Karen Vafadari's Child Speaks to Radio Farda: 'We Are Worried About the Future of the Case'

Karen Vafadari, an Iranian-American citizen, and his wife Afrin Nissari were arrested in Tehran in the summer of 2016. It took more than a year for a heavy sentence to be issued for both of them in December of this year. Karen Vafadari was sentenced to 27 years in prison, 124 lashes, and a fine of over 9 billion rials on charges such as 'acting against national security' and 'promoting corruption or having alcoholic beverages.' His wife, Afrin Nissari, was sentenced to 16 years in prison. Among the penalties imposed on Mr. Vafadari is the confiscation of all his assets in Iran. Now, one of Mr. Vafadari's children expresses concern about the future of this case. Siros Vafadari, 28 years old and residing in the U.S., told Radio Farda that the recent deaths of prisoners in Iran have heightened his worries about his imprisoned family members, and he wants to emphasize that they have shown no signs of suicidal tendencies. It has been more than a year and a half since your father Karen Vafadari and his wife Afrin Nissari were arrested. Can you explain why you decided to speak out about this after such a long time? First, Karen and Afrin believe they are innocent. They believed that when the time for the trial came, it would be clear that they were innocent and they would be freed. Our family has always believed that we know they are innocent and there is no need for much noise because when the time comes, it will be proven and they will be free. So you thought this issue would be resolved soon, and now they are facing very heavy sentences. Do you have specific concerns about their situation that led you to decide to speak? I decided to speak for two reasons. One is to say that they are truly innocent, and also that they do not have thoughts of suicide. You see, I am concerned for their safety. I think it is important for people to know that when Karen calls me, he has never had thoughts of suicide. When we hear about very distressing cases like that of Kavous Seyed Emami, we want people outside the judiciary to hear about this case, to know that this is part of the judiciary in Iran that does not act according to its own constitution to guarantee the protection of citizens. We believe that if other parts of the Islamic Republic realize what is happening, the chances of achieving justice in the case of Karen and Afrin will be greater. You mentioned communicating with your father. Are you in regular contact with him? It is unpredictable, but sometimes he can make phone calls. Is your family in Iran able to visit him in prison? Yes, his brothers see him. What do they say about his condition? How is his physical and mental state? Karen has always been optimistic. He has lost a lot of weight but has always been very strong and believes that he is innocent, he will prevail and achieve justice. Physically, although he has lost a lot of weight, he is in a good condition. However, the situation is harder for Afrin. Conditions in the women's ward have made her experience much more difficult. Of course, I have only spoken directly with Afrin once. Karen and Afrin are allowed to see each other sometimes, but I do not know how frequently these visits occur. Your father is a dual citizen. Have you ever spoken with the U.S. government to pressure Iran for his release? Our campaign to help Karen and Afrin is independent. They have never been political figures, and we do not want them to be used as pawns in geopolitical issues. Therefore, we have not spoken with the U.S. government. You see, based on Iranian laws, the way they are treated is unjust, and we believe the Islamic Republic should be able to handle this matter internally. By speaking about this case independently, we can clarify it, and more people within the Islamic Republic will see that the basic rights that the Iranian constitution grants to a citizen have been violated in this case. For example, they were deprived of the right to have a lawyer; they were told that the lawyer they wanted had to be dismissed. An Iranian citizen should be able to have any lawyer they want. They wanted bail to be set. Judge Salavati set the bail, and when the lawyers went to post the bail and free Karen and Afrin, Judge Salavati said if I wanted them to be released, I would not have set such a heavy bail. After a year of detention, they could have been released on bail, and that right was also taken from them. What is your opinion about the charges against your father and his wife? Previously, Shirin Ebadi stated in an interview with Radio Farda that the charges against them seemed to be an excuse for confiscating your family's assets. What is your opinion on this? It is absurdly clear that there is no basis for these charges. This is either related to financial issues within Iran or connected to the dual citizenship issue. First, they wanted to portray them as spies. During interrogations, they told them we know you are a spy, or your spouse is a spy, or we know you go to Israel, and all of this was a lie. When they could not find evidence for that charge, they changed it to a broader issue of acting against national security, which means even if you have negative thoughts about the Islamic Republic, they can imprison you on this charge. The other charge is 'promoting corruption and prostitution,' which is firstly false. Moreover, Karen is Zoroastrian and can live however he wants in his own home, and this right is granted to him by the Iranian constitution. Then they set such a heavy bail, and it becomes absurdly clear what the situation is. Your father recently wrote a letter addressed to Zoroastrians, especially those who think about returning to Iran and taking action for the future of Iran. Your father returned to Iran after years, established a gallery, and lived in Tehran. Given what you know about him, was it surprising to you to see such a pessimistic approach in the letter? Before his imprisonment, Karen was very optimistic about the future of Iran. Now with this story of Article 989, which is a law from the time of Reza Shah, and the lawyers we have spoken with say that the parliament has not even decided that the laws from the time of Reza Shah should be applicable. If with such a law they can take all property and rights from him, it indicates that anyone with power in Iran can take all your property without permission. This is a door that has never been opened before, and with this information, all our approaches and opinions are changing. Such an issue will overshadow the entire economy of Iran. No one knows how many dual citizens exist among the government, parliament, and businessmen, and if Karen is convicted, all these individuals will potentially be targets of such attacks and extortion. This specific case will initiate a process. There are people in Iran who want to keep these expatriate Iranians and investors away from the country. If Karen's case goes badly, it will be bad for the economy of Iran.