Children of Seyed Emami Ask Canadian Prime Minister for Help in Exiting Their Mother from Iran

The children of Kavous Seyed Emami have asked Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada, to pressure Tehran for the exit of their mother from Iran. Airport officials prevented Maryam Mambini, the wife of Kavous Seyed Emami, from leaving on March 7. According to the Associated Press, the two children also requested that Canada investigate the circumstances surrounding the arrest and death of their father, a university professor and environmental activist, in Evin Prison. Kavous Seyed Emami was arrested on January 24, 2018, along with several other environmental activists, and died on February 19, 2018, in Evin Prison. Judicial authorities declared the cause of death as 'suicide,' but this claim has faced significant skepticism. In recent months, there have been increasing reports of prisoner deaths in Iran, raising widespread concerns. Ramin and Mehran Seyed Emami stated in an interview with the Associated Press that despite threats, they will not remain silent and hope to return their mother to Vancouver. Kavous Seyed Emami held both Iranian and Canadian citizenship. Ramin and Mehran expressed that despite the declaration of 'suicide' as the cause of death, they feel that prison officials are directly responsible for his death. Previously, judicial authorities claimed that surveillance cameras recorded Kavous Seyed Emami's 'suicide,' but according to Ahmad Mazani, a member of the Environmental Faction in Parliament, this incident is 'not visible in the footage' provided to Parliament. At the time of his death, Kavous Seyed Emami was in the custody of the IRGC Intelligence Organization. Judicial authorities and state media accused him of espionage before his trial. Ramin Seyed Emami, questioning the narrative of the IRGC and the judiciary, stated that in the mentioned footage, his father is seen walking in a cell, then taking off his shirt and going to the restroom. 'Eight hours later, they come and take the body out of the room; therefore, there is no image or video of the death and how it occurred.' Ramin added, 'The fact that they did not check on him for eight hours is suspicious.' Ramin and Mehran strongly rejected the espionage accusations against their father, describing him as 'in love with Iran' and 'Iran's wildlife.' The children of Kavous Seyed Emami stated that on Wednesday, March 14, they met with Chrystia Freeland, the Canadian Foreign Minister, in New York and requested that she increase pressure on Iran. Mehran Seyed Emami said, 'She assured us that they would do their utmost for the swift return of our mother to Canada. We appreciate their efforts... but we want them to speak publicly.' He added, 'We asked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to officially pressure the Iranian government to release our mother and conduct a serious investigation into our father's case.' Previously, the Canadian Foreign Minister had called for the lifting of the travel ban on Seyed Emami's wife.