Iranian of the Day

ICHRI: Security forces arrested student activist Siavash Hatam at his home on Tuesday, 14 June, and transferred him to Evin Prison's Ward 350 to begin serving his one year and four months prison term. While Siavash Hatam had been informed of his four-month prison sentence, he was uninformed of a case in which he was sentenced to an addition one year in prison, and the court issued his sentence without giving him or his lawyer a chance to defend him.

One of Siavash Hatam's friends told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that he is facing two separate sentences. "The first one, related to his arrest in 2010, was for four months in prison and 74 lashes, issued by Branch 26. Siavash and his lawyer appeared at the trial session in Branch 26, under Judge Pirabbasi, and defended him. He was eventually sentenced to four months in prison and 74 lashes in the lower court, and they appealed the decision. Siavash and his lawyer have not yet been served the ruling from the appeals court," said the source. "The interesting thing about his one-year prison term is that it was issued by Branch 28 of Tehran Revolutionary Court under Judge Moghisseh, and Siavash and his lawyer were completely unaware of a case, a trial, and a sentence! They did not have a chance to defend him. Security Forces just told him that there were two sentences which were being enforced together, for a total of 16 months in prison and 74 lashes," the source added.

Mahmoud Hatam, Siavash Hatam's father, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that security forces had gone to their home on several occasions to talk with Siavash. "The forces came to our home several times to talk with Siavash. I don't know what they said; I only know that they wanted Siavash to have no activities. When they showed up this morning, we thought like previous times they would talk a little and go. But this time they had Siavash's arrest warrant and took him with them," he said.

Siavash Hatam, student and former Secretary of Hamadan's Bou Ali University Islamic Association, was arrested on 15 June 2009. He was released a month later on bail of approximately $100,000. He was transferred from Bou Ali University to Tehran Shahid Beheshti University on request of security forces. Intelligence Ministry forces arrested him again at an official examination session at Shahid Beheshti University in December 2010. He was later sentenced to four months in prison on charges of "participating in illegal gatherings," and "propagating against the regime."

Hatam's father told the Campaign that he objects to this ruling and plans to file a complaint. "They told us that he was accused of 'participating in illegal gatherings,' but he was not arrested in any gatherings. He was arrested at home and on campus. Which gathering? Today we wish to file a complaint against our son's transfer to prison and his sentence," he said.