Iran Human RightsIran Moves Political Prisoner to “Worse” Prison for Criticizing...

Iran Moves Political Prisoner to “Worse” Prison for Criticizing Shooting Down of Ukrainian Plane

-

political pisoners Soheil Arabi

By Pooya Stone

The Iranian authorities have transferred a political prisoner to a “worse prison” for condemning the Revolutionary Guards’ (IRGC) shooting down of a Ukrainian passenger plane and refusing to retract his comments on TV.

Soheil Arabi was moved from Evin Prison to the notorious Greater Tehran Penitentiary in a deliberate attempt by the Intelligence Ministry to put him in danger. He will also be transferred to ward 4.

When he was getting in the prison transport vehicle with his belongings, and Intelligence Ministry agent told Arabi: “You have only two options. You can withdraw your previous declarations and express regret on TV or you’ll be transferred to a worse prison.”

He immediately replied: “I choose a worse prison.”

The difference between the two is that Evin Prison has a separate wing for political prisoners to keep them safe from violent offenders, which is in line with international law, the Greater Tehran Penitentiary is primarily used for holding inmates convicted of drug-related offenses and to intimidate political prisoners.

Arabi had, along with 10 inmates, condemned the IRGC for downing the jet, which had just taken off from Tehran airport, and killing 176 civilians, mistaking it for an incoming missile after Iran launched several missiles at US bases in Iran.

Shortly afterward, the Intelligence Ministry asked him to publically retract his comments about the downing of the Ukrainian plane, as well as his condemnation of the bloody crackdown on the November uprising.

He said: “I told the truth in my statements. You killed people in the streets. People want their rights. They have the right to protest and express their opinion. Why do you kill those who protest? We also have the right to express our views. So we made statements and protested the repression of the people. It’s not a crime.”

Again, fellow inmates had also condemned the crackdown that saw 1,500 killed, 4,000 wounded, and 12,000 arrested and threatened with torture and the death penalty.

Arabi, who is serving seven-and-a-half years in jail for writing Facebook posts that criticized the Islamic Republic, was previously transferred to the Greater Tehran Penitentiary on January 29, 2018.

During this temporary transfer, Arabi engaged in more peaceful activism, for which he was tried and convicted in October 2018. He was sentenced to another three years in jail on the charges of “propaganda against the state” and “insulting the sacred and the supreme leader”, bringing his total term to 10 years.

 

Latest news

Iran’s Regime’s New Hijab Bill Seeks to Silence Women

On May 21, Ebrahim Raisi’s government approved and sent a bill on "Chastity and Hijab" to Iran’s Parliament (Majlis)....

Iranian Opposition Condemns Release of Tehran’s Convicted Diplomat-Terrorist Assadollah Assadi

The recent prisoner exchange between Belgium and Iran, announced by the government of Oman, has sparked strong condemnation from...

World leaders call on Biden to adopt new Iran policy

In a joint letter, 109 former world leaders signed a letter calling for accountability in Iran and urging U.S....

The Unsettling Child Marriage Epidemic Sweeping Iran

The horrific scene of a man holding the severed head of his 17-year-old wife, Mona Heydari, in southwest Iran,...

How Iran’s Housing Crisis Can Trigger More Protests

Renting a home in Iran has become nearly impossible for tenants who not only have buried their dream of...

Iran’s Budget Deficit Has Doubled

In the absence of statistics from Iran’s Central Bank and despite the government's false claims that the budget for...

Must read

Iran says Iraq shrine blast work of CIA, Mossad

Iran Focus: Tehran, Iran, Feb. 24 – A senior...

Iran political prisoners plan ceremony to mark death of activist

Iran Focus: London, Sep. 08 – Human rights activists...

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you