A New Case Opened Against Soheil Arabi, Political Prisoner, for the Thirteenth Time
The mother of Soheil Arabi, a political prisoner, says that a new case has been opened against this political prisoner in the Revolutionary Court for the thirteenth time, and the judge has informed him of charges of “assembly and conspiracy” and “propaganda activity against the system.”
Farrangis Mazloom, the mother of Soheil Arabi, a political prisoner held in Rajaie Shahr Prison, said in an exclusive interview with Voice of America that the court session took place on Monday, June 3rd, in the third investigation branch of Martyr Moghaddes Evin with the presence of the case’s lawyer in court, and Mr. Arabi also attended the session virtually from prison.
Ms. Mazloom cited examples of the charges brought against him, naming the writing of statements regarding the unsuitable conditions in the prison and statements criticizing the prison superintendent, and said that the judge asked Soheil Arabi questions in court regarding these disclosures, to which he replied: “Go investigate and bring an impartial journalist there to see; if I lied, I will accept your charges.”
The mother of this political prisoner, who says that Soheil Arabi has once again been subject to “case fabrication,” told Voice of America: “Soheil himself told me that when I was in ward 2-A, one of the interrogators said we are afraid to release you because if you go out, you will definitely do something.”
Farrangis Mazloom says that Mr. Arabi, despite having medical documents, has not been granted even a single day of leave, and the responsible authorities are not even willing to release this political prisoner on bail: “I even took the medical files to the prison organization, but they do not accept my word despite the documents I have in hand. They have never granted leave, and every day they are increasing the pressure on Soheil and those like Soheil.”
Soheil Arabi’s mother, the political prisoner held in Rajaie Shahr Prison, referring to the unsuitable conditions in Rajaie Shahr Prison, told Voice of America: “I call on international organizations and human rights groups to help us and be the voice not only for my son, but for all prisoners in the prison. Unlawful and inhumane actions are being taken against these young people. There are those who, despite illness and pain, are deprived of seeing a doctor, someone who can examine them and give them medicine. Be our voice, our children have put themselves in prison for our comfort and peace.”
Previously, Soheil Arabi’s mother told Voice of America that after an audio file of this political prisoner’s disclosures regarding the unsuitable conditions in Tehran’s main prison was published in some Persian-language media outlets outside Iran, he was transferred to Rajaie Shahr Prison, and the head of Tehran’s main prison threatened her son, saying “I will send you to a prison worse than this, and I have the authority to do so.”
Soheil Arabi, a photographer, blogger, and civil activist, was arrested by the Revolutionary Guards in December 2013. The sentence issued against him, which initially sentenced him to death on charges of “insulting the Prophet and desecrating sacred values,” was later overturned by one of the branches of the Supreme Court. After retrial and overturning of the sentence, he was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison; however, again in September 2019, in addition to his previous conviction, he was sentenced by branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court, headed by Judge Ahmadzadeh, to an additional three years in prison and exile to Borazjan.
The United States has repeatedly condemned violent treatment and widespread suppression of protesters and civil activists, as well as the repeated and continuous violation of the rights of Iranian citizens by the Islamic Republic.
Source: Voice of America
