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“I thought silence would prove results, but the opposite happened”|Father of Zia Nabavi in Interview

Posted by Zand-Bon on Oct 7th, 2010 and filed under Human Rights, Photos, Sections. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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October 5, 2010

The Father of starred student Zia Nabavi told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that his son’s health is in good condition at Karoon prison in Ahvaz. A few hours after the interview, some sources revealed that Seyed Zia Nabavi was right after his arrival [to prison] and he was placed in solitary confinement for 48 hours.

Seyed Ali Akbar Zia described his visit with his son last week [just before the transfer to Karoon prison in exile]: “From the time of his arrest I was able to visit him twice, both times behind a glass [window]. I had requested for a face-to-face meeting, but I did not receive a reply. His bail was set to $500 thousand USD. I don’t earn that kind of money even if I work for another ten years. I am a seasonal farmer.

I would like to send my appreciation to Ms. Nasrin Sotoudeh, my son’s lawyer. She sacrificed and did so much, and now, she is a prisoner as well. Do you think anybody answers to us? I have sat in court for many hours, many times. I would be there in the morning and forced out at noon. [I wonder if anybody] knows the answer to why my son was arrested. The only response I have received was the transfer of my son in exile to Ahvaz. His [other] lawyer Mr. Sharif and I are trying to get his prison location changed. We are not certain if we will succeed.

[Zia Nabavi's father discussed the fact that the Nabavi family has members in the Mujahedin-run Camp Ashraf]:

If a family member believes in the ideology of a group or organization, why should Zia take the blame and get sentenced? All of Zia’s friends, college mates, and prison mates are witness that Zia is not related to any political organization or group. He was simply a student activist, which, as a result, [meant] he was forbidden from continuing his education.

Last week Zia Nabavi was sent from ward 350 in Evin prison to exile in Karoon prison. A day after his transfer his father told the International Campaign, “Zia informed me briefly that he is fine and to not worry about him. He said that he may be transferred to the public ward of the prison and that he has not encountered any particular problems.”

Seyed Zia Nabavi, who is a banned student from the University of Nooshirvani of Babol, was arrested last year on June 15th while at a friend’s house. In the initial preliminary court hearing, Judge Pir-Abassi sentenced him to a 15-year prison term, ten of those years were exile in Izeh prison for association with the Mujahedin Khalgh Organization.  Even though Zia Nabavi has continuously denied any links to this organization, he has stated that he believes [his sentence is regarding the fact that] he has family members living in Camp Ashraf.

Zia Nabavi’s lawyer Jhinous Sharifi, said, “The sentence is the revenge for Zia’s activities in the Council to Defend the Right to Education.  The court states the sentence is for an interview Zia Nabavi gave to the Amirkabir newsletter, because the court claims that the newsletter is run by the Mujahedin Khalgh Organization.

Zia Nabavi was first detained in ward 350 of Evin prison, then he was sent into exile, first in Izeh prison, then he was transferred to Karoon prison in Ahvaz.

Zia Nabavi’s father, after the arrest of his son and in an attempt to avoid the news, moved his family from Mazandaran to a village in Semnan. He told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, “Zia is my only son. He is my right hand. We are worried about him so much. I pray and hope that the Lord will help us and bring him back home to his family. I have tried every avenue since the past few months. I have gone to the offices of all the officials. I have gone to Larijani, the Tehran District Attorney, and the Appeals Court to request a review on his sentence. But, I was unable to do anything and the result was his exile to Karoon prison. Although, the letter I had written was placed in Larijani’s office. I thought that if I follow Zia’s case quietly and through legal channels,  I would undoubtedly receive some good results.  I did not cut any corners, but everything went wrong. It is very difficult to feel that there are no possibilities to explore to do anything for him.”

Zia Nabavi’s father commented on his son’s mental and physical health after his last visit, “Zia is very courageous and full of spirit. When he called yesterday he seemed to be fine and said not to worry about him and that he does not have any problems. He said that they are possibly transferring [him] to the general ward in a few days, and so [his] situation will probably get better.  In fact, every time he has phoned his mother and I, he laughs  to calm us.”

He continued, “If Zia had any problems, he would not tell us. I later on found out from his friend that he was placed in solitary confinement for a while. His attitude is like this so he does not worry me and his mother. He always told me he was fine, but I would hear about his problems from his friends. Now, this sentence is [proof] of how much trouble my kid is in.”

The father talks about his expectations from human right organizations and government officials, “I have tried many times and I did not get anywhere. It is so difficult to bare this. If anybody could help Zia’s release or at least help him be transferred to a closer area, those authorities who could help in any shape and form, please help so we don’t suffer as much. My only wish is the release of all of sons and my own son. Zia was an honor student in university.”

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