Effort to Engage Iranians, Regime Pursues Illegal Actions Against Prisoners

The U.S. State Department announced today a new program “Ask Alan” that engages Iranians through a Persian language social media brand, USAdarFarsi, which is active on Facebook, Youtube and Twitter.  The State Department’s Persian Language Spokesman, Alan Eyre will provide answers in Farsi to questions from fans in 5-7 minute long videos.  The topic for August is visas.

However, Iran continues it’s harsh treatment against political prisoners as Tehran Prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi recently designated the absolute legal rights of Iranian political prisoners including, journalists and “prisoners of conscience” as special privileges that can only be granted by Dolatabadi. Families of the political prisoners have to “vigorously” pursue the use of these rights by passing many “administrative and bureaucratic hurdles” before securing the Prosecutor’s permission.

Journalist Bahman Ahmadi Amouee, a “prisoner of conscience” at Evin Prison has not been granted in-person visits with his family over the last year however, imprisoned drug traffickers are regularly granted in-prison visits. Amouee also does not have permission to make phone calls and has been sentenced to five years of prison.

Additionally, Journalist Siamak Ghaderi, who was arrested last year for publishing critical views of the regime on his weblog was denied a temporary leave.  Ghaderi is sentenced to four years of prison.