latest news about Mahboubeh Karami

Feminist School :The attorney representing Mahboubeh Karami, Houshang Poorbaaba’i reports that after contacting the court, he discovered that his client’s bail has been set at 100 million tomans (in excess of $100,000) – an amount that her family is unable to pay.
Karami, was arrested on June 13th and while detained in the women’s ward at Evin prison, participated in a hunger strike with 9 other detainees to protest their detention and their treatment.

Mahboubeh along with 9 other women arrested in relation to the protest in Mellat Park went on hunger to object to their conditions in detention, their lack of access to pen and paper for writing complaint letters to prison and court officials and object to the unclear legal status of their cases after their arrests. Following the announcement of the hunger strike, 58 activist mothers wrote an open letter to the public and to officials objecting to the continued detention of Mahboubeh Karami and lack of responsiveness and accountability on the part of officials in elaborating on the charges and conditions of her arrest. The letter pointed to the fact that Mahboubeh had been arrested while traveling past a protest on a bus, and was not participating in the protest, and as such was innocent. Additionally, the letter noted the illness of Mahboubeh’s mother, who is suffering from cancer and who had surgery a few days after her daughter’s arrest. The mothers signing this letter demanded that officials be responsive to the case and asked for the immediate release of Mahboubeh who was arrested on June 23, while passing by a protest unrelated to women’s rights.

It has been more than six days from Mahboubeh’s and nine other hunger strikers, they had all informed their families of their hunger strike last sunday and there has not been any contacts since then. Mrs Masaebi ( Mahboubeh’s Mother) stated that as they had been informed by the authoroties that the Mahboubeh is forbiden to receive visitors.
According to Mrs Masaebi: No reason has been given for Mahboubeh’s arrest and no charges has been made and that interrogation has stoped as the security forces are waiting for the evidence of torture to heal and she explained that during the arrest she was violently interrogated.
Mrs Masaebi has tried in vain to speak to Mr Mousavi the representative of the public prosecutor.
Mahboubeh Karami was transfered from prison to the court on august 3 2008 . she is accused for acting against national security by participating in an assembly , propaganda against the state and disrupting public order, Mahboubeh denied all aleged charges. she was transffered to prison again she also signed a letter that states her family is unable to pay the bail that has been set for her release .