Exclusive; Disappearance of the Child of a Political Prisoner; Suri Babaei Ghegini Granted Leave After Signing a Commitment

Thirteen days after the disappearance of Aida Morad Behrouzi, the teenage daughter of political prisoner Suri Babaei Ghegini, a knowledgeable source told Voice of America that judicial officials in Qazvin agreed to grant this political prisoner a 10-day leave on the condition of posting bail. The informed source reported on Tuesday, February 13, that Qazvin judicial officials 'forced Suri Babaei Ghegini to wear a headscarf in prison against her will and took a commitment from her that she would not protest and would lead a normal life.' In exchange for this commitment and the posting of bail, the judiciary of Mohammadiyeh, Qazvin granted Suri Babaei Ghegini, whose 13-year-old daughter has been missing for nearly two weeks, a 10-day leave. According to the informed source, nearly two weeks after the disappearance of Aida Morad Behrouzi and Hasti Mohammadi, their families remain unaware of the whereabouts of the two schoolgirls. According to a source close to this political prisoner, Suri Babaei Ghegini 'had not worn a headscarf in prison or in any of the court sessions held for her after she removed her headscarf as a sign of the inequality of women's rights,' but after the disappearance of her teenage daughter, judicial officials forced her to do so. The informed source added that this imprisoned civil rights activist 'believed that protesting is not a crime' and had 'not given any commitments' until now, which is why 'despite her maximum punishments being one year,' judicial officials 'opposed the consolidation of her cases and fabricated new charges against her,' delaying her release until 2025. According to statements from a source close to Suri Babaei Ghegini, this political prisoner was tried four more times in Chubin Dar prison in Qazvin for various charges, and one of her trials took place without notifying her, during which she was beaten by three agents on the way from prison to court. Based on this source's report, 'the presiding judge, Ghodrat Bigdeli, threatened Suri with rape and forcibly demanded that she wear a chador, which she refused,' and during the court session in the Mohammadiyeh prosecutor's office, she shouted slogans that led to her being sentenced to four months in prison for 'rebellion and disturbing public order' and an additional seven months for 'connections with free media' under the label of 'hostile networks.' The informed source also stated that previously, Suri Babaei and her husband Mohammad Reza Morad Behrouzi had been 'beaten several times inside the prison by intelligence agents,' and their injuries were confirmed by forensic medicine following their complaints, but 'their rights were denied, and the case was closed.' According to a previous report by Voice of America, 13-year-old Aida Morad Behrouzi disappeared along with her classmate Hasti Mohammadi at noon on February 1 while on their way to school, but despite family follow-ups, relevant officials 'did not take any effective action.' Meanwhile, thirteen days after the disappearance of these two teenagers, the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Qazvin also initiated a case against Mohammad Reza Morad Behrouzi, Aida's father. Judicial officials pressured Suri Babaei Ghegini to wear the mandatory hijab despite her child's disappearance, while the dual behavior of the Islamic Republic and the exploitation of unveiled women in government ceremonies marking the 57th anniversary of the revolution in recent days have been criticized by users on social media.