs of beating and torture were visible on this human rights activist’s body.