CAT/C/20/D/89/1997
page 3
2.2. In 1989, the author became a member of Nehzat Azadi (Freedom Movement),
a liberal nationalist movement aiming at a modernistic interpretation
of Islam. The author explains that this movement was previously officially
tolerated by the regime but nevertheless its members were subjected to various
forms of harassment. In 1990/91 the movement eventually was declared illegal
by the Government. The author soon was entrusted the leadership of a group
of 30 members divided into subgroups responsible for the production and
distributions of flyers and leaflets. In addition, as the leader of the
group, it was the author’s responsibility to recruit new members to the
organization. The author explains that this was dangerous work and that once
the Pasdaran caught one of the subgroups when it was distributing flyers. One
of the members was immediately shot dead and the others managed to escape.
2.3. In 1991, the author was suspended from university for not following
Islamic rules. The author states that he thinks that the university had found
out about him trying to recruit new members at university and that he had been
arrested several times by Pasdaran for having participated in meetings
arranged by the party. The leadership of the Freedom Movement sometimes
arranged meetings with 25-30 participants, discussing policy, ideology and
field work. These meetings were often raided by the Pasdaran and according to
the author he was arrested and detained approximately 30 times during such
raids, but he was always let go due to lack of evidence.
2.4. After a while, the author became dissatisfied with the party’s
cautious attitude and together with his closest superior and his group he
started to work in the direction of a more radical policy. During a meeting
on 23 October 1993, where a new and radical text for a flyer was discussed,
the Pasdaran entered and they were all arrested. The author and his
colleagues were brought to the Evin prison for interrogation. During the
questioning, the author was told that his closest superior had been found with
the text of the flyer in his possession and had been executed. The author was
questioned about his own role in the Freedom Movement and about his father’s
whereabouts. The author was allegedly tortured during interrogation. He
states that he was severely beaten and first kept in a one square metre cell
before he was brought to a cell which he shared with five other prisoners.
His ribs were broken, his back was hurt and one of his fingernails was pulled
out. The author was furthermore subjected to a fake execution. Together with
two of his cell mates he was brought before an execution squad. The two other
prisoners were executed, while only fake bullets were used on the author.
After a month the author was released without trial, but with the warning that
he would be executed if ever involving himself in political activities again.
The author states that he believes that his release was due to the fact that
he had not made any confessions and that the authorities would instead watch
him in the hope that he would eventually lead them to his father and other
members of the group.
2.5. In the time immediately following his release the author refrained from
any political activities, but eventually started writing flyers about the
conditions in the Evin prison. When he learned that the police had found out
about his activities and that members of his group had been arrested he
decided to leave the country. The author still had a passport and managed to
prolong it by using bribes. An exit permit was obtained with the help of a
contact in the Justice Department.