Months of uncertainty for a teacher imprisoned in Evin Prison; Ismail Abdi's physical condition is not good

The wife of a teacher imprisoned in Iran says that her husband has been in Evin Prison since June and that his physical condition is not good. 

The wife of Ismail Abdi, a teacher union activist, said that the lawyer for the imprisoned teacher, while protesting the rejection of the request to retry the 2000 case, has requested the application of Article 477 of the law to Mr. Abdi's 10-year prison sentence. According to this legal article, the 10-year prison sentence for the imprisoned teacher will be considered illegitimate.

Munira Abdi, the wife of teachers' union activist Esmail Abdi, described the physical condition of the imprisoned teacher as unfavorable, and told VOA: "The case currently pending against Mr. Abdi in the judicial system dates back 10 years and his arrest by the Revolutionary Guards in Aribehasht 2008. Over the past years, judicial authorities have repeatedly told former lawyers and Hossein Taj, the current defense lawyer of the imprisoned teacher, that the case is closed; but this ruling was confirmed by the Supreme Court after the appeal was rejected, and Esmail Abdi has been in Evin Prison since June."

Ms. Abdi said that while this sentence was issued to the imprisoned teacher on charges of "propaganda against the regime" and "disclosure of security information," the judicial authorities had not given any warning about the implementation of this sentence during Mr. Abdi's six-year sentence until June 17, 2020. She says that this is an unacceptable sentence that was issued to him solely in connection with his union activities.

Ismail Abdi's wife says: "These two charges are completely illegitimate, both in terms of the constitution and the Islamic Penal Code. We, as a family, are protesting this verdict. We are upset with this situation and are awaiting the decision of the Supreme Court."

Regarding the health status of this teacher union activist, Munira Abdi told VOA: "Mr. Abdi contracted the coronavirus once in prison, and because he suffers from asthma and high blood pressure, he was troubled during that time. Mr. Abdi's body has been weakened by two previous hunger strikes, and he was hospitalized in the prison's infirmary for nearly three weeks after contracting the coronavirus."

In late August, Voice of America reported that Esmaeil Abdi, along with several other political prisoners, including lawyer Amirsalar Davoudi, labor activist Jafar Azimzadeh, Majid Azarpay, Mohammad Ali Mosayibzadeh, and Mohsen Ghanbari, had contracted the coronavirus.

The imprisoned teacher's wife says that Ismail Abdi told her in a phone call that he had been feeling pain in the left side of his body for some time, and that the prison medical staff had only taken a series of ECGs and prescribed him medication; but "this pain is still with Mr. Abdi."

According to Ms. Abdi, prison conditions are not hygienic, prisoners are not provided with hygiene supplies, and contrary to Islamic Republic of Iran Television's advertisements, prisoners are not provided with alcohol and hygiene supplies, and "prisoners must purchase hygiene supplies, including masks and alcohol, at their own expense."

Munira Abdi also said that despite their repeated visits to the prison prosecutor's office and the prosecutor's office to release Mr. Abdi, their request was not granted.

The wife of the teachers' union activist told VOA in response to the confirmation of Ismail Abdi's 10-year prison sentence: "Mr. Abdi's activities have been peaceful. By imprisoning a union activist and reopening a case that was closed 10 years ago, the judicial authorities only want to create fear among other activists and prevent union activities."

Esmail Abdi, who was planning to travel to Canada on July 27, 2015 as a representative of the Coordination Council of Teachers' Unions across the country to participate in the World Teachers' Summit, was arrested and sentenced to 6 years in prison by the first instance court in February of the same year, and the sentence issued by Branch 36 of the Tehran Provincial Court of Appeal was confirmed; this sentence ended on June 17, 2016, but he is still in Evin Prison due to the rejection of the Supreme Court's appeal against the 10-year prison sentence issued to him for his union activities.