Change for Equality:
Mahboubeh Karami a member of the One Million Signatures Campaign who was arrested on March 2, 2010 and is being held in Section 209 of Evin prison, managed by officials from the Ministry of Intelligence, has had no telephone contact with her family since Tuesday April 30. Prior to her arrest Mahboubeh had been suffering from ill health and had lost a considerable amount of weight. Her poor health has caused increased concern for her family.

Mahboubeh’s family had expected that she would be released prior to April 8, which marks the one year anniversary of her mother’s death, so that she could participate in the customary mourning ceremonies. Last year, Mahboubeh was in prison when her mother was ill in the hospital and was only released a few hours prior to her mother’s death.

Mohsen Karami, Mahboubeh’s brother has written a letter to the Tehran Prosecutor requesting the release of his sister. The following is the translation of this letter.

The Honorable Tehran Prosecutor,

Mr. Jafari Dolatabadi

Over a month has passed since the arrest of my sister Mahboubhe Karami. She has spent this entire time, including the New Year’s holidays, in solitary confinement. But still authorities have failed to clarify the charges pending against her.

In the only visit that I had with her, Mahboubeh explained that she had been treated poorly while in detention by one of her interrogators who had repeatedly hit her on the head with a water bottle.

As you are aware recently a special office of the prosecutor has been set up inside of Evin prison. Access to this office and officials within it, as well as the case files pending against Mahboubeh, has been impossible for ourfamily and also for the lawyer representing my sister. As such, Mr. Houshang Pourbabai’e my sister’s lawyer has been unable to contact or visit Mahboubeh since her arrest.

Mr. Prosecutor, Mahboubeh is the only daughter of a family in which both parents suffered from serious illness. My mother who was struck with cancer passed away last year during the New Year’s holidays and at a time when her only daughter was in prison because she had intended to pay the family of late Dr. Zahra Bani-Yaghoub [who died in custody] a visit on the occasion of the New Year. My sister could not be with our mother during her last days.

For years now, Mahboubeh’s father has been ill with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease, and Mahboubeh has been his only caregiver.
Now we are informed that Mahboubeh herself is being held in solitary confinement and is ill. The news of Mahboubeh’s illness in prison has caused us great concern. The news is even more alarming given the fact that during the past year Mahboubeh had suffered from depression and had been under a doctor treatment in this respect. We urge you to take steps to allow for Mahboubeh’s innocence to be proven so that she can be released as quickly as possible.

With hopes for a better future,

Mohsen Karami