The Interrogation of Navid Khanjani
Navid Khanjani, after his release from prison.
(CHRR, 3 June 2010) – Navid Khanjani is a founding member of PCED (Population of Combat against Educational Discrimination, an Iranian advocacy group defending educational rights) as well as a member of CHRR (Committee of Human Rights Reporters, an Iranian human rights group). He has been banned from continuing his university education because of his Baha'i faith. Khanjani was arrested in Isfahan on March 2, 2010, before being moved to Tehran a day later, where he was placed in Ward 2A of the IRGC run Evin Prison. On May 3, 2010, Khanjani was released from Evin Prison after posting bail. The following is the English translation of an interview with Navid Khanjani conducted by PCED, where he explains in detail the illegal and inhumane interrogation methods that were used by intelligence authorities and the IRGC to force him into making televised confessions.
Editor's note: CHRR stands for: Committee of Human Rights Reporters, an Iranian human rights group PCED stands for: Population of Combat against Educational Discrimination, an Iranian advocacy group defending educational rights HRA-Iran stands for Human Rights Activists in Iran, an Iranian human rights group.
First of all, Mr. Khanjani, were you ever indicted during your detention, and, if so, could you elaborate on the charges that were leveled against you?
Yes, I was indicted 3 days after my arrest. I was arrested on March 2, and on March 5, I was taken before Mr. Kiamanesh at the 3rd unit of the Evin magistrate court. I was indicted for anti-regime propaganda activities, anti-national security actions through active membership in human rights groups (HRA-Iran), and having ties to the MKO through the intermediary of HRA-Iran. ...
Mr. Khanjani, during your detention in Ward 2A, were you ever placed in solitary confinement, and, if so, can you tell us for how long and under what conditions?
Yes, I arrived at Evin's Ward 2A on March 3, where I remained in solitary confinement until March 26. During that time, my cell was changed on 2 occasions. The first solitary cell was very small and did not have a toilet.
I was moved to another cell that had washroom facilities after I went on a hunger strike to protest my unlawful detention and the deplorable conditions of the cell. Between March 26 and May 3, I was held in a cell which I shared with 2 other prisoners, Ighan Shahidi and Sama Nourani, both of whom are Baha'is who have been deprived of a university education. I have to emphasize that my hunger strike was not only in protest to the conditions in the solitary cell, but I also wanted all my rights as an accused to be respected; it was in protest to the first day of my interrogation, during which I was blindfolded and beaten; it was in protest to my beating by the Ward 2A IRGC guard, as well as the deplorable conditions of my solitary cell. I wanted to be allowed to call my family and tell them that I was being held in Evin. On the second day of my hunger strike, my condition deteriorated, and I was taken to the infirmary. I ended my hunger strike, following the advice of the doctor and the officer on duty. Eventually, all my demands were met, and I was allowed regular phone calls. I was also moved to another cell, and my interrogator was replaced with someone who treated me in an acceptable way and conducted the sessions without blindfolding me.
Overall, I achieved my goals, and my rights as an accused were largely respected from there on.
You talked about beatings. Can you elaborate on these beatings during the detention? Do you believe that you were tortured?
Regarding the beatings, I have to say that, on the first day of my interrogation, I was beaten, insulted and cursed by the interrogators while I was blindfolded. I received blows to my shins and sides. The same day, I was severely beaten by one the guards, who pounded my head against the wall and tried to strangulate me. Later on, after my interrogator was replaced, the beatings stopped and I was treated acceptably by the new interrogator and the guards. With the exception of the guard who beat me the day of my arrival, the rest of them acted reasonably legally. Then, in mid-April, they started talking about a TV documentary and asked us to speak in front of a camera. My 2 cellmates and I refused to comply. I was assaulted in the prison yard later for not appearing before a camera and was told that I would be spending the next 6 months in solitary confinement. As to your question about whether I believe that I was tortured during my detention, I have to say that torture is not strictly physical; often, psychological torture is far worse. I have described my treatment and the events, and it is up to your readers to draw their own conclusions.
You mentioned that you were being forced to appear in a TV documentary. Can you clarify?
My interrogator... kept insisting that everyone must appear and talk in front a camera, that this was part of the normal procedures and that the films of our remarks would not be broadcast on television. I, for my part, kept refusing... It was in mid-April that they came to our cell and gave us (myself and my 2 cellmates, Ighan and Sama) a haircut and shaved our beards....
I was taken to [an] interrogation room... It was a clean, furnished room and there was a camera in front of a red chair. The backdrop was comprised of curtains and other fabrics.
They gave me a T-shirt to put on, taking away my prison uniform, and said, "Now you have to answer our questions." I did not say a word in response to their questions. When they saw that their efforts were yet again to no avail, they took me out of the room. I was then escorted to the prison yard, where someone called out my name, saying, "Khanjani, go and stand next to Nourani and face the wall." I had my blindfold on, and therefore could not see anything while I was standing next to Sama Nourani. Then, all of a sudden, I felt that I was being choked.
Someone was trying to strangulate me. When I started to asphyxiate, he then pounded my head against the wall... After they lifted me up, they started cursing and slapping me... During that time, the only thing I did was to laugh, as he kept beating and insulting me. Finally, in contrary to what they had promised, I was not taken to solitary confinement, but to my cell with Ighan and Sama. The entire TV interview charade was never mentioned again, and my interrogator was very upset when he learned about my beating. He asked me about it and promised to follow up and reprimand the person who was responsible for it. He said that he did not know about it and regretted that it had happened.
Source: Committee of Human Rights Reporters, CHRR, English, Persian
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