While three of the men accused of Kahrizak detention center crimes enjoy special treatment (three Judges were found to be the main culprits in the torture deaths of prisoners at Kahrizak by the Parliament, but have not as yet been put on trial for their crimes), the person who exposed the crimes at Kahrizak, journalist Mehdi Mahmoudian, is denied furlough and is on month 8 of fasting.

After more than four months since his last medical furlough, despite promises by the prosecution office, his family’s repeated requests for furlough have been denied due to interference by the Intelligence Ministry.

Mahmoudian who was arrested at his home on September 16, 2009 had a prominent role in exposing the crimes and atrocities occurring at Kahrizak detention center.

He was the first person to report on the torture, the beating and inhumane treatment of the prisoners at that detention center.

After two years of incarceration, Mahmoudian was released this past summer on a short, much needed medical furlough.

Mahmoudian’s exile to Rajai Shahr prison has made visits very difficult for his elderly mother. Each week she has to travel for hours via public transportation to visit with her son.

Due to the long distance and conflict of schedule, Mahmoudian’s ten year old daughter who is a 4th grade student, is also rarely able to visit her dad

Mahmoudian who was a member of the Participation Front media liaison, had also reported on the killings of the protesters and the secret nightly burials of the murdered protesters.

While some of the Judges accused in the atrocities of Kahrizak have been promoted to high level government positions, and, the dismissed Judges have yet to be tried, the person exposing the crimes of Kahrizak, has been sentenced to five years imprisonment on charges of assembly and collusion with intent to act against the national security.

Mahmoudidan is one of the political prisoners who, despite being exiled to Rejaei Shahr prison, continue to report and expose prison atrocities.

Mehdi Mahmoudian, despite various health conditions, mostly acquired during imprisonment due to physical and psychological torture (such as being placed in extreme cold weather outside without any clothing while being beaten on the body and head by guards), has only been sent to hospital twice during his imprisonment.

Mahmoudian has been fasting for the past eight month, protesting the illegal arrest and detention of Mehdi Karoubi, Mir Hossein Mousavi and Zahra Rahnavard.

Mahmoudian was hospitalized for few days last February at Rejaei Shahr hospital. In response to friends’ request that maybe if he would stop writing and reporting on the plight of prisoners, they might release him, allowing him to be with his family, he said:

“Was my not being imprisoned worth not exposing crimes of Kahrizak? If I had not, perhaps for weeks or even months longer, hundreds more of our brothers would have been tortured and violated there.

Was the fear of imprisonment and being away from my family worth me not revealing and exposing the secret burials in section 202 of Behesht Zahra (Tehran cemetery)? And just as thousands of mothers who for 23 years haven’t known where their children are buried, might not hundreds of other parents and children not even be able to cry on the grave of loved ones for years?

By persianbanoo

Source: Kalameh