Persian2English

Arash Rahmanipour

Date: Thursday Oct 15, 2009
Persian Source: Rooz Online
Translated By: Tour Irani for Persian2English

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Arash Rahmani’s lawyer in an interview with Rooz News: Two steps away from execution but completely unaware!

Fereshteh Ghazi

While the fifth death sentence for the defendants in the show trials has been issued, the detainees and their families have not yet been informed of the verdicts. We interviewed Nasrin Sotoudeh, Arash Rahmanpour’s lawyer, regarding this matter. She confirms that her client has not been notified, stating, “The public defendant has only verbally informed Arash’s father that such a sentence has been issued.” Earlier, Dr. Mohammad Seyfzadeh, the lawyer for Hamed Rouhinezhad, talked about the same situation in regards to his client.

The following is the text of the interview with Mrs. Sotoudeh:

Nasrin Sotoudeh, Arash Rahmanipour’s lawyer, told Rooz Online that the public defendant for Mr. Rahmanipour has talked about this sentence, but still Mr. Rahmanipour and his family have not been informed of this sentence.

She added, “Among the names announced by the public relations director of Tehran’s judicial center, my client’s name was not among the list of death sentences, but we have heard that someone by the initials of A.P. was announced. We believe AP stands for Arash Pour-Rahmani, since the public defendant has informed the father that his son is among the people sentenced to death.”

Mrs. Sotoudeh stated, “Despite many requests by myself and Arash’s family, the court has denied me the right to represent him.”  She clarified, “There are many moving facts in his file. First of all, he was arrested in March, and had nothing to do with the aftermath of the June presidential election. On the other hand, his arrest included various scare tactics; even his pregnant sister was arrested. She was released a few days later, but lost her child.”

Mrs. Sotoudeh added, “On the day of the show trial, Arash’s father met him and informed him that I had agreed to be his lawyer. He told his son to  request an extension from the court so I could study his file. As soon as his father uttered those words, six agents threatened him, saying he either force his son to confess, or he was going to get arrested as well.”

Mr. Sotoudeh stated that Mr. Rahmanipour confessed to crimes he had never committed because the agents promised him a reduced sentence or possible freedom.

Mrs. Sotoudeh also said, “The arrest and harassment of his family, his forced confession, and the treatment regarding his sister all show just how much pressure Arash has to deal with at only 19 years old.

She added, “The accusation against my client includes contacts with Anjoman Padeshti Iran (Monarchist group), but my  client has had no activities in this regard.”

Mrs. Sotoudeh, referring to two other cases, Isa Saharkhiz and Atefeh Nabavi, said, “The judge has refused to free them on bail.”

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Persian from Rooz Online:

Fereshteh Ghazi, Journalist

در دو قدمی اعدام، اما بی خبر