Latest Status of Manouchehr Bakhtiari in Prison; First Phone Contact After 22 Days of No News
Manouchehr Bakhtiari’s wife, the father of Poya Bakhtiari who was killed in the November 2019 protests, says that after being arrested by security forces in early Ordibehesht and transferred to an unknown location, she has been able to have a phone conversation with her husband.
Sara Abbasi, Manouchehr Bakhtiari’s wife, announced by posting a video on social media that 22 days after her husband’s violent arrest, she was able to have a brief phone contact with him.
Sara Abbasi, noting that Mr. Bakhtiari remains in detention and his case is under investigation, said: “His voice was weak, but as soon as I heard his voice and learned he was safe, I was very happy.”
Mehrdad Bakhtiari, Manouchehr Bakhtiari’s brother, had previously told Voice of America that security forces raided his brother’s home on Thursday, the 9th of Ordibehesht, severely beat him, forcibly placed him in the trunk of a car in a violent manner, and transferred him to an unknown location.
This is not the first time Manouchehr Bakhtiari or other family members have been arrested. He was first arrested around the time of the memorial ceremony for those killed in the November 2019 protests along with some other family members by security forces. Mr. Bakhtiari was then arrested multiple times by security forces and was temporarily released after each time by posting bail.
Poya Bakhtiari, son of Manouchehr Bakhtiari and one of those killed in the November 2019 protests in Iran, is deceased. He was shot during the second day of the protests against gasoline price increases while marching with other family members, and died before reaching the hospital.
The U.S. State Department has repeatedly condemned violent crackdowns and widespread suppression of protesters, as well as the repeated and continuous violations of the rights of Iranian citizens by the Islamic Republic.
Source: Voice of America
