Students harassed in prison for informing whereabouts of Alaei brothers

Hood Yazerlou, student of Industrial management of Massoomein University of the religious city of Quom, who was arbitrarily arrested on 24 May 2008, for no clarified reason, has been transferred to solitary confinement since 7 December in 209 section of Evin prison and is under immense pressure.

Hood had informed his family during a visit about the transfer of Kamyar and Arash Alaei (two Aids specialists also arrested under charges of being in contact with the US) to solitary confinement.

The two brothers are founders of the triangular system of clinics established to curb Aids and are members of the Asian society, and have been in prison since June this year. In this regard, Hassan Haddad, deputy prosecutor general for security was quoted to have stated "The US is infiltrating Iran, and apart from using tough measures they use methods to attract people to their cause".

According to information received by Human Rights activists for Democracy in Iran, Mr.Yazerloo has been transferred to solitary confinement and is deprived of basic warmth and sanitary facilities under the present cold weather. He has been deprived of blankets and windows leading to his cell have been left open intentionally by prison officials as a means of torture. Hood (nearly 21 years old) is spending day and night under freezing conditions. He is left in unbearable conditions as a weak light is always on so as to prevent his sleep (if any).

Hood Yazerloo has been under these horrendous situations for the past 6 months. During the first thirty seven days of his solitary confinement, his prison conditions and sanitary was extremely poor as the result of which his lungs were infected and eventually he was coughing blood, but any medical assistance for him was prevented by prison officials.

Mr.Yazerloo, 21, was arbitrarily taken in to detention, after he came back from visiting his Aunt who is a member of the PMOI stationed in Iraq.