The family of Seyed Mohammad Ebrahimi has told Rooz Online that, despite this prisoner of conscience’s unsuitable physical and psychological condition, he is still held in Evin prison in a state of limbo. Sadigheh Zeinali, Mr. Ebrahimi’s mother, who visited her son last Monday, told Rooz: “My son’s only sin was visiting, expressing sympathy with, and consoling the Mourning Mothers.”
Seyed Mohammad Ebrahimi was arrested last December on the charge of “Colluding to act against national security”. He was the liaison between Mir Hossein Mousavi and the mourning families, the families who lost their loved ones in the wake of the disputed 2009 Presidential election and the ensuing popular protests. Earlier, a source close to Mr. Ebrahimi told Rooz Online that Mr. Ebrahimi would search and find unknown martyrs of the post-election protests on behalf of Mr. Mousavi, and then console their families. For doing so, Mr. Ebrahimi was held in solitary confinement for months. As a result of the tortures he endured, his health deteriorated so much that he was transferred to Amin Abad Hospital, a psychiatric ward. He was held at the psychiatric ward for 34 days before being transferred to ward 350 of Evin prison, where he was informed of his father’s death. Upon hearing the news, he suffered from fits and convulsions. On a daily basis, Mr. Ebrahimi was consuming 24 strong pills. During this period, he was not granted even a single day of prison leave (furlough) to relieve his emotional pain. He was also not allowed to attend his father’s funeral.
The source added: “We could not believe that they accused Mohammad of “Acting against national security’ and ‘Collusion’. Is visiting a mother who lost a child or a child who has lost a parent a crime? Is the security of our nation actually threatened so much that [Mohammad had to endure] such pain and end up in a psychiatric ward?”
Mohammad Ebrahimi’s mother told Rooz: “Mohammad has been in prison for 11 months. His crime is visiting the Mourning Mothers. They have opened up a second case file with a private plaintiff against him, which they need to get authorized first. They claim he has borrowed money from someone to help families and has not paid back the loan…I saw him [at the court], and he was not feeling well. They have broken two of his teeth. They had severely beaten him up. His psychological state was not well either.”
She added: “We were not informed when Mohammad was detained. We couldn’t believe it. One of my son’s is 70% physically disabled and has lost the function of his eyes during the Iran-Iraq War. We could not believe they would do such a thing [to our family] (arresting Mohammad). When we were informed that they had transferred Mohammad to Amin Abad Hospital, his father went to visit him. It was this hospital that caused us all the misery. When his father returned from visiting Mohammad, he was not doing well and was constantly crying. When he had seen Mohammad’s condition, he had lost consciousness…We went to the doctor and a cardia MRI was performed on [my husband]. We were informed that he had suffered a heart attack. Not long after, he [died], and left us and Mohammad behind.”
Ms. Zeinali complains that “when they detained Mohammad, nobody came to visit and inquire about him and his family; nobody asked how her son is doing. He would visit and help the Mourning Mothers but nobody helped him and his family. His life has been shattered; hi s wife has divorced him, and he remains in prison in fragile psychological conditions. I am ill; I don’t know anyone or anybody. My nephew has to come to Arak (in Central Iran-300KM southwest of Iran) , pick me up in his car and take me to Tehran so that I could visit my son and come back to Arak. His condition deteriorates every day. It has been a month that they do not have warm water in Prison, and they have to take showers with cold water. I do not know where to take my grievances”. According to Ms. Zeinali, the case of Mr. Ebrahimi is open in the city of Rey (south of Tehran) and at the hand of Judge Hosseini. He is currently held in section 350 of Evin prison, and receives visits every Monday. She says: “I just ask them to let my son leave the prison to receive medical attention. He has been hurt physically and psychologically. There is nothing I can do. If anybody can help me, please assist my son. I do not have any money. Please do not let my son remain in jail”. According to Kalemeh website, after it was revealed that Mr. Ebrahimi was tortured during his detention, he was interrogated again and was pressured to deny he had been tortured. However, he refused to deny it.
Ms. Zeinali adds:”When I visited him on Monday, he did not say anything, but he was not feeling well”.
Source : Persian2English