Repeated File-Building Against Atena Daemi; Massoumeh Namati: IRGC Interrogators Said Atena Won’t Back Down from Her Stance
Massoumeh Namati, mother of Atena Daemi, a civil activist who has been imprisoned for more than 5 years, informed the Campaign for Human Rights in Iran of new charges against her daughter in an interview, stating that despite the end of her prison sentence, this civil activist has been prevented from being released.
Ms. Namati told the Campaign that Atena Daemi has been deprived of furlough for more than 5 years, and IRGC interrogators told her that because she has not backed down from her stance, they will not grant her conditional release, in-person visits, or furlough.
Atena Daemi, a civil and children’s rights activist, was arrested on October 20, 2014 by the IRGC Information Security Organization and was sentenced to 14 years in prison on March 14, 2015 by a court presided over by Judge Mohammad Moghisseh. She was accused of “propaganda against the system, conspiracy against national security, insulting the leadership, insulting the founder of the Islamic Republic, and concealing evidence of crime.” In the appeals court, she was acquitted of the charge of concealing evidence, and based on Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, five years of her sentence were to be executed.
Atena Daemi’s 5-year prison sentence ended on July 5, 2021, but Massoumeh Namati, her mother, said in an interview with the Campaign: “A new case has been opened for Atena. This is not the first file-building. During these 5 years of Atena’s imprisonment, this is the seventh case opened against her—some of which have been dismissed. Her original case was when she was first sentenced to 14 years, and with Article 134, five years were to be executed. There was another case involving my other daughters that was dismissed. Another case was shared with Golrokh Irannejad, who is also imprisoned, related to the execution of Zanyar and Loghman Moradi and Ramin Hossein Panahi, who had sung a song. For that song, a new case was created, and in this case, Atena and Golrokh were sentenced to three years and nine months, which according to Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code means two years and one month can be executed. Since Sunday, they have begun executing this sentence for Atena to prevent her release.”
Atena Daemi’s mother announced a prison and lashing sentence in another case for this civil activist and told the Campaign: “For the commemoration of those killed in November [2019 protests] that coincided with Yalda Night, Atena, Narges Mohammadi, and some girls held a sit-in in the women’s ward. During that sit-in, Narges was transferred to Zanjan Prison and Atena was put in solitary confinement for about 15 days. Simultaneously, a case was opened against her with both the IRGC and the Ministry of Intelligence investigating. Atena was summoned three times for this case, but since she had not been served notice beforehand and her lawyer was not permitted to announce representation in this case, she did not attend court. Finally, they agreed to allow her lawyer’s presence, and on May 15, a court session was held with charges of propaganda against the system and disrupting public order. The case was nullified because there was insufficient evidence for these charges and was returned to the prosecutor’s office. On July 7, Atena was again notified to attend court, which lasted 5 minutes and the defense couldn’t even speak. On July 10, a sentence of two years imprisonment and 74 lashes was communicated to her lawyer. This case and this sentence are separate from Atena’s shared case with Golrokh, and they began executing this sentence from Sunday.”
According to her mother, another case opened against Atena Daemi in prison involves the charge of disrupting public order. Ms. Namati told the Campaign: “The prosecutor’s office at Evin Prison summoned Atena and told her that another case has been opened against her along with Maryam Akbari Monfrad, Leila Hosseinzadeh, and several other women imprisoned in Evin Prison’s women’s ward. They said it was for a slogan chanted on February 11, 2020, but Atena says it wasn’t a slogan and they sang ‘Oh Martyr.’ The charge of disrupting public order was again explained to her, and Atena rejected this charge.”
According to her mother, the multiple cases opened against Atena Daemi are meant to pressure this civil activist. Massoumeh Namati told the Campaign: “According to IRGC officers, Atena still hasn’t backed down from her stance, which is why they won’t let her be released. Interrogators told Atena that if she wrote a pardon request or at least showed through her behavior that she had backed down from her stance, we would definitely agree to conditional release or furlough for you. But since you won’t, we are depriving you of everything—we have banned you from furlough, in-person visits, and conditional release. Back down or you won’t, and now we are making you back down through another way. In fact, I think this charge of disrupting public order that they gave her is in line with taking Atena out of the political prisoners’ section and presenting her as a regular guilty prisoner.”
Massoumeh Namati told the Campaign about five years of Atena Daemi being deprived of furlough and in-person visits: “Since Azar 1395 [November-December 2016] when Atena was arrested to execute her sentence, she hasn’t had a single furlough. We made many requests for medical furlough, and then we requested furlough for Hanieh’s wedding (Atena Daemi’s sister). Then we took action for coronavirus. They always say the prosecutor objected, and many times they don’t even let us go to the prosecutor’s office. Now, Atena’s health is very important to us. It’s been approximately 8 months since Atena’s doctor said she should have hospital furlough to undergo more thorough tests. But every time they came up with an excuse. Once they said the papers were lost. Once they said it’s the November [2019] protests. Once they said Qasem Soleimani was killed, and each time some excuse that we can’t let the prisoner out. Then they said it’s coronavirus. This is while they conduct court sessions very easily and quickly, and coronavirus was not an issue for them at all. The fact that they don’t care about Atena’s health is very important and concerning for us.”
Ansi Daemi, Atena Daemi’s sister, wrote on her personal Twitter about this civil activist’s reaction to the new sentence: “After hearing the new sentence of two years imprisonment and 74 lashes, Atena told dad: I am free today because freedom is not behind bars, and every new sentence means confirmation of my freedom!”
Source: Campaign for Human Rights in Iran
