Senior Iranian reformist released on bail

Mohsen Mirdamadi

Head of reformist party, Islamic Iran Participation Front, Mohsen Mirdamadi was released on a $450,000 bail after nine months in prison.

Kalameh reports that the Revolutionary Court has charged Mirdamadi with “activities against national security and propaganda against the regime.”

Mohsen Mirdamadi was arrested on June 13, a day after the presidential elections in Iran and released a day later. However, he was re-arrested within a week and had been in prison since.

Mohsen Mirdamadi was the representative of Tehran in the parliament in the sixth Islamic Parliament and was the head of National Security Commission and Foreign Policy of the Parliament at that time.

Islamic Iran Participation Front endorsed Ahmadinejad opponent, MirHosein Mousavi in the June presidential elections which turned out to be the beginning of widespread protests against the re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad which protesters claim was fraudulent.

Parleman News also reports that Iranian filmmaker, Mohammad Rasoulof was also temporarily released on a $100,000 bail yesterday.

Rasoulof was recently arrested along with prominent filmmaker, Jafar Panahi and a number of his other colleagues at the home of Jafar Panahi.

While all the detainees of that night were released, Jafar Panahi still remains in custody.

Akbar Montajabi, Iranian journalist was also released on bail after being arrested on the eve of February 11 events. He is the political editor of Sharvand-e Emrooz and Irandokht publications.

Omolbanin Ebrahimi, a Mourning Mothers supporter, Hosein Sheikh-Attar, a former producer for the Iran’s national broadcasting organization, Seda va Sima was also released along with Farzaneh Ghasemi, a social activist and Alaeddin Khanjani and Mehran Rouhani, two Baha’i citizens.

In the past nine months thousands of people have been arrested in an attempt to put down the election protests in Iran. Many have been handed heavy sentences.

Iranian judiciary has released a number of detainees on heavy bails in recognition of the coming New Year celebration in Iran. Iranian New Year starts on March 21.