“The Authorities Did Not Inform Us Of My Father’s Execution,” Says Ali Saremi’s Daughter

Ali Saremi

Zeinab Saremi, daughter of Ali Saremi, who was executed in Tehran’s Evin Prison on Tuesday morning on the charge of moharebeh, enmity with God, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that Iranian authorities had not informed the family of her father’s impending execution, and that the family had been alerted about the possibility of the execution through Saremi’s cellmates at Rajaee Shahr Prison, whereupon the family had rushed to Evin Prison. According to Saremi’s daughter, who was still outside Evin Prison Complex at the time of interview, even his attorney was not aware of his time of execution.

She also told the Campaign that security forces arrested her mother and sister and several of their friends who had accompanied the family to the prison complex. Zeinab Saremi was also told to either get in the police vans or to leave the vicinity of the prison. She told the Campaign that she was waiting to take custody of her father’s body.

“Last night (at dusk), my father’s cellmates at Karaj’s Gohardasht [Rajaee Shahr] Prison called our home and said that Ali Saremi had been ‘abducted’ in a very suspicious way, and that his cellmates were aware of his disappearance. They told us to ‘be really afraid’ for him,” Zeinab Saremi told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran.

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“We were not informed by the authorities about this execution at all. They hadn’t even informed his lawyer. We were pursuing his case as usual, going to the Supreme Court and any other organization that we thought could help us save my father’s life, writing letters. Even when we had gathered outside the Evin Prison with our family, relatives, and friends to find out about my father’s fate, they told us: ‘Nothing is happening here. Everybody is asleep. Go away,'” she added.

“Two ambulances came at Azan [dawn prayer] time. On one of them was written “Inspection,” and the other had no writings on it. It didn’t even take half an hour. After a little while, we heard the uttering of ‘Ya Hossein’ three times. There was such echo to this sound that we got the shivers. After the police left one by one, we realized that everything is over. My mother paced in front of the prison all night,” Saremi added.
Zeinab Saremi spoke with the Campaign about charges waged against her father. “The charge of moharebeh, enmity with God, was completely unfounded for him. His only interest in Mojahedin-e Khalgh (MEK) and Camp Ashraf was my brother who is inside Camp Ashraf. He even told his interrogators that he was not a member of the MEK and had only gone to Camp Ashraf to visit his son,” she said.
“I would like to ask all human rights organizations not to prevent so many families from become mournful. I hope human rights organizations won’t let this happen to others,” concluded Zeinab Saremi.