Political Prisoner, Lawyer Negar Haeeri Incarcerated In Gharchak Prison Under Deplorable Conditions

Negar Haeeri, daughter of imprisoned political prisoner Mashallah Haeeri, is imprisoned in Gharchak Prison under harsh and deplorable conditions.

Negar Haeri

According to the Melli-Mazhabi news site, Negar Haeeri was arrested for giving interviews and publicizing the poor health of her imprisoned father.

She was arrested on May 25, 2014, and on the order of Deputy Prosecutor at Evin, she was transferred to Gharchak prison.

Previously, Negar Haeeri was also arrested and imprisoned in 2011 and 2012 and was released on bail. She was tried and sentenced to two years imprisonment plus five years suspended imprisonment sentence. Her law practice license was also suspended for ten years.

Gharchak prison in Varamin has a very unsanitary condition and Negar is incarcerated among the drug traffickers.

This prison holds inmates in excess of it’s maximum capacity and suffers from overcrowding. Due to this overcrowding and lack of space Negar has to sleep in the hallway near the restrooms.

Despite the very hot weather, the air conditioning system in this prison is not working, making conditions very difficult for the prisoners.

Other than Negar Haeeri, Basmeh Aljabouri, an Iraqi citizen, and Roya Saberi Nejad are the two other political prisoners that are incarcerated in Gharchak prison.

Source: Sahamnews

On Hunger Strike Dr. Mehdi Khazali, Suffered A Heart Attack And Admitted To A Hospital

Following is translation of a Facebook post by Dr. Mehdi Khazali’s son, Mohamad Saleh Khazali:

It is now 3:00 am on the first day of Ramadan.

Friday night I heard that father is in dire health. I became very upset and tried very hard to get help for him.

Today (Saturday June 28), they informed us that my father has been taken to the emergency room at Imam Khomeini hospital.

Immediately we went to the hospital. When we arrived, I met with a very frail father who has lost about 18 kilos in 8 days of being on hunger strike, and whose voice could barely be heard because of a dry mouth & throat.

Dr Mehdi Khazali – June 28, 2014

The doctors insisted on connecting him to an IV but he refused.

About an hour ago we received the results of his EKG. They told him, yesterday, when he stopped breathing, he had suffered a heart attack and must immediately be admitted to CCU.

As a result of not drinking water, his blood had thickened and this is the reason for the heart attack.

It was the responsibility of Rejaei Shahr prison’s infirmary to attend to him, but unfortunately their job has become attending to the executed and doing the ritual wash of the dead. They are not familiar with providing care for the ill.

My father asked me about the news coverage of his case. He said that he is doing his duty, and hopes to God that those on the outside perform their duty well.

I complained about the news coverage regarding his case and told him that the domestic sites totally censor any news about him, because they have been ordered not to publish anything about him.

But I don’t understand why the news sites outside of the country are not giving his case much coverage.

I have one thing to say: Those who doubt and question his hunger strike, please go to the emergency room at Imam Khomeini hospital and see for yourselves what being on hunger strike has done to him.

You can then see a person who until last week was mountain climbing, and now in one week’s time barely has the strength to walk.

On the first dawn of Ramadan, I ask all our friends and associated to please pray for the health and release of my father and the release of all the political prisoners and for our society to gain wisdom.

And it is only for us to deliver the Manifest Message. (Quran, Ya-Sin: 17)

Mohamad Saleh Khazali
Son of Dr. Mehdi Khazali
Sunday June 29, 2014
3:40 am

Dr. Mehdi Khazali was arrested by the Intelligence Ministry’s special forces on June 21, while he was on a family trip in Mazandaran (N. Iran). He was transferred to Rejaei Shahr prison and incarcerated in the death row prisoners ward. He started his hunger strike upon arrest.

Source: Azadegan

Prominent Scholar Sadegh Zibakalam Sentenced to 18 Months For Criticizing Iran’s Nuclear Program

Prominent scholar and university professor, Sadegh Zibakalam has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment according to a post on his Facebook.

Following is the translations of Zibakalam’s post on Facebook:

In the name of the Almighty,

Greetings friends,

As you are aware, after the Geneva agreement, and the widespread attacks on me by the “the worried ones”, I wrote two open letters, one to Mr. Hossein Shariyatmadari (managing editor of hardliner Kayhan newspaper), and to Mr. Hamid Rasaei (hardliner Parliament member).

In these letters, while defending the government’s efforts to resolve the nuclear issue, I raised the question as to what benefits for the country’s core economical progress and development have resulted from the nuclear program?

In his response to me, Mr. Shariyatmadari noted that, “if you were so concerned and worried for the people of Iran, you would have not defended the corruptors involved in the 3,000 billion Toman embezzlement case”.

Responding to him, I replied, All I asked from those prosecuting this case was what exactly was the crime of the defendants, including Mr. Mahafarid Khosravi (who unfortunately has already been executed), to warrant the death penalty.

These two open letters to Mr. Sharyatmadari were the cause for the honorable district attorney to charge me with:

A: Propaganda against the Islamic Republic State
B: Publishing false information and disturbing the public’s peace.
C: Insulting judges and the officials of the Judiciary Branch

Based on these charges I was tried, and after presenting my written and verbal defense, I was today informed of the court’s ruling as follows:

12 months imprisonment sentence for asking the question; what benefit has the nuclear program had for the country?

Six months imprisonment for saying that in the trial of the 3,000 billion Toman embezzlement case, rather than seeking the truth and justice, they were more concerned with persuading and satisfying the public’s opinion.

I have appealed this sentence and will have to wait for the Appeals Court’s ruling.

In loving you, advice and admonition is to no avail
I have experienced the poison, sweetness will have no avail

They say, put chains on his feet
Insane is my heart, chaining my feet is to no avail

Sadegh Zibakalam
June 18, 2014

Source: Sadegh Zibakalam Facebook

Kazem Barjesteh Sentenced By Appellate Court In Absentia While Imprisoned In Evin

The Tehran Appellate Court has upheld the 5 year imprisonment sentence of Green Movement activist, Kazem Barjesteh on charges of assembly and collusion with intent to act against the national security.

Simultaneously with the Attorney General’s escalating threats against the Iranian Diaspora who are planning to return to Iran, Branch 54 of the Appellate Court upheld the 5 years imprisonment sentence of Kazem Barjesteh in absentia.

Kazem Barjesteh, an activist in Mir Hossein Mousavi’s 2009 presidential campaign, was arrested on February 16, 2014 at Imam Khomeini International Airport upon his return to Iran, and was transferred to Ward 350 of Evin prison.

Last month, Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court, presided by Judge Moghayeseh, refused Barjesteh’s request for a hearing to protest his sentence that was issued in absentia by the lower court.

Based on this unusual judicial process, the 5 year imprisonment sentence of Kazem Barjesteh was upheld by the Appellate Court, while he has been imprisoned for more than four months, and has never been given the opportunity to appear before a court to defend himself.

This political prisoner and his defense attorney were never even given any information as to which branch of the Appellate Court would review his case.

This unusual action by the court occurred while Kazem Barjesteh was not even given a chance to defend himself. Yesterday the Attorney General made a statement saying that it’s to the best of interest of those who have left the country and are under indictment to return to Iran. He further said that he suggests those under a warrant to return to Iran to follow up on their cases.

Kazem Barjesteh, an activist in the campaign headquarters of Mir Hossein Mousavi’s 2009 presidential election, was arrested during the bloody events of Ashura (December 2009). He was released on bail after 35 days of imprisonment.

During his initial trial he was not able to appear in court to defend himself due to his living in Germany as a post-graduate Philosophy student.

This illegal sentencing process deprived a defendant’s basic right to defend himself.

The Attorney General, Mohseni Ejei, in Monday’s news conference, announced that 27 people connected with the Sedition Movement have been indicted, and their cases forwarded to court for further action.

He said that the court has issued rulings for 13 people, of whom 4-5 of them were tried and found guilty in absentia. He further said that the court has not ruled yet for 14 people.

Source: Kaleme