Narges Mohamadi Writes From Prison: Who Is responsible For This Pain? Who Shares This Pain With Me?

Narges Mohamadi, the deputy head of Iran’s Defenders of Human Rights Center has written a letter from Zanjan prison speaking about the pain and suffering of a mother’s separation from her children.

Narges Mohamadi is serving a six years sentence in Zanjan prison.

Below is the translation of Narges Mohamadi’s letter as published by Advar News.

Who is responsible for this pain?

Who shares this pain with me?

I am a human rights activist, my concern and struggles have been to improve human rights condition everywhere on the planet Earth.

I have no intention of acquiring power or a high position. I accompany my weak body with my thoughts and my heart, on a path so I can put a smile on someone’s lips or give them love.

This is my hope and desire and is the excuse for my being alive. Even if I am able to only put a smile on a lip or help in the smallest way to improve the life of a fellow human being, I am victorious.

This is the heart felt writings of a mother trying to explain the meaning of being a mother. Here is my prison. Four tall, hard walls. I am sitting among these four walls. I have spread open my love and prayer cloth. I am pressing hard to my chest the divine words.

I feel as though the mother of Moses and the mother of Jesus are my companions and we share the same pain. Although Moses’ mother along the Nile, and Mother Mary, taking shelter by the trunk of a palm tree, away from the eyes of the people, cried “Oh, would that I had died and passed into oblivion!” (Maryam, Psalm 23).

And why am I, sitting in this prison, in Iran, speaking of time and place? Has there ever been a different meaning for motherhood during other periods of time; has it changed?

No, I don’t think it ever has changed. Motherhood has an eternal concept and meaning in history.

I open the Psalm of Al-Qasas (The story), I feel clamor within me. The story of Moses’ mother is describing the meaning of motherhood.

“We revealed to Moses’ mother, suckle him and then, when you fear for him, cast him into the sea. Do not fear or grieve. We will return him to you and make him one of the Messengers.”

And she placed him in a basket and cast the basket on the river. These words are the Divine revelations bestowed on a mother. Indeed, is it even possible to cast any doubts on these words in one’s heart?

I reflect for a moment. How could Moses’ mother have any more despair in her heart now that she has been spoken to by God; And she has been promised that Moses will be returned to her bosom; And will be returned as a Messenger.

But, a few Psalms later, a secret is revealed that seems to be the reason for this story.

“Finally, in the morning, the heart of Moses’ mother became void; she would have revealed it (the secret) had We not strengthened her heart to be one of the believers.” (Al-Qasas 10).

Moses’ mother received the Divine words, but even God’s words did not heal her heart.

I thought to myself, O God, how is it possible that despite the promise and assurances that you gave Moses’ mother, she became so distraught.

Yes, it is at this juncture that I understand the meaning of motherhood, and in my opinion, at this same juncture, God gives us the meaning of motherhood.

A pain that, even with the promise of God, will not heal; the pain that is a mother’s pain. Even if you leave your child in the safe and secure love filled arms, you can not extinguish the burning inner flames of a mother; even if those safe and love filled arms are the arms of God.

Oh, I have no doubt what God was thinking. He was thinking that at one point I created compassion and said, “You are compassionate and I am merciful, and I have instilled within you part of my compassion.” (From a narrative by the Prophet).

Yes, God bestowed a mother’s womb with part of his compassion, and this love and compassion are manifested in the story of Moses’ mother.

Should we expect anything different from Moses’ mother, considering the deep love and compassion with which God has bestowed mothers?

God understood the best, and knows very well what a mother’s love will do to her when she is forced to be separated from her child: How it would set her aflame, and burn her from inside.

So he let this love and compassion take Moses’s mother to the point of becoming so distraught that she would want to reveal a secret that is a Divine Command and a divinely appointed mission that it will even put her own life in danger.

Yes, even if Moses’ mother had screamed out revealing this secret, she would not have committed a sin. But, God keeps this mother’s heart strong so she would not scream out the secret.

Dear God had said, “And We had already barred the foster mothers from suckling him” (Al-Qasas 12), so that, “Thus We brought him back to his mother to comfort her eyes and grieve no more, and to know that the promise of God is True.” (Al-Qasas 13).

Now I’m thinking that, when God even for such an important mission of the prophet, does not allow the separation of a mother and child, and returns the child to the loving arms of a mother that is filled with the Divine compassion. How can they separate innocent children from the loving arms of their mother and imprison her?

Is it right and deserving for a mother’s embrace to be left void of her children, so that the anguish of separation, like flames of fire, burn her soul and body, to make a heap of ashes of her?

Alas! that such treatment is not common in any divine religion nor in any valuable school of thought of humanity.

In my cell, I have no companion other then the word of God (Quran). And of course, praying with God is enough for me. If it wasn’t for that, I would have gone mad from the grief of separation from Ali and Kiana.

I open the book of the Divine words, and a word in “Al-Qeyaamah” (Resurrection) describes the meaning of motherhood for me again.

Certainly, God the merciful, with this word builds the image of a “Mother” and describes it’s meaning.

God tells us about resurrection. God’s Psalms show us the depth of awe and majesty of this divine revelation and paint a more tangible picture of this event for people.

He uses symbols and examples that we see and hear about every day and are familiar with. When will be the day of Resurrection? What is Resurrection? “And the moon is eclipsed.” (Al-Qeyaamah 8).

“When the stars lose light and extinguish.” (Al-Mursalat 8). “When the heaven is cleft asunder.” (Al-Mursalat 9). “And when the mountains are blown away.” (Al-Mursalat 10). (Al-Mursalat, The emissaries, Winds Sent Forth).

These parables were enough to show the depth of the event. But suddenly, God, in one sentence, for the depiction of the day of judgement of his servants, that clearly illustrates  an image of the resurrection, said “The day that a mother will abandon her child.”

I think to myself, God uses every example to illustrate the hardship and difficulty of the judgement day. But, He completes the reality of that day by illustrating it with the story of a mother abandoning her child.

God the merciful, eloquently says that a mother, who under any circumstances, even pain, suffering and death, won’t abandon her child, but for us to see and realize that, on judgement day, how terrified we will become, that even a mother would abandon her child.

Yes, this has a double meaning, and God, to show the depth of the grief of a mother’s separation, uses resurrection and the day of judgement to illustrate this point. And also, to show the awe and majesty of the resurrection, speaks of the great grief of a mother’s separation. But, both examples bring to our attention the meaning of motherhood.

What else can I say, and what else can I write, this is the real meaning of “Motherhood”.

I bow my head and place my forehead on the floor. God, what have you done to me, a “Mother”? How did you create me? What did you do to us, when you instilled your compassion in our wombs.

Now, you can hear my moans and groans. My tears are flowing, so I can hardly see anymore. I read a writing on the wall of the cell, “O, mother, it’s been one month since I have seen you.”

I lean my head on the wall of my cell and start sobbing. God, I am talking to you, not to your people. You created me, instilled within me an immense love for my child, and you gave me two children at the same time.

You left them inside me for nine months; we were breathing as one. Days and nights, you nourished and fostered them in my arms. They are now five years old and need my embrace, but their father is not even with them. And now that my arms are void of my children, they, without their parents, have kept the light on in my home.

God, I ask you, in the name of Moses’s mother, in the name of Mary’s suffering and the labor pain she endured, in the name of Khadijeh and Fatemeh that brought smiles to the lips, and warmth and love to the heart of the prophet; Place your hand on my heart, hold my heart, stronger and stronger.

I swear upon the moment that Moses’ mother heard the Divine voice and placed her child in the river, but could not endure the pain of separation, but God kept her heart strong. Now, at this moment, I feel the hands of God on my heart, but what can I do, I am a mother and can not be soothed.

I tell myself, just as Mary did, I wish I had died and would have been forgotten by now. I tell myself, Narges, have patience, for God’s sake have patience, but I can’t. I get up again and raise my arms up to the heavens and sob, and ask God to please, in the name of Moses’s mother, whatever prudence you used to return Moses back to her arms, now look at my empty arms longing for my children.

God, hear my sobs, see that I no longer can endure. God, come, come and sit beside me. Sigh, I spoke of love, but with pain and suffering. Suffering that had made me very ill. I am writing with hands that are bruised because I fell down.

But, we have to talk and write about love. That love is a mother’s love, and that pain is a mother’s pain from being separated from her children.

I want to tell you a small portion of this pain, even though it’s very hard for me to do.

On June 10, 2010, I was arrested just after I had just brought home my daughter from hospital after a serious operation. The agents were watching over me. It was time to put the children to bed. I placed Ali on my lap and gave him his bottle and sang a lullaby. He fell sleep, but I could not console Kiana.

Each time that I was to leave, Kiana, with trembling voice and crying said, “Mommy kiss me.” After doing this three times, I left with much pain.

My body was on it’s way to prison, but my wandering soul was hearing the bloody cries inside. I don’t know how to write anymore. Writing within these four walls, in this narrow cell, with tearful eyes, and trembling hands, is nothing but agony.

But I must scream this pain, so perhaps another mother won’t endure such pain and hardship.

In prison, I have acquired neurological and psychological illnesses. I was a healthy woman, but I returned to my children (when she was released on furlough) using 18 pills a day and after being hospitalized for 12 days.

But alas, my time with my children was very short lived. On April 21, 2012 the agents showed up at my doorstep. Ali and Kiana are now five years old. Ali is now afraid of my leaving, even when I want to leave the house for something.

Ali is in a panic, he quickly picks up his yellow toy gun and rushes back along my side, holding my hand, says, “Mommy I am coming with you.”

What can I tell you of the moment of separation and the tears rolling down my children’s face. This pen is moving and it’s sucking life out of me.

It is not easy for me to write, but I will write so that perhaps this may not be repeated for another child.

I am a mother separated from her children. I am in dire health. I told you about Moses’ mother and I cried out my pain to tell you that, “The power of maternal love transcends all other powers.”

The source of this power is love and affection that God has instilled within us from Himself. Depriving children of this kind of love and making a mother suffer in this way is an unforgivable sin.

And I, with great hope, have written from inside the four walls of this prison, so that perhaps, with God’s grace, very soon, in this land and in every other country on the planet earth, this kind of suffering will end.

I have faith, that there will come a day, even if I am no longer here, the love arising from these sufferings will make a better future for my children, all the children of Iran, and for the world.

With much gratitude and respect,

Narges Mohamadi
June 1, 2012

Source: Advarnews

Widespread Arrest Of Internet Activists In Various Provinces In Iran

Some reports indicate that a new round of arrests of youth and Internet activists has begun. Reports indicate that the interrogators and Intelligence officers, for reasons unknown, have desperately tried to keep these arrests from being publicized.

According to reports by Kalameh, a new wave of arrests started about a month ago. It appears to have spread to many cities and provinces and has not spared the youth in many provinces in our country.

It should be noted that all of these arrests have taken place under charges such as Internet activity, or charges of blasphemy in cyberspace.

The families of the people arrested are under intense pressure not to publicize these arrests.

The majority of people arrested under this new wave of arrests are incarcerated in the IRGC’s high security ward in Evin prison.

These arrests began on May 23, 2012, and so far, twenty people have been arrested from various provinces under these charges.

According to Kalameh reporter, other then Tehran, among the detainees are people from Ilam, Mashhad, Kermanshah, Rasht, Karaj, Zanjan and Khozestan.

Many of these people were first detained for days in their city where they were arrested before being transferred to Evin prison in Tehran.

Most of these people are university students that were arrested in the their dormitories. Among them are elites and students who received high grades in the university exams, as well as those with high grades in the science Olympiads.

Almost all of these people were arrested in raids of their place of residence after 12:00 AM and their arrests were accompanied with much insults and degradation.

According to reports, families of these detainees are constantly threatened by the interrogators not to publicize these arrests. The families are told “Alerting the media will cause further problems for your children.”

Some parents have even been threatened that if they alert the media about their children’s arrest, charges of immoral acts will be brought on their children.

Among those arrested are people from various levels and classes of society. The father of one is a cleric, another is an IRGC member, and another is a teacher.

Also, it’s been reported that these detainees are under pressure by the interrogators to reveal names of their friends who are active online.

After one month of pursuing their cases, families of these people have not achieved any results, and the status of these people and what further action should be taken by the families is still unclear.

In the meanwhile, families and those close to these detainees suspect that this might be a new project by the anonymous group called the Cyber Army utilized to charge and arrest the youths that are active online.

Although rumors of such a group becoming active started in 2006, it was a few months after the 2009 presidential election, and in response to the widespread protests, and online activities in organizing those protests, that they (the Cyber Army) entered the scene with the same name and attempted to hack the opposition sites, clearly facilitated by the government’s telecommunications and intelligence apparatuses.

Although the association of the group known as the Cyber ​​Army with IRGC’s center to combat cyber crimes still is not clear, and/or with a group in the Intelligence Ministry similarly tasked.

But so far, there has been many rumors floating around regarding this matter, to the point that in 2009, the “Defense Tech” company which is a military and security institution in the United States, claimed that the Cyber Army’s budget in 2009 was 78 Million dollars and their forces were about 2400 people with an estimated 120,000 reserves.

While some believe that the Cyber Army does not even exist and think IRGC and the Intelligence Ministry forces use this name to cover their secret activities in cyberspace and misuse of government facilities for the suppression and subjugation of the opposition.

Email monitoring and control, and communications of cyberspace activists are tasks that have been attributed to this group.

However, except in a few cases so far, mainly due to technical problems of the operating sites, they have been only been able to hack few sites. No other particular activities in the Cyberspace have been detected from this group.

Most of the people arrested in the past three years, have said that most of the information from emails and their exchanges in cyberspace used in investigations against those individuals was not a result of the work of the intelligence apparatus but was derived by the interrogating team obtaining passwords of the individuals, by reading their emails and also by interrogation of other detainees.

In many cases, the detainees have indicated that prior to giving their passwords to the interrogators, the interrogating team did not have any special information from the contents of their emails.

In the fall and winter of 2010, IRGC launched a project to arrest the more well known online activists. The detention periods for these people were short. And according to the detainees, allegations centered around their activities in cyberspace, especially in the social network Facebook.

During the interrogations of these detainees, the interrogators claimed that they had been identified by the Cyber Army specifically through their Facebook posts and comments.

At that juncture and after their release, the people arrested said they were aware of printouts of their Facebook entries in their case files and charges were brought up based on those entries. However, many of these printouts were from the public posts of these people.

It is said that the government’s intelligence agents that are active online, in addition to trying to hack the Green sites, work hard to spread computer viruses and put activists and critics under cyber attack.

The recent attempts to track people using their online activities as an excuse to arrest people can also be attributed to the activities of this group.

Source: Kalameh

Imprisoned HR activist Narges Mohamadi: The Officials Are Responsible For My Slowly Dying

Narges Mohamadi, the deputy head of Iran’s Defenders of Human Rights Center has written a letter to Tehran’s Prosecutor General .

While emphasizing her illegal detention in Zanjan prison, she stresses that if any traumatic incident happens to her while in detention, she holds the officials solely responsible.

Narges Mohamadi, serving a six years sentence in Zanjan prison (N. W. Iran), is in dire health and physicians have indicated she can not tolerate prison conditions and must be hospitalized.

Following is a translation of Narges Mohamadi’s letter:

In the name of God,

Mr. Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi
Prosecutor of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court

Hereby, I inform you that, I, Narges Mohamadi while out on bail, under a six year prison sentence, was arrested at my home on April 21 by the Intelligence Ministry’s agents.

From April 21 to May 16, I was incarcerated in the high security Ward 209 in Evin. During this time I was transferred to the Women’s General Ward for 24 hours and returned back to Ward 209.

During this period, I wrote to you three times, protesting the incarceration of a person who has already been sentenced, in Ward 209, and have asked for my transfer to Women’s General Ward.

In a meeting I had with Mr. Reshtehahmadi on May 8, I urged that I be transferred to Women’s ward. I also gave him a signed letter requesting my transfer to the women’s ward.

I have always stressed the point that incarceration of a person already tried and sentenced, in the high security ward (209) is illegal and I according to law should be transferred to the general ward.

I have never, neither verbally, nor in writing, have requested to be transferred to any other city, certainly not Zanjan.

On May 16, at 6:00 AM, agents woke me up, blindfolded and handcuffed me, and placed me in a car.

Unaware of what was going on, during the long distance of travel, I realized we had left Tehran. It was in a Court in Zanjan that I realized I was in Zanjan.

It has been alleged that Narges Mohamadi personally requested her transfer to Zanjan. This is a total fabrication.

It has been claimed that, due to her illness, Narges Mohamadi requested to be transferred to Zanjan; this is also totally false.

Hereby I inform you:

1- I, strongly protest my illegal transfer to the women’s ward in Zanjan which holds criminals, and request you take the necessary action for my immediate transfer to the women’s ward in Evin prison that holds non-criminal inmates.

2- It should be noted that I entered Evin prison on June 10, 2010 in complete health, and on July 1, 2010, I was transferred to hospital suffering from serious neurological and psychological disorders.

After intensive medical care and using 18 pills a day, I was discharged from hospital. I currently am on 11 pills a day, but since my latest arrest, these medications do not control my illness and my illness has worsened.

I currently am incarcerated among fifty female murderers, death row prisoners (on narcotic charges), and immorality charges and even women with mental disorders ((psychological).

Since I have entered this ward, I have experienced nothing but anxiety, nervousness and fear, which has exacerbated my illness moment by moment.

My medical records and the opinion of my treating physicians suggest that my illness has a direct relationship with the escalation of anxiety.

And even while this is so, since entering this ward, I have encountered horrible situations that I am not even able to describe and write about.

Putting me under such a stressful situation is equivalent to feeding me cups of poison that help to destroy me moment by moment.

I persistently and emphatically proclaim that such treatment and actions towards me are in fact causing my slow death and the responsibility lies with the authorities.

The respected officials who are in possession of my medical records, know very well that keeping me in the stressful conditions of prison, especially where criminals (murderers, death row inmates, drug traffickers, etc…) are held, conditions that, for the good of society I will not describe in detail, is equivalent to intentional murder, for which the officials will be directly responsible.

I certainly hope that this won’t be another case like the martyrdom of Haleh Sahabi and Hoda Saber which was said to be as a cause of hot weather and hunger strike!

If another incident occurs, even if it seems due to natural causes, I hereby proclaim that not only won’t it be due to natural causes, but the exacerbation of my illness or the occurrence of any traumatic event for me in this situation is quite deliberate.

3- My legal residence, and more importantly my doctors and specialists (neurologist, psychologist, pulmonary, heart and gynecologist), are all in Tehran. Because I am under their care and treatment, I must be seen by them at least every two months, for they hold all my medical records and I am under their care and treatment.

My illegal transfer to Zanjan has denied me such medical care and treatment. The complications and damages arising from this action would be irreversible and is an inhumane act.

4- My 5 year old children, Ali and Kiana do not reside in Zanjan and must inevitably travel a long distance for many hours to visit with their mother. This is very difficult for Mrs. Rahmani (my mother-in-law) and for my small children and perhaps will be impossible in the heat of summer and the cold of winter.

This in itself is putting severe psychological stress on an imprisoned mother.

The Honorable Mr. Prosecutor, the above mentioned conditions plus the issues that I hope to share with Your Excellency in person, are the plight of a mother and your fellow citizen who writes to you and looks forward to hope of justice.

I hope that at the earliest possible time I am afforded the proper conditions for sending me to my treating physicians before my health deteriorates even more and I hope I am afforded my freedom.

With much gratitude,

Narges Mohamadi

Source: Melimazhabi

Political Prisoner Jafar Eghdami In Dire Health, Prison Officials Refuse Hospital Transfer

Despite all necessary medical paperwork, prison officials refuse to transfer political prisoner Jafar Eghdami to a hospital.

Political prisoner Jafar Eghdami, incarcerated in Hall 12 of Rejaei Shahr prison in Karaj, suffers from a rare neurological disorder that has almost paralyzed him.

Prison officials citied lack of enough personnel to guard Eghdami in case of hospitalization.

Eghdami was scheduled to be transferred to Rasoul Akram hospital in Tehran last Sunday, June 17. However, prison officials refused to allow the transfer.

Despite his dire health and severe pain, prison officials say his transfer to a hospital is not possible prior to July 1st.

It should also be noted that Jafar Eghdami’s physical condition is such that he is not able to walk by himself.

Jafar Eghdami, currently serving his sentence in Rejaei shahr prison, was arrested for reciting a poem during memorial ceremony at Khavaran cemetery (the burial site of victims of the mass executions of the 80’s).

Eghdami was sentenced to five years in prison by a lower court. In an unconventional move, Eghdami’s sentence was raised to 10 years in prison by Court of Appeals.

Source: HRANA

Following The Execution of 4 Arab-Iranians, 15 People Were Arrested During Protests In Ahvaz

The Human Rights Activists News Agency reports following the execution of four Arab-Iranians in Ahvaz on Thursday June 21, protests erupted in some Arab neighborhoods resulting in the arrest of at least fifteen people.

Following are the names of the people arrested as obtained by HRANA:

1- Nasser Bavi, 27, son of Habib, has 2 children.

2- Mansour Bavi, 22, married.

3- Reza Bavi, 19, single.

4- Esmaeil Dehimi, 23, son of Javad.

5- Rahim Silavi, 38, has six children and has been arrested twice before.

6- Ali Haydari, son of Shaye.

7- Mohamad Haydari, son of Shaye.

8- Jasem Haydari, son of Shaye.

9- Hossein Haydari, son of Shaye.

10- Kazem Haydari, son of Mohamad.

11- Hakim Haydari, son of Mohamad.

12- Razi Sailavi, 38, poet.

13- Naser Haydari

14- Adel Haydari

15- Jomeh Haydari, 45, has five children.

Source: HRANA

Life Of Human Rights Activist Narges Mohamadi Is In Danger

Following is a translation of a statement released by the Committee of the Human Rights Reporters warning about imprisoned human rights activist Narges Mohamadi’s dire health.

Narges Mohamadi, the deputy head of Iran’s Defenders of Human Rights Center (DHRC), is in poor and dire health.

According to the latest reports received, her paralyses like illness has intensified in recent days in prison. In the last visit she had with her family, she was not able to clearly speak or walk by herself.

Narges Mohamadi was arrested June 2010 and was released twenty days later on bail due to her dire health. After her release, she was hospitalized and was under special care for a long time.

She was later tried, convicted and sentenced to eleven years in prison. On appeal, her sentence was reduced to six years in prison.

After the sentence enforcement division issued an arrest warrant, Narges Mohamadi was arrested by the Intelligence Ministry’s agents and was transferred to Evin prison.

She was illegally incarcerated in the Intelligence Ministry’s Ward 209 in Evin prison instead of being imprisoned in the General Ward 350 of Evin. She was transferred to Zanjan prison 20 days later.

This transfer took place despite the fact that her sentence did not carry an “exile” to a place other then her city of residence, which is Tehran.

The transfer and incarceration of Narges Mohamadi in Zanjan prison, a prison that holds hardcore criminals, murderers, and drug traffickers, can be dangerous and life-threatening for her.

In the past, and after the 2009 presidential election, prison officials have repeatedly ignored serious health problems of political prisoners and have denied necessary medical furlough, causing irreversible damage to health of many prisoners.

According to the Bureau of Prison’s regulations, they are responsible for the safekeeping and the life of the prisoners and should provide a safe and secure environment for them.

The Committee of the Human Rights Reporters expressed serious concern for this human rights activist, and is asking for an urgent review of her situation.

Narges Mohamadi is only a human rights activist that has tried to improve the situation of human rights in the society.

This sort of conduct by the Judicial system only damages the reputation and dignity of the Iranian judiciary.

The Committee of the Human Rights Reporters warns about the consequences of holding Narges Mohamadi under the current situation in Zanjan prison and asks for her immediate and unconditional release.

Source: CHRR

The Kidnapping, Arrest And The Release Of Mohamad Nourizad, As Told By Himself

Former political prisoner, documentary film maker Mohamad Nourizad has provided news sites an account of the day he was kidnapped and put under arrest for hours before being released.

Following is a translation of this account as provided to Jaras site:

Before I describe this kidnapping episode, I remember one night in solitary confinement, one of the interrogators with thick accent from Esfahan, whispered in my ear: “You piece of dirt, either you are going to break or we will break you. Even if we have to video tape you and your wife in bed, we will, and we will publish it.”

He continued, “Our red line is the establishment and the Velayat (the Supreme Leadership). You are nothing, you don’t count.

Even if God himself comes down to earth to fight against the System and the Velayat, we will crush him under our feet.”

The Interrogator from Esfahan told me these things the night before Ashura.

At the time, I could hear the sounds of people’s mourning from afar from behind Evin walls.

I replied to the interrogator: “Here is me, my wife and my children. If you are a real men and if you see any trace of being a real man in yourself, then carry on with your plan.”

I continued, “You people, for the sake of preserving the System and the Supreme Leadership, have forsaken God long ago.

You say, if God himself comes down to earth, as though he is not here on earth. God is here and ever present while you decapitate people.”

I can still hear the echo of that interrogator’s voice in my ears, “Even if we have to video tape you and your wife in bed, we will and we will publish it.”

Since then, my home has been raided four or five times, each time by eight or nine or ten men. They took with them whatever they deemed important to them. Or shall I say they stole?

They even took our picture albums and personal and private videos and pictures of my family.

I, with all my devotion to God and the prophet, I swear upon God and the prophet, that the sudden entry of these people into the bedroom of a critic and a film maker, and video taping them, while he is making love to his wife, is nothing unusual for these wild monsters of the Islamic Republic.

In a place that these monsters decapitate just as easily as cutting a cucumber in half, video taping a critic’s private moments is just child’s play for them.

These days, according to the Intelligence Ministry, there is strife between IRGC and the Intelligence Ministry. They constantly “out do each other”.

While I was incarcerated, I was in the hands of both IRGC and the Intelligence Ministry. And after I was released, I wrote about both agencies in the most revealing way possible.

Obviously that makes me the target for constant investigation and surveillance by these two organizations.

They have taken pictures and video-taped me in various locations. I have even caught them three times trying to break into my car.

My sudden and accidental walking up to them and coming face to face with them during their missions, has allowed me to recognize them. Therefore, they constantly change and replace their agents.

But on Thursday, June 14, the page turned. On that day, it was I who was taking pictures and video taping the pursuers. There were eight of them in three Peugot cars.

Five of them were sitting inside the cars and three were on foot in different locations in a neighborhood waiting to ambush me.

I even noticed one of the men lying down on the floor of one of the cars. They expected me to enter the side street in front of them. But, I accidentally entered the side street from behind and saw them.

In previous days, ignoring them, I went about my business. But that day I decided to pursue two of the ones on foot.

One of them fled and disappeared, but I caught the other one in an dead-end alley. He pretended that he hadn’t seen me and pretended to ring a door bell of a house. But he wasn’t a good actor.

With my cell phone I took his picture and video taped him. I then went and took pictures and video taped one of the cars with three men inside, especially the license plate.

What those people were after and what they were doing there that day is their own business. Perhaps for the good of God, they were performing some good deed.

Maybe they were there to take my car or to plant something in my car. It just happens that my car was in a garage being worked on that day.

Or, perhaps they were there waiting for an opportunity to capture and video tape their desired scene.

They know very well that for destroying me, they only have one method left in their possession. What? By ruining my reputation and defaming me. Something that they have repeatedly done to their critics with their desired results. My physical removal or imprisonment is not in their best interest.

That day, after I took pictures and video taped them, I caught a cab. Without any reason I changed cabs later.

While in the cab, I watched the videos and looked at the pictures of the Intelligence Ministry and IRGC’s agents. I forwarded some of them to a trusted person.

In about less than half an hour, we reached a red light at an intersection. All of a sudden, seven or eight angry men, acting like savages, came upon the car and started banging on the roof of the car. They pulled me and the driver out of the cab.

This violent attack is something that didn’t bother me, but, for the cab driver who was a young, tall and muscular man, it was quite frightening.

I was smiling at the angry faces of these brothers. I don’t know why my smiling at them seemed to upset them even more.

I heard one of them tell another one, “Look at how this dishonorable man is smiling.”

Violently, they pulled my briefcase out of my hand and took away my cell phone and, on the order of the team leader, they handcuffed my hands behind my back.

At this time, with a loud voice, I introduced myself to a man sitting in his car witnessing these events with much concern looking at the violence displayed by the attackers as though they were arresting a traitor spy.

I introduced myself: Nourizad.

The team leader, with a very angry face, looked at me and angrily said, “If you open your mouth once more and create a problem, I will break all your teeth.”

They had me sit facing a wall on the side of the street while they interrogated the driver. Soon they realized that the driver has no connections with me.

I told one of the men to at least take some money from my pocket and pay the cab fare which they did.

Other than two of the men, that seemed to be polite, the rest seemed more like illiterate, low life thugs, that, if they didn’t have this job, would probably be thieves and criminals.

They placed me in the back seat of a car with my hands cuffed tightly behind my back. Before we left the scene, the same guy that I had taken pictures of in the dead-end alley, pushed his head through the window and said, “What raised your suspicion about me that caused you to take pictures of me?”

I told him that we have been living alongside of each other for a while now. I don’t know if he understood what I meant. I also told him that he is not a very good actor and that’s is why I suspected him.

The team leader, who seemed to be much more violent than the others and looked like an addict, sat in the front seat and ordered the car to move on.

He lit a cigaret and said, “You think you are so clever? You take pictures of us. You really think you are so clever?”

At this time, as my face was close to the floor of the car I said, “No, what cleverness? Being clever is your job.

You people are so clever that, in bright daylight, in the middle of the city, without a warrant, you kidnap me, and in other places you cut people’s head from ear to ear, and nothing happens.”

The team leader did not like to continue with this sort of conversation and ordered me to end the conversation, so I did. I really felt sorry for these guys, they were not the head honcho.

On the way, the team leader constantly was in contact with “The Big Chief” for instructions. The team leader’s cell phone rang once; it was the big chief.

The team leader seemed to want to flatter him said, “My honorable Haji, for sure Haji, don’t worry.” He then instructed the driver to stop the car.

The big chief asked him if he has his laptop with him? To which, the team leader replied, “No he only has a briefcase and his cell phone with him.” He then said, “That’s right he did take pictures of us.”

They had put my briefcase in the trunk of the car. The team leader got out of the car and retrieved my briefcase.

As he was going through my briefcase, he reported to the big chief, “There are some papers and pens in his briefcase. No he doesn’t have a laptop. Among his papers there is a written statement. Do you want me to read it to you? He continued, “The statements heading is: Mohamad Nourizad’s statement about his illegal arrest.”

This statement had been in my briefcase for the last eight months, and also stored online for future publication.

If I had not returned home by midnight, this statement along with some letters, pictures and videos would have automatically been released, one by one.

Finally after all of their coordination it was decided to take me to a location that they themselves knew it’s location.

It was a building with a heavy iron door. They forcefully blindfolded me. From under my blindfold I saw a few soldiers walking around. Young men who were serving their mandatory military time. They were nice, kind and polite.

One of the soldiers took me into a room and sat me down on a chair. I told the team leader, who seemed to be very happy about capturing me, that my handcuff was too tight. It was hurting my hands and shoulder blades.

I asked if they could at least handcuff my hands in the front. My shoulder blades were really in pain. After he did not pay any attention to my request, I laid down on my side on the floor.

After a while, one of them that seemed to be a nicer guy came and took my arms from behind and handcuffed me in the front, but did not remove my blindfold.

Two hours later, I shouted, I need to go to the bathroom. They took me to the bathroom, handcuffed and blindfolded.

I heard the voice of the team leader telling the soldier, “Leave the bathroom door open.”

I told the soldier to at least remove my handcuffs. He asked them, and they said no. My struggle in the bathroom was useless so I asked the soldier to take me back to the room.

About an hour later, orders came from the big chief that they can remove my handcuffs inside the bathroom. And, about an hour after that, orders came for my handcuffs and blindfold to be removed.

One of the soldiers who was a nice looking, kind young man, until 10:00 PM, often came to the room and asked do you want some tea? Lunch? Water? Tea? Dinner?

Each time I thanked him and said no. I had decided not to eat or drink anything. I had decided to start a dry hunger strike immediately as a sign of protest to my illegal kidnapping.

At 11:00 PM, I shouted, bring me a blanket. Someone replied, “We are bringing it upstairs.” Where could this upstairs be?

One of the kidnappers came into the room and said we are leaving this place. They gave me back my items. My briefcase, cell phone and my money.

Again, I was blindfolded, handcuffed and put inside the back seat of a car lying down. This time, I put my head on the lap of a young man that was sitting there. I felt as though he was my own son. The big iron gates opened and the car moved on.

On the way, the team leader was in constant contact with his associates and friends. “We are coming up there.” Where could this up there be? Was that building in the south part of the city?

I thought to myself that they are taking me to Evin. I told myself to be prepared and ready for this. I was ready.

I imagined myself in IRGC’s Ward 2-A and 240 and in Intelligence Ministry’s Ward 209. I knew well the methods that the interrogators use, their way of talking and conduct.

It was close to midnight. They let me out on a dark street and left. I watched them as they were leaving. I memorized the license plate.

I later saw the report by the witness at the intersection at the time of my kidnapping, the same person that I had introduced myself to. It was the same license plate.

Yes, they kidnapped me in the daylight and released me in the middle of the night. I was very lucky to have survived this kidnapping unharmed.

How many men and women they had a burlap sack put over their head, were kidnapped, and their throat was cut from ear to ear, and no trace of them was ever found.

My daughter told me to make an official complain. I said complain about whom? With what evidence? To whom?

Seriously, what an anthem these consecutive questions could be: The law? The Justice system? Civility? Humanity? Respect of citizens? Islam? The Islamic Republic?

Mohamad Nourizad
June 20, 2012

Source: Jaras

Four Arab-Iranians Were Secretly Hanged In Ahvaz

The National-Religious news site reports four of the five Arab-Iranian prisoners who recently were transferred out of Karoon prison in Ahvaz to an undisclosed location, were hanged Monday morning.

These five men were arrested in April 201, during unrest in Ahvaz. They were later tried and convicted of moharebeh (enmity against God) for killing a law enforcement official.

Abbas Haydarian, Jamshid Haydarian, Abdolrahman Haydarian and Ali Neami were executed on Monday.

These hangings were followed by unrest and protests in some parts of Ahvaz (S,Iran).

Earlier it had been reported that Haydarian brothers were hanged and the status and whereabouts of the other two prisoners were reported unknown.

The National-Religious site reports after their follow up with human rights activists in Ahvaz, Ali Neami was also executed along with Haydarian brothers.

The Human Rights Activists News Agency reported yesterday that these hanging were done in secret and the families were informed Monday late afternoon by the Judiciary authorities.

From late Monday afternoon until early morning hours Tuesday, there were unrest and protests in parts of Ahvaz. Malashiyeh neighborhood where the executed resided was under tight and heavy security.

In some areas of the city protesters were chanting anti dictatorship slogans and were asking for the halt of systematic execution of Arab-Iranians.

The families of the executed have asked the judicial authorities for the return of bodies of the executed, for proper burial and ceremonies. The Judicial authorities have not yet responded to their request.

The executed were, brothers Abbas Haydarian nicknamed Jasem, Jamshid Haydarian nicknamed Teh, and Abdolrahman Haydarian nicknamed Naser and Ali Neami.

Currently status and whereabouts of Amir Moavi are not known.

The Islamic Republic of Iran executed these four despite appeals by many international human rights groups and organizations.

The Human Rights Watch Group, Amnesty International and the European Union were among groups and organizations that had appealed to Iran on behalf of these men.

sources: Melimazhabi
HRANA

Five Political Prisoners End Their Hunger Strike

Farshad Ghorbanipour, Saeed Matinpour, Saeed Jalalifar, Javad Alikhani and Arash Saghar who launched a hunger strike when they were transferred to solitary confinement, have ended their hunger strike upon being returned to Ward 350 of Evin prison.

These five political prisoners along with Bahman Ahmadi Amouie had been transferred to solitary confinement after they were attacked by special guards units while they were holding a memorial service for Hoda Saber (he died on hunger strike in Evin last year).

On Monday June 11, Farshad Ghorbanipour, Saeed Matinpour, Saeed Jalalifar, Javad Alikhani and Arash Saghar launched a hunger strike to protest their transfer to solitary confinement.

Monday evening, June 11, as political prisoners in Ward 350 were holding memorial services for Hoda Saber, they were attacked by about 50 special units guards.

Six prisoners were taken to solitary confinement in the aftermath of the attack. Bahman Ahmadi Amouie was transferred to Rejaei Shahr prison the next day.

Source: CHRR

More information about the attack of special units guards on Ward 350: here

Student Activist Amir Shaibanizadeh Arrested For Implementation Of Prison Sentence

Student activist Amir Shaibanizadeh was arrested after being summoned to court.

Amir Shaibanizadeh, a resident of Mashhad (N.E.Iran), was summoned to court and then arrested and transferred to Vakilabad prison. The court issued his sentence of five years and six months in prison, 5 million Toman fine and exile to Abehayat prison in Kerman to serve his sentence.

Amir Shaibanizadeh’s latest arrest was on February 13, 2012. He was incarcerated at Vakilabad prison for about three months and was released on bail 24 days ago.

Shaibanizadeh had received a summons from Branch 905 of the Revolutionary Court in Mashhad presided by Judge Khalifi.

Shaibanizadeh went to court today on his summons where he was informed of his sentence by Judge Khalifi.

Amir Shaibanizadeh was arrested, handcuffed and shackled after he was informed of his verdict in court. He was then transferred to Vakilabad prison in Mashhad.

Source: HRANA