Two Iranian political prisoners exiled

Tehran's Evin Prison

Hamed Rouhinejad and Ahmad Karimi, two Iranian political prisoners were taken to Zanjan and Gonbad Qaboos prisons to serve out their prison terms in exile, Herana reports.

The two detainees were reportedly transferred from Evin Prison last night without any former notification to their lawyers.

Hamed Rouhinejad, a philosophy student, was arrested last May charged with membership in a dissident group.

He suffers from Multiple Sclerosis and is already experiencing paralysis in parts of his body. However, the authorities refuse to grant him sick leave.

Rouhinejad was sentenced to death in the controversial mass trials of post-election crackdown on political activists last summer.

His sentence was later reduced in the appellate court to ten years in prison and exile to Zanjan.

Human rights activists insist that in view of Rouhinejad’s physical condition, he should be under medical supervision. Reportedly, Rouhinejad’s vision has suffered major damage and one of his arms has become paralyzed; yet the authorities have not responded to his family's appeals to grant him leave.

In the meantime, Ahmad Karimi, another political prisoner, was moved to Gonbad Qaboos Prison last night. Human Rights Activists of Iran reports that “Gonbad Qaboos Prison is used only for murder and drug convicts and there are no political prisoners at this prison. Therefore, transferring Mr. Karimi to this prison goes against the article of division of crimes.”

Karimi is accused of membership in a dissident group and was arrested prior to the elections of 2009 in Iran.

He was also sentenced to death in the mass trials of last summer and his sentence was later reduced to 15 years in prison and exile to Gonbad Qaboos.

Human Rights Activists of Iran reports that the Karimi’s family have not seen their kin for months and the transfer will now make prison visits even more difficult.