5 of the Political Prisoners Previously on Hunger Strike at Evin Threatened to 6 Months Solitary Confinement

5 of the Political Prisoners Previously on Hunger Strike at Evin Threatened to 6 Months Solitary Confinement


on Saturday, August 14, 2010 at 7:36pm


Five of the political prisoners previously on hunger strike at Evin were taken from solitary confinement in ward 240 to the prosecutor's office at Evin last Wednesday. Prison authorities threatened Kouhyar Goodarzi, Bahman Ahmadi Amouei, Keyvan Samimi, Gholam Hossein Arashi and Ali Malihi to six months in solitary confinement.


Four of the threatened prisoners, Bahman Ahmadi Amouei, Kouhyar Goodarzi, Ali Malihi and Keyvan Samimi are journalists. Ali Malihi is also a member of Daftar-e Tahkim Vahdat (student alumni organization). Gholam Hossein Arashi also threated to six months in solitary confinement is a citizen who protested the results of the elections last year, was arrested due to his participation in the Ashura protests and endured severe beatings during his interrogation process.

Five of the political prisoners previously on hunger strike at Evin were taken from solitary confinement in ward 240 to the prosecutor's office at Evin last Wednesday. Prison authorities threatened Kouhyar Goodarzi, Bahman Ahmadi Amouei, Keyvan Samimi, Gholam Hossein Arashi and Ali Malihi to six months in solitary confinement.

According to reports received by Kaleme from Evin prison, despite the fact that the maximum number of days in solitary confinement during an individuals prison sentence in accordance to Prison Regulations is 20 days in, these prisoners have nevertheless been threatened by Sedaghat the head of Evin prison to 6 months stay in solitary confinement. According to informed sources, the events that occurred at Evin during the past three weeks are more than anything due to mismanagement by Sedaghat, the head of Evin prison who rather than addressing complaints by prisoners regarding poor prison conditions and inappropriate treatment by prison guards, instead transferred the 17 political prisoners to solitary confinement, sparking a crisis in Evin's ward 350.

These five prisoners were also threatened to be banned from all telephone contact and visitation rights by their family members in the next six months. Four of the threatened prisoners, Bahman Ahmadi Amouei, Kouhyar Goodarzi, Ali Malihi and Keyvan Samimi are journalists. Ali Malihi is also a member of Advar Tahkim Vahdat. Gholam Hossein Arashi also threatened to six months in solitary confinement is a citizen who protested the results of the elections last year, was arrested due to his participation in the Ashura protests and endured severe beatings during his interrogation process.

Ali Malihi, student activist and member of Daftar-e Tahkim Vahdat (student alumni organization), Bahman Ahmad Amouie, journalist, Hossein Nourinejad, journalist and member of the Participation Front (reformist party), Abdollah Momeni, student activist and spokesperson for Daftar-e Tahkim Vahdat, Ali Parviz, student activist, Hamid Reza Mohammadi, political activist, Jafar Eghdami, civil society activist, Babak Bordbar, photo journalist, Zia Nabavi, starred student and member of the Council to Defend the Right to Education, Ebrahim (Nader) Babaie, civil society activist and an injured veteran of the Iran-Iraq war, Kouhyar Goodarzi, human rights activist and blogger, Majid Dori, student activist, Majid Tavakoli, student activist, Keyvan Samimi, journalist, Gholam Hossein Arashi, Mohammad Hossein Sohrabi Rad arrested during an Ashura protest in Tehran are amongst the prisoners transferred to solitary confinement who had been on a hunger strike for two weeks.

It is worth mentioning that Keyvan Samimi is still on hunger strike, and with the arrival of the month of Ramadan, concerns regarding his well being have increased due to the fact that during the fasting period water and tea are served only during Iftar and Sahar (evening and dawn when the fast is broken).