Looking at Massoud Rajavi Confessions in Prison

Translated by Ruhollah Golmoradi

2021-12-21


During the six months that I was in solitary confinement, thanks to God, I was able to erase the label of being a communist attached to us from the minds of many and even some of the officers. One of the soldiers, who was in charge of protecting the cells, was impressed by my prayers and fasting, and I became aware of a lot of news inside the prison through him. He would stand with his back to the cell and sneak me; so, I realized through him that one or two cells after my cell was Ahmad Hanifnejad, and Mohammad Hanifnejad was also in the last cell: cell 24. Moreover, we talked through Morse code, and I understood through Morse that Muhammad Hanifnejad was in Evin Prison. Helped by the same soldier, we made plan Ahmad and Mohammad Hanifnejad, who had not seen each other for a long time, to see each other, and I had noticed from the interrogations that some people should be executed, and Hanifnejad would be among the first ones; so, it was necessary to make such a plan. Finally, according to our plan, the soldier came and took Ahmad to the washroom. Mohammad was also in the cell next to the washroom, where they met each other.

It was one of the cold nights of Esfand 1350 SH (February/March, 1972). There was no interrogation for a while. They came at around 1:30 p.m. in the middle of the night and closed my eyes and took me to the confession and torture room. As soon as I entered, I saw Hosseini, who was the head of the prison, and the cruel and torturer whom we called a "gorilla." Kamali and Akhavan who were also interrogators were there. Every time a cabal house was discovered, they would come and take us to interrogation and the same previous questions were repeated; I had learned names of them during those interrogations.

They tied me to the torture bed and Hosseini started insulted me:

So far you have given us a needle! Tonight, I want to ravage you as your mother regret for bearing you. So far, I have forced many people on the same bed to confess that in comparison to them you are not given a fuck...!

My reaction was also just silence. Like all interrogations. at first, it was started with a few whips, punches, kicks, and slaps, suddenly I saw the interrogating commander, who I think he was Sabeti, came in and said:

what is going on?!

Husseini said:

This damn has never told us a right word!

Sabeti ordered to disconnect me from the torture bed, and told Hosseini:

I have read the case of Hajji. He hasn't lied, but you have to make him understand what’s the matter. If you wake me too up in midnight and tie to the torture bed, I would forget whatever I know; these actions aren’t necessary...!

I realized that they had gradually reached the end of line, and I felt secure.

Sabeti turned to me and said:

Look, dear Hajji! It's not so important that you talk or not to talk. We have known what we should know. We have released many people. We know you're a tradesman and you've said right so far, but we need to make an excuse for you and release you in the pretext of cooperation so that rid both yourself and us.

I started my first words again:

You can't find an untruthful word among my sayings, and I've said everything I knew. I have a shop and people come to my shop and...

Sabeti started to appease me:

Now I want to make you understand what’s the matter. See, there's no shame in being ambitious. Everyone is interested in something, so one is interested in political and organizational work. But we are afraid that there will be weapons that get to unhealthy people and they cause insecurity. Many of your friends are straightforward about this, and they have said everything they knew, and the imperial pardon included them too. They have ridded both themselves and us.

And again, I followed the same words, so he said to Akhavan and said:

Bring one of the cases for Haji to see and become aware how his friends have cooperated with us!

And in response to Akhavan who asked which case? He said:

It doesn't matter, bring one, bring case 8!

They brought the case and until they opened it, I saw that was Massoud Rajavi's confession. I was stupefied [in Azeri Turkish: باشیمدان توسدی قاخدی]! I shrugged it off. In the same state of illiteracy, I would read one or two words, and stopped five or six times in each line and wanted them to read the case to me. I saw Rajavi had exposed everyone he knew and also drown several croquis, and identified the date and location of the street and alley, and even introduced the sources for further confession. I shrugged off and reluctantly review the case and said:

Mr. General! This gentleman said what he knew and those he knew, and ridded himself and you too, but I don't know such people. But I have said what I knew. If I remember anything more, I would say to rid myself and you. I've said everything I know so far, and if I know more, I'll say it.

In short, he gave me a few words of advice and ordered them to bring me back to the cell, and give me paper and a pen so that I write anything I remembered again, I would write. Next day, they brought two or three sheets of paper and a pen, and I started writing again the very long story that I am a tradesman and my school was there, and have such job, that maybe someone has dispraised me, and you brought me to SAVAK, and surely my name and face are similar to someone and so on. Until the night came.

It was February, 29. The cell door was opened, a colonel arrived with one of the interrogators I didn't know his name. The doctor examined me from head to toe and said he is very weak. They got out of the cell and the door was closed. I heard the doctor asked the SAVAK investigator if will he be go or stay?! That is whether he will be executed or not, he replied, "No, there is no evidence that show his crime." The doctor said If he stays here for 10 days, he will perish. If you want to take him out, don’t take him immediately in front of sun because he loses his sight altogether; his eyes are healthy by all appearances, but he doesn't see at all, and it is incurable. You have to go from here to a semidark side, and then to a dim place, and finally to the normal place. Next day, they took me to Cell 112, No. 13, which was facing a small corridor vent outward and from there light brought into an aperture above the cell. It was almost semidark. A few days later, they took me elsewhere. I was almost comfortable.

 

Source: Nalbandi, Mehdi, Hang Me (Memories of Mohammad Hassan AbdYzdani), Tehran, Islamic Revolution Document Center, 2009, Pp. 181- 185.



 
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