A Fresh Round Of Pressure On Mostafa Tajzadeh,” Reports His Wife
Mostafa Tajzadeh’s wife was recently able to visit with him after he was banned from having visitors and making telephone calls for 56 days. In an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, his wife, Fakhrolsadat Mohtashamipour reported of increasing abuse and pressure on the prisoner of conscience. “It appears they have transferred someone to Mr. Tajzadeh’s cell, who has a few problems. When I asked my husband about him, all he said was ‘God willing, he will heal him,’ and he did not explain further. I am concerned about who is next to my husband and how he is dealing with this. I think they want to use different ways to weaken Mr. Tajzadeh’s morale, but most likely, they will not succeed, because he endured four months in solitary confinement with all that pressure, and he was able to maintain his spirits, so the new games won’t be able to make a change in his spirits,” she said.
“My in-person visit was last Wednesday for an hour. They promised that going forward, I could have regular contact with my husband, which of course never happened. Again, I have not heard from my husband. If my letters and other follow-up [methods] prove fruitless, I will have to find other ways for visiting Mr. Tajzadeh and eventually, helping to free him,” said Fakhrolsadat Mohtashamipour.
Mostafa Tajzadeh, a member of the Iran Islamic Participation Front and Islamic Revolution Mujahedin Organization, and former Deputy Minister of the Interior in Mohammad Khatami’s cabinet, was one of those arrested after the 2009 presidential election. He was tried in Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Courts on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security, and propagation activities against the regime,” and sentenced to six years in prison and 10 years’ ban on journalistic and partisan activities. He did not request an appeal.
“His morale was very good, though I am concerned about his new cellmate. I am also concerned about his physical condition, something I have brought up with the authorities several times. He did not enter the prison with perfect health, and he needed extreme care, as both his interrogators who have seen him up close, and the prison authorities know about. Despite what was reported in government media about “Tajzadeh pretending to be ill,” his medical record is available in Judiciary offices. Before going to prison, he had a disc surgery. He also suffers from arthritis in his neck and specialist physicians believed that he must first have surgery on his neck, but he opted for the back surgery first, because of the acute pain in his back. I don’t know what the situation with Mr. Tajzadeh’s neck is right now. Based on his last MRI, doctors said that he must definitely have the surgery, because, God forbid, with one wrong move he might become paralyzed,” Tajzadeh’s wife said about his physical and psychological conditions.
“I conveyed all these issues to the authorities. During my last contact with prison authorities, I also told them that they are responsible for my husband’s health and life, as they control both right now. They had promised to have a neurologist examine him, but up until Wednesday when I saw him last, this had not happened yet, and I have no more information about him,” Motashamipour continued.
In her interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Mostafa Tajzadeh’s wife objected to his detention. “The heart of the matter is that Mr. Tajzadeh must not be in prison at all. While we demand his release, we will not stop demanding attention to improving of his physical health. His health must be considered first and foremost. This is why I keep emphasizing this point right now, and I expect to receive a report about his health as soon as possible,” Fakhrolsadat Mohtashamipour concluded.
