Sepideh Qolian Arrested Again Following Broadcast of Confession Film
The Bidarzani Twitter channel reported, citing Jamal Haidari, lawyer of Sepideh Qolian, news of her arrest. Qolian was detained in the case of Ismail Bakhshi and had confirmed that both she and Bakhshi were tortured during their arrest.
Hours after the broadcast of the confession film of Sepideh Qolian and Ismail Bakhshi on Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting on Saturday evening, 29 Dey (January 19), Sepideh Qolian was arrested again along with her brother.
In the film broadcast on the news sections 20 and 30 of the first channel of IRIB, Sepideh Qolian and Ismail Bakhshi “confess” on camera to having connections with individuals and groups seeking to overthrow the government, including the Communist Workers Party.
These detainees also claim, by naming people who are outside the country, that these individuals attempted to teach them organizational formation.
According to the film broadcast on IRIB, establishing a connection between the protests of Ahvaz steel workers with Haftappeh workers was one of the goals of these groups and individuals. Additionally, linking protests of various guilds including workers, teachers, and students was on their agenda.
In this film, the publication “Gam” is referred to as “Gam Overthrow Group” and the editorial meetings of this publication are introduced as secret meetings. Photos of a party at the home of one of the editorial board members of Gam are also introduced as a team house meeting.
This film, prepared by an individual named “Ameneh Sadat Zabihpour” at the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting News Agency, described the coverage of labor protests in foreign Persian-language media as “the key to the grand exaggeration project of professional protests.”
Ismail Bakhshi, representative of Haftappeh workers, after his release from prison, described in a letter the subject of his torture during arrest and throughout his detention. Subsequently, Sepideh Qolian also confirmed Bakhshi’s claims. Asal Mohammadi, another civil activist, also wrote that she witnessed the torture of Ismail Bakhshi and Sepideh Qolian in Ahvaz prison.
The Ministry of Intelligence, the government spokesperson, and the judiciary denied these claims.
Zibakalam’s Reaction to Publication of “Television Confessions” of Bakhshi and Qolian
Sadegh Zibakalam, professor of political science, responded to the broadcast of the confessions of Ismail Bakhshi and Sepideh Qolian from Iran’s IRIB in his Telegram: “The fundamental problem with IRIB is that it has not yet realized that for years people have accepted the second narrative between its account with revenues in the trillions of tomans (IRIB’s proposed budget of four thousand billion tomans in year 98) on one hand, and the account of Ms. Sepideh Qolian and Mr. Ismail Bakhshi with incomes they have not received for months on the other.”
Source: DW
