Kouhyar Goudarzi and Pavrin Mokhtare

Human rights defender Mr Kouhyar Goudarzi was arrested in Tehran on 31 July 2011, and his mother Ms Parvin Mokhtareh was arrested the following day in the city of Kerman. To date, Kouhyar Goudarzi's fate and whereabouts remain unknown, while Parvin Mokhtareh is reportedly being detained at Kerman General Prison. Kouhyar Goudarzi is a journalist and member of the Committee of Human Rights Reporters (CHRR). In 2010, Kouhyar Goudarzi was awarded the John Auchobon award for Press Freedom presented by the Washington National Press Club. Kouhyar Goudarzi's mother received the award on his behalf because he was in prison at the time.

Further Information

On 31 July 2011, Kouhyar Goudarzi was reportedly arrested by agents of Iranian Ministry of Intelligence at his home on Jamalzadeh street, Tehran. To date, no State security bodies has admitted responsibility for his arrest. It is not clear why he was arrested, or whether charges have been brought against him. It is reported that following his arrest, the authorities conducted a search of Kouhyar Goudarzi's home and confiscated some books and other personal belongings.

On 1 August 2011, Parvin Mokhtareh, was arrested at her home in the city of Kerman. She is currently being detained at the Kerman General prison, however, it is not clear what charges, if any, have been brought against her.

It is reported that in the days following the aforementioned arrests, a number of Kouhyar Goudarzi's friends and colleagues were summoned to present themselves at the offices of the Ministry of Intelligence for interrogation.

Kouhyar Goudarzi's lawyer has repeatedly requested information about her client's fate and whereabouts however the authorities have so far refused provide such information, or admit responsibility.

In November 2009, Kouhyar Goudarzi was arrested on his way to the city of Ghom where he planned to attend the funeral of Ayatolah Montazeri, a prominent opponent of President Mahmoud Ahamadinejad. In June 2010, the Iranian Revolutionary Court, sentenced Kouhyar Goudarzi to one year in prison charged with “propaganda against the regime through effective cooperation with the CHRR website”, “gathering and publishing anti-regime news and disseminating the information to terrorist organizations abroad”, “giving interviews to foreign media, and “publishing articles on the internet”. He spent 10 months in Evin prison, Tehran, before being transferred to Rajai Shahr prison, Karaji, where he served the remainder of his prison sentence before being released on 14 December 2010.

Front Line believes that Kouhyar Goudarzi arrest and incommunicado detention, as well as the arrest and detention of his mother Parvin Mokhtareh, is directly linked to Kouhyar Goudarzi's work as a human rights defender, in particular his work with CHRR.

Front Line is deeply concerned for the physical and psychological integrity and security of Kouhyar Goudarzi and that of his mother Parvin Mokhtareh, particularly considering that Kouhyar Goudarzi's current fate and whereabouts are unknown.