Baktash Abtin’s 40th-Day Ceremony Turns Violent Following Security Forces Intervention; At Least ‘Six’ Arrested
The 40th-day ceremony for Baktash Abtin, which was scheduled to take place on Thursday, the 28th of Bahman at his burial site, turned violent following the intervention of security forces and the detention of several attendees.
The Iranian Writers’ Association confirmed on Thursday evening reports of “detention” and “beating” of several attendees by Islamic Republic security forces and released the names of six detainees from the ceremony.
Among these are Yashar Tabrizi, Tina Youseftebar, Kambiz Norouzadeh, Mehryar Zafarmand, Leila Mirgaffari, and an individual named Fariborz – whose family name is still unknown.
It is reported that more people have been detained at various points around the ceremony site in Abdollah Imamzadeh in Rey city.
According to a report published on the Iranian Writers’ Association’s Telegram channel, security forces in the final minutes of the ceremony “with intimidation and harassment and deliberate provocation” and “repressive intervention” ultimately forced people out of the cemetery.
Earlier, Poran Nazemi, one of the attendees at the ceremony, had reported in a video message about the intervention of security forces and plainclothes Islamic Republic operatives at Baktash Abtin’s 40th-day ceremony.
The burial ceremony of this poet and writer on the 20th of Dey had also been held under pressure from security forces.
Mr. Abtin was sentenced last year to six years in prison on charges such as membership in the Iranian Writers’ Association and presence at the graves of victims of serial political murders, and from the 5th of Mehr 1399, amid the height of the coronavirus crisis in Iran, he was transferred to Evin Prison to serve his sentence.
During his imprisonment, he contracted coronavirus twice and ultimately, following the neglect of Evin Prison authorities in treating him despite his deteriorating physical condition, he died on the 18th of Dey in a hospital in Tehran.
Mr. Abtin’s brother had previously stated, citing his cellmates, that coronavirus symptoms began in Mr. Abtin from the 6th of Azar, but prison authorities issued him a temporary release permit on the 22nd of Azar.
He further added that his brother, Baktash Abtin, after being transferred to the hospital was “in such poor physical condition that he could barely speak, and his family was only able to hear a few words from him, yet during two transfers to the hospital, he was shackled and his feet were chained to the hospital bed”.
