Prison Terms Served in Exile Constitute Additional Cruelty against Prisoners and their Families
Statement 10 October 2010 Prison Terms Served in Exile Constitute Additional Cruelty against Prisoners and their Families The human rights situation in Iran has reached an alarming stage. A large number of civil rights activists, political, ideological, religious and ethnic minority prisoners as well as journalists and women’s rights activists are either in prison or facing increased pressures at home. After the disputed presidential elections in June 2009 and throughout the past year, opponents and critics of the elections have been detained and issued heavy sentences. The sentences range from execution to lashes, to long prison terms. Those in prison are often held in ward 350 at the Evin prison or at the Rajai Shahr prison which have limited or no medical services. Prisoners often suffer from poor sanitary conditions and insufficient food and many are placed in the same cell or ward with hardened criminals. Some prisoners who are provided with temporary furlough, have to put up very heavy bail amounts (sometimes at half a million dollars) and as such are forced into inactivity and their families face extreme economic hardships as a result. Charges against these prisoners are varied and range from Moharebeh (enmity with God), which could carry the death penalty, acting against national security, insulting authorities, participation in demonstrations, destruction of public properties and civil disorder. According to some statistics currently, 216 political and ideological prisoners have collectively received a total number of 1,100 years in prison terms while others have been sentenced to execution or life imprisonment. In an effort to increase pressure on prisoners and their families, prisoners are sent away to other regions to serve prison terms in exile. In the past, this type of extra punishment had been practiced but recently it has accelerated. This practice also serves as a strategy to separate political prisoners from one another. Prisoners issued with such orders are sent to far off cities. In some cases detainees are sent to regions where no one speaks their mother tongue. Sometimes prisoners are transferred without court rulings. The practice has created overwhelming problems for the prisoners and their families. Parents are often unable physically and financially to travel faraway to visit their children regularly and suffer a dual pressure. At present, many prisoners are transferred to the notorious Rajaishahr prison from Evin and 8 of them have received sentences of prison in exile. A large number of Kurdish and Turkish ethnic minority prisoners and Ba’hai prisoners have been transferred to other areas. This practice is in contradiction to Iranian laws as well as the country’s obligation to adhere to international standards set by the United Nations. Among the first to be sent away was Zia Nabavi, 26, university student and activist in the Campaign to Defend the Right to Study. After the presidential elections Zia was dismissed from the university and shortly afterwards arrested. He was under interrogation to “confess” his connections to the Mojahedin Khalgh Organisation (MKO) a foreign-based armed opposition group, a charge without any evidence, which he and his defence lawyer have adamantly denied in interrogation and court. At court, he was sentenced to a 15 year prison term which was later reduced in appeal to 10 years spent in exile. Zia Nabavi has spent one year in Evin prison without leave and was recently transferred to Karoon prison in Ahwaz in the south-western region of the country where most of the inmates speak only Arabic. In a phone call to his family Zian informed them that he had been severely beaten upon arrival at the prison. Prisoners who are sentenced to serve their prison terms in exile are mainly young and unknown and their situation has not been adequately reflected in the media or by human rights organisations. Further more, the incarceration of these prisoners do not adhere to international standards or Iranian law, which require that prisoners be classified according to age or nature of the “crime” they have committed, adding to the concerns of their families. As such, continued indifference toward the situation of these prisoners, will increase their risk of being treated inhumanely. According to information published in Iran’s official papers, 8 prisoners from Tehran have so far received such rulings and 5 of them; Hamed Rouhinejad, Seyed Hadi Ghaemi, Ahmadi Karimi and Zia Nabavi and Fatemeh Rahnema were sent away to Zanjan, Gonbad Kavous and Karoun Prisons. Four others; Shiva Nazar Ahari, Majid Dari and Amir Reza (Payman) Arefi are also on this list. In the city of Yazd, Mehran Bandi, Baha’i activist was sent away to Khash prison in the Sistan & Baluchistan province. In Kurdistan, Zeinab Bayazidi, women’s rights activist from the city of Mahabad was sent away to Zanjan and in Azarbaijan, 20 Turkish prisoners have received exiled orders (See Attachment). We, the signatories to this statement call on international human rights organisations, governments and international bodies to demand an immediate halt to Iran’s violent and inhumane treatment of prisoners, including an end to the issuance of sentences which call for prisoners to serve prison terms in exile and the overturning of sentences of this nature already issued. Signatures: Attachment: List of prisoners we have received so far, who have been issued sentences of prison to be served in exile: A- Political & Ideological prisoners exiled from Tehran: – Hamed Rouhinejad, university student in philosophy who was sentenced to death during his initial trial. In appeals this sentence was reduced to 10 years in prison to be served in exile at Zanjan prison. According to his family, Hamed suffers from MS and very poor health. After their last visit his family claimed that his health had reached a critical and alarming stage. – Ahamd Karimi, political prisoner at ward 350 Evin prison. Initially, Ahamd was sentenced to death but in appeals later the sentence was reduced to a prison term of 15 years to be served in exile at Gonbad Kasvous. – Seyed Hadi Ghaemi, was sentenced to death for participation in the Ashura demonstrations. The sentence was reduced in appeals to 15 years to be served in exile at Gonbad Kavous prison. – Zia Nabavi, university student from northern Iran, who received 15 years imprisonment which was reduced in appeals to 10 years to be served in exile at Karoun prison in Ahwaz. Zia and his family have objected to this ruling but have received no response from the denied answer. – Majid Dari, student dismissed from the university. He was sentenced to 11 years, of which he has to spend 5 years in exile at Izeh prison. According to his mother, Maji suffers from migraine and haemophilia. He was among the 17 prisoners at ward 350 Evin who went on hunger strike for 2 weeks protesting mistreatment by prison guards. – Amir Reza Arefi, 21, detained on 16 March 2009 and charged with collaboration and membership in a Royalist Society. Amir was tried on the charges of Moharebeh (enmity with God) and sentenced to death by branch 15 of the Revolutionary Courts. In April 2010 it was reported that his sentence was reduced in appeals to 15 years and that he was sent to serve that sentence in the worst place in Iran (the location was not specified in the report). – Shiva NazarAhari, 26, journalist and human rights activists, sentenced to 6 years in exile in Izeh and 76 lashes. During her last detention, Shiva spent 100 days in solitary confinement. She is temporarily free on a £۳۰۰,۰۰۰ bail order and awaiting an appeal hearing. – Fatemeh Rahnema, 48 has been accused of collaborating with the MKO and sentenced to serve 9 years in IZeh. She suffers from breast cancer and severe depression. B- Kurdish prisoners accused of cooperation with Pejak, a banned armed opposition group. These prisoners have received heavy sentences and are serving these sentences in exile. Some of them include: – Zeinab Bayazidi, sentenced to 4 years in Zanjan – Hossein Sardari, sentenced to 6 years – Rahim Veisi, sentenced to 5 years – Habibollah Naderi sentenced to 15 years – Hassan Adnanpour, sentenced to 15 years – Zeinab Jalalian, sentenced to death. – Seyed Sami, sentenced to death. – Habibolah Golpari, sentenced to death. – The standing death sentence has not been carried out yet. Instead, they have been transferred to other prisons outside their hometowns. C- Turkish ethnic minority prisoners of various Islamic faiths from Azerbaijan province have been exiled to Kerman, Hormozgan, Bojnord, Semnan, Hamadan and other regions far from home: – Soleiman Ebrahimi, Sunni, from Nazlu in Orumieh, ideological prisoner accused of public disorder and resisting arrest, 1 year of his 2 year sentence is to be served in exile. – Mohammed Samadzedh, Sunni, from Nazlu in Orumieh, ideological prisoner accused of public disorder and resisting arrest, 1 year of his two year sentence is to be served in exile. – Morteza Jafar, Sunni, from Nazlu in Orumieh, ideological prisoner accused of public disorder and resisting arrest, 1 year of his 2 years sentence is to be served in exile. – Alahuavardi Aslani, Sunni, from Nazlu in Orumieh, ideological prisoner accused of public disorder and resisting arrest, 1 year of his two year sentence is to be served in exile. – Mohammed Manafzadeh, Sunni, from Nazlu in Orumieh, ideological prisoner accused of public disorder and resisting arrest, 1 year of his two year sentence is to be served in exile. – Ayub Azizpour, Sunni, from Nazlu in Orumieh, Sunni, ideological prisoner accused of public disorder and resisting arrest, 1 year of his 2 year sentence is to be served in exile. – Said Jafarpour, Sunni from Nazlu in Orumieh, ideological prisoner accused of public disorder and resisting arrest, 1 year of his 2 year sentence is to be served in exile. – Akbar Rostami, Sunni, from Nazlu in Orumieh, ideological prisoner accused of public disorder and resisting arrest, 1 year of his 2 year sentence is to be served in exile. – Me’eraj Alipour, Sunni from Nazlu in Orumieh, ideological prisoner accused of public disorder and resisting arrest, 1 year of his 2 year sentence is to be served in exile. – Said Jafarpour, Sunni from Nazlu in Orumieh, ideological prisoner accused of public disorder and resisting arrest, 1 year of his 2 year sentence is to be served in exile. – Majid Gholizadeh, Sunni, from Nazlu in Orumieh, ideological prisoner accused of public disorder and resisting arrest, 1 year of his 2 year sentence is to be served in exile. – Ziad Jafarpour, Sunni, from Nazlu in Orumieh, ideological prisoner accused of public disorder and resisting arrest, 1 year of his 2 year sentence is to be served in in exile out of his 2 years sentence. – Behrouz Majidi, Sunni, from Nazlu in Orumieh, ideological prisoner accused of public disorder and resisting arrest, 1 year prison sentence in exile. – Behrouz Alizadeh, Shi’a , Ardebil, civil & minority rights activists accused of setting up an unlawful group to conspire against national security, 5 year prison sentence in exile. – Davoud Sa’adati, Shi’a, Ardebil, civil & minority rights activists accused of setting up an unlawful group to conspire against national security, 5 year prison sentence in exile. – Rahim gholami, Shi’a, Ardebil, civil & minority rights activists accused of setting up an unlawful group to conspire against national security, 5 year prison sentence in exile. – Hossein Hosseini, Shi’a, Ardebil, civil & minority rights activists accused of setting up an unlawful group to conspire against national security, 5 year prison sentence in exile. – Ardeshir Karimi, Shi’a, Ardebil, civil & minority rights activists accused of setting up an unlawful group to conspire against national security, 5 year prison sentence in exile. – Sahand Ali Mohammedi, Alavi, Miandoab, civil & minority rights activist, public disorder, 13 year prison sentence in exile. – Bakhashali Mohammedi, Alavi, Miandoab, civil & minority rights activist, public disorder, 13 year prison sentence in exile. – Ebadallah Ghasemzadeh, Alavi, Miandoab, civil & minority rights activist, public disorder, 13 year prison sentence in exile. – Abdolaziz Azimi Ghadim, Shi’a clergy, Garmi, active in civil rights, publicity against the regime, 5 year prison sentence in exile. – Hamid Rostami Arghish, Shi’a, Khoei, civil rights activists, publicity against regime, 1 year of 2 years sentence to be served in exile. D- Bahai prisoners – Sahba Fadaian (Rezvani), detained on 15 November 2008 in a raid to Ba’hai’s homes in Semnan and spent two months in detention without trace. On 16 February 2009 she was charged with conspiracy against the regime, and membership in the banned Khademain group. In Semnan, no lawyer accepted to defend her case and in Tehran they faced the same difficulty. Sahba was sentenced to 3 years and 8 months. On 9 February 2009 she was sent into exile to the Evin prison in Tehran. In the new prison Sahba was mistreated and the prison authorities refused to give her medication which was treated her heart condition. She has not been granted leave to stay with family as do many prisoners. According to Iran’s penal code if a person has spent half of her prison term she can be freed on condition. So far no one has responded to her plea and she has been deprived of leave due to the nature of her case. – Manijeh Nasrolahi (Monzavian), Ba’hai citizen in Semnan was detained on 17 June 2008 and taken to an unknown place and her home was searched. Manijeh was charged with publicity against the regime by membership in the Ba’hai organisation and tried at Semnan Revolutionary Court and sentenced to 3 years and 6 months prison. She was a member at Semnan Ba’hai Council and never engaged in any political activity. Manijeh was transferred to the Evin prison in Tehran in March 2009 without her family’s knowledge. – Susan Tabyanian, Ba’hai in Semnan was summoned to a branch at the Revolutionary Court, detained and taken away to Evin on 18 May 2010. At a court in Semnan she was charged with publicity against the regime and membership in the Ba’hai organisation. She was sentenced to one and half years in exile Tehran. Susan has been detained once before on 18 May 2005. She is mother of two young children. – Mehran Bandi was detained in the city of Yazd on 31 May 2008. He was tried in September and sentenced to three and half years imprisonment plus 3 years exile in the town of Babak. In May 2010 he was sent to Baluchi & Sistan province to serve time in a prison in Khash. Mehran suffers from heart condition. In August his family were informed by the prison authorities that his condition is not suitable to be in prison but the prosecutor rejected medical evidence and he was returned to prison. His family are worried about his condition as he has been transferred to the emergency one more time.
