The “violation” of Abdolreza Tajik In Prison and the Judiciary’s Silence

Several weeks after the arrest of journalist Abdolreza Tajik and his family’s inability to find any information about him, Tajik’s sister said she met with him on Thursday, 15 July 2010. Parvin Tajik told the BBC that during the visit with her brother he said on the first night of his detention he was “violated” in the presence of a Deputy Prosecutor and judge.

The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran is concerned about Abdolreza Tajik’s continued detention under such circumstances and a potential increase in pressure on him due to his courageous revelation about his illegal and inhumane treatment.  The Campaign asks judicial authorities, especially the Tehran Prosecutor, to take steps for Tajik’s immediate release on bail and to order an independent investigation into physical and psychological torture of Tajik and other political prisoners with the aim to insult, punish, or prevent them from their peaceful activities.

Parvin Tajik told the BBC Persian Service that when she asked her brother what “violation” he meant, he did not reply specifically and merely said, “Just tell the Prosecutor and my lawyer, Mr. Sharif. They’ll know what it means.”

Abdolreza Tajik, a journalist and a member of the Defenders of Human Rights Center (DHRC) was arrested on 12 June 2010, immediately after an insulting and libelous program about Shirin Ebadi was broadcast on Iranian state television. The program contained confessions from Ebadi’s husband, Javad Tavasolian. Another member of the DHRC, Narges Mohammadi, was arrested the day after the program was aired. Many believe that the two individuals were arrested for their human rights activities and fears that they might each stage objections to the television program against the Nobel Peace Laureate and Head of the DHRC.

Prior to this, Parvin Tajik had shared her concerns with the Campaign about the several weeks of silence about her brother’s detention location or his charges. She told the BBC that “her brother requested an immediate meeting in prison with the Tehran Prosecutor, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, and his lawyer, Mohammad Sharif, in order to inform them about the details of this incident.”  So far, judicial authorities have not reacted to Abdolreza Tajik’s statements. However, there have been widespread reactions on the internet from social and political activists who hold Tajik in high regard for his journalistic activities.

There have been numerous reports about physical and psychological torture of prisoners from civil society activists inside Iran, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, and other human right organizations outside the country; but the Iranian Judiciary has consistently denied these events.