Free Masoud Bastani, Journalist

Masoud Bastani, Journalist

Masoud Bastani, 32-year-old journalist was born in Arak. He has been editor of Jomhouriat website, and has had journalism backgrounds in Shargh newspaper, Jomhouriat and Kargozaran. He was arrested in 2002 and 2005 before of his recent arrest. He was sentenced to six months imprisonment for defending Akbar Ganji and other political prisoners, and he spent this term in 2005 in prison of Arak.

Detention
Masoud Bastani was arrested on 5th July 2009, while he was referred to the court to track the status of his arrested wife, Mahsa Amrabadi. Earlier, security forces had gone to his house to arrest him, but when he was not at home, they arrested his wife and she had been transferred to Evin prison.

Masoud Bastani on 25th July was able to meet with his wife in prison. Mahsa Amrabadi was arrested 20 days before of her husband. Masoud Bastani was arrested along with other political activists and journalists in Iran after the disputed presidential election. He was forced to confess against himself – in the mass Courts- which was composed for the defendants after the election – due to severe physical and psychological pressure during interrogation, as other defendants.
In the fourth trial, he was forced to discuss subjects and heavy charges against himself, rather than defense. One of the factors in his confessions was his detained wife who had been kept in prison for suppress the journalists.

Bastani was forced to confess in court against himself, such charges; “attack to the government’s four-year plan, and debilitation the country’s legal institutions, such as the Guardian Council, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, the Basij and police”, “undermining Ahmadinejad “, “create doubts in the election”, ” provide mixed news, based on misuse of government property”, “Induction of electoral fraud in order to break the unity, and inflammation in the society.”

Mohamed Sharif – Masoud Bastani’s lawyer – was not allowed to meet with his client and also to access the file. He said about a court on 26th August 2010: “Cannot call the ceremony, the judicial trial.”

Bastani was held in solitary confinement, sometime after the trial, and was banned; he met his family and lawyer.

Sentences and charges
Bastani was sentenced to six years in prison in September. Sentences for him were included; one year on charge of propaganda against the system, and five years on charge of gathering and colluding to create anarchy. He also was sentenced to a fine of the amount that was uncertain. Iranian Judicial authorities refused again to accept of his temporary release until the announcement to consider by the appeals court, despite the trial being held and sentence being issued by the Magistrates court.

Masoud Bastani’s lawyer announced- on May 24- about the definite sentence of his client by 36th Branch of appeal court in Tehran province to six years imprisonment. He said: “Magistrates Court – about convictions of Masoud Bastani- has been confirmed and has been definite, by 36th Branch of Tehran appeals court, exactly and without any change.”

Follow up
Bastani was transferred from Evin prison to Rajaei -Shahr prison on 25th January 2010, and was kept in “Prison for murderers”. It was unlawful act and contrary to the principle of separation and classification of prisoners. Mohamed Sharif – his lawyer – said that does not know the cause of his transfer to Rajaei-Shahr prison.

Masoud Bastani – which was kept in prison with dangerous criminals – was transferred to the prison ward called Dar Al-Quran in Rajaei- Shahr prison on 28th May 2010. This prison ward is a space for more pressure on political prisoners.

Tehran prosecutor opposed the Masoud Bastani’s leave on 18th July 2010, while he suffered of illness in prison. Iranian Intelligence Ministry also has opposed the leave for him on 12th September 2010, despite severe dental pain and oral infections of this journalist. He spent his proscription in rajaei-Shahr prison, while is failed to use the right to leave yet. Hundreds of Iranian Journalists Demand the Release of Their Jailed Colleagues.

Phone Calls Rationed for Rajai Shahr Political Prisoners
Families of Karaj Political Prisoners Complain of Inappropriate Prison Conditions. Families of 16 Political Prisoners on Hunger Strike in Evin Gather in Front of the Prosecutor’s Office & Ministry of Justice