Calls for loved ones to be freed outside notorious Evin Prison

Group of activists write an open letter on the front page of newspaper calling for their release

The man stood outside the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran on Sunday, his hands deep inside his pockets as snow continued to fall. His son Majid had been inside the prison for over a week, after being arrested during the largest anti-government demonstrations Iran has seen in years.

“My wife and I are here every day,” said the man, who gave only his first name, Hussain. “I don’t want trouble. I just want my son released.”

Majid, a 32-year-old employee at a telecom company, calls from prison daily. He had not been protesting at all, his father insists, and was arrested by mistake.

Members of Iran’s ruling establishment have taken turns assigning blame for the protests in more than 80 cities that have resulted in at least 21 deaths and shined a light on the country’s declining economic conditions, corruption and a lack of personal freedom. Some have accused foreign “enemies”, including the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia, of organising and financing the movement.

Spate of arrests

More than 500 people have been arrested in Tehran alone since the demonstrations began on December 28.

Local news organisations say that more than 1,000 have been detained nationwide, and even that is probably a conservative estimate. The average age of those arrested is younger than 25, the deputy interior minister, Hussain Zolfaghari, told the semi-official website Jamaran.

Based on reports from families and friends outside Evin Prison on Sunday, as well as official sources, dozens of people have been released, but hundreds more remain in prison.

A group of reformist activists wrote an open letter published Sunday on the front page of the newspaper Etemaad calling for the release of those arrested during the demonstrations, saying that Iranians had the right to protest peacefully.

“People feel belittled and hopeless,” the letter said.

There were more than 100 people gathered outside Evin Prison on Sunday: Family members and friends of the detained, the women shielding themselves from the snow with umbrellas; a well-known political activist, Mohammad Nourizad; and a group of dervishes that had set up a makeshift camp under one of the prison’s watchtowers, singing an old song from their native province, Lorestan.

Waiting for a friend

Ali, a plump man who would not give his surname for fear of retribution, was waiting outside Evin Prison for the release of his friend Hussain, who was arrested on December 29.

Hussain had been at the demonstrations because “he was angry, like many people,” Ali said. Hussain soon realised a man had grabbed the cellphone of a woman who had been filming the protesters.

“Hussain chased him, but he turned out to be a plainclothes police officer,” Ali said. “I’m bringing the deed of his house so he can post for bail.”

The entrance of Evin Prison is near a busy highway, and metal sheets have been placed on overpasses to prevent people from looking down. But a side road provides direct access to the prison, and a parade of Iranianmade cars, a garbage truck, motorcycles and a Mercedes-Benz drove past at one point.

“Poor families,” said Hamid Mousavi, a retiree driving a taxi. “They must be so worried.”

Siavash, who works for the telecom ministry, said he had come to Evin to bail out his brother-in-law, Siamak.

“He wanted to meet women, I guess, and have some fun,” Siavash said. “He’ll be freed today, I’m happy. He’s been calling us a couple of times a day. He wants to come home.”