Two weeks after Navid Afkari's execution, his brothers are in solitary confinement and denied access

Two weeks after the execution of Navid Afkari, a 27-year-old Iranian wrestler and one of those arrested in the popular protests, concerns continue about the condition of his two imprisoned brothers, Vahid and Habib Afkari.

An informed source close to the Afkari family said in an interview with the Persian service of Voice of America on Friday, October 25, that the lack of information about the status of Habib and Vahid Afkari is an additional pressure that is currently being placed on the family outside prison by the authorities of the Islamic Republic after the execution of Navid Afkari.

According to this informed person, the Afkari family was only able to meet with Habib and Vahid once, a week after Navid Afkari's execution, on September 19; the meeting was in Adel Abad Prison in Shiraz and in the presence of security officers.

The informed source, who did not want to be named for security reasons, told VOA Persian that this was the Afkari brothers' last meeting with their family after Navid's execution, and that they have not had any contact with their family or visits since then. According to the informed source, "The family follows up every day, but neither the prison authorities nor the justice authorities respond. They just say that the order came from above."

It is said that during this meeting, Habib and Vahid Afkari were not in good physical condition and there were signs of a fracture on Vahid Afkari's head. The two brothers have also informed their families that they are still being held in solitary confinement in the security ward in the basement of Adelabad Prison.

This informed person stated that the purpose of keeping Vahid and Habib Afkari in solitary confinement in the security ward of Adelabad Prison was "fear of the authorities" and said: "By keeping these two brothers in security conditions that are a hostage situation, the authorities of the Islamic Republic want to keep the family quiet outside the prison."

Also, according to this informed person, after the burial of Navid Afkari in the village of Sangar, Sepidan, Fars Province, "Amini agents have been stationed in this place to secure the area of ​​the Sangar and have rented a house there to disrupt the Afkari family's work and inform them from all corners not to do anything."

Navid Afkari, a 27-year-old Iranian wrestler and one of those arrested during the popular protests on Saturday, September 12, was executed in Shiraz and buried in Sangar village, Sepidan, Fars province, with some family members present, under tight security measures. The political prisoner, who was arrested following the August 2018 protests, was sentenced to two executions, six and a half years in prison, and 74 lashes.

The wrestler's brothers, Vahid and Habib, have also been sentenced to 54 and 27 years in prison with whipping on similar charges. This is despite the fact that the Afkari brothers, while denying the charges, particularly the murder of a security officer, have repeatedly said that they were forced to make false confessions under severe pressure and torture.

On Monday, September 14, the United Nations Special Rapporteurs on Human Rights issued a statement strongly condemning the hasty execution of Iranian wrestler Navid Afkari and warning against the latest series of death sentences issued by the Islamic Republic of Iran in connection with the protests of 2018 and 2019.

The statement by the UN Special Rapporteurs on Human Rights also referred to Navid Afkari's allegations of torture through beatings with sticks and batons, pulling a plastic bag over his head until he was suffocating, and pouring alcohol up his nose, and stated: "We are disturbed by these serious allegations of torture that have not been investigated, the broadcast of his forced confession by state television, and the holding of closed and secret trials."

In recent days, 150 political, civil, and human rights activists wrote in a joint statement referring to the execution of Navid Afkari: "The order to expedite the execution of Navid Afkari came from the same center that issued the order to shoot and kill hundreds of protesters in November 2019, and according to them, it was carried out with the same goal as the previous killing: to intimidate people and suppress protesters."

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also welcomed the decision of world leaders to cancel their meetings with Javad Zarif, referring to the execution of Navid Afkari, and said that the Iranian regime's brutality must have consequences.

Source: Voice of America