Iranian opposition groups say that the judiciary has decided to cancel the New Year furlough customarily extended to political prisoners in Iran in March.

The opposition report indicates that the decision comes in reaction to the meeting of to EU diplomat Catherine Ashton with Iranian women’s rights activists in Tehran as well as the UN’s recent adverse reports about human rights in Iran.

The Kaleme website reports that, as usual, the Tehran Prosecutors office had promised families of political prisoners that their kin would get temporary leaves for Norooz, and a list of 54 prisoners had been prepared and bail procedures had been observed.

The report adds that despite these preparations, the UN criticisms and Ashton’s meetings have angered extremists, and in the higher echelons of the judiciary they have decided to react by canceling the Norooz leave for political prisoners.

The families of political prisoners have reported that since the Rohani government took power, political prisoners are consistently being sacrificed in the fights between the judiciary and the government.

Radio Zamaneh