Source: CNN
On May 8th, 2015
Mohammad Ali Taheri prisoner of Conscience awaits sentencing
Mohammad Ali Taheri, award-winning inventor, theoretician, and spiritual teacher has been in solitary confinement for over 4 years in Iran’s notorious Evin prison. His crime is that he spreads the message of love and peace. He has been charged with corruption on earth and is currently awaiting sentencing.
Mr. Taheri has been on 12 hunger strikes in protest to his inhumane treatment in prison. The number of days he has been on hunger strike adds up to approximately one year!
In a letter to Ahmad Shaheed, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, Mr. Taheri detailed the gruesome treatment he and other prisoners of conscience have received. The authorities threatened to kill his family (children and wife) multiple times. Further he was taken to the execution site and had the noose thrown around his neck 17 times as a means of psychological torture. Mr. Taheri was not allowed to see his lawyer for 22 months. He was forced to respond to court proceedings without being able to consult his lawyer.
Amnesty International has issued an Urgent Action for the case of Mohammad Ali Taheri who is now being threatened by the sentence of Execution according to Raja News, which is an Iranian Revolutionary Guard news agency.
According to Fox News 100 students took to the streets in support of Mr. Taheri in the streets of Iran. According to the Facebook page of Mr. Taheri’s mother, Mr. Taheri’s second and final court hearing was held on Wednesday April 27, 2015 at Branch 26 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court. He was not given sufficient time to present his defense. He was told he can submit the rest of his defense in writing. According to his mother, Ms. Ezat Taheri, the concern of his family is that he will be given an unfair sentencing.
Many of his students have been arrested and unfairly tried with no evidence according to their lawyer’s Facebook page.
On May 1st Amnesty International held a campaign in Hanover, Germany in support of Mr. Mohammad Ali Taheri and other prisoners of conscience.
