Imprisoned Journalist Complains of Bad Circumstances

International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Azam Afsharian, mother of imprisoned journalist Nazanin Khosravani talked to the international Campaign for Human Rights in Iran about her first visit with her daughter, two months after her arrest. “Today was a very good day for me, as I was able to see my daughter’s beautiful face. Her morale was very good. But about her heart condition, she said that she has been really suffering. Nazanin said that ‘they don’t give me my medicines on time, and twice I have had to be transferred to the prison infirmary, where they have given me [nitroglycerin] tablets to put under my tongue.’ She was very upset for being treated this way. Her medication is not given to her on time, and then they have to prescribe other medicine,” Afsharian told the Campaign.

Nazanin Khosravani’s family were able to visit her through a booth yesterday, two months after her arrest. She told her family that her interrogations were completed 11 days ago and she is now waiting for her trial court. She complained about her cold cell, her lack of access to warm clothing, and a worsening of her heart condition.

“Nazanin also told us: ‘this place is so cold. We don’t have warm clothing;’ and the clothes I begged the prison officers to give her several weeks ago, were never given to her,” added Azam Afsharian.

“Nazanin asked me ‘when will I be released, and what is the status of my case?’ Her lawyer had told us previously that when Nazanin is formally charged, she would be informed of the Judiciary branch that would be handling her case, and she would be informed of this, too. But she was completely in the dark about this. She said ‘my last interrogation session was held 11 days ago on 19 December 2010, and I was informed of my charges. They have left me alone since 11 days ago,” Nazanin Khosravani told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran about her daughter’s ambiguous case.

“When I left the prison, I contacted Ms. Gheirat, my daughter’s lawyer. She informed me that she had not been served with any new information over the past few days. She said she would go to the court where she suspects Nazanin’s case might have been sent to in order to follow up. I, myself, will go to the Revolutionary Courts to perhaps find out in which branch her case might be,” said Azam Afsharian.

“Our meeting today was based on pure luck. Yesterday and the day before it, I had gone to the Prosecutor’s Office, and written letters. The Deputy Prosecutor cooperated a lot, too, and added a letter to my letter, asking for speedy review by the Prosecutor. The [Prosecutor's] Office Manager was very cooperative, too, and promised me that ‘even if the Prosecutor responds to your letter by 12 midnight, I will call you at your home and let you know.’ But there was no news last night. Today, I went to Evin both disappointed and hopeful. First a prison official treated me very harshly, letting me know that she is still not allowed to have visitors today. I asked that if possible, he treat me more peacefully, and to talk to her interrogator to see whether he would let me visit with her. He told me to wait and that he would let me know. After a few minutes, he came back and said ‘yes, you are allowed to visit with her,’” explained Khosravani’s mother about her chance visitation with her daughter.

“At first, Nazanin didn’t want to come to visit with me. She said that after two months without permission to make telephone calls or have visitors, she should have been allowed to have in-person visitation at this stage,” concluded Azam Afasharian.