After announcing that Behnam Mousivand’s Corona test was negative and that he was fully recovered, this civil activist was transferred from one of the solitary confinement cells of Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj to Ward 4, Corridor 10 of this prison on Wednesday, September 16, 2020.
Behnam Mousivand, a political prisoner who was transformed on Saturday, August 29, 2020, to the dispensary of Ward 4 in Evin Prison due to his symptoms of Coronavirus infection, went on a hunger strike on Tuesday, September 1, 2020, in protest of his transfer from Evin Prison in Tehran to a solitary confinement cell in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj.
After being held for 3 days in the dispensary of Ward 4 in Evin Prison and not receiving medical treatment, this political prisoner had announced his hunger strike on Tuesday, September 1, 2020, after being transferred to a solitary confinement cell in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj.
In Rajai Shahr Prison of Karaj, Behnam Mousivand took a Corona test (sample of saliva and mucus of the nose) and on Saturday, September 5, 2020, and the test result of this civil activist was announced positive.
On Monday, September 7, 2020, this imprisoned civil activist was aging transferred to solitary confinement on the pretext that his Corona test was positive.
By declaring the new Corona test was negative and his complete recovery, after 10 days being held in one of the solitary confinement cells in the Safe Ward of Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj, he was transferred to Ward 4, Corridor 10 of this prison on Wednesday, September 16, 2020.
Despite showing symptoms of Coronavirus, this political prisoner was denied access to medical care for a long time.
Earlier, due to the deterioration of the symptoms of Coronavirus disease in Evin Prison and by performing Corona testing of 17 inmates randomly on August 9, 2020, the test results of 12 prisoners detained in Ward 8 of Evin Prison were declared positive.
The Campaign for the Defense of Political and Civil Prisoners, addressed this issue on Sunday, August 9, 2020, during a report that 12 inmates of Ward 8 of Evin Prison had contracted Coronavirus.
Following the spread of Coronavirus symptoms among the prisoners of Evin Prison, at least 27 prisoners, including Behnam Mousivand, sat in the prison yard on Monday, August 10, 2020, demanding an immediate investigation and resolution of the Coronavirus crisis in this ward.
Behnam Mousivand, the political prisoner, was transferred to Ward 8 of Evin Prison following an argument with the head of Ward 4 of Evin Prison.
This civil activist was transferred to Ward 8 of Evin Prison as a punishment after protesting against the existence of drug distribution gangs in the prison, the exploitation of low-income prisoners by financial crimes prisoners, and discrimination between prisoners accused of embezzlement and political prisoners.
Following the protest sit-in, Bagheri, the warden of Ward 8, appeared among the prisoners and said: “Your protest and concerns are justified, however, due to the small space of the rooms, it is practically impossible to observe the health protocols and social distance.”
“In addition to the small space, the lack and non-distribution of sanitary facilities such as masks, gloves and disinfectants in the complex has caused the virus to spread among them,” said political prisoners.
Behnam Mousivand was sentenced to 5 years in prison on charges of” assembly and conspiracy to act against national security” and to 1 year in prison for “propaganda activities against the regime”. The sentence was confirmed by Branch 36 of the Tehran Court of Appeals, and according to Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, 5 years of this sentence will be imposed on him.
Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, presided over by Judge Mohammad Moghiseh, had sentenced Mr. Mousivand and each of the 8 other civil activists named Saeed Eghbali, Nader Afshari, Mahmoud Ma’soumi, Shaghayegh Mahaki, Daryoush Abdar, Shima Babaei, Mojgan La’li, and Saeed Seifi-Jahan to 6 years (a total of 54 years) in prison on charges of ” assembly and conspiracy to act against national security” and “propaganda activities against the regime”
Behnam Mousivand was previously detained by security forces, along with a number of civil activists during a nationwide operation in different parts of Iran on February 1, 2018, and were transferred to Ward 209 of the Ministry of Intelligence in Evin Prison without access to a lawyer. Some of these detainees were released from custody on bail. The Evin Prosecutor’s Office has reportedly accused some of these individuals of “propaganda activities against the regime” and “assembly and conspiracy to act against national security”.
Among the civil activists arrested on February 1, 2018, Saeed Seifi-Jahan was released on bail on February 8, 2018, Shima Babaei on March 3, 2018, her husband Daryoush Zand on March 4, 2018, and Mahmoud Ma’soumi was released on March 5, 2018. Nader Afshari, another arrested civil activist, was released on bail from Evin Prison on March 18, 2018.
Behnam Mousivand, along with Arash Sadeghi, his wife Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraei, and Navid Kamran, was arrested at his workplace on September 6, 2014 by the IRGC’s Sarollah Intelligence Garrison.
Political and civil activist Behnam Mousivand had previously introduced himself to Evin Prison on the morning of Monday, June 13, 2016, to serve his 12-months sentence.
Behnam Mousivand, who was arrested by security forces on February 1, 2018 and transferred to Ward 209 of the Ministry of Intelligence located in Evin Prison, was temporarily released from Evin Prison on Monday, March 19, 2018, on a bail of 1 billion rials.
The Campaign for the Defense of Political and Civil Prisoners had previously published a comprehensive report on the situation of prisoners during the outbreak of Coronavirus pandemic in various prisons across the country.
The United Nation (UN) has also expressed concern over the situation of prisoners in countries where the Coronavirus has spread, including Iran, and Amnesty International has issued separate statements in recent weeks calling for the release of prisoners of conscience. However, despite the demands of human rights organizations, a large number of political prisoners and prisoners of non-dangerous offenses have not yet been able to enjoy the right to furlough.
Following the outbreak of the Coronavirus in Iranian prisons, Amnesty International has also issued separate statements, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of hundreds of prisoners of conscience and the protection of the health of all prisoners.
However, despite the demands of human rights organizations, many political prisoners and prisoners of non-dangerous offenses have not yet been able to enjoy access to health care, medical facilities, and temporary leave in the context of the Corona crisis in Iranian prisons.