Concerns about the status of 2 imprisoned students

Iran Press News: Amir Kabir university newsletter reported: Students Ablofazl Jahandar and Kheirollah Derakhshandi are being detained in worrisome conditions. The two young men, along with Dr. Kayvan Ansari have spent more than 3 months in the notorious ward 209 of Evin prison which is controlled by agents and torturers of the ministry of intelligence and security. Due to the severity of the torture, the 3 are suffering from serious psychological problems and depression.

The security forces have also put the families of the 2 prisoners under the great pressure, demanding that they do not release information or speak to any media or human rights organizations about the 2 students. There is still no clear charges brought against the either student.

Ablofazl Jahandar was not only the director of the news site Pouya News and former member of student association of Allameh Tabatabaei University but also a member of the office of fostering unity (Tahkim Vahdat*).

Kheirollah Derakhshandi is a former member of the student association of Yazd.

The above-mentioned cases are based on the declaration of human rights:

"No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.”(Article 9 Declaration of the international declaration of Human rights)

"Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.”(Article 10 Declaration of Human Rights)

"(1) Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defense. (2) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed. "(Article 11 Declaration of Human Rights)

* The Office of Fostering Unity, known in Farsi as Tahkim Vahdat, is the largest student organization in Iran which has mainly been a university students' organization; it was formed to support the rule of Ruhollah Khomeini. Tahkim Vahdat became one of the most vocal critics of hardliners in Iran and promoted a pro-reformist stance, supporting Khatami. Since the failure of the so-called reformists many of its governing members who remain what is called "nationalist religionists” have established their own movement; with some members promoting the separation of religion and state they remain faithful to Islam as their religion.