Hengameh Shahidi was arrested on 30 June and was held in solitary confinement in Evin Prison in the capital Tehran for 50 days before being transferred to a cell holding another woman. Her interrogators threatened to arrest other family members, and on several occasions she was threatened with execution. On one occasion she was subjected to a mock execution. She was eventually released on bail of 900 million rials (over US$90,000) on 1 November 2009, after she went on hunger strike in protest at her continued detention. On 4 November, after her release on bail, she was tried.
Before her release, prison officials threatened Hengameh Shahidi that she would be punished if she continued her hunger strike. This contrasts with the impunity enjoyed by security officials responsible for human rights violations. The Norooz website stated that she has asked “Were the individuals who beat me in the basements of Evin prison brought before the [prison] disciplinary committee?”. Amnesty International is not aware of any official investigation of these allegations.
The authorities used excessive force to quell largely peaceful protests which erupted after the announcement that incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinjead had won the 12 June election, which many people disputed. The authorities have acknowledged 36 deaths, while the opposition claims that over 70 died. Over 4,000 were arrested, many of whom were tortured or otherwise ill-treated in detention centres across the country. Some have alleged they were raped, although the authorities have denied this after cursory investigations and other measures which appear designed to hide, rather than uncover, the truth. Over 80 have been sentenced to prison terms or flogging in connection with the unrest, including those sentenced after mass “show trials” which began in August. At least five have been sentenced to death.
The authorities have continued to use force to dispel demonstrations held on days of national importance. Most recently, people demonstrating on 7 December 2009, the anniversary of the killing of students by the former Shah’s forces in 1953, were met with beatings and use of tear gas by security forces. Over 200 were arrested in Tehran alone. Human rights defenders have also been targeted: on 5 December around 29 members of the group Mourning Mothers, which gathers every Saturday to protest at the killings of protestors and other human rights violations since the election, were arrested in Tehran. All have since been released.
For further information about the post-election events please see Iran: Election contested, Repression compounded (Index MDE 13/123/2009), December 2009, http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/123/2009/en
Further Information on UA: 231/09 Index: MDE 13/129/2009 Issue Date: 10 December 2009
