Iranian of the Day

ICHRI: The Judge has ordered an extension of the temporary detention orders for Kasra Nouri, a Gonabadi Dervish who was arrested on 14 March on charges of "propagating against the regime in favor of foreigners" and "contact and interview with Radio Farda." "After several days of no information about the detention location of my son and a search by his family and lawyer, it turned out that Kasra has been transferred to the Shiraz Intelligence Office's Detention Center, known as No. 100. After multiple attempts, we were able to visit with him on Tuesday, 11 April, a whole month after his arrest," said Shokoofeh Yadollahi, Nouri's mother, to The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran.

"My son was previously arrested on 11 January on charges of 'acting against the regime,' and 'membership in a deviant grouplet," and was released on $50,000 after spending 46 days inside the Shiraz Intelligence Office and Adel Abad Prison," she told the Campaign about her son's arrest record.

"My son spent two weeks inside the Quarantine Ward of Shiraz Central Prison. This detention Center has tragic conditions and its inmates are exposed to the worst hygienic circumstances. The inhumane treatment by authorities and interrogators, accompanied with torture is against laws for citizens' rights," she said about her son's situation.

"Following efforts of the lawyer and the family, Kasra was supposed to have been released last week, but, unfortunately, on orders from the investigative judge in charge of Kasra's file, his detention orders have been extended," Yadollahi told the Campaign.

"I hope he is released soon, as my son does not deserve to be detained. He is just a Dervish and should not be detained for being a Dervish or for interviewing with a news outlet," she added.

"Last week, Kasra's 16-year old brother, Amir Nouri, was interrogated for five hours inside Intelligence Office's Detention Center, known as No. 100. We remain under pressure during our visits and [the authorities] do not treat us properly," Kasra Nouri's mother told the Campaign about the way her family have been treated by forces.

Sources close to this religious group state that the judicial crackdown on Gonabadi Dervishes resulted in hundreds of arrests last year. A trial for 189 Gonabadi Dervishes which began on 3 May is currently in progress at Branch 104 of the Boroujerd General Criminal Court in Lorestan Province, and is expected to last for 10 days. Several Dervishes under trial at this court have not received summonses yet. According to the lawyers representing the Dervishes, considering the court hours and the number of individuals under trial, it is expected that each day cases of 18 to 20 individuals are reviewed.

Some of the lawyers representing the 189 Dervishes include Gholamreza Hersini, Ehsanollah Heydari, Saeed Gholamian, and Maryam Moshfegh, along with 17 other lawyers.

The Dervishes on trial face charges of "acting against national security" and "creating public anxiety through assembly and issuing petitions and statements."