Death of University Professor in Evin Prison, Two Weeks After Arrest; Authorities Say It Was Suicide
The death of a university professor and environmental activist two weeks after his arrest has raised questions in Evin Prison. Iranian judicial authorities say he committed suicide.
France’s news agency reported on Sunday, February 22, that Iran’s scientific community is in shock after learning of the death of Kavous Seyed Emami, 63, a prominent sociology professor and director of the Pars Heritage Wildlife Foundation.
Mr. Seyed Emami’s family announced his death on Saturday night through social media.
Iranian judicial authorities say that he, who had been arrested and imprisoned eighteen days earlier along with seven colleagues, committed suicide. However, Mr. Seyed Emami’s family rejected the Iranian judicial authorities’ claim and demanded an independent autopsy.
Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, Tehran’s chief prosecutor, announced on Saturday the arrest of several people on espionage charges, saying these individuals collected classified information under the pretext of scientific and environmental research. On Sunday, he also confirmed Dr. Seyed Emami’s death in prison and told Iran’s news agency ILNA that Kavous Seyed Emami was aware of the evidence against him and had confessed to his guilt, which is why he committed suicide.
A university professor and close colleague of Kavous Seyed Emami told France’s news agency that Mr. Seyed Emami loved Iran and the environment and was not involved in any political activities.
An Iranian Ministry of Justice official told ILNA that more individuals connected to the Pars Heritage Institute have been identified and are being pursued on espionage charges.
The Iran Human Rights Center in New York also announced that, coinciding with Mr. Seyed Emami’s arrest, 9 other colleagues and directors of the Pars Heritage Institute were also arrested and imprisoned, including an Iranian-American citizen named Morad Tahbaz.
Iranian judicial authorities had previously declared suicide as the cause of death for several detainees from recent protests, including Sina Ghanbari, while in prison in recent weeks.
Source: Voice of America
