February 12, 2018
Shima Babaei and her husband Dariush Zand, two human rights activists who were arrested by the authorities on February 2, have now been transferred to Tehran’s Evin prison, Amnesty International said.
Babaei and Zand informed their families that they were in Block 209 at Evin prison. Agents of the Intelligence Ministry arrested the couple at Dariush’s family home in the city of Behbahan, in the southeastern province of Khuzestan.
The Iranian authorities have not specified the charges against Shima and her husband. The couple has told their families that they have not been arraigned yet.
Dariush was arrested in Tehran during the protests in December, but was released on bail nine days later. Shima, who was arrested on May 26, was released a week later after posting bail. Authorities have charged her with “disseminating lies on social media,” “insulting the leadership,” “insulting senior officials” and “being in contact with foreign powers and media.”
Shima and her father Dr. Ibrahim Babaei were arrested by the security police on August 19 in Tehran. They were charged with “propaganda against the regime” and “inciting public unrest,” but were released after posting bail. Dr. Babaei had previously been arrested after the 2009 presidential elections and sentenced to five years in jail. He had served his sentence in Evin and Rajaei prisons.
Four other rights activists — Saeed Eqbali, Leila Farjami, Mahmoud Masoumi and Behnam Mousivand — were also arrested by the security police and sent to Evin prison. Leila Farjami is the only one of the three to have been released so far.
Behnam Mousivand, who had been released from jail on May 3 after serving a one-year sentence, was arrested by the security police at his father’s house.
Mahmoud Masoumi had previously received a 12-year sentence, but was released from prison on May 12, 2016, after spending a month in prison and posting $60,000 in bail.
It is believed that the simultaneous arrest of these six rights activists was planned and coordinated by the Ministry of Intelligence.
Free these brave people immediately and unconditionally. Do not let them languish in your dirty jails. All they want is their rights