New details of Esmaeil Bakhshi's "severe torture": from beatings with batons to administering psychiatric drugs

A relative of Ismail Bakhshi, a representative of Haft Tappeh sugarcane workers, described the details of the worker's torture during his detention by the Islamic Republic's security and judicial institutions, saying that he had been fired from his job and had no right to communicate with anyone.

A relative of Ismail Bakhshi, who did not want to be named for security reasons, denied the news of Ismail Bakhshi's house arrest in an interview with journalist Shahid Alavi, stating, "Ismail Bakhshi is in a situation where he cannot communicate with the outside world."

Esmael Bakhshi, who was arrested on Sunday, November 17, during a labor rally at the Haft Tapeh Sugarcane Company in Shush, was finally released after 25 days on bail of 400 million.

Although it has been about two weeks since Esmaeil Bakhshi's release, there was no accurate information about the worker's conditions. However, according to a published audio file, one of Esmaeil Bakhshi's relatives stated that he was subjected to the most severe torture during his detention.

Previously, news had been published about the torture of civil society activists Esmaeil Bakhshi and Sepideh Qolyan during their detention.

While more details about the torture of Esmaeil Bakhshi during his arrest and interrogation are being released, reports of torture in Iranian detention centers are not unprecedented. An issue that has sometimes led to the death of protesting detainees, but Iranian judicial and law enforcement authorities have not yet provided a clear response on the matter.

Now, one of Esmail Bakhshi's relatives has stated in a published interview that during the interrogation, he was beaten as severely as possible and hit with a baton on sensitive parts of his body, so that Mr. Bakhshi is currently having trouble walking, sitting, and sleeping. Even his ribs are damaged and there is a possibility of fracture, and he needs to be treated immediately.

It was previously reported that Ismail Bakhshi was hospitalized due to the assault. Although this issue was neither denied nor confirmed in this interview, the informed source said that during his detention, Mr. Bakhshi was given drugs called sedatives, which were originally “nerve and mental” drugs. These drugs were hallucinogenic and their effects remain to this day.

According to this audio file, due to the effects of these drugs, Ismail Bakhshi sometimes experiences hallucinations and thinks that he is still in detention. He also sometimes experiences fever and chills. These problems have caused him to become withdrawn and not communicate with anyone.

But security restrictions are another reason for the news about Ismail Bakhshi's condition. The informed source said that Ismail Bakhshi and his family have been threatened and told that they have no right to communicate with anyone.

He also said that Mr. Bakhshi has been fired from Haft Tapeh Company and his bank accounts have been frozen. According to this informed source, the worker is facing severe financial constraints and therefore has no access to a doctor, especially when he needs treatment.

Previously, following the escalation of security and judicial clashes with workers in Iran, the United States Department of State had condemned these clashes and announced that the regime ruling Iran constantly violates the rights of the people.

The United Nations has also recently passed a resolution protesting the widespread human rights violations in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Source: Voice of America