Iran is routinely keeping inmates beyond the end of their jail terms – while freeing others early in a pretense at an ‘amnesty’ for political prisoners, a letter by a political prisoners has revealed.
Hamidreza Borhani said he had served his three year sentence in the notorious Gohardasht Prison, in Karaj, for supporting the PMOI (MEK), but was still behind bars seven months later and had no idea when he would be freed.
He wrote in a letter from prison: “What they are doing is freeing some political prisoners a few days early to present a show of amnesty of political prisoners.
“This is aimed at giving hope to the ‘unhopeful’ politicians that things are about to change for the better.
“In this way, they recently released a political prisoner two days earlier than her five year prison sentence to create a stir among ‘reformists’ that yes there is hope.
“But to prevent too much expectation, they freed her brother two days late.”
He added: “I was condemned to three years in prison and I have now been behind bars for three years and seven months, and I am left wondering how much longer I will be kept here.
“Despite all the injustice – although justice has no place in mullahs’ judicial system – I would like to declare to all those who have been released early or expect to be released early, that they should not blame themselves, because I am paying for the days that they are freed sooner.”