Transfer of an Ahwazi Civil rights activist from Sheyban Prison to the new security detention centre that is Iranian Minister of Intelligence (Also known as Vezarat-e Ettela’at) in order to making new case against him.
The family of ‘Ali Zaheeri Sari’ refers to the Sheyban prison (also known by Ahwaz Complex) on Wednesday, January 31, 2018, which the prison authorities told them: Ali was transferred to the Iranian security detention centre on Sunday, January 28th, 2018.
Ali Zaheeri Sari, born in May 1992, married, graduated from law, from the Koye Alawi (Althoura district), in Ahwaz capital. He is a Civil and cultural activist who had a lot of activities such as holding Arabic poetry nights and of support the chains’ campaign protests against the transfer of Karoon water and the destruction of the historical works of the Ahwaz region.
Ali Zaheeri Sari was arrested by the Iranian Minister of Intelligence along with other several Arab activists on 15th March 2017, After being held for 4 months, in the Iranian Intelligence Detention Centre in Ahwaz capital, accompanied by severe physical and mental torture that resulted in his nails was pull out, he was transferred to Sheyban prison.
Mr. Ali was sentenced at Branch 4 of the Iranian (Ahwaz) Revolutionary Court on charges of propaganda against the Islamic Republic, and the judge of the branch issued one Billion Iranian Rials (about $40,000) in order to bail him out, but the intelligence department has prevented him from release until the issuance of the verdict. The Iranian Revolutionary Court in Ahwaz summoned prisoner Ali in September 2017 again from Sheyban Prison, in which “Ali Zaheeri Sari” faces new charges, such as contacts with organisations that are outside the country, actions against the security of the country and propaganda against the regime. According to his relatives, he has not been told at all in the initial hearings regarding the two charges have been added later.
Before transferring Ali to the Intelligence detention centre on January 28th this year, Intelligence department on Ahwaz capital has summoned his family (his wife, father and two sisters) to the intellegence headquarters and asks them to put pressure on his brother, Mohammad Zaheeri Sari, who has seek refugee to Austria, in order to save Ali’s life. This is not the first time that Iranian security agencies threaten the family of journalists and human rights activists and civil and political activists, and they want from families to put pressure on their children and prevent their activities in abroad.
Written by Ali Bouazar
Ahwazi Centre for Human Rights
04 February 2018
