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Features

Journalism is Not a Crime: Hessam Firouzi

May 5, 2020
Journalism is not a Crime
4 min read
Journalism is Not a Crime: Hessam Firouzi

Citizen journalists, writers, activists and artists are routinely arrested and jailed in Iran for the simple crime of speaking out. Although some of the more dramatic stories occasionally hit the headlines, we rarely hear about these people's detentions or see their names published in English. IranWire's sister project Journalism is Not a Crime aims to change that, highlighting their stories and work, until the day when none of us know the names of journalists behind bars in Iran — because they have all been set free.

 

Hessam Firouzi [Freed]

Professional Record:

Blogger and physician to political prisoners

 

Charged with:

Actions against national security

Disturbing public opinion

Spreading falsehoods

 

Court’s Ruling:

15 months' imprisonment

 

Date of Birth:

1972

 

Current Status:

Freed

 

Mohammad Hassan (Hessam) Firouzi, from Fasa city in Fars province, is a physician, blogger and human rights activist who has treated prominent political prisoners such as Ahmad Batebi, Akbar Ganji, Akbar Mohammadi, who died in prison, and Ayatollah Hossein Kazemeyni Boroujerdi, a cleric who has been repeatedly detained and jailed for his criticism of the Islamic Republic.

Firouzi was first arrested in 2006 for his work tending to the medical needs of political prisoners – as well as for publishing news of their situations on his personal blog.

He was arrested for the first time on October 8, 2006, at his home, by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence after publishing details about Ahmad Batebi’s condition. Batebi was on leave from prison at that time. Firouzi was released on bail after two days of interrogation and solitary confinement in Section 209 of Evin Prison.

Years earlier, during the University of Tehran student protests and dormitory clashes, in 1999, Batebi was pictured holding a classmate’s bloody shirt. The photograph was published widely in international media – including on the cover of Newsweek magazine. Iran’s judiciary initially sentenced Batebi to death, which was later reduced to 15 years in prison at the Court of Appeals. Batebi left Iran several years ago and now lives in the United States.

Four months later, on January 6, 2007, Dr Firouzi was summoned to Branch 14 of the Evin Prison Prosecutor’s Office. When he arrived, he was arrested on the accusation of “hiding a fugitive prisoner” and jailed.

The “fugitive prisoner” was Ahmad Batebi, who had been temporarily released from Evin Prison on March 21, 2005, and who was returned to prison after five days. Batebi's leave and return to prison had been pre-arranged with judicial authorities – yet he was arrested at the end of his leave and Firouzi was arrested for allegedly harboring a fugitive.

After reading about Firouzi’s arrest in the news, Batebi said in a letter from prison that, at the time he had been with Firouzi he was not a fugitive, explaining also that judicial authorities and Evin officials were informed of his address and place of work. In his letter, he demanded Firouzi’s release from prison and denied allegations that he had escaped prison or sought refuge with Firouzi.

Firouzi was sentenced to 15 months in prison for allegedly sheltering a fugitive, as well as for providing medical treatment to Batebi. He was also charged with “acting against national security” and “disturbing public opinion.” Seventeen separate university Islamic associations across Iran protested against Firouzi and Batebi’s imprisonment.

In their letter, the student groups wrote, “We do not see why any individual should be sent to prison for simply doing their duty. This doctor has been sent to prison for the crime of trying to save a patient’s life.”

Khalil Bahramian, Firouzi’s lawyer, said in a January 2007 interview with Radio Farda that the accusations against Firouzi were “incomprehensible” and that in particular the accusation of “actions against national security,” which was a political crime, had an unclear definition and such a broad interpretation in the Iranian legal system that it caused problems for defendants.

Bahramian also spoke about the medical care given to Ahmad Batebi, saying: “It is not the physician’s duty to investigate a patient’s political or criminal background.”

Firouzi was later released on a 100 million tomans bail from Evin Prison until the court’s final verdict was issued. He was again arrested and transferred to Section 2A of Evin Prison on March 3, 2010. The arrest was part of a wave of arrests, that day, of human rights activists. Several others were arrested along with Firouzi, including journalist Abolfazl Abedini, women’s rights activist Mahboubeh Karami and political activist Behzad Mehrani.

Firouzi’s case was heard in Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Pirabbasi. He was accused of “actions against national security,” “disturbing public opinion” and “spreading falsehoods.” The evidence offered for these accusations was the medical treatment and support he had provided to injured protesters during the 2009 “Green Movement” demonstrations after the disputed presidential election. Firouzi was again sentenced to 15 months in prison – a ruling that was later upheld by the Court of Appeals.

In March 2010, Firouzi spoke to the Amir Kabir News Agency, saying: “I have not committed any transgressions. I have only carried out my personal and professional duty, and if I were able to travel back in time, I would still carry out my duty as I did before.”

Firouzi was released from Evin Prison after serving the full 15 months sentence. While in jail, he wrote an exposé on the health and medical conditions of Evin Prison.

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