Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
| Subscribe to Newser's RSS feeds RSS | Follow Newser on Twitter Twitter


13

Iran Teen Describes, Via Email, His Torture

Share

(Newser) – Iranian-American activists are circulating an email, written in Farsi, in which a 17-year-old boy describes his torture at the hands of the regime, complete with graphic photographs, Salon reports. The boy, who says he's not an activist of any stripe, says he was minding his own business in a parking lot when agents apprehended him. Taken into custody, police beat him with batons, broke his fingers, and sliced the webs between them, and hung him from his wrists to be beaten some more.

Finally, he was taken to a hospital, bandaged and released. “I think they knew we did nothing,” he writes. “I am surprised how I tolerated all the tortures and survived.” Salon’s translator raises some issues with the email: the boy seems to confuse Basij paramilitaries and police, and claims non-Iranians were among his captors—a rampant and unsubstantiated rumor in Iran. But some confusion is natural, the translator said. “It is obvious that he was tortured.” When this happened is unclear.

This image, obtained by Salon from an email circulating among Iranian-American activists, shows a teenager who says he was tortured by the regime.
This image, obtained by Salon from an email circulating among Iranian-American activists, shows a teenager who says he was tortured by the regime.
This image, obtained by Salon from an email circulating among Iranian-American activists, shows a teenager who says he was tortured by the regime.
This image, obtained by Salon from an email circulating among Iranian-American activists, shows a teenager who says he was tortured by the regime.
This image, obtained by Salon from an email circulating among Iranian-American activists, shows a teenager who says he was tortured by the regime.
This image, obtained by Salon from an email circulating among Iranian-American activists, shows a teenager who says he was tortured by the regime.
This image, obtained by Salon from an email circulating among Iranian-American activists, shows a teenager who says he was tortured by the regime.
This image, obtained by Salon from an email circulating among Iranian-American activists, shows a teenager who says he was tortured by the regime.
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
OFF THE GRID
11.24.09
Murdoch and Microsoft: The Mice Are Trying to Roar
11.23.09
Books Are Bad for You
13 comments
VIEWING:
 
Silverbow7
Jun 24, 09 10:04 AM CDT
They've been asking for help, maybe enough pictures and film like these will do the trick. Photographs and horrific stories have been used before to start wars and Iran does sit on an ocean of oil. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+2
IN RESPONSE:
emptycalm
Jun 24, 09 11:26 AM CDT
What can anyone do though? They're not going to cave to foreign pressure.
Vote up! Vote down!
+2
Reader64481089
Jun 24, 09 11:38 AM CDT
The UN will wring there hands and perhaps do a few papers on the subject, take a few votes which Russia will drag it's feet on and in the end nothing changes. And personally I am sick to death of American lives being wasted for people who honestly hate the hell out of us, end of story. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+7
IN RESPONSE:
psycada
Jun 24, 09 12:15 PM CDT
Unfortunately for the American image, Iran has plenty good reason to hate America. ie, 1953 CIA coup to install the brutal Shah. How happy would you be about a country who helped overthrow your government, just to install a ruler who treats his people worse than the government he replaced? Not very happy I would imagine.
Vote up! Vote down!
+3
IN RESPONSE:
BigLebow
Jun 24, 09 2:52 PM CDT
Agreed anonymous
Vote up! Vote down!
0

View all 13 comments »

LEAVE A
COMMENT Comment Policy
Facebook ConnectPost this comment to Facebook?

After connecting you will have the option to post your comment on your Facebook profile.

 

Related Newser Stories

127 Stories

 Iran Kicks Off 5 Days 
 of War Games 

Drill meant to boost air defense of nuclear facilities

Nov 22, 09 7:42 AM CST
(AP) - Iran today begins large-scale air defense war games aimed at protecting the country's nuclear facilities, state television reports, adding that the five-day drill will cover a third of the country, including regions that are home to Iran's nuclear facilities. The drill involves both Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard, the paramilitary Basij... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Iran • war games • nuclear program • Basiji • Natanz • Iranian Revolutionary Guard • air defense

Iran Sentences 5 to Death
for Election Protests

Brings total condemned in turmoil to eight

Nov 17, 09 1:15 PM CST
(AP) - Five people have been sentenced to death over the unrest that followed Iran's disputed June presidential election, according to state television reports. The report quotes a statement by the Justice Department saying the five sentenced were members of terrorist and armed opposition groups. More »

MORE ABOUT:
Iran • death penalty • death sentence • Iranian election

Iran Protest

Neda's Boyfriend: 'This Movement Will Never Die'

In hiding after fleeing Iran, says the movement is still strong

Nov 15, 09 12:48 PM CST
(Newser) - "I still cannot believe it. I think I will see Neda again," the boyfriend of the iconic slain Iranian protester tells the Guardian in his first interview since fleeing the country. "Now I have left Iran, I can cry out," says Caspian Makan, who was... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Iran • Mahmoud Ahmadinejad • Iranian election • Mir Hossein Mousavi • Neda • Neda Agha Soltan • Neda Soltan • Caspian Makan

127 Stories


Regime challenged on theological grounds
Wall Street Journal


World 
TwitterFollow @NewserWorld on Twitter

 
Iran • torture • Iranian Revolutionary Guard • Iranian election • Basij militia

from our news partners