Successfully Running Off, Lawyers Express Iran Holds Protesters In Secret Prisons

JAKARTA - Anti-government protesters arrested in Iran's Masyhad City, are being held in a secret prison that does not have proper facilities, said a lawyer who fled the country and his family for fear of their safety.

Thousands of Iranians are believed to have been arrested for taking part in a nationwide protest that broke out in mid-September, showing no signs of easing despite acts of violence that claimed nearly 400 lives, according to human rights groups.

Lawyer Marzieh Mahebi said he knew at least one 'black site' for detainees in Masyhad a few weeks before he left the city.

"I know new places designated for prisoners in Masyhad that do not meet prison criteria. They do not have toilets, places to eat, or medical facilities to treat injuries," Mohebi told The National News, as reported November 25.

"The families of some detainees don't know where their children are," he said.

"The families of the detainees were kept secret by the Iranian Revolutionary Court and the Ministry of Justice. They are in a very bad situation," he said.

Mahebi, who has been in legal practice for more than two decades, was praised by state media in 2017 for the pro- bono legal assistance provided by the Soura Women's Lawyers Association he founded.

He declined to say what circumstances prompted him to flee Iran, unless he was concerned about the safety of his family.

Iranian courts said two weeks ago they had issued arrest warrants for 1,000 people in connection with protests, sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in detention, a young woman arrested by morality police in Tehran on charges of violating dress-up regulations.

Mahebi said he had been approached to ask for help by people who had been summoned by the Intelligence Ministry during the protests.

"They are afraid to go (to the ministry) because they will be arrested. They are also afraid that they will not be able to live a normal life," he explained.

He said the ministry used the same method as emotional abuse.

"When the family came to me, they said their children were under pressure and physical pain when they made a confession," he said, referring to detained protesters.

Hehebi said he had seen signs of physical violence among the detainees. Security forces "most attacked them at universities or police stations," he said.

He said many prisoners were never the same after they were released.

"It is common for prisoners who are released to be very depressed and have extraordinary feelings for the upcoming disaster," he said.

Hehebi cited examples of public figures he knew personally, but did not want to be identified.

"When they were released from prison, they didn't talk to anyone. They had no contact with the outside world and were not active on social media platforms. Their weight fell significantly," he explained.

"I think a lot of prisoners are released like this, the desire to live is taken from them," he concluded.