Ramazanzadeh Tells His Story

Abdollah Ramazanzadeh is the former press spokesman for the government of Khatami and has been illegally arrested since the fraud election. He recently was able to speak to a reformist reporter at a hearing during his show trial. His comments show the illegal conditions in which he is being held and his bravery in not confessing under pressure:

"After 80 days in custody, I still don’t know what I’m charged with.

During this time, I’ve been cross-examined many times. In all interrogations, I was blindfolded and the interrogator was always behind me and I never saw his face. The interrogations began around 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. and continued up until 3 or 4 in the morning.

I was always under pressure to make press appearances [confessing to crimes] similar to those held for Mohammad Atrianfar and Mohammad-Ali Abtahi. The bailiffs promised me better detention conditions if I accepted to talk to journalists. So far, I have rejected their offers.

They try to accuse me of attending in illegal rallies, but I was arrested only several hours after the preliminary tally was announced. I was beaten savagely while I was being arrested. My head and ribs were broken and I still bear bruises on my body. My young son who was with me was also beaten up.

I was taken to Evin Prison. Two days passed until I was given tissue paper to nurse my head injuries. I was held 76 days in solitary confinement and I was granted family visitation only once. I am totally uninformed about my family, and they about me. With the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, I was moved to another cell with quite better conditions because my first cell had no toilet.

My detention is a politically motivated retaliation. I don’t know why I’m held in solitary confinement while I don’t even know what I’m charged with."