Shiva Nazar Ahari’s Family Writes to Tehran Prosecutor

Shiva Nazar Ahari’s family writes to Tehran Prosecutor: “Release Shiva on the eve of Norooz”

Committee of Human Rights Reporters (CHRR)– 80 days have passed since human rights activist Shiva Nazar Ahari was arrested, and her family is still awaiting her release. Shiva Nazar Ahari was previously arrested by security forces at her workplace on June 14, 2009, and she spent 100 days in prison.

The CHRR member spent 190 days of the Persian year of 1388 (2009-2010) in jail, 100 days of which was in Evin prison’s solitary confinement cells.

CHRR is an independent body that aims to raise awareness and defend the victims of human rights abuses. During its four years of activity, CHRR has published numerous reports, statements, declarations, and articles on human rights violations. The organization has no political affiliations among domestic and foreign activists. Despite this, nine CHRR members have been arrested by security forces in the past year. Additionally, the other members of the committee have not been safe from pressures by security forces.

The following is a letter that Shiva Nazar Ahari’s family has written to Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, Tehran’s prosecutor:

Dear Mr. Jafari Dolatabadi, Prosecutor of Tehran

Hello,

We are writing this letter since we are not able to meet with you. In the last few days we have repeatedly tried to meet with you at the Tehran prosecutor’s office. We decided to reach our voice to you by writing a letter, even though we have met with you once before and have told you some of the stuff we have written. Back then, we did not think our daughter’s detention will last this long. In that meeting, we were shocked to hear the charges against our daughter and we still have not been able to believe them. As the parents of Shiva Nazar Ahari, a young woman who is detained in Evin prison, we would like to begin the new year all together, like all other Iranian families. But it seems that we will not have this chance this year.

Mr. Prosecutor,

Now that you are not turning the arrest order of our daughter to a bail order (as you know Shiva was released the first time from prison with a $200,000 USD bail), at least let us meet with her in person. After four months since her arrest, we have not been able to meet her in person and have only talked with our loved one from behind a dark glass [window] and over the phone.

Now, on the eve of the New Year, is our request so big?

We are asking you, if you have not yet reached a decision for the release of our daughter, at least order a better prison sentence for her. Bring her to a cell with at least a television set. My daughter is currently in a cell with no facilities and is even deprived from having books and newspapers. It is now more than a month and a half that we bring books to Evin, and every time, Evin prison officials make us take the books back home with us.

Mr. Prosecutor, at least issue an order for our daughter so she is able to read books and newspapers. At the end, we hope that the Islamic kindness will include us and our family so our daughter will be [home] with us.

Translation by: Arash Azizi | Persian2English.com