Majid Tavakoli’s Family Unable to Visit Him Due to Distance

The family of Majid Tavakoli, an imprisoned student who was arrested on National Student Day 2009  (7 December) at Amirkabir University of Technology, has not received any news from him for several months. His family lives in the city of Shiraz and has been unable to travel to Karaj to visit him. Last week, Tavakoli issued a message for Student Day.

Tavakoli’s brother Ali Tavakoli spoke with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran and said he was unaware of Majid’s situation. “Due to a personal problem, I have not been able to travel to Karaj to visit Majid for the last few months. I don’t know what his present situation is. My last telephone contact with him was a long time ago, and at that time he was doing well.  Unfortunately, my mother and father are both elderly and sick, and they don’t have the means to travel to Karaj to visit Majid. I used to go to visit Majid, but now because of my problem I cannot go, and I don’t even have good cell phone reception where I am,” he said.

Ali Tavakoli pointed out that he does not have any news from his brother and has only heard his brother’s Student Day message.  “Unfortunately, we live in a provincial city and Majid is inside a prison in Karaj. The long distance, which requires making travel plans, makes the task difficult. I have not seen my brother for a long time and have no news of him.”

Ali Tavakoli and his family must travel 15 hours in order to visit Majid Tavakoli in Rajaei Shahr prison in Karaj.

Majid Tavakoli is a student activists who was sentenced to an 8.5 years in prison, five years’ ban from political activities, and five years’ ban from leaving the country. He was tried in Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Courts for “gathering and collusion against the regime”, “propagating against the regime”, and “insulting the Supreme Leader and the President.”  He is currently serving his prison term in Ward 3, Hall 8 of Rajaei Shahr prison in Karaj.