Iranian of the Day

Amnesty International: Heshmatollah Tabarzadi, 53, leader of the banned Democratic Front of Iran, an opposition party, was arrested on 27 December 2009 at his home in Tehran by four individuals claiming to be from the Prosecutor General’s Office, who had an invalid arrest warrant. Following his arrest he was held in Evin Prison, before being transferred to Katchoui Prison in Karaj in May 2010. He was later sent to Reja’i Shahr prison, notorious for poor conditions. In his trial he said that he had been beaten and threatened with rape in detention and was placed under great pressure to “confess” to receiving money from abroad.

Tabarzadi was initially sentenced in September 2010 to nine years in prison and 74 lashes, after conviction of five charges: “insulting the Leader”, “insulting the President”, “propaganda against the system”, “gathering and colluding with intent to harm state security”, and “disturbing public order”. On appeal, this was reduced to 8 years in prison, and the flogging sentence was overturned, after he was reportedly acquitted of “disturbing public order” and “propaganda against the system”. He has also been banned from participating in any social activities for ten years.

Two of Heshmatollah Tabarzadi’s lawyers are themselves now in prison: acclaimed human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, serving an 11-year sentence, and Mohammad Oliyaeifard, who is ill with leukemia, serving a one-year sentence. A third, Khalil Bahramian, is also facing imprisonment, after he was sentenced to 18 months in prison and a 10-year ban on practicing as a lawyer in February 2011.

His interview before last arrest following Ashoora protest demonstrations in December 2009: