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Wednesday 08 June 2011Masoud Bastani’s wife: I will take legal action
In the wake of the assault and battery imprisoned journalist and prisoner of conscience Masoud Bastani suffered during the last prison visit he had with his family, his wife Mahsa Amrabadi told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran (ICHRI) that she would file a lawsuit against the solider that was responsible for the assault. Masoud Bastani was transferred to a hospital after a soldier repeatedly kicked him in the head and on the body with his boot. Masoud Bastani’s wife said that the risk of traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been lifted, but Masoud Bastani suffers from dizziness and general fatigue and weakness a day following the abuse. Mahsa Amrabadi told ICHRI, “Masoud called today [Thursday, June 2nd] around noon and said that he was taken to a hospital in Karaj to have tests like the CT Scan and radiology performed. The doctors suspected TBI so they transferred him to another hospital in Karaj. After medical surveillance, the doctor stated the next day that the risk of TBI has been lifted. [Masoud] was then returned to prison.” When the visitation with his family came to an end, Masoud Bastani had asked the soldier that accompanied him to allow more time so he could say goodbye to his family since his mother and mother-in-law had travelled a far distance to see him. The soldier responded by suddenly attacking Masoud Bastani. He was thrown on the floor and the soldier began to repeatedly kick him in the head with his boots. In an interview with Radio Farda last Saturday Masoud Bastani’s mother was visibly upset and talked about the shocking nature of the incident. She added that Iran’s Attorney General is responsible for the safety and life of Masoud Bastani. In response to the question about the reaction of the prison authorities when the soldier was assaulting Masoud, Mahsa Amrabadi told ICHRI, “It happened so fast that even we were shocked and dumbfounded. We drew everyone else’s attention by screaming and yelling. When others came to stop the soldier, he had already finished striking the blows to Masoud’s head. The soldier even pushed the soldier accompanying prisoner of conscience Ahmad Zeidabadi and was about to hit prisoner of conscience Isa Saharkhiz. Ahmad Zeidabadi and Isa Saharkhiz had come to help Masoud Bastani. After our screams and after the room got loud and disorderly, the soldier quickly fled.” Mahsa Amrabadi expressed deep sadness that a soldier is able to violate the dignity of a prisoner in such a manner. She said, “Thank God that Masoud is healthy and is not suffering from TBI. However, the shock and the trauma I, Masoud’s mother, my mother, and the other women and children who were present [in the visitation room] suffered cannot be denied. Its impact will remain with us for a long time to come.” Mahsa Amrabadi added, “I am surprised how a soldier allows himself to physically assault a prisoner. I am not just talking about political prisoners. Even a person imprisoned for murder should not be subjected to such treatment for no reason and be assaulted brutally by a soldier’s boot.” “I had not suffered from pressure and stress in the past two years as much as I did yesterday. Masoud’s mother fainted three times during the visit. And when we saw Masoud again, he was nauseous. We feared he had suffered a TBI. It was a very hard day for us. I will certainly file a law suit against that soldier. He should not have allowed himself to beat a prisoner like this in front of [me] and [Masoud's mother],” she said. Journalist Masoud Bastani was arrested on July 5, 2009 in the wake of the disputed 2009 Iranian Presidential election, after he visited the Revolutionary Court to inquire about his wife’s arrest. The reason provided for Masoud Bastani’s arrest was cited as his work for the website Jomhouriyat (Republic). He was eventually sentenced to six years in prison. Masoud Bastani was transferred to Rajai Shahr ‘Gohardasht’ prison last March. Mahsa Amrabadi was recently sentenced to one year in prison. (Translation of the Daneshjoo News report by Siavosh Jalili for Persian2English) |