According to reports, Amir-Abbas Tavakoli Berazjani was sentenced to death by the 71st branch of the Tehran Penal Court on false charges including murdering security forces.
On Tuesday August 17, Berazjani was taken to the Tehran Penal Court without prior notice and was trialed by Norollah Aziz Mohammadi. This prisoner is detained in cellblock 6 in Gohardasht Prison in Karaj.
He was accused of complicity in the death of a security agent, 5 counts of armed and unarmed robbery, the possession of and carrying arms and ammunition, addiction and beating security forces…
The Judge did not allow him to defend himself in court. Judge Aziz Mohammadi charged Berazjani with addiction even as this prisoner does not even smoke cigarettes.
On the same day after the trial, state-run media published false reports on Tavakoli’s trial and announced that he was sentenced to retribution (death) because of intentional murder, 10 years of prison on charges of armed robbery, and 74 lashes.
Before this, Tavakoli defended jailed teacher Rasoul Bodaqi in Gohardasht Prison in Karaj after he was attacked by security forces and was summoned to the office of the head of the prison intelligence department where he was abused and threatened.
Three agents of the intelligence agency went to the home of Soudabeh Shahpour, his mother, and after threatening her told her that she is not to mention in court that she was shot in the neck by security forces else she will be charged with apostasy on charges of becoming a Christian and will be executed. She was also threatened that they would harm her other children and nephew.
Notably on July 17, 2008, Tehran's security and intelligence agents raided the apartment of the Tavakoli Berazjani family arresting all the members of this family present at the time. Agents shot Soudabeh Shahpour, the 50 year old mother of the family in the neck. Abbas Tavakoli and his brother Hossein Tavakoli Berazjani were beaten and tortured in front of their other family members in their home for several hours.
All the arrestees were taken to this city's criminal intelligence department. Some of the people arrested were, Tan-naz Abolhusseini Ahmadi (16 year old female), Khosro Qaedi (17 years old), Mahnaba Tavakoli Berazjani (26 year old female), Fatemeh Farahani (female), Soudabeh Shahpour (50 year old female), Abbas Tavakoli Berazjani (38 years old), Hussein Tavakoli Berazjani (33 years old), and Mohsen.
The tortures inflicted on this family were as follows:
The skin of the sensitive parts of the prisoner's body were pressed with pliers which sometimes led to wounds and injuries
Toe nails were pressed with pliers
Beatings with clubs and other objects for a prolonged amount of time
Tying the hands and feet of the prisoner from the back and keeping him this position for a long time
Hanging the prisoner from the ceiling until the prisoner passed out
Depriving the prisoner of drinking water in the hot summer temperatures
The prisoner was only allowed to use the restroom twice in 24 hours
The judge handling their case threatened the female detainees with rape
Pulling a bag over the head of the prisoner while he was being tortured
Jumping on the hands and feet of the prisoner while handcuffed
The prisoners witnessed the torture of his/her family members or heard their cries while they were being tortured
Hussein Tavakoli Berazjani whose whole body was black and bruised from the torture, died in this detention center. (Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran – Aug. 19, 2010)
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