Mr. Akbar Mohammadi Killed By Bloody Islamic Regime Of Iran

Death Untimely
It is with great sorrow and total grief that I am writing these few lines. Ever since I heard the news of Akbar Mohammadi’s untimely death in prison, on July 30th, I have only cried at the thought of how a young man’s life has been taken so tragically; how he will be missed by his mother and father and his sisters and brother; how his prison mates will miss him. He was innocent and only drawn into a life that he had not anticipated. He was a student at Tehran University who became caught up in the events of 18 Tir; He was arrested and imprisoned, interrogated and tortured. He lost the best years of his life during which he, like many fellow students, still had dreams for a future, his own and that of his country.

The men who tortured him took away his life, his youth and his future. They were men who are clinging to power out of greed and for self preservation, who have appropriated everything for themselves while leaving nothing for others. Akbar Mohammadi lost his life because he believed in freedom and the struggle for the preservation of what is noble and sacred to all of us: the freedom of humankind, love for others and the belief that all human beings are created equal.

I had the privilege of translating his prison memoirs recently. As I read through the one hundred or so pages, I came to know a young man who was innocent, pure of heart, someone from a small town in Mazandaran who became active in the political scene because he saw the injustice of his society and wanted to make a difference. For six long years, Akbar Mohammadi endured harsh interrogation and unbearable torture at the hands of those who have made Iran into a vast prison for all its citizens. He wrote:

“My name is Akbar Mohammadi. I am sure you have heard of my name either on the radio or on television, and/or have read about me in newspapers, of my continuing struggle against the Islamic Republic; I am not sure, though, if you have any idea what happened to me in the prisons of the regime.

For this very reason, I want to write my story and let all my compatriots know what took place. By writing this memoir, I intend to document everything in the archives of history which will one day expose the true nature of Iran’s present rulers.

I was born into a middle class family in Amol, in the luscious greenery of the beautiful province of Mazandaran, in the land of Maziar, adjacent to the land of Babak Khoramdin. In 1994, after finishing high school, I came to Tehran. After passing the Concours (Entrance exam for the University) I was admitted to the school of Health and Human Resources at Tehran University, to study to become a social worker.

As a freedom loving student, I saw the injustice and the lack of freedom prevailing in society; thus I began my political activities. What changed me was the tragic death of the Forouhars in 1998, the exposure of these murders in the newspaper Salaam, and the paper’s subsequent closing. This tragic event had an enormous impact on many of us. My older brother Manouchehr Mohammadi and I were arrested during a peaceful student demonstration, which began in the universities on 18 Tir/8 July 1999, starting in Tehran and subsequently spreading to many other cities, and which was broken up by the regime’s security guards. It is ironic that I was kicked out of the University on the 27th of Khordad 1382 (June 2003) because of my long absence (I was in prison!!). What you will read in the following pages are the events that led to my arrest (after 5 days) by the security forces and all that happened to me while in custody. I must add that all the pain and suffering which I endured are not all spelled in this memoir as I have tried to forget most of it……”

“The Basij militia had come from other parts of Iran to Tehran to suppress the dissent. They were youngsters, who had become pawns. They acted from pure conviction and most were from the rural areas and poor families. They had told them that the folks in Tehran and university students were anti-religious and anti-Islam. They were brainwashed thinking that we wanted to do away with Islam. They were told that we wanted to spread prostitution and corruption throughout Iran. Since most of these young people loved guns and wanted to see the capital city, they had come to Tehran, where they were given guns to suppress the students, many of whom had also come from the same rural areas where the basij had come from.”

His final words were: “This is a token of what happened to me in the last few years in the horrific prisons of the Islamic Republic; I can't recall everything. I just hope that one day, the dark shadow that is taken over our country, the dark shadow of dictatorship, injustice and oppression will be replaced by the light of democracy, freedom on the plateau of Iran. I hope we will never see a single political prisoner, the reign of terror, torture, oppression and fear.

Until that day… I say, Long live freedom, End to tyranny, Long live Iran.”- Akbar Mohammadi


From: Ideas and lashes: The prison diary of Akbar Mohammadi

To: Health professionalsFrom: Medical Office / Middle East ProgramDate: 2 March 2000
MEDICAL LETTER WRITING ACTION
Akbar MohammadiIRANKey words: death penalty / ill-health / torture / medical care / unfair trialSummaryAmnesty International is concerned at the torture during detention and sentencing to death after an unfair trial of Akbar Mohammadi. The organization believes him to be in ill health and is urging that his death sentence be commuted and that he receives all necessary medical care.Recommended ActionsAppeals are requested from health professionals to the addresses below:
introducing yourself as a concerned health professional and/or member of Amnesty International's health professional network
urging the authorities to commute the death sentence against Akbar Mohammadi immediately, and, if he has been charged with a recognisably criminal offence, seeking information on the laws under which these charges were brought;
asking what examinations and diagnosis of AM's health have been made
seeking assurances that Akbar Mohammadi is given access to adequate medical care as provided for by international human rights standards such as the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners [Article 22] If you receive no reply from the government or other recipients within two months of dispatch of your letter, please send a follow up letter seeking a response.Please check with the medical team if you are sending appeals after25 April 2000, and send copies of any replies you do receive to the International Secretariat (att: medical team).ADDRESSES Leader of the Islamic RepublicHis Excellency Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Khamenei,The Presidency, Palestine Avenue,Azerbaijan Intersection, TehranIslamic Republic of IranSalutation: Your ExcellencyPresidentHis Excellency Hojjatoleslam val Moslemin Sayed Mohammad KhatamiThe Presidency, Palestine AvenueAzerbaijan IntersectionTehranIslamic Republic of IranSalutation: Your ExcellencyHead of JudiciaryHis Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi-ShahrudiMinistry of Justice, Park-e ShahrTehranIslamic Republic of IranTelegrams: Head of the Judiciary, Tehran, IranSalutation: Your ExcellencyCOPIES TO:Minister of Foreign Affairs,His Excellency Kamal KharraziMinistry of Foreign AffairsSheikh Abdolmajid Keshk-e Mesri AvenueTehran,Islamic Republic of IranMr Mohammad Hassan Zia'i-FarSecretary, Islamic Human Rights CommissionPO Box 13165-137TehranIslamic Republic of IranFaxes: + 98 21 204 0541Sa'id Neshatc/o the Organization for Defending Victims of ViolenceP.O. Box 16765-911TehranIslamic Republic of IranAI Index:MDE 13/05/00Date: 2 March 2000
MEDICAL CONCERNAkbar MohammadiIRANAkbar Mohammadi, a 29-year-old student, who was sentenced to death in September 1999 after an unfair trial, has reportedly had his sentence upheld by the Supreme Court, and may face imminent execution. His sentence can only be commuted by Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Khamenei, Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, whose position is unaffected by the recent general election in Iran.He has reportedly been tortured in detention by suspension by the arms and the whipping of the soles of his feet. He subsequently suffered from blood in his urine. He is believed to have undertaken a hunger strike along with other prisoners.According to press reports, Akbar Mohammadi wrote a letter to judiciary chief Mahmud Hashemi-Shahrudi. In this letter which was published in some Iranian newspapers, he stated that he had been hit with an electric cable and ''violently beaten''. He was referred to hospital by the prison doctor, but was not taken to hospital.Akbar Mohammadi was sentenced to death after a trial by Tehran's Revolutionary Court, in connection with student demonstrations in July 1999. Two other students, Ahmad Batebi and Ali Shafei, were sentenced to death with him, but according to recent reports in the newspapers Fath(Victory) and Asr-e-Azadegan (Era of the Free), their sentences have been commuted to 10 and two and a half years' imprisonment respectively. Amnesty International remains concerned that all three were sentenced after secret trials at special courts whose procedures fall short of minimum international standards for fair trial.Amnesty International has received reports that Akbar Mohammadi is now suffering very poor health, possibly including kidney failure, though AI does not have full details of his current state of health. The organization is seeking details of his current situation and asking for reassurances that he will receive all necessary examinations, diagnosis and treatment. AI is further urging that his sentence be commuted and that he be granted a re-trial conforming to international standards for fair trial.BACKGROUND INFORMATIONAkbar Mohammadi is the brother of Manuchehr Mohammadi, a leading member of Anjoman-e Daneshjuyan va Daneshamukhtegan Melli (National Association of Students and Graduates), who was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment in connection with the student demonstrations. Amnesty International is concerned that a large number of those arrested for their involvement in the demonstrations are still detained without charge or trial.The peaceful student demonstrations of July 1999 were against new laws curbing press freedom and the closure of the daily newspaper Salam. Members of the vigilante student group Ansar-e Hezbollah who attacked the demonstrators were joined by members of the security forces, resulting in at least one death and serious injuries to scores of students.

نامه همسر احمد باطبی به شورای حقوق بشر سازمان ملل

ریاست محترم شورای حقوق بشر سازمان ملل
این نامه از سوی سمیه بینات همسر آقای احمد باطبی زندانی سیاسی در ایران برای شما نوشته شده است. همانگونه که احتمالا مستحضرید؛ احمد باطبی دانشجویی که در سال 78 در ماجرای حمله به کوی دانشگاه تهران بازداشت شد و حکم اعدام اولیه از سوی قوه قضاییه ایران برای وی صادر شد و در نهایت در دادگاه تجدید نظر به 15 سال حبس قطعی محکوم شد. پس از گذراندن 6 سال از دوره محکومیت به علت آزار و شکنجه در زندان، مشکلات جسمانی فراوان و بیماری های کلیوی، نخاعی و گوارشی برای وی به وجود آمد و پزشکان معالج احمد باطبی با آزمایشهای فراوان به این نتیجه رسیدند که ادامه حبس احمد باطبی ، عوارض وخیمی برای وی تا حد فلجی و مرگ به دنبال خواهد داشت. بنابراین احمد باطبی به مرخصی استعلاجی فرستاده شد تا به مدوای خود بپردازد. متاسفانه در تاریخ 7/5/85 عده ای ناشناس و مسلح پس از بازرسی کامل منزلمان، احمد باطبی را بازداشت کردند و به مکان نامعلومی منتقل کردند. همسرم اعلام کرد که از همان لحظه بازداشت اعتصاب غذا خواهد کرد. تلاشهای من و وکیل وی تاکنون برای مشخص شدن وضعیتش و ملاقات و یا تماس تلفنی با او بی نتیجه مانده است. با توجه به وضعیت جسمانی احمد باطبی به شدت نگران وی هستم. لازم به ذکر است، در هفته گذشته اکبر محمدی که او نیز در حادثه حمله به کوی دانشگاه تهران در سال 78 بازداشت شد و وضعیت مشابه همسرم را داشت، بعد از 9 روز اعتصاب غذا در زندان اوین درگذشت. از این رو با عنایت به شرایط وخیم جسمانی احمد باطبی و بیماری های متعدد او به شدت نگران وضعیت او هستم و بیم آن می رود که او نیز به سرنوشت اکبر محمدی دچار شود و در اثر اعتصاب غذا جان بسپرد. این نامه را در حالی برای شورای حقوق بشر سازمان ملل می نویسم و از این شورا درخواست کمک می کنم که پس از 9 روز پیگیری، مراجعه به زندان اوین و دادگاه انقلاب و نگاشتن نامه به مراجع قضایی ایران، هنوز هیچ پاسخی دریافت نکرده ام و از سرنوشت او خبر ندارم . به گونه ای که در زنده بودن وی دچار تردید شده ام. از شورای حقوق بشر سازمان ملل که تشکیل آن امید تازه ای برای پیگیری موثر تر روند حقوق بشر در کشور های نقض کننده این حقوق به ما داده است ، درخواست می کنم که پرونده حقوق بشر ایران، در مورد احمد باطبی را در دستور کار خود قرار داده ، و برای آگاهی از وضعیت او هیئتی را به ایران اعزام کند و خواستار آن شود تا مطابق با موازین حقوق بشر با وی برخورد شود و احمد باطبی بتواند از حقوق اولیه که حق هر انسانی است برخوردار شود و در بیرون از زندان به درمان بیماری هایش که محصول دوران زندان است بپردازد. با احترامسمیه بیناتهمسر احمد باطبی، دانشجوی زندانی از سال 78 تا کنون15/5/85رونوشت به : تمامی سازمانهای حامی حقوق بشرخبرنگاران بدون مرزسازمان جهانی دیدبان حقوق بشرسازمان جهانی عفو بین المللگروههای فعال ایرانی حقوق بشر در اروپا و آمریکای شمالی