Asking the Supreme Leader to Intervene in His Case...

Mehdi Karroubi’s campaign activist Abdollah Momeni is awaiting another trial for the charges of libel and disturbing public opinion.

One year after political prisoner Abdollah Momeni’s letter to the Supreme Leader describing horrific tortures he endured during his interrogations, he was summoned to Court located inside of Evin to face new charges. Charges that according to the Tehran Prosecutor, Momeni will be put on trial for.

According to Kaleme site, Momeni a senior member of Karroubi’s 2009 presidential campaign and former Spokesman for Advare Tahkim Vahdat (The largest alumni association in Iran) is facing new charges of publishing lies and disturbing the public for which he will be put on trial.

Abdollah Momeni, a supporter of the Green Movement was part of the first wave of arrests that occurred in June 2009 following the fraudulent presidential election.

He was detained in solitary confinement in wards 209 and ward 240 of Evin prison for three months during his interrogation process.

More than two months after his family was kept in a total news black out about him, Momeni was put on trial in what became known as the “Show Trials”, presided by Judge Salavati. He was convicted and initially sentenced to eight years in prison. His sentence was overturned by the Appeals Court and was changed to five years in prison.

In September of 2010, Momemei published an open letter addressed to Ayatollah Khamenei with the emphases on, that by writing the letter he intended to reveal the atrocities that occur in prisons during the Leader’s reign.

Memeni’s letter caused much public outrage and was considered one of the more important evidence of atrocities and illegal actions inflicted on the innocent Green Movement political prisoners by the interrogators.

In his letter, Momeni described in detail the conditions he was kept under in solitary confinement, insults, assaults and tortures that was inflicted on him. Accounts that few were aware of prior to his letter including pushing his head inside a dirty toilet bowl, beatings, insulting him, his family, his mother and the leaders of the Green Movement with profanity.

Part of Momeni’s letter read, “Beatings, verbal abuse and degradation, and illegal treatments started at the very moment of my arrest. During my arrest, tear gas was used, which prior to this had only been used in the streets and open air. Breathing teargas in a confined space made me feel as if I were choking and rendered me unable to move. Still, the security officials did not stop at that. With great spite and hostility they began to beat me, punching and kicking me, so that they could turn me over to their superiors at Evin prison with a bloody nose, mouth and bleeding teeth, handcuffed and shackled.

Witnessing the expertise of the interrogators of the Islamic Republic, who are referred to as the unnamed soldiers of the Mahdi (the Messiah), in their use of vulgarities which I could never bring myself to repeat within this letter and some of which I had never heard before, was indeed a painful experience for me. In the continuation of these same interrogation sessions, the interrogator would say, “We will do something to you so severe, that when you hear the name of Section 240 outside of prison, your body will begin to convulse.” I would ask myself, how can a security agency utilize such strategies intent on inflicting fear and such threats to ensure the security of a nation, and what will be the end result of such strategies and tactics? How can you reach justice, by relying on the tactics intent on character assassinations of prisoners as a complimenting link in a cycle of torture and repression? How do the standards of forcing false confessions through any means possible in the behavior of law enforcers, correspond with religious, human rights or ethical standards?

The constant use of these derogatory terms and foul language by those who present themselves as the defenders of the Islamic Regime also targeted my martyred brother—our families sacrifice for our nation– whom they addressed as a hypocrite and enemy.”

After Momeni’s letter was published, Tehran Prosecutor General, Mohsen Ejeii reacted in a news conference by denying abuse and torture by the interrogators and called occurrence of torture in the prisons and detention centers are impossible.

In his letter Momeni also told Ayatollah Khamenei of his meeting with Tehran Prosecutor General and said he informed the prosecutor, in detail of the tortures by the interrogators and filed a complaint with the Prosecutor against the interrogators.

Despite the fact the Tehran Prosecutor General is legally obligated to pursue Momeni’s complain, and despite the fact that the prosecutor verbally had promised Momeni he will pursue his complaint, now, the place of accused and accuser have been reversed and eleven months after filing his complaint, Momeni was summoned from ward 350 and arraigned on new charges.

In March of 2010 while Momeni was on furlough his bail was revoked and he was returned to Evin prison on the request of his interrogators.

Momeni is summoned to Court again while former Tehran Prosecutor Saeid Mortazavi recently claimed he and his codefendants in the prosecution office, including Haydarifar who had worked on cases relating to the post election detainees, have been exonerated of all charges (They were implicated in the torture deaths of post election protesters at Kahrizak prison). Both Mortazavi and Haydarifar were included in Momeni’s complaint.

In the last 16 months Momeni has faced much pressure and limitations. Not only his furlough request has been denied but he has been deprived of in person visits with his wife and children.

Also despite a report from the medical examiner on the necessity of treating Momeni’s ruptured eardrum which was caused as a result of his tortures and despite Momeni’s skin condition that needs treatment, the Judiciary officials continue to deny him medical furlough.

Momeni was also summoned to Evin’s Court after filling a complaint along with 25 other inmates on being tortured by the interrogators. He also was summoned after taking part in the 12 inmates hunger strike in Evin prison.

During each summons, Momeni was pressured to retract his complaint and to change his ideological position.

During each summons Momeni’s reply has been, “More than ever the tortures and atrocities committed by the interrogators must be investigated.”

Source: Human Rights House of IRAN