Jaras: Ahmadzeidabadi is the journalist and the secretary general of the Alumni Oraganization of Islamic Iran (Advar Tahkim) and on 23 November was convicted to five years prison and exile to Gonabad and his sentence was confirmed by the appeal court on January 1st. He was then transferred to Rajayi Shahr prison and still after having spent 15 months in prison, has not been able to benefit from the basic right of prisoners and has not been allowed to take a period of leave from prison.
Although the prosecutor agreed with granting him a period of leave from prison, a number of individuals whose names are not revealed, obstruct his permit.For this reason Jaras interviewed Mahdieh Mohamadi the wife of Ahmad Zeidabadi regarding his situation as follows:
Q: Mrs. Mohamadi can you describe Mr. Zeidabadi's latest physical and psycological conditions?
A: We can visit him once every two weeks meaning that we can see him for 20 min twice a month. His psycological state is excellent and does not have physical problems. Together with his cell mates they organized things in such way to pass the time. They are exactly in the same conditions as political prisoners during Shah's time. My father actually was a political prisoner at the time and was Mr Taleghani's cell mate.
Q: Considering that Mr. Zeidabadi is serving his sentence in this period, has he ever been able to take a period of leave from prison as his basic right?
A: They haven't even granted him one day of leave. The prosecutor used to write to us saying that we could visit Mr. Zeidabadi but the interrogator used to prevent this. Where is this mentioned in the law? The prosecutor has been in prison and has told my husband that I agree with you taking a period of leave but these people are very sensitive on you and do not give the permit because you still insist on our positions.
We don't know who are "these people" who do not allow my husband take his permit and are so sensitive on my husband. In which parte of the law it says that they should decide and that a person innocently convicted can not benefit from his basic right of taking a period of leave from prison? A part from the fact that they unjustly detain and convict innocent people, why a prisoner can not benefit from his basic and primary rights provided by law?
Q: Between your talks you referred to political prisoners during the period of Shah. What differences do you see between conditions of political prisoners now and during Shah's time?
A: In my opinion there are no differences and the behaviour they have now with our husbands and poiltical prisoners is the same as what used to happen at Shah's time. The only difference is that my father was engaged in an armed struggle against the Shah while persons like Mr. Zeidabadi are journalists and their only crime is writing. But we can see that political prisoners in both periods serve very long sentences and they are treated in the same way.
Q: What are the conditions of Rajayi Shahr prison and how is the behaviour of the authorities?
A: If we want to choose between bad and worse, conditions is Rajayi Shahr prison are better that Evin. Because at least telephone calls and visits are regular but they can not have access to books and some newspapers. Conditions in Evin prison are a lot worse. They haven't had access to telephone for fifty days now and their visits are very short and are made through a cabin.
But basically detaining such people is a huge injustice towards the families of these prisoners and themselves. Sometimes I remember the film of the incident of Ashoora the part it says "Is there anyone to help us?" When we hear this phrase we feel so oppressed that they have arrested and kept an innocent person in prison for 15 months without any reasons and evidence. I mean Mr. Zeidabadi's sentence is so ridiculous as they did not find a single evidence to convict him.
They have only mentioned that my husband very cleverly intended to use the law to act illegally. It means actually my husband has not committed any illegal acts but very cleverly was intending to do so. They have kept my innocent husband for this reason in prison. We feel so oppressed and each time we ask ourselves "isn't there a voice to reflect our cries?" Well in these conditions we do not have a choice other than waiting.
Q: In your visits with Mr. Zeidabadi, how does he perceive the future and what is his opinion about this injustice?
A: Mr. Zeidabadi is a real believer and goes through all the problems with the same beliefs. He is totally convinced that the individuals who have oppressed him will pay for what they have done to him. Mr. Zeidabadi is very patient and goes through this period in the best possible way.
When we get upset and complain about this injustice and situation, he gives us comfort and says that these days will pass, which actually shows his very strong spirit and beliefs. He is convinced that the law of God is not to leave him oppressed and he remains patient and persistant.
Q: How do your children feel and what is their reaction towards these matters?
A: Well two of our sons are grown up and have accepted the situation but sometimes they show their sufference and feel that they and their father are treated with injustice. When they express themselves they show how angry they are with individuals who are acting in this way with their father.
My younger son is eight years old and sometimes tries to comfort me telling me not to worry, daddy will be released in two days, but sometimes when he misses his father a lot he asks me "you told me he'd be back soon, why is he not back?"
I remember the day they came to arrest my husband he asked me who these people were and why they arrested my father like this? I replied I don't know either they were from the Basij or from IRGC. Now he says I hate the Basij and the IRGC, why did they took away my father.
Well my sons knew their father. A father who was a believer towards Islam and the law and should be kept like this without any reasons in prison. A kind of person who was committed to the law in whatever he did. Why should such a person be in prison in the Islamic Republic system? Mr. Zeidabadi by participating to the elections showed that he had a very strong sense of nationalism and loved his country and homeland. Despite of several offers inviting him to immigrate abroad, he did not accept leaving his country and used to say: "This is my homeland and I should stay."
With honestly and legally participated in the very same election organized by the Islamic Republic and he voted in favour of the very same candidate that the system itself had approved and qualified. Now the punishment for all this honesty and patriotism should be 15 months in prison? Well with this description, how would the children figure the situation in their minds? They would think either we should doubt our father who was so loyal or we should doubt this system who did not appreciate the loyalty of its people and responded them in this way.
Q: As a person whose father was imprisoned in Shah's time and now her husband is in prison, you have had a major role in the struggle against tyranny and have endured very difficult conditions and a lot of injustice. What would you like to say and what are your requests?
A: I only want the law to be respected. The families (of prisoners) do not want anything other than the respect of the law. Why did they take my husband away illegally at night? Why a family should not have news about a family member in prison in an illegal way? Why did they illegally beat up my husband in prison? Why should they insult and treat the prisoner and his family so violently? In which part the laws of the Islamic Republic such actions and behaviours are mentioned? Whey should they force a person to say things by beating him so that they can invent accusations against him based on those words?
They kept beating my husband and telling him to write what he'd done to use what he would be forced to write as the base of their accusations against him. In which part of the Isalmic Republic laws is mentioned that an innocent prisoner should stay in prison for 15 months without taking a period of leave from prison? If in the Islamic Republic the law was respected, my husband wouldn't be now in prison. In the law is written that if a person commits a crime in a city, he should be imprisoned in the same city. Why they have taken my husband to Karaj. All this is against the law.
- Thank you for giving this opportunity to Jaras.
http://www.rahesabz.net/story/23123/
Posted via email from lissping
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