January 31, 2011
Persian Report by Mothers of Laleh Park
Translation by Roya Irani | Edited byPersian2English
January 20, 2011 – Family members of Hakimeh Shokri announced that in their previous [attempt at a] prison visit, which [is supposed to] take place every two weeks, prison officials did not allow them to visit nor follow up on Hakimeh’s condition. The family said that Shokri has been banned from prison visits, and after hours of waiting for news on Hakimeh, they had no option but to leave.
Hakimeh Shokri was arrested on Decmber 5, 2010 along with several other mothers who were celebrating the birthday anniversary of Amir Arshad Tajmir, one of the killed protesters during the 2009 Ashura protest (December 27, 2009). They were gathered at Behesht Zahra Cemetery and were arrested. Even though other mothers were released the same night of their arrest, Hakimeh was transferred to Evin prison. She is charged with “Espionage” and “Acting against national security”. Hakimeh has done nothing but sympathize with the mothers and families who lost their loved ones after the 2009 Iranian Presidential election.
In a previous prison visit with Hakimeh and a month after the arrest, her family said that when they met with her, the torture Hakimeh has endured was noticeable from her face and the heavy shaking of her hands. However, her spirits are high and she has faith in her innocence, despite all of the pressures, insults, and tortures she has had to withstand in addition to pressures to make false confessions against herself and the Mothers of Laleh Park (Mourning Mothers of Iran).
While Hakimeh’s brother and sister were able to previously visit her, two men were pacing behind Hakimeh and one man was sitting right next to her and monitoring all of her movements. According to her family, Hakimeh is in very poor physical condition, and for two hours the night before she was interrogated and was put under severe pressure and torture and to be transferred to a hospital. Hakimeh Shokri is now under new pressures and the ban from visits is very troubling.
During the last 2 years, the Mothers of Laleh Park endured tyranny and misery, but they stand firm and carry on with integrity and don’t allow anyone to hinder their movement. They are hoping for the release of dear Hakimeh Shokri soon.