Physical and Psychological Pressure on Journalists

A month after his arrest, judicial authorities informed the family of detained journalist Amir Ali Allamehzadeh that he is held in a solitary cell inside Ward 2-A of Evin Prison, a friend of Allamehzadeh told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. “Mr. Allamehzadeh was arrested on Sunday, 18 September in Tehran, along with five documentary filmmakers, and was transferred to an unknown location. Mr. Allamehzadeh has only been able to meet with one of his family members once, under unusual security conditions in a location other than the prison visitation hall. Forces present during the short visit did not allow him to talk about his case, his interrogations, or his detention location,” said the source.

Allamehzadeh was arrested by three plainclothes forces on Sunday, 18 September at his father’s home in Tehran. The warrant the forces presented showed that Allamehzadeh’s arrest was authorized by the Investigative Judge of Branch 14 of Government Employees and the Media Court.

“So far, Mr. Allamehzadeh has been deprived of the right to have access to a lawyer and meeting a lawyer, and all his interrogations have been carried out without the presence of a lawyer in an unknown location,” said the source. Expressing concern about the conditions of the former International Editor at ILNA News Agency, the source added, “Amir Ali had severely unfavorable psychological and physical conditions during this visit. This, along with keeping him inside a solitary cell inside the IRGC Ward, and the concurrency of his arrest with the arrests of the five documentary filmmakers intensify the concern that this reporter may be under potential illegal pressure and psychological and physical torture to make false confessions.”

“So far, the case officials have maintained silence about Mr. Allamehzadeh’s charges and evidence related to the charges. Even so, establishing his case file inside the Government Employees and Media Court indicates that he has been arrested for his press activities,” said the source on condition of anonymity.

Ward 2-A of Evin Prison is illegally operated by the IRGC and officials of the Prisons Organization have no access to prisoners in this ward. Prisoners inside this ward are kept in solitary or shared cells and are deprived of any contact with the outside world. Political prisoners and prisoners of conscience inside this ward are routinely subjected to beatings and inhumane torture for forced confessions.

The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran is concerned about the information blackout about this journalist, and demands clarification of his charges and his access to a fair trial.

Source: International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran