Three Imprisoned Journalists Conditions Unclear

The legal and imprisonment status of the three journalists, Soheil Asefi, Farshad Ghorbanipour, and Masoud Bastani, who continue to be behind bars in Evin prison is still in limbo. Asefi’s relatives have till today not been able to contact him, Ghorbanipour is in prison because of the heavy bail set for him (200 million Toman which is about $235,000) and Bastani’s status has not been announced.

Assefi’s mother Nahid Kheirabi who visited the various judiciary agencies, including the national security affairs committee of the Majlis (Iran’s parliament) said that she is completely in the dark about the fate of her son. Calling her son’s arrest an illegal act, she said, “If my son has not committed a crime, then why are they holding him. If he has committed a crime then why don’t they allow him to talk to his lawyers or why don’t they set a bail so he can come home. Soheil is only a journalist, someone who loves his country, is opposed to foreign intervention and has not done anything contrary to his professional work.” She also said that the lawyers who do represent her son have not been acknowledged by judiciary officials who have been contacted in this regard. “I am a mother. Why must I not know the situation with my child? Don’t they say that Heaven lies at the fee of a mother? Which Heaven is that?,” she asks.

Ghorbanipour’s young wife airs similar complaints. She did meet her husband yesterday and said that judiciary officials had agreed on a bail of 200 million Toman for his release. “Where can I get this kind of money? People around me either do not have real property and those who do have them under some lien,” she said. Ghorbanipour has a five year child who is said to be sick and disoriented because of his father’s arrest. “They repeatedly say protect Islam. Why don’t they say we all should keep Islam? My husband is a simple journalist but they say he has committed something against national security. What does he have to do with national security,” she continued. “I am alone in this city and so my husband is my only pillar, God aside,” Ghorbanipour’s wife said chokingly. “Arman asks for his father everyday and I have nothing to tell him.”

Bastani whose house was raided by security agents last week had to appear at the prosecutor’s office every day of last week and went through long interrogation sessions. His last session ended with a transfer to prison, after which he has not been heard of.

The three attorneys representing the detained journalists have not succeeded in meeting their clients, while judiciary officials remain silent regarding their detention.