A/HRC/22/56
V. Student activists cases
29.
Ismaeil Jalilvand was a student and social activist who has been arrested four times
and was eventually expelled in 2011 for his activities. He was arrested on 4 February 2009,
was charged with “acting against national security”, “disturbing public opinion”, “insulting
the Supreme Leader and the President”, and “propagation against the State” within 24 hours
of his arrest. He maintained that he spent 11 days in solitary confinement, and was
interrogated seven-to-eight times, for up to six hours each time, while blindfolded. He was
eventually fined and released. There was no trial. Mr. Jalilvand was arrested agin four
months later on 20 June 2009. He reported that he was detained by the Ministry of
Intelligence for 30 days, that he didn‘t have access to a lawyer, was blindfolded during the
interrogations, and that he was convicted on charges of “insulting Government officials”,
“acting against national security”, “propagation against the Islamic Republic”, “disturbing
public opinion, and “insulting the Supreme Leader and the President”. He stated that he was
asked to defend himself and that his trial lasted one hour. He is currently released from prison
and has left the country.
30.
On 10 February 2010 Ali Ajami was arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence for his
involvement in the 2009 post-election protests. He spent five days in solitary confinement at
a Revolutionary Guard office without access to a lawyer. He was transferred to Evin Prison,
where he spent 40 days in solitary confinement and was officially charged with “publicizing
false information,” “acting against national security,” “propagation against the state,” and
“insulting the Supreme Leader.” At Evin Prison he was repeatedly interrogated about his
student publications and online activities for up to eight hours per day, while blindfolded.
During these interrogations he was repeatedly beaten and punched, made to stand for long
periods of time, and his family threatened. Mr. Ajami reported that in court the judge denied
his request for a lawyer and that he was only able to see a lawyer on the day of his hearing.
After an appeal he was sentenced to two years in Rajaei Shahr Prison for “propaganda
against the state” and “acting against national security.” During his imprisonment he faced
extremely poor prison conditions, including severe abuse by prison officials. The deputy
director of the prison allegedly hit Mr. Ajami so severely in the ear that it caused bleeding
and a torn eardrum. After eventually being released, Mr. Ajami received a letter from the
university stating that he was banned from continuing his education.
VI. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Cases
31.
An anonymous source reported that he was imprisoned twice for activities related to
his sexual orientation. He maintained that in the first instance, a Government agent entrapped
him by posing as another gay man on a gay dating website. It was reported that the source
was physically abused and strip-searched, that he was detained for several days without
contact with family, that he was coerced to sign a document that he had engaged in “Tafkhiz”
(non-penetrative sex) with other males, and that he was verbally abused by a judge who
sentenced him to 100 “hadd” lashes on his torso and appendages, some of which were
reportedly applied. The source was arrested again at an airport with a group of friends after
dropping a friend off there. The group of men were charged with “the creation of a
prostitution center to facilitate the occurrence of sexually illegal activities” and with
“committing sinful acts like cross-dressing, wearing makeup, and lustful kissing”. They were
then brought to prison for 12 days, where they were allegedly kept in unsanitary and cramped
conditions, and the source was eventually issued a flogging sentence. The sentence was later
dropped, and he was released on excessive bail. The source’s parents used their property as
collateral for their son’s release. He has since left the country.
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