Ahmad Zeidabadi: Free the Prisoner of Conscience

          
          AHMAD
          ZEI DABAD I
          IRAN
          ONE YEAR ON
          FREE
          THE PRISONERS
          _____________ OF CONSCIENCE
          AMNESTY
          INTERNATIONAL
        

          
          PLEASE HELP
          AHMAD ZEIDABADI
          Ahmad Zeidabadi, aged about 45, a journalist for Roozonline,
          an online publication based in Belgium, and spokesperson
          for the Graduates' Association, which has been prominent in
          seeking greater human rights in Iran, is serving a six-year
          prison sentence in Reja'i Shahr prison, in Karaj, near Tehran.
          He is a prisoner of conscience, held solely for the peaceful
          exercise of his rights to freedom of expression and
          association.
          Ahmad Zeidabadi was arrested on 21 June 2009, shortly
          after mass protests erupted following the announcement that
          incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had won the
          disputed presidential election. He was held incommunicado
          in [ yin Prison, Tehran, until his appearance on 8 August
          2009 at the second session of a mass “show trial”.
          His wife, Mahdieh Mohammadi Gorgani, was only allowed to
          visit him in [ yin Prison for the first time on 17 August and
          said that he was in an extremely bad physical and emotional
          state. She said that Ahmad Zeidabadi told her that he had
        

          
          ‘His interrogator told him: “We are ordered
          to crush you, and if you do not co-operate
          we can do anything we want with you and if
          you do not write the interrogation papers,
          we will force you to eat them ‘ ‘
          I Mahdieh Mohammadi Gorgani, wife of Ahmad Zeidabadi,
          in an interview with Radio Farda, September 2009
          •.i...• ‘ I
          been held in solitary confinement for 35 days after his arrest
          in a coffin-like cell only 1.5m long. He had apparently gone
          on hunger strike for 17 days until doctors convinced him to
          stop. His wife saw him again in mid-September, when he told
          her that he had been severely beaten during interrogation.
          Ahmad Zeidabadi was sentenced in November 2009 to six
          years in prison and five years of internal exile in the city of
          Gona bad. He was also given a lifetime ban on all social and
          political activities. His sentence was upheld in January 2010.
          At the end of January 2010, he was transferred to Reja'i
          Shahr prison, where mostly non-political prisoners are held.
          Ahmad Zeidabadi has been arrested several times previously
          for the peaceful expression of his opinions. Amnesty
          International campaigned for his release when he was
          detained in 2000 and 2001 in connection with articles
          he wrote.
        

          
          ACT NOW
          WRITE POLITELY WORDED LETTERS
          TO THE HEAD OF THE JUDICIARY:
          • calling for Ahmad Zeidabadi to be released Send your letters to:
          immediately and unconditionally as he is a
          prisoner of conscience, held solely for Head of the Judiciary
          peacefully exercising his rights to freedom Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani
          of expression and association; Office of the Head of the Judiciary
          Pasteur Street, Vali Asr Avenue, south of
          • urging the Iranian authorities to ensure Serah-e Jomhouri
          that while imprisoned, he is granted access Tehran, 1316814731
          to his family, his lawyer and to adequate Islamic Republic of Iran
          medical care;
          Salutation: Your Excellency
          • calling for an immediate, thorough and Email: info@dadiran.ir, bia.judi@yahoo.com
          impartial investigation into the reports that (in the subject line: FAO Ayatollah Larijani)
          Ahmad Zeidabadi was tortured and otherwise
          ill-treated and for anyone found responsible
          to be brought to justice promptly and fairly.
          Amnesty International
          International Secretariat
          Peter Benenson House
          AlViN ESTY 1 Easton Street www.amnesty.org
          London WC1X ODW May 2010
          INTERNATIONAL United Kingdom Index: MDE 13/042/2010