Activist’s Wife Hospitalized After His Arrest

Taghi Rahmani, a member of the Nationalist Religious Activists Council, was arrested on Wednesday, 9 February. His mother, Zahra Rahmani, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that after her son’s arrest, his wife Narges Mohammadi had to be hospitalized. “I came [to Tehran] from Qazvin this morning to look after my son’s children. Taghi’s wife’s health deteriorated and they took her to Iranmehr Hospital,” she told the Campaign.

Taghi Rahmani was an active member of Mehdi Karroubi’s 2009 election campaign. Rahmani has been arrested several times for various reasons in recent years. His wife, Narges Mohammadi is Deputy Director of the Defenders of Human Rights Center and was arrested by security forces for several weeks last year. She was released after her health deteriorated drastically.

“Last night someone called his wife and told her that Taghi was taken to Evin. I have no further information. I only came this morning to look after their two young children. It seems that forces stormed their home at 10:00 p.m. and arrested him,” said Zahra Rahmani about whether there is news from her son since his arrest.

“Since they arrested Narges last year, her health deteriorates every once in a while. I took her to Qazvin a while back. She only returned to her home and family two weeks ago. And now, with her husband’s arrest, her health has deteriorated again,” Zahra Rahmani told the Campaign about Narges Mohammadi’s condition.

Zahra Rahmani speculated that her son may have been arrested for his ties with Mehdi Karroubi and the upcoming 14 February demonstrations in Iran. “He has not done anything. Why won’t they let him go? Why won’t they let him go?” she said.