Jailed Iranian journalist Bahman Ahmad Amouyi reports that there are 1,000 political prisoners in Islamic Republic prisons.
The Kaleme website reports that Ahmadi Amouyi, who was arrested following the 2009 election protests and has been serving his sentence in Evin and Rejai Shahr Prisons, published his report from inside the prison.
The report adds that this number does not include those in the custody of security and intelligence officials while their cases are still being investigated.
The report divides the prisoners into nine groups that include “Salafi or Kurdish Al-Qaida prisoners, Baha’i prisoners, prisoners linked to Kurdish groups, Green Movement prisoners or those who were arrested following the 2009 election, People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran prisoners, ethnic and separatist prisoners, prisoners sentenced by the special court for the clergy, Dervishes and miscellaneous prisoners such as new Christians, those who are convicted of insulting sanctities, of espionage or terrorist acts.”
The report indicates that Salafi or Kurdish Al-Qaida prisoners comprise the largest group with 200 prisoners, and 22 of those are facing the death penalty. The second-largest category is comprised of 160 members of Kurdish groups such as Komoleh, Pjak or PKK, 14 of whom face execution and another eight life imprisonment.
Bahman Ahmadi Amouyi writes that a general pardon as a major demand for civil society in Iran.
