Emad Bahavar, Reformist Political Prisoner, Released from Prison

Emad Bahavar, a political prisoner from Iran's reformist camp, was released from prison after serving nearly five years following the protests of 2009. The website Kalameh reports that Mr. Bahavar has been acquitted of the charges of assembly and collusion. According to Kalameh, which is close to Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mr. Bahavar, who was the head of the youth branch of the Freedom Movement of Iran and a core member of the campaign supporting Mousavi and Khatami in the 2009 elections, was released by the ruling of Branch 53 of the Tehran Court of Appeals presided over by Judge Sadat. The report does not mention the exact date of this political prisoner's release. Emad Bahavar was initially sentenced to ten years in prison by Judge Salavati, a sentence that was confirmed by Branch 54, but last year, after a request for retrial and review, this sentence was reduced to seven years. Following an objection regarding the non-compliance with the Supreme Court's opinion, Branch 34 of the Supreme Court ruled to allow the retrial. This political activist and reformist writer was first arrested two weeks before the tenth presidential election for four days. He was arrested again after the elections and spent 46 days in solitary confinement. Mr. Bahavar was arrested in Esfand 2009. During his five years in prison, he was granted leave only for five days during Nowruz 1392. In this context, Bahavar's mother stated that they do not provide visitation appointments and his defense has not reached the case file. Families of prisoners in Ward 350 of Evin confirmed their 'beatings'.