Maher Kaabi Zaqibi

He was one of the arrested during the Arbaeen (40th day memorial) clashes in Shush. In the series of protests in the winter of 2012 in Khuzestan, many Arab citizens were arrested and some of them were given long prison and exile sentences. According to reports one or three of those arrested in 2012 died under torture

<coverage-outsourcing id='2685'> A group of citizens residing in Shush, Hamidiyeh, and Ahwaz were arrested in January and February of 2012. These arrests came in the aftermath of widespread slogan writing in these cities, expressing support for the Arab Spring and, boycott of upcoming parliamentary elections, as well as, ‘yezeleh’ (yezeleh or hosseh is a form of foot stomping that is used in, both, mourning and wedding ceremonies, using different chants appropriate to each ceremony) and chanting, “ freedom for the people of Ahwaz”, during Arbaeen or the 40th-day post burial commemoration ceremony of the year of 2012 at the tomb of Danial Nabi in Sush </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='18709'> An informed source told the IPA that Maher Kaabi was identified and captured after giving an interview to one of the foreign media outlets. After his arrest he was taken to the Intelligence Ministry Detention Center, where he, was severely tortured, had no access to an attorney nor any contact with his family </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='9051'> According the statement of Human Rights Watch, and the reports of local activists, on this day, marshall law began and continued for four days </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='12755'> In a report, published in 2016, about Ardabil prison, HRANA declares this to be the date of his arrest </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='9054'> Human Rights Watch published a statement demanding access for human rights organisations in order to review the claims of human rights abuse. This organization in its statement about, “stolen and disappeared individuals” expressed concern and gave a detailed account of the events of the past few months in the cities of Khuzestan </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='9055'> Rahesabz reported that the Shush prisoners’ families continued their sit-in/demonstration in front of the Intelligence Ministry from Monday to Thursday. The demonstrators who were requesting to visit their children and demanding to know their fate, were attacked and beaten by the NAJA special forces. Several of these family members were arrested after the assault and released after three day upon posting bail. During this clash, Sajjad Beyt Abdollah’s mother- Hamideh Beyt Abdollah-was injured and hospitalized </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='9056'> According to HRANA, Intelligence Ministry agents in Shush, broadcast the film of the confessions for the families who were gathered in front of the Intelligence Ministry, telling them “these are you terrorist children”, and asked them to leave </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='9057'> The confession film of Ahmad Dabat, Sajjad Beyt Abdollah, and Maher Kaabi was broadcast by Press TV. In this film three individuals claim that they had been members of an armed group headed by Hassan Naseri. Human rights activists and members of the families of these prisoners maintain that these individuals were severely tortured in order to appear on in this film. In the images of Ahmad Dabat and Sajjad Beyt Abdollah it is clearly visible that their teeth have been broken after their arrest. Until now, many individuals of those who interview Press TV and who’ve left prison with their lives, have claimed that they were tortured in order to make them participate in the interviews. In this film the murder, and in general, the existence of Mohammad Kaabi was denied </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='9058'> Saeed Dabat, Ahmad Dabat’s brother, told HRANA that the arrested and those whose confession was broadcast on TV, were all arrested on the Arbaeen day(40th day) demonstrations and in the worst case scenario they can be charged with acting against national security and propagating against the state. He, also, said, that one of the confessions was connected to the death of a farmer that had taken place four years before this-at the time when many of those arrested were less than eighteen years old </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='9059'> Justice For Iran reported that a prisoner’s family member, who was introduced by PressTv film as a member of the “terrorist group, Al Ahwaz”, has claimed that the name of this prisoner cannot be found in the Revolutionary court of Ahwaz nor any of the other judicial centers of this city and no case has been opened for him, until now. This report, by comparing before and after pictures, confirms clearly that the Ahmad Dabat and Sajjad Beyt Abdollah’s teeth were broken during their arrest </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='18710'> According to the IPA, he was transferred to Dezful prison after three months. He was imprisoned among the ordinary prisoners and had no contact with his family during the initial months of his incarceration </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='9060'> Human Rights Organization of Ahwaz condemned the heavy sentencing of these individuals </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='9062'> According to Karim Dahimi’s report, the human rights activists in the Khuzestan region, Maher Kaabi, was sentenced to 10 years incarceration in one of the northern cities, Ali Kanani was sentenced to 20 years incarceration in Sari, Sajad Beyt Abdollah to 15 years incarceration in Gorgan, Jafar Kaabi to 15 years prison in Yazd, Yousef Khasraji (Khazraji) to 10 years prison in Shiraz, Ahmad Kaabi to 15 years prison in Kerman and Abbas Sagouri to 15 years incarceration in Hamedan. These individuals, who had been arrested in January and February of 2012 in Shush, Hamidiyeh and Ahwaz, were tried by judge Andi for charges such as, “Warring against God, financial corruption, and acting against national security”, and, based on later reports, Hassan Naseri, also, was condemned to 20 years incarceration in Sabzevar and Ahmad Dabat to 20 years prison in Rasht </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='9061'> According to IPA, he was exiled to Ardabil prison </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='19660'> It was reported that the sentences of exile were carried out and the prisoners were transferred to other cities </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='12754'> HRANA reported that Maher Kaabi is incarcerated in Ardabil prison. In this report, his charges are “membership in the Ahwaz Freedom Organization and playing a role in the April 15th demonstrations in Ahwaz” </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='13258'> Harana reported that Nour Ahmad Hassan Zehi, Ali Pazhgol, Abdolkarim Shahbakhsh, Maher Kabi, Mohammad Saber Malek Raeesi, and Shir Ahmad Shirani are kept in a quarantine-like ward in Ardebil Prison. The Ward is a 10 to 15 sqm room with 18 beds and a small yard. The prisoners are allowed to leave the ward for 15 minutes to make phone calls. It is said that the prisoners and their families are treated so rudely that some of them have asked their families not to come for visits </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='15286'> The Human Rights in Iran website reported that Maher Kaabi has embarked on a hunger strike in protest to his transfer to the general prisoner ward </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='15875'> HRANA reported that after his return from temporary leave, he was transferred from the political prisoners’ ward, 7 to ward 1. In this report his charges are described in more detail, “membership in the Ahwaz Freedom Organization, propagating against the state, connection to anti-regime networks and submission of false news with the aim of slandering the Islamic Republic on the international level and provoking citizens to act against the state (playing a role in the April 15th demonstrations in Ahwaz” </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='18708'> According to a report received by the IPA, Maher Kaabi, has sent an audio message, from Ardabil prison, announcing that he is embarking on a hunger strike, on August 24th, in solidarity with the political prisoners of Rajaei Shahr prison in Karaj. In his message, he, also, asks the international human rights community to intervene in the plight of Arab political prisoners and put the Iranian regime under pressure to abide by human rights principles. The Arabic language audio file can be found in the evidence section of this page </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='18784'> According to a report received by the IPA, Maher Kaabi has been put under pressure since his declaration of going on hunger strike. According to this report, several other political prisoners have joined him in this seven day strike </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='18999'> According to a report received by the IPA, Maher Kaabi has been put under pressure by Intelligence ministry agents after his declaration of support for the political prisoners of Rajaei Shahr prison </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='19470'> Maher Kaabi wrote a letter to the UN’s special rapporteur on human rights, describing how, after he had declared going on hunger strike in support of the political prisoners of Rajaei Shahr prison, Intelligence ministry agents contacted his family and threatened them in such a way as to cause his mother’s heart attack </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='19661'> Maher Kaabi, announced in a letter that his brother Ahmad Kaabi still remains in Kerman prison </coverage-outsourcing>
<coverage-outsourcing id='20131'> Hrana published a letter signed by Maher Kaabi, Shirahmad Shirani, Ali Pajgol and Noorahmad Hasan Zerehi. The four have protested the use of “torture and discrimination” against non-local political prisoners in Ardabil prison and have detailed the treatment that Mohammad Saber received from the head of prison security, the internal prison manager (Mr Noroozi) and the guardsman (Mr Ghafoor Sadeqzade) </coverage-outsourcing>