Nabavi and Amoori

Prominent Iranian student movement leader Sayed Zia Nabavi was return to Karoon prison this week following a month-long interrogation by Iranian intelligence.

Nabavi has been in prison since June 2009. While in Karoon Prison, he met and befriended Ahwazi Arab activist Mohammad Ali Amouri, who is currently facing execution for "enmity with God". Both Nabavi and Amoori have been held in solitary confinement and tortured. Their experiences have brought them together.

In a recent appeal, entitled "story of an exiled prisoner about a prisoner who is sentenced to death, Nabavi described Amoori as a moderate person and rejected the regime's allegations against him and other Ahwazis sentenced to death. He stated that he did not believe they were violent and accused the security services and judiciary of linking them to a non-existent armed separatist group.

Nabavi has been under pressure from the intelligence services to publicly disavow his letter of support for Amoori, but he has refused to co-operate. This is believed to have been the reason for his recent interrogation and there are fears that he has been subjected to psychological and physical torture.

Amoori also wrote a letter of appeal which stated: "I was seeking peace and dialogue, what sin have I done to be killed? To save innocent people who demand humanitarian help, peace, freedom and basic political and social rights?"

He added: "I was subjected to physical and psychological torture in solitary confinement in Ahwaz City for six months and then in Karoon prison where after two years I was sentenced to death by an unjust court. I have been asking since then: why do they want to kill me?"

Ahwaz Human Rights Organisation

04/04/2013