In Chase and Escape (2)

Rereading the book "Consistent with Freedom", the Memories of Seyyed Mohammad Mehdi Jafari in five episodes

On Bazargan, Taleghani and Sahabi in the Palace
Episode II: Detention

Serge Barseghian: "We were in the Ghasr Prison from the beginning of Nowruz (Persian new year, mid-March) to October 27. [Then,] from October 29 to January 7, I was in the Borazjan Fort. On January 9, I was taken to Yazd Prison and I'm still here," reads the last page of Dr Seyyed Mohammad Mehdi Jafari's personal Bank Melli diary written in the last day of 1344 (March 20, 1966). The last page of his diary in 1345 (March 20, 1967) was written in Ghasr Prison, two weeks after the death of Mohammad Mosadegh in Ahmadabad and two months prior to Jafari's release on May 3, 1367. "Today, after 1440 days of captivity, I am freed with Messrs Ezatollah Sahabi and Abolfazl Hakimi." Part II of Jafari's first memoir (Abreast with Freedom) comprises his detention memoirs during the 1964-1967 period. However his diary in 1963 is not very orderly, his writings during the next three years are considered a vital reference to the history of the Islamic Revolution. His notes contain the daily review of Ghasr Prison and Borazjan events, the complete list of the political detainees, their convictions and sentences, besides the interview of Ghasem Yahusseini ( the book's compiler) with Jafari. At that time, Jafari was just 24 and the youngest convicted member of the Freedom Movement being tried. His prison memoirs associate several figures like Ayatollah Taleghani, Mehdi Bazargan, Yadollah Sahabi, Mohammad Hanifnezhad, etc. Ghasr Prison was checked by the police and the mentioned figures were in custody of SAVAK, and the rivalry between the two forces, gave the prisoners freedom of action to run the prison like a council; many courses were held in the jail: Dr Sheibani taught French and had three classes a day, Jafari conducted two or three Arabic courses a day, and Taleghani and Bazargan had series of lectures. Moreover, Jafari translated  Arabic texts in the prison (his first book was Islamic Training Method by Mohammad Ghotb), and assisted Bazargan in completion of two of his books (Wind and Rain in Quran and Evolution of the Quran). Even the original idea of Dr Shahabi's Human Creation (a book on human evolution theories) was conceived in Borazjan Fort and was consummated in Tehran with consultations from Ayatollah Taleghani on its Quranic and religious aspects. Principally, the book deals with the trial of the Freedom Movement leaders and what happened in the court; it included almost everything like Taleghani's refusal to rise (for not recognizing the court) and shorthand of the convicts and advocates' defenses by Jafari and Abbas Sheybani as well as the statements made by court officials. One of the most interesting parts of Jafari's daily notes in the prison is where the prosecutor questions the title of the movement in the 61st trial session of its members on June 20, 1964. "The word Iran's Freedom Movement is a crime by itself," he expostulated, "so far as movement means campaign and freedom is anti-servitude; which means campaign for liberation of Iran….. ! Iran is free, and no campaign can free it. A campaign must be ethics-oriented. Dr Sheybani should work in the leprosy clinic and other heads of the movement should go watering Imam Hussein mourners (ironically, twiddle their thumbs, translator)." In the following day, Colonel Ghafari, Bazargan's advocate and Hakimi responded the prosecutor's remarks: "If the Freedom Movement is a crime, them women's freedom is a crime just like Shah's Men freedom is. The democrat and republic parties of the US are also criminal because the US has both republicans and democrats." During the June 28 trial, Bazargan voiced his strong defense: We are the ones who fortified the constitutional monarch and the Constitution. From now on, should there be any such trials, they will have to face the real and plain regime opposers' front." After Bazargan, Dr Sahabi made his final defense to the prosecutor saying, "If the movement's title is a crime then many should be tried for making the Independence Party."

Translated by: Abbas Hajihashemi

Source: Mehrnameh Monthly, No. 5