Political Prisoner Sends Letter to Ejei: Economic Offenders in Prison Enjoy 'Special Facilities'

Ahmadreza Haeri, a political prisoner, criticized 'discrimination against prisoners' in a letter to Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the head of the judiciary of the Islamic Republic. In this letter, published on the website of the news agency HRANA, the organization of human rights activists in Iran, it is stated that 'ordered' prisoners, who are mostly economic offenders, enjoy 'special and unique facilities.' Meanwhile, Mr. Haeri has been deprived of contact with his wife and young daughter and, as he wrote in his letter, is under 'psychological harassment' for this reason. In part of his letter, Ahmadreza Haeri wrote that he and 12 other prisoners were exiled to Qazalhessar prison 'with deception, intimidation, handcuffs, shackles, and in chains,' and have been deprived of 'any facilities' for about a month. The letter mentions a person named 'Shahidi,' who, according to Mr. Haeri, managed to escape from prison, and another person named 'Hassan Rayat,' who, with a court order, spends 'from 6 AM until late at night' outside the prison and only returns to his 'luxurious suite in Ward 4 of Evin Prison' to rest and sleep. Hassan Rayat, also known as Hassan Mir Kazemi, was sentenced to thirty-five years in prison for embezzlement and theft of public property. His name came up during the suppression of protests against the results of the 2009 elections because a photo of him was published riding a motorcycle with a handgun. Two years ago, Ahmadreza Haeri tweeted that Sasan Niknefs and Amirhossein Hatami, two political prisoners in Greater Tehran Prison, had died. After these reports were published, the families of these two political prisoners pursued the case, and recently, prison officials were summoned to court due to a complaint from Amirhossein Hatami's family. However, Mr. Haeri himself was sentenced to more than three years in prison on charges of 'gathering and colluding with the intent to commit a crime against national security' and 'propaganda against the regime' since early last spring. According to HRANA, the 13 political prisoners, including Ahmadreza Haeri, are serving their sentences 'without observing the principle of separation of crimes' in Qazalhessar prison in Karaj. HRANA reported that the families of these prisoners faced 'insulting behavior' from the guards when they went to the prison on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, and were told that by order of Ashkan Kamali, the head of Qazalhessar prison, these prisoners are not allowed to contact or meet. Thirteen political prisoners exiled to Qazalhessar prison have been banned from any contact and visits. A letter from the Human Rights Defenders Center to Javid Rahman; the lives of prisoners are in danger. Narges Mohammadi, in a phone call from prison: the Islamic Republic is responsible for anything that happens to me.