October 3, 2010

According to received reports, branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court presided by Judge Peer-Abbas, has sentenced Heshmatollah Tabarzadi, political activist and Secretary General of the Democratic Party of Iran to 9 years in prison and 74 lashes.

He has been charged and convicted of unlicensed assembly, conspiracy against the Iranian regime’s national security and insulting the Supreme Leader.

Tabarzadi was detained on December 28^th after the Ashura protests and transferred to solitary confinement in Ward 209 of the Evin Prison. He was later transferred to the Rajaei-Shahr prison for protesting the execution of the 5 Kurdish activists including Farzad Kamangar.

His first court session was held on June 9^th and after the objections made by his lawyers, the charges of destructing the public property, espionage, and insulting Ayatollah Khomeini were dropped.

During the short weeks of furlough from prison, Tabarzadi bravely penned for the Wall Street Journal.

During Mr. Tabarzadi’s trials neither one of his lawyers, Ms. Nasrin Sotoudeh or Mr. Mohammad Oliayifar were present as both of them were arrested and are also in prison. Tabarzadi read his statement of complaint at the end of his so-called trial. The most important points in said statement were the following: “I  announce publicly that I do not recognize either this court’s authority or the pressures that have been brought by the intelligence apparatus in issuing such a sentence. I expected such a sentence from an intelligence and security court.”

Below: A video of Voice of America (VOA) Persian’s interview with Heshmatollah Tabarzadi’s son, Hossein regarding his father’s case (in Persian). Hossein speaks of the prison conditions and transfers that his father has had to withstand. He also adds that his father has expressed hope for the future of Iran in terms of the Green movement and the solidarity of the Iranian people in confronting the Iranian regime. He also adds that though his father has suffered physically and is in need of medical attention but that his spirit remains strong.