Two Weeks After Navid Afkari’s Execution, His Brothers Remain in Solitary Confinement and Visitation Ban

Two weeks after the execution of Navid Afkari, a 27-year-old Iranian wrestler and one of those detained during recent protests, concerns continue regarding the condition of Vahid and Habib Afkari, his two imprisoned brothers.

An informed source close to the Afkari family told the Persian service of Voice of America on Friday, September 25, that the lack of information about Habib and Vahid Afkari’s situation represents a doubled pressure currently being inflicted on the family outside the prison following Navid Afkari’s execution by Islamic Republic officials.

According to this informed source, the Afkari family has only been able to visit Habib and Vahid once, one week after Navid Afkari’s execution, on September 19, at Adel Abad Prison in Shiraz and in the presence of security personnel.

This informed source, who requested anonymity for security reasons, told the Persian service of Voice of America that this was the last visit Afkari brothers had with their family following Navid’s execution, and since that day they have had neither phone contact nor visits with their family. According to this source, “the family follows up every day, but neither prison officials nor judiciary officials respond, and they only say orders came from above.”

It is reported that during this visit, Habib and Vahid Afkari were in poor physical condition, and signs of fractures were visible on Vahid Afkari’s head. The two brothers also informed their family that they continue to be held in solitary confinement cells in the security ward in the basement of Adel Abad Prison.

This informed source stated that the reason for keeping Vahid and Habib Afkari in solitary confinement cells in the security ward of Adel Abad Prison is “officials’ fear,” saying: “Islamic Republic officials, by keeping these two brothers in security conditions that amount to hostage-taking, want to silence the family outside the prison.”

The informed source also stated that following Navid Afkari’s burial in the village of Sangar, Sepidan County in Fars Province, “security personnel have been stationed in Sangar to securitize the area and have rented a house there to create problems for the Afkari family and to prevent them from doing anything by keeping watch on them from all angles.”

Navid Afkari, a 27-year-old Iranian wrestler and one of those detained during recent protests, was executed on Saturday, September 12, in Shiraz and was buried in the village of Sangar, Sepidan, Fars Province under strict security measures with the presence of some family members. This political prisoner, who was arrested following August 2018 protests, had been sentenced to two death sentences, six and a half years imprisonment, and 74 lashes.

Vahid and Habib, the wrestler’s brothers, were also sentenced to similar charges of 54 and 27 years imprisonment with lashings respectively. This is while the Afkari brothers, while denying the charges against them, particularly the killing of a security officer, have repeatedly stated that they were forced under pressure and severe torture to make false confessions.

United Nations human rights special rapporteurs on Monday, September 24, issued a statement strongly condemning the hasty execution of Navid Afkari, the Iranian wrestler, and warned about the latest series of death sentences issued by the Islamic Republic of Iran in connection with protests in 2018 and 2019.

In the statement of UN human rights special rapporteurs, reference was also made to Navid Afkari’s allegations of torture through beatings with sticks and batons, placing a plastic bag over his head to the point of asphyxiation, and pouring alcohol in his nose, stating: “We are deeply concerned about these serious torture allegations that have not been investigated, the broadcast of his forced confession by state television, and the holding of secret and closed trials.”

In recent days, 150 political, civil and human rights activists wrote in a joint statement, referring to Navid Afkari’s execution: “The order for hasty execution of Navid Afkari came from the same center that issued the order to shoot and massacre hundreds of protesting people in November 2019, and according to them was carried out for the same purpose as the previous massacre: intimidating people and suppressing protesters.”

Mike Pompeo, the U.S. Secretary of State, referring to Navid Afkari’s execution and welcoming world leaders’ actions in canceling their meetings with Javad Zarif, said that the brutality of the Iranian regime must have consequences.

Source: Voice of America