Canadians in shadow of death in Iran

Toronto Star ^

[nuconvert]

In October, 2008, Saeed Malekpour’s new life in Canada looked as golden as the sunlight on the autumn foliage.

With a degree in metallurgical engineering from a prestigious Iranian university he was happily settled in Ontario and about to enroll in a master’s program at University of Victoria.

But a decision to visit his dying father in Tehran changed his life forever.

Malekpour is in Iran’s feared Evin prison awaiting what the court has told him will be a death sentence. His cellmate, Hamid Ghassemi-Shall of Toronto, is already facing execution.

-excerpt-

“He disappeared four days after his arrival,” she said. “He went to the university to get a confirmation of his degree for his master’s application. Then my sister-in-law called me in the middle of the night and said that Saeed hadn’t come home.”

Eftekhari, who was booked to follow her husband to Tehran, arrived three weeks later, in November, to a Kafkaesque scenario.

“I got a call from somebody who didn’t introduce himself. He said ‘if you want to know about your husband come to this address.’ When I reached it they held me for four hours, interrogated me, insulted me, screamed at me and treated me like a criminal. I was panicked. There were three of them, all big men. I just kept thinking I would never see my husband or parents again. Here, if you’re detained you can hire a lawyer. In Iran everything is hidden. And then you’re gone.”

[BuffaloJack]

It’s Iran.
What part ot totalitarian intolerance wasn’t clear.
If you go there expect it to be a one-way trip.

[misterrob]

Lesson to those who are free......don’t ever go back.

[The_Media_never_lie]

Thugocracy. Had a coworker whose brother was murdered in Iran by the government 30 years ago.

[Dudoight]

“..don’t ever go back.”

My thoughts exactly.