Ailing Former Political Activist Held Without Charge by Intelligence Ministry

Former political activist Majid Asadi has been detained without charge in Evin Prison’s Ward 209 under the control of Iran’s Intelligence Ministry since February 2017, the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) has learned.

In an interview with CHRI on April 13, Mohammad Asadi said his son also does not have a lawyer.

“Majid has been in solitary, under interrogation for 50 days,” he said. “He doesn’t have a lawyer at this preliminary stage, but we might be able to hire one for him when the case goes to trial.”

“For the time being, all we’re hearing is that we have to wait,” he added.

Majid Asadi, 34, a former student activist at Allameh Tabatabaie University in Tehran, was arrested by agents from an unknown agency without a warrant at his home in Karaj, west of Tehran, on February 21, 2017.

The agents also searched the home and confiscated his laptop, mobile phone and some books, an informed source told CHRI at the time.

“Majid has back pain and has asked us to get his medical records from his doctor outside of prison and give them to the prosecutor so that he would hopefully take them into consideration,” Mohammad Asadi told CHRI. “He needs to be hospitalized for treatment.”

Political prisoners in Iran are singled out for harsh treatment, which often includes denial of medical care.

Mohammad Asadi told CHRI his son had given up his activism.

“Majid has not been involved in any particular political activity since he was released from prison in 2015,” he added. “He has been trying to heal himself and keeping busy with research and translation for a private company.”

Majid Asadi was previously arrested on July 3, 2008 by Intelligence Ministry agents and sentenced to four years in prison for “assembly and collusion against national security” in March 2010.

He served his term from October 5, 2011 to June 8, 2015.