Latest news with #Ashoori
The National
9 hours ago
- Politics
- The National
I spent four years in Iran's Evin Prison, but strength has come from it
The retired civil engineer, now 71, had been visiting his mum in the north of Tehran when he was suddenly arrested and imprisoned having been falsely accused of spying for Israel's Mossad Intelligence agency, despite having lived in the UK for 20 years. He spent nearly five years in the jail in foul conditions, facing long hours of interrogation and threats, which eventually drove him to attempt to take his own life three times. But through his own and his family's perseverance and determination, he has lived to tell the tale. In March 2022, Ashoori was released from Evin Prison alongside fellow British-Iranian national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. READ MORE: Glasgow arts centre temporarily closes after pro-Palestine protest Their release followed months of intensive diplomatic negotiations between London and Tehran and the repaying of a debt owed by the UK to Iran. The UK paid £393.8m owed to Iran after it cancelled an order for British-made Chieftain tanks following the overthrow of the Shah in the revolution of 1979. Now dad-of-two Ashoori will be sharing his incredible story with the people of Scotland at an exhibition accounting his experiences in Perth, run by the local Amnesty International group. Ashoori told The National he wanted to convey some crucial messages in the account of his ordeal and remind people that what happened to him could have happened to anyone. 'If we as the British public are indifferent to the things that are happening around us, it will come and knock at our door,' he said. 'So we should be vigilant. I was an ordinary person, I was living my own life, and I was involved with engineering, my main hobby was astronomy, nothing to do with politics and I fell into this trap. If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone. 'My other message is that there are two golden rules for victory; golden rule number one is always remember that perseverance pays off, as it did for me. Golden rule number two is never forget golden rule number one. (Image: Amnesty International) 'It was because of perseverance by my family that I am now here. Otherwise I would be among my friends who are now being transferred from Evin prison after that attack to a far worse prison in south of Tehran. Their life has turned from hell, to triple hell." Evin Prison came under attack by Israel earlier this week amid strikes elsewhere in Tehran. The exhibition at St John's Kirk in Perth – devised by Ashoori himself with the support of Amnesty International – will recreate the emotional and physical reality of his detention and will feature personal items Ashoori was able to smuggle out of Tehran's notorious Evin prison after his release. It will feature a reconstruction of his arrest, the crowded conditions in cockroach- and bedbug-infested communal cells, and how the inspiration of hoping to run the London marathon after his release helped Ashoori cope with his time in jail. It is miraculous he is now able to share this story of resolve and courage when a few years before, he had been in solitary confinement, with a floodlight beaming down onto his head 24 hours a day and malfunctioning air conditioning. 'All that it could blow was hot air,' he said. READ MORE: Patrick Harvie and Angus Robertson face-off over Israel divestment 'The food was foul, and I could hear very clearly the sound of crying and whimpering of my neighbouring cells. So, there was sleep deprivation, long hours of interrogation trying to force me to make confessions. 'Then came the threats. They had my laptop, and they printed pictures of my family members. They used to come and say, 'look this is your son smiling, next time you're going to have a picture of his corpse'. 'When you are going through that day after day, you reach a threshold. Eventually, because of those pressures and lack of sleep, you tend to believe what they say. 'I reached a point where I reasoned with myself that the only way to protect my family members from harm was not to be. That led to three suicide attempts. Luckily, I survived.' Amid the torture and despair Ashoori was going through, there was glimpses of hope he held onto, through running while in prison and the poetry society he created with other inmates. One of his fellow prisoners opened his eyes to a collection of poems called Flowers of Evil by Charles Baudelaire, which he reflects on regularly in the healthy, happy life he now leads – which has included him living out his dream of running the London Marathon no less than four times. 'After being released, the Anoosheh Ashoori that was so indifferent to all these things became quite active. So many good things emerged, one of them was the London Marathon, of course,' he said. 'The Flowers of Evil collection of poems [taught us] even from the darkest places, goodness can emerge. Strength can emerge. That is what happened.' The Surviving Evin exhibition is running from Friday, June 27 to Sunday, July 6, at St John's Kirk, Perth.
The National
10 hours ago
- Politics
- The National
'I spent four years in Iran's Evin Prison, but strength has come from it'
The retired civil engineer, now 71, had been visiting his mum in the north of Tehran when he was suddenly arrested and imprisoned having been falsely accused of spying for Israel's Mossad Intelligence agency, despite having lived in the UK for 20 years. He spent nearly five years in the jail in foul conditions, facing long hours of interrogation and threats, which eventually drove him to attempt to take his own life three times. But through his own and his family's perseverance and determination, he has lived to tell the tale. In March 2022, Ashoori was released from Evin Prison alongside fellow British-Iranian national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. READ MORE: Glasgow arts centre temporarily closes after pro-Palestine protest Their release followed months of intensive diplomatic negotiations between London and Tehran and the repaying of a debt owed by the UK to Iran. The UK paid £393.8m owed to Iran after it cancelled an order for British-made Chieftain tanks following the overthrow of the Shah in the revolution of 1979. Now dad-of-two Ashoori will be sharing his incredible story with the people of Scotland at an exhibition accounting his experiences in Perth, run by the local Amnesty International group. Ashoori told The National he wanted to convey some crucial messages in the account of his ordeal and remind people that what happened to him could have happened to anyone. 'If we as the British public are indifferent to the things that are happening around us, it will come and knock at our door,' he said. 'So we should be vigilant. I was an ordinary person, I was living my own life, and I was involved with engineering, my main hobby was astronomy, nothing to do with politics and I fell into this trap. If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone. 'My other message is that there are two golden rules for victory; golden rule number one is always remember that perseverance pays off, as it did for me. Golden rule number two is never forget golden rule number one. (Image: Amnesty International) 'It was because of perseverance by my family that I am now here. Otherwise I would be among my friends who are now being transferred from Evin prison after that attack to a far worse prison in south of Tehran. Their life has turned from hell, to triple hell." Evin Prison came under attack by Israel earlier this week amid strikes elsewhere in Tehran. The exhibition at St John's Kirk in Perth – devised by Ashoori himself with the support of Amnesty International – will recreate the emotional and physical reality of his detention and will feature personal items Ashoori was able to smuggle out of Tehran's notorious Evin prison after his release. It will feature a reconstruction of his arrest, the crowded conditions in cockroach- and bedbug-infested communal cells, and how the inspiration of hoping to run the London marathon after his release helped Ashoori cope with his time in jail. It is miraculous he is now able to share this story of resolve and courage when a few years before, he had been in solitary confinement, with a floodlight beaming down onto his head 24 hours a day and malfunctioning air conditioning. 'All that it could blow was hot air,' he said. READ MORE: Patrick Harvie and Angus Robertson face-off over Israel divestment 'The food was foul, and I could hear very clearly the sound of crying and whimpering of my neighbouring cells. So, there was sleep deprivation, long hours of interrogation trying to force me to make confessions. 'Then came the threats. They had my laptop, and they printed pictures of my family members. They used to come and say, 'look this is your son smiling, next time you're going to have a picture of his corpse'. 'When you are going through that day after day, you reach a threshold. Eventually, because of those pressures and lack of sleep, you tend to believe what they say. 'I reached a point where I reasoned with myself that the only way to protect my family members from harm was not to be. That led to three suicide attempts. Luckily, I survived.' Amid the torture and despair Ashoori was going through, there was glimpses of hope he held onto, through running while in prison and the poetry society he created with other inmates. One of his fellow prisoners opened his eyes to a collection of poems called Flowers of Evil by Charles Baudelaire, which he reflects on regularly in the healthy, happy life he now leads – which has included him living out his dream of running the London Marathon no less than four times. 'After being released, the Anoosheh Ashoori that was so indifferent to all these things became quite active. So many good things emerged, one of them was the London Marathon, of course,' he said. 'The Flowers of Evil collection of poems [taught us] even from the darkest places, goodness can emerge. Strength can emerge. That is what happened.' The Surviving Evin exhibition is running from Friday, June 27 to Sunday, July 6, at St John's Kirk, Perth.
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First Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
Evin Prison: Why Israel struck Iran's most infamous jail
Israel on Monday said it hit multiple locations in Iran, including the Evin Prison in Tehran and the Security headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The country's most feared detention centre is referred to as the 'black hole' of the justice system. But why is Tel Aviv singling out the jail, infamous for its treatment of inmates? read more Israel has hit Iran's most infamous prison on Monday. Israel said it hit multiple locations including the Evin Prison and the Security headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Tel Aviv also said it struck roads surrounding Iran's Fordo enrichment facility. This came a day after the United States conducted strikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran. But what happened? And what do we know about the Evin Prison in Tehran? Let's take a closer look: STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What do we know about Evin Prison? The prison is located in Iran's capital Tehran. Read latest updates about America joining Israel-Iran war here. It is run by Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and the IRCG – which reports directly to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Spanning over five hectares, it is said to hold between 10,000 and 15,000 inmates. It is infamous for mistreatment of its inmates who include political prisoners, foreigners and dual nationals. It was built in 1971 in the foothills of northern Tehran prior to the Islamic revolution that toppled the Shah of Iran. The Shah also used it to hold thousands of political prisoners – many of whom were tortured and killed. The prison at the time was operated by the Savak – the Shah's secret police. In 1988, after the revolution, thousands of people were executed at the Evin Prison after show trials. The people who have been imprisoned there have long alleged torture and abuse. Evin Prison was built in 1971 under Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, also known as the Shah of Iran. Wikimedia Commons Anoosheh Ashoori, a British-Iranian businessman, was visiting his mother in Iran when he was arrested by authorities on charges of spying for Israel. 'The situation in hall 12 was extremely dire. We struggled with bed bugs, cockroaches, huge rats, and foul food,' Ashoori told DW. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He added that up to 70 people lived in just four rooms in hall 12. Ashoori alleged 'psychological torture' at the hands of the authorities. 'I had one main interrogator, but most of the time, I could feel the presence of others in those small interrogation rooms,' he said. 'They were making threats that they would harm my family members,' he added. Ashoori was only released after the UK government paid Iran a hefty sum. Lebanese businessman Nizar Zakka had a similar experience. He too spent four years at Evin after being accused of spying – but for the United States. Zakka was in ward 7 which had around 20 people in a room that measured five square metres. 'The interrogator came every six weeks, asking if I had anything to say, and I'd say no, and I would be sent back.' Zakka, unlike Ashoori, was physically tortured. 'When you don't answer their questions, they make you stand or sit in an uncomfortable position until you get tired and faint… Then they start walking around talking to each other, and step on your hand,' he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He was only released after years of campaigning – and a request from Lebanese President Michel Aoun. Those considered political prisoners – charged with 'spreading corruption on Earth' and 'enmity against God' often have a much tougher time of it than regular inmates. According to Amnesty International, prisoners at Evin have suffered beatings, electric shock, and sexual humiliation at the hands of authorities. Nargess Mohammadi, a Nobel laureate, is among those who has accused guards and interrogators of sexual assault. Evin Prison in northern Tehran. Image courtesy: X According to Human Rights Watch, sensory deprivation is another tactic authorities at the prison's ward 209 often employ against inmates. Maziar Bahari, an Iranian-Canadian documentarian and Narges Mohammadi (who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023) were among the other famous people that were housed in Evin. Mohammadi has been released temporarily in order to receive medical care. Jason Rezaian of the Washington Post and dual nationals like the 'Bahá'í 7' have also been held at Evin. Canadian journalist Zahra Kazemi died at 2003 in Evin. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Those running the prison have been targeted by both the United States and the European Union. What happened? Why has Iran targeted Evin Prison? Iranian state TV said an airstrike hit the gate of Evin Prison. The report shared what appeared to be black-and-white-surveillance footage of the strike. Israel is likely choosing targets like Evin Prison – a symbol of the regime – to put pressure on the Iranian authorities. 'The Iranian dictator will be punished with full force for attacking the Israeli home front,' the Israeli defence ministry said. According to The Guardian, human rights lawyer Mohammed Najafi, activist Reza Khandan are among those detained in the prison. Some prisoners have reportedly been hurt in Israel's airstrike. But Iran's Nournews said that families of detainees in Evin prison 'should know they are safe'. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz. File image/ Reuters Israel has also targeted Tehran's Palestine Square, and the paramilitary Basij volunteer corps building. This comes as more and more officials in the US including President Donald Trump are calling for 'regime change' in Tehran. 'If the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change???' Trump wrote on social media. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Iran described its Monday attack on Israel as a new wave of its Operation 'True Promise 3,' saying it was targeting the Israeli cities of Haifa and Tel Aviv, according to Iranian state television. Explosions were also heard in Jerusalem. There were no immediate reports of damage. Earlier Monday, Iranian General Abdolrahim Mousavi, the chief of joint staff of armed forces, warned Washington its strikes had given Iranian forces a 'free hand " to 'act against US interests and its army.' Tens of thousands of American troops are based in West Asia, many in locations within range of short-range Iranian missiles. With inputs from agencies
The Independent
21-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Freed Iran prisoner tells detained Britons not to submit to false confessions
A former Iranian prisoner has warned a British couple who have been detained in Iran on espionage charges to 'not submit to making false confessions'. Craig and Lindsay Foreman were on a motorcycle journey around the world when they were detained in the Middle Eastern country in January. Anoosheh Ashoori, 71, who was jailed for nearly five years in Iran on spying charges, said his heart goes out to the couple and told them to remain strong. The father-of-two, from Lewisham, south-east London, was arrested in August 2017 while visiting his elderly mother in Tehran. He was convicted of allegedly spying for Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, despite having lived in the UK for 20 years. Mr Ashoori was released with fellow British-Iranian dual national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was also detained on espionage charges, in April 2022. 'My heart and my mind is with Craig and Lindsay and with their families in Britain,' Mr Ashoori told the PA news agency. 'I know that they have advised people not to go to Iran, but because Iran is a beautiful country and the people are very hospitable the temptation is almost irresistible. 'It's just a trap, it is not worth taking the risk.' Mr Ashoori, who was kept in solitary confinement in Evin Prison and interrogated during the first four months, said it was good the couple have made their case public from the beginning. 'Because they are already made public, and now there is a social awareness, the Iranian regime will think twice about maltreating them. 'After going through what I went through for two years, after taking the foreign minister's advice not to go public, hopefully they will not go through that pain.' Mr Ashoori, who still suffers flashbacks from his ordeal, attempted suicide three times and went on a 17-day hunger strike while serving his minimum 10-year sentence. His and Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe's release came after the UK Government agreed to pay a £400 million debt to Iran dating back to the 1970s. 'I guess maybe the main reason for their arrest is either money or it is a prisoner exchange,' he said. 'Unfortunately, I think that in many cases, like these political relationships, and, for example, trade opportunities, these things come first and human rights usually come second.' Mr Ashoori said western countries need to unite to 'confront this extortion and this hostage-taking'. Mr and Mrs Foreman were heading for Australia, having crossed into Iran from Armenia on December 30, according to social media posts. On Instagram, Mrs Foreman acknowledged that travelling to Iran, against Foreign Office advice, was 'slightly scary'. She added: 'Yes, we're aware of the risks. But we also know the rewards of meeting incredible people, hearing their stories, and seeing the breathtaking landscapes of these regions could far outweigh the fear. 'From the vast deserts of Iran to the towering peaks of Pakistan, we hope to share the beauty, hospitality, and humanity that often go unnoticed.' Mrs Foreman was said to be carrying out a research project as part of the journey, asking people what constitutes a 'good life'. She was to present her findings at a conference on positive psychology in Brisbane in July, it was reported earlier this month by the BBC. An FCDO spokesman said: 'We are deeply concerned by reports that two British nationals have been charged with espionage in Iran. We continue to raise this case directly with the Iranian authorities. 'We are providing them with consular assistance and remain in close contact with their family members.' The Foreign Office advises against all travel to Iran. 'Having a British passport or connections to the UK can be reason enough for the Iranian authorities to detain you,' the guidance says.
