Iranian of the Day

RAHANA: In April 2007, Intelligence Ministry forces raided the home of former political activist Nazila Dashti, wife of a Pahlavi-era and a 1980's political prisoner, Dr. Hani Yazarloo. The couple had served prison terms during the 1980's. The forces spent three hours searching Nazila Dashti's home and confiscated her computer, passports of all family members, books, pictures and CD’s. A few days later Nazila Dashti was summoned to the Intelligence Ministry office. She appeared with her son, Houd Yazarloo. They were both arrested on that day, and released trhree weeks later on bail of $100,000 each.

In October 2008, the Tehran Revolutionary Court began investigations into Dashti's charges of “supporting the Mojahedin-e Khalgh Organization (MKO)," "propagation for the MKO," and "illegal border exit.” The reason for these charges was a trip Nazila Dashti had taken to Iraq a year prior to her first arrest, in order to visit her sister whom she had not seen in 25 years. The Revolutionary Court sentenced Nazila Dashti to three years in prison.

On 27 May, 2009 Nazila Dashti was arrested and transferred to Evin Prison to begin serving her sentence, even though neither she nor her attorney had been formally served with the final appeals court ruling. She is currently inside the Women's Ward of Evin Prison.

On 18 February 2009, Nazila Dashti's son, Houd Yazarloo, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison and was transferred to Rajaee Shahr Prison to start serving his term in exile. He was released on 4 May 2011.

On 21 February 2009, Intelligence Ministry forces arrested her other son, Hamed Yazarloo, and transferred him to solitary confinement inside Evin Prison's Ward 209. Hamed Yazarloo had been a "starred student," banned from pursuing a Ph.D. degree after he was not approved for admission by the Science Ministry's Selection Committee. Hamed Yazarloo was later sentenced to three years in prison on charges of "contact with opposition groups." Hamed Yazarloo was eventually released on 4 February 2012.

In May 2011, Intelligence Ministry forces stormed the home of Dr. Hani Yazarloo and arrested the well-known political activist.

>>> A 2008 interview with Dr. Hani Yazarloo about the arrests of his wife and two sons