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Mohammad Tavassoli: Prisoner of the day

Nehzat Azadi Secretary arrested

">ICHRI: Since his 3 November arrest, 74-year-old Mohammad Tavassoli, Political Secretary of Iran’s Freedom Movement, has been in prison without any communication with his family.

Mehdi Nourbakhsh, a close relative of Tavassoli, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that Tavassoli’s family is under pressure for talking to the media about him.”Throughout the time Tavassoli has been in detention, his family has not been informed about his location, nor specifics about his charges. During his detention, he has not been allowed to contact his family at all,” said Nourbakhsh.

Security forces arrested Tavassoli at his home on 3 November in relation with a letter to Mohammad Khatami signed by 143 political and social activists. “There will not be the smallest glimmer of hope for protecting the people’s vote and for holding free, healthy, and fair elections,” said the letter.

“We heard from some Evin prisoners and their families that Mr. Tavassoli is inside Evin Prison and under immense pressure. Kayhan Newspaper wrote after his arrest that the reason for his arrest is forging 143 signatures on a [15 October] letter to Khatami. But during the weeks since he has been in prison, we heard that several of the people who signed the letter have been taken to the Intelligence Ministry, where they were interrogated. They all said ‘we signed the letter ourselves and it is not a forgery.’ Now we heard news from the prison that they want to charge Tavassoli with writing the text of the letter, whereas members of the Nationalist-Religious group wrote this letter. More importantly, it doesn’t matter who authored the letter signed by 143 people. It means that all of them assume responsibility for it, and not just one person,” Nourbakhsh told the Campaign.

Mohammad Tavassoli was Tehran’s first mayor after the 1979 Revolution. He has been arrested and tortured several times since then. His last detention before the recent one was during the days immediately following the 2009 presidential election, when he spent almost two months inside Evin Prison’s Ward 209.

Nourbakhsh, who is also Ebrahim Yazdi’s son-in-law, told the Campaign that the Tavassoli family are under pressure not to talk to the media. “From that first day intelligence forces arrested Mr. Tavassoli at his home, his family was told not to give interviews. The Tehran Prosecutor told them the same thing later. His family has been going to courts and other places, but has not been able to receive any answers about his whereabouts and his charges,” he said.

Update: According to a 21 March article on Kaleme Website, on 9 March 2012, after four months of detention, Mohammad Tavasooli was allowed a 36-hour leave to attend his daughter's wedding. Judicial authorities did not agree with his request to extend his leave for Nowruz, and Tavassoli was returned to the Intelligence Ministry's Ward 209.

26-Mar-2012
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Khebedin

These guys are reaping what

by Khebedin on

These guys are reaping what they sow.  They can't and should not complain. as you sow so shall you reap. They have forgotten what they have done.


Bavafa

درود بر تمام ایرانیان مبارز

Bavafa


Iranians of all walks of life, some in their older years which is suppose to be their golden years are spending their life behind bars as oppose to peace and security.  But they have elected to live with dignity even if that means in captivity.  We owe it to these brave bunch our full support and for a sustain campaign for their immediate and unconditional freedom.

  My salute to this and all brave resistors of this dictatorial regime.

 

'Hambastegi' is the main key to victory 

Mehrdad


Zendanian

Defend and Support Mohammad Tavassoli!

by Zendanian on

Sample Protest letter:

Dear  virtual family, please take a moment to send this protest letter or use your own version.

Please keep in mind that as we're entering the Iranian new year and Spring,  for our most courageous political prisoners there will be no Spring to be exprienced; apart from their family members, deprived of the most basic rights inside jails of IR. Sending a letter would take only a few moments for us, but it would mean so much for them. Many thanks in advance.

 ========================================

Free Mohammad Tavassoli!

I (we) am (are) writing this to condemn persecution and incarceration  of dissenting politicians in Iran. Dissenting activists in Iran are constantly harassed by officials of Islamic Republic.

In particular, this letter is written to express my (our) serious concern about the  health and well being of Mr. Mohammad Tavassoli, who is 74 years old, and should spend the golden years of his life with his family and loved ones and not inside a jail cell.

I (we) demand the immediate and unconditional freedom of  Mr. Mohammad Tavassoli, and all other political prisoners, and call on the Islamic Republic of Iran to respect the right of all Iranians to  , organize, assemble and freedom of religion , association and expression.

Name:

Organization:

Position:

Send Copy of your Protest Letters to:

info@leader.ir, info@judiciary.ir, dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir; iran@un.int; ijpr@iranjudiciary.org, info@dadiran.ir, office@justice.ir, support@irimlsa.ir; info@humanrights-iran.ir

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An injury to one is an injury to all.


Roozbeh_Gilani

Islmist Regime are frightened of their own shaddows now.....

by Roozbeh_Gilani on

Why else would they imprison a 74 year old man, very much a former insider, for merely signing a petition , stating the very obvious fact that every Iranian knows, , that this circus of "elections" , Islamic republic  style, is not funny any more and will have no further audience from Iranian people,

 "Personal business must yield to collective interest."