Iran puts 12 policemen on trial over Kahrizak prison deaths

Iran put 12 policemen on trial in an army court on Tuesday over last summer’s deaths of at least three anti-government protesters at notorious Kahrizak jail, state media reported.

Even when Mohammad Kamrani, one of the victims, was brutally tortured and there was almost no life in him anymore, he was still "locked" to his bed so he could not scape,in the Loghman hospital by the security forces!!

The case has caused major embarrassment to the Islamic republic, which acknowledged, after months of denial, the deaths as a result of injuries inflicted in Kahrizak. The detention centre was shut down in July at the order of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei following reports of abuse.

The first “court session was held with the victims’ families, other plaintiffs and their lawyers and the defendants,” state news agency IRNA said.
“The indictment against the 12 defendants was read out,” it said, without identifying the defendants or specifying the charges.

“Trying some officials should not be interpreted as questioning and ignoring the hard work of police. There might be offending people anywhere,” Judge Mohammad Mosaddegh said.
Mosaddegh warned that the details of court sessions were not to be revealed to the public by those present as “the publication of some information in the case harms order in society.”

It was not known whether Tehran’s feared former prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi was also among those on trial Tuesday.

In January, a parliamentary probe found Mortazavi responsible of sending post-election protesters to Kahrizak and called for his punishment.

Three young men — Mohammad Kamrani, Mohsen Ruholamini and Amir Javadifar — died of abuse in Kahrizak during their detention after being arrested in street protests against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s disputed re-election last year, according to the probe report.

A fourth protester was also reportedly feared dead after being jailed in Kahrizak, but this has not been officially confirmed.

The story of Mohammad Kamrani

Mohammad Kamrani, 18 was arrested on July 9th in Tehran ( Vali-Asr square) and transferred to Kahrizak prison. Kahrizak is notorious for its inhumane conditions and maltreatment of prisoners.

When Mohammad was transferred to Evin prison a few days later. The family was told their son was about to be released. When they went to get Mohammad, the family were told he has been transferred to a hospital.

The devastated family rushed to Loghman hospital and found their child in critical conditions , still surrounded by the police. The family persisted in transferring their son to a facility with better care and were able to transfer Mohammad to Mehr hospital, but his condition deteriorated and Mohammad, who was getting ready for the medical school entrance exam, passed away at the tender age of 18. His body was buried in Tehran.

Posted by Blue Karuna on Mar 10th, 2010 and filed under Green Movement, Human Right Activism, People. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.