Political Prisoner, Behnam Mousivand threatened with new charges

Iran Human Rights (IHR) – After multiple transfers and being locked up with non-political prisoners, Evin Prison officials have threatened to trump up new charges against political prisoner, Behnam Mousivand.

 

According to the Iran Human Rights, over the last week, Behnam Mousivand has been transferred to Ward 8 and then to Ward 4 of Evin Prison after complaining about prison conditions, and has also been threatened with new trumped-up charges by prison officials.

Behnam was also beaten up by two non-political prisoners on Thursday, July 30. There has been a rise in violence against political prisoners over the last few weeks; IHR has learnt that Behnam Mahjouyi, Amirhossein Mirkhalili, and Jafar Azimzadeh have also been physically attacked by non-political prisoners in the past weeks. The attacks appear to have been instigated by prison officials.

An informed source told IHR: “Behnam Mousivand was transferred to Ward 8 of Evin Prison on Tuesday, July 28, as punishment by the head of Ward 4. Behnam had got into a verbal argument with him after complaining about the abuse and exploitations of political prisoners by finance-related prisoners and the widespread distribution of pills and drugs among prisoners.”

The source continued: “After protesting against the lack of medical care for Behnam Mahjoubi and the non-segregation of political prisoners, he was summoned to the office of the deputy warden of the prison and threatened with new charges by telling him, ‘You will not see the colour of freedom.’ Following these threats, on Thursday, July 30, two non-political prisoners started insulting him during morning headcount and when he objected, they beat him up.”

Behnam Mousivand, a civil activist who has previously been detained several times, surrendered to Evin Prison on June 14 to serve a five-year sentence. The Revolutionary Court had convicted him of “assembly and collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the system.”