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Translation SIAVOSH JALILI
In a letter addressed to the internal director of Rajai Shahr prison and international organizations, political prisoner Reza Joushan announced a hunger strike in protest to the deprivation of his civil and human rights. According to Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran, Joushan fell into a coma on his sixth day of hunger strike and was transferred to the prison clinic in Rajai Shahr. Joushan’s sister spoke to VOA before he fell into a coma.
Reza Joushan began his hunger strike on July 21, 2010. Zahra Asadpour, Reza Joushan’s mother, is also imprisoned in the women’s ward of Rajai Shahr prison. Previously, Asadpour spent 16 months in jail along with her daughter Fatemeh Joushan for visiting her son in Camp Ashraf (PMOI camp located in Iraq). After her release, she was detained again six months after. Reza Joushan was arrested on November 30, 2009 and was sentenced to two years in prison on the charge of “acting against national security”, “propaganda against the regime”, and “cooperation with the PMOI”.
Reza Joushan’s sister Fatehmeh Joushan, who currently resides in Turkey, described her brother’s ordeal in prison to VOA correspondent Farideh Rahbar.
Fatemeh Joushan: Following the events of June 2009, my brother was twice arrested. The second time occured on November 30, 2009. He was detained because my brother and I had left Iran. My mother was arrested six days later. My brother was subject to interrogation for two months. We have no news on his physical condition since April 10, 2010 because he was transferred to an ancillary ward and his visitation rights were cancelled. My brother was sentenced to two years in prison, given a four-year suspended prison sentence, and five years of exile in the village of Gheylar in the province of Zanjan. He did not have a lawyer because he was not allowed to acquire one.
VOA: Do you know why he went on hunger strike?
FJ: My brother apparently stated that his hunger strike is to protest against the fact that he does not have the right to contact his mother in prison or family outside the prison and, also, officials refuse to transfer him to the general ward. My brother announced on July 11th that he would go on hunger strike. There was a visit by a judiciary official who promised my brother to transfer him to the general ward after July 9th (the anniversary of the 1999 Student uprising). On July 12th, there was a brief meeting between my mom and my brother in the Revolutionary Guard’s ward in the presence of *Mohebi. They were permitted to speak to my father on the phone for one minute, just enough time for them to say they were doing well. I don’t know what happened during the conversation, but Mohebi grabbed the phone and threatened my father with arrest if he talks or gives any interviews.
VOA: How is your mother and why was she arrested?
FJ: My mother’s physical condition is not very good. After she went on hunger strike in May for ten days, her eyesight has diminished a lot. My mother and I spent one year and four months in jail. She was released for six months, but then was arrested again, and now she has received a one year jail sentence.
VOA: What is your request?
FJ: I ask international organizations to look into the case of my brother and my mother. My brother’s physical condition is not good. He suffers from cardiac and pulmonary diseases and my mother suffered from a heart attack in jail. For the past three months, we have had no news on them except for that short conversation they had with my father. I want their situation be resolved and for them to be released as soon as possible.
*Translator’s Note: Mohebi is a chief interrogator at ward 8 (the IRGC ward) of Gohardasht prison (I.e. Rajai Shahr prison). He leads the team that deals with political prisoners.
RAHANA
28 year old Hanieh “Sharareh” Farshi Shotorban was arrested on July 18, 2010 in Tabriz. There is no news on her condition and she is not permitted to contact her family.
Security forces in Tabriz entered Sharareh’s home and, after searching the area and confiscating her personal items like her computer and phone, they arrested her at 6:00am on July 18, 2010.
She was taken to a detention centre run by the Tabriz Ministry of Intelligence. Later, she was transferred to Evin prison.
Her charges include “insulting what is sacred” and “having contacts with a foreign entity”. It is believed that her charges are related to her Facebook membership and activities.
Sharareh Farshi Shotorban has no history of political activism.
28 year old Hanieh “Sharareh” Farshi Shotorban was arrested on July 18, 2010 in Tabriz. There is no news on her condition and she is not permitted to contact her family.
Security forces in Tabriz entered Sharareh’s home and, after searching the area and confiscating her personal items like her computer and phone, they arrested her at 6:00am on July 18, 2010.
She was taken to a detention centre run by the Tabriz Ministry of Intelligence. Later, she was transferred to Evin prison.
Her charges include “insulting what is sacred” and “having contacts with a foreign entity”. It is believed that her charges are related to her Facebook membership and activities.
Sharareh Farshi Shotorban has no history of political activism.
بازداشت یک زن در تبریز به خاطر فعالیتهایاش در فیسبوک
رهاناهانیه فرشی شتربان، شهروند تبریز از حدود ۱۰ روز قبل بازداشت شده و از وضعیت وی خبری در دست نیست.
خبرگزاری حقوق بشر ایران – رهانا
ماموران امنیتی در تاریخ یکشنبه ۲۷ تیر ماه ۱۳۸۹ در ساعت شش صبح به منزل هانیه فرشی شتربان وارد شده و وی را بازداشت میکنند.
به گزارش رهانا، ماموران امنیتی بعد از تفتیش منزل وی بازداشت کرده و کامپیوتر، تلفن و وسائیل شخصی وی را ضبط میکنند. وی در ابتدا به بازداشتگاه اطلاعات تبریز منتقل شده و سپس به زندان اوین منتقل میشود.
به این شهروند تبریزی اتهاماتی چون «اهانت به مقدسات، ارتباط با بیگانه» زدهاند که گفته میشود بر مبنای فیسبوک ایشان است. از وضعیت وی در حال حاضر اطلاعاتی در دست نیست و اجازه تماس با وی به خانوادهاش داده نمیشود.
خانم فرشی ۲۸ ساله و تنها یک مادر مسن دارد و سابقه هیچگونه فعالیت سیاسی نداشته است.
Amir Khosrow Dalirsani, a nationalist-religious activist, a member of the Committee against Arbitrary Arrests and a senior member of Jonbesh Mosalmanan Mobarez, was detained following the Ashura events in December of 2009.
According to JARS, he had been convicted of assembly and conspiracy to act against national security and the appeals court upheld the sentence.
RAHANA
Dr. Mehdi Hojjati, the attorney of Milad Asadi, a student activits and a member of the Office for Consolidating Unity, was served with the appeals court decision.
According to the RAHANA reporter, Asadi is currently held in Ward 350 of the Evin Prison and the 28th branch of the Revolutionary Court had sentenced him to 7 ½ years of prison for insulting the Supreme Leader, acting against national security and anti-regime propaganda.
Asadi has been transferred to the Karaj General Court along with Bahareh Hedayat whose 9 ½ year prison sentence was also upheld by the appeals court. The reason for their transfer is a case that they were detained for on Nowruz of 2009.
Asadi and Hedayat have been charged with disrupting the public order and participating in illegal gatherings. Their families objected to the way they were transferred. Bahareh Hedayat’s handcuffs were tightly attached.
According to the RAHANA reporter, Asadi is currently held in Ward 350 of the Evin Prison and the 28th branch of the Revolutionary Court had sentenced him to 7 ½ years of prison for insulting the Supreme Leader, acting against national security and anti-regime propaganda.
Asadi has been transferred to the Karaj General Court along with Bahareh Hedayat whose 9 ½ year prison sentence was also upheld by the appeals court. The reason for their transfer is a case that they were detained for on Nowruz of 2009.
Asadi and Hedayat have been charged with disrupting the public order and participating in illegal gatherings. Their families objected to the way they were transferred. Bahareh Hedayat’s handcuffs were tightly attached.
Freedommeesenger
Political prisoner Hamid Haeri 60, the father of one of the PMOI members residing in Ashraf City, Iraq was transferred to a hospital in Tajrish north of Tehran because of the severity of the tortures imposed on him at Evin Prison.He was heavily beaten at his legs and hips and was transferred to the hospital with ambulance.His family went to hospital to see him but they were not permitted to. His legs were chained while he was in bed in hospital and nobody was permitted to get near him.Though they physicians ordered his hospitalization for a while but he was transferred to Evin again after a short period while still in critical condition.The henchmen of Security branch and regime’s kangaroo court had called his family and told them that if they pay 50 million tomans his term will be decreased to 2 years form 15 years.
HRANA
A number of followers of the Christian faith in Mashad were arrested by state security and intelligence forces. There is no word on the fate of two of those arrested.
HRANA has learned that on Thursday July 8, 2010 a group of fifteen Iranian Christians were arrested by state security and intelligence forces in Mashad as they were departing for a meeting with Christians from the city of Bojnourd.
According to informed sources, intelligence agents were aware of the trip in advance. The bus was stopped minutes after the travelers boarded. Security and intelligence forces then arrested the fifteen Christians on board who had been identified in advance.
All fifteen individuals were transferred to the detention center in the Ministry of Intelligence Headquarters for the Khorasan province in Mashad where they were subjected to continuous and intensive interrogations. Thirteen of the arrested were relased after a week of interrogations and after signing commitment letters.
Two individuals by the name of Reza Estifan and Ehsan Behrouz refused to sign any documents and remain in detention.
Reports indicate that after Ehsan Behrouz was arrested three intelligence agents took him to his residence where they confiscated his computer, books, and newspapers after searching his home. Ehsan Behrouz, a student and member of House Church of Mashad, has had only two short phone calls to his family since his arrest. Reza Estifan is married with two children.
Ehsan Behrouz and Reza Estifan remain in the Ministry of Intelligence of Mashad’s detention center. Their file has been sent to the 901st Branch of the Revolutionary Court located on Koohesangi Street. The two have not had access to a lawyer and no charges have been announced to date.
A number of followers of the Christian faith in Mashad were arrested by state security and intelligence forces. There is no word on the fate of two of those arrested.
HRANA has learned that on Thursday July 8, 2010 a group of fifteen Iranian Christians were arrested by state security and intelligence forces in Mashad as they were departing for a meeting with Christians from the city of Bojnourd.
According to informed sources, intelligence agents were aware of the trip in advance. The bus was stopped minutes after the travelers boarded. Security and intelligence forces then arrested the fifteen Christians on board who had been identified in advance.
All fifteen individuals were transferred to the detention center in the Ministry of Intelligence Headquarters for the Khorasan province in Mashad where they were subjected to continuous and intensive interrogations. Thirteen of the arrested were relased after a week of interrogations and after signing commitment letters.
Two individuals by the name of Reza Estifan and Ehsan Behrouz refused to sign any documents and remain in detention.
Reports indicate that after Ehsan Behrouz was arrested three intelligence agents took him to his residence where they confiscated his computer, books, and newspapers after searching his home. Ehsan Behrouz, a student and member of House Church of Mashad, has had only two short phone calls to his family since his arrest. Reza Estifan is married with two children.
Ehsan Behrouz and Reza Estifan remain in the Ministry of Intelligence of Mashad’s detention center. Their file has been sent to the 901st Branch of the Revolutionary Court located on Koohesangi Street. The two have not had access to a lawyer and no charges have been announced to date.
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