Eftekhar Barzegarian Released After 8 Months in Prison

After eight months in prison, Eftekhar Barzegarian was released from Mashad’s Vakilabad Prison. Barzegarian is a Ferdowsi University student activist who was deprived from continuing his education by a four- semester suspension and expelled from the university. He was released on guardianship (in lieu of bail). His trial will be held on May 5, 2010, on charges of “actions against national security,” and “illegal congregation,” with Judge Kavoosi presiding.

Barzegarian was arrested on September 26, 2009, and spent 28 days in solitary confinement. Though the judge had issued guardianship orders on his case and a guardian had come forward, his case investigator refused to agree to his release. He was transferred to Ward 5 of Vakilabad Prison, where dangerous criminals are detained. During his imprisonment, he suffered repeated illnesses but prison authorities refused him access to medicine.