Iran detains human rights lawyer in top-security prison

Iran Focus:

Tehran, Iran, Aug. 01 – An Iranian human rights lawyer arrested on Saturday on charges of nuclear espionage is currently being held in Ward 209 of Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison, the head of Tehran Bar Association said on Monday.

Mohammad Jandaghi made the announcement following a meeting with Tehran’s Public Prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi.Abdolfattah Soltani was representing the family of slain Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi who was murdered inside Evin Prison in July 2003. There were suggestions that Prosecutor Mortazavi was Kazemi’s killer and last Monday, Soltani clearly pointed the finger at him for the murder.

Mortazavi subsequently issued an arrest warrant for Soltani on charges of being “a nuclear spy” and the human rights lawyer was detained while protesting at the TBA building the actions against him.Ward 209 of Evin Prison is exclusively set aside for political prisoners.