Arash Sadeghi in first interview after release: Respect for human rights should be a condition for lifting sanctions against the Islamic Republic
Arash Sadeghi, a former political prisoner who was recently released from Rajai Shahr Prison, described in his first interview after his release from Rajai Shahr Prison his first meeting with his wife after a long ban and also called for the lifting of sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran to be conditional on respect for human rights.
Arash Sadeghi told VOA that on Monday, May 17, after a year and seven months of being banned from contacting and meeting his wife Golrokh Iraei, he was able to meet her for the first time in the presence of the prison warden and the guard of the women's ward of Amol Prison.
Mr. Sadeghi, who says he has not been allowed to contact or visit his wife for more than a year, added that Amin Waziri, the prosecutor's representative, had deprived them of in-person visits and phone calls during this period, without giving a specific reason.
According to this political activist, this right is one of the minimum basic rights of a prisoner, and the law states that "when two members of the same family are in prison in some way, they must meet at least weekly or biweekly."
According to him, Golrokh Iraei is serving her sentence in this prison with ordinary criminals who have been convicted of charges such as murder and robbery.
In an interview with Voice of America, this human rights activist described the situation in Amol Women's Prison, as narrated by Golrokh Iraei: "About 50 people are held in two rooms that are not in good conditions in terms of hygiene and food. They do not have a store or library. For several months, prisoners have been deprived of the right to go out for a walk, which, according to her, is "the right of every prisoner," practically under the pretext of repairs."
Referring to Ms. Iraei's recent and renewed conviction, Arash Sadeghi said that the two-year and one-month prison sentence of this civil activist, who was sentenced to for holding a memorial ceremony for Zanyar, Loghman Moradi, and Ramin Hossein Panahi in a joint case with Atena Daemi, was about to expire in September of this year when a new case was opened against her again.
He added: "They did not specifically mention what the real reason for opening this case was. He was tried in absentia in Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court, presided over by Iman Afshari, to the extent that they were not informed of the court date, and he practically did not have a lawyer who could at least be present at the branch."
Voice of America previously reported that Golrokh Irani, in a case opened against her in Qarchak Prison, was sentenced in absentia by the Tehran Revolutionary Court on charges of propaganda against the regime, to one year in prison, a two-year ban on leaving the country, and a two-year ban on membership in political parties.
The conviction has drawn widespread reaction from human rights organizations, and the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom also issued a statement at the same time condemning the double sentence for Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraei, a civil rights activist and imprisoned writer.
Arash Sadeghi, who was diagnosed with chondrosarcoma (a type of malignant bone cancer) in prison in April 2018, also said about his physical condition and treatment process during his sentence, "After surgery, I had about 90 sessions of radiation therapy in prison, and I was released from prison two months after the last radiation therapy. During this time, I was following up on my treatment to determine the condition of the tumors that were initially in the arm and then spread to the shoulder and two upper chest bones."
In his interview with VOA, this human rights activist and former political prisoner also referred to the negotiations between the Islamic Republic and European countries on ending sanctions on Iran, saying: "Currently, there is a discussion about negotiating with the Islamic Republic and lifting sanctions, and I ask European countries, which in a way claim to uphold human rights, to include the issue of respecting human rights and the conditions of political prisoners in their negotiations."
Mr. Sadeghi, who believes that after Ebrahim Raees took office as head of the judiciary, the situation of political prisoners has become worse than before, added: "Widespread deportations, new sentences, and new cases are being issued, which are signs of human rights violations. As a human rights activist who spent five and a half years in prison, I call on countries claiming human rights to make the lifting of sanctions conditional on the discussion of respecting human rights in their negotiations."
Arash Sadeghi was sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Revolutionary Court on charges of gathering and colluding against internal security, insulting the leader and founder of the Islamic Republic, spreading lies, and propagating against the system. The judge also implemented the prisoner's 4-year suspended sentence at that time. Thus, 32-year-old Arash Sadeghi began serving his 19-year prison sentence for peaceful human rights activities.
This human rights activist and political prisoner in Iran was finally released from Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj on Saturday, May 1, after serving five years and six months in prison.
The United States has repeatedly and on various occasions condemned the Islamic Republic's violent confrontations and widespread repression of protesters and civil activists, as well as its repeated and persistent violations of the rights of Iranian citizens.
Source: Voice of America
