Political prisoners at risk

Here are some news from inside the Iranina prisons.

The strangest case. A young man who was detained on 13 July 1999 at his home in Tehran and never heard of him again!

Said Zinali was taken away by some people who claimed are the security service but didn't produce any documents.  Later, they came back and searched the house. Said was never heard of again despite his parent's desperate search for him. In the past ten years they have appealed to the security services, the revolutionary guards security section, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Judicial system, National Security Council and the parliament with no luck. It seems that their young son has vanished into the thin air!

Matin Arjan, a Turkish national who was sentenced for 10 years for being a member of a Kurdish group has been paralysed from shoulder down on the left side and goes into nervous fits. So far he has not received any treatment for his condition.

Alireza Eshraghi was detained in recent unrests and the only one so far to be sentenced to five and half years prison for insulting the 'Leader'. Alireza appeared in court with a bandaged head and broken hand. He was severly tortured and is now in the quarantine ward at Evin prison. Alireza is said to be a reporter for the banned Hayat Now paper.

 Hengameh Shahidi, journalist and PhD Student at SOAS was detained on 30 June and has been in prison ever since. She was tortured by mock execution and other means. She is reported to be physically very ill with nerous disorder and cannot sleep even under heavy does of tranquilisers. Hengameh is only allowed fresh air 3 times a week for 20 minutes. Her condition is rapidly deteroiting. A petition has been published signed by many human rights and civil society activist demanding her immidiate release.