Prison No. 2, Row No. 4

Our deadline was going to be over and we were ready to go on hunger strike. Major Teymouri came and said: “Don not thinks that we are frightened of your threat; since there some room is being freed, we are taking you to Prison No. 3. However, 3 people should go to Prison No. 2. Thus, two people and I went to row No. 4 in Prison No. 2 and the rest were taken to Prison No.3.

They had transferred the INP leader and some central committee members to this row. Ayatollah Mohiyeddin Anwari Sheik Fazlollah Mahalati and Haj Ali Noori were among other prisoners in this row who were completely aware of our resistance in Prison No. 1. When we entered, they warmly welcomed us and we became happy to see INP palls and seeing Mr. Bojnourdi alive.

Row No 4 of Prison No. 2 was a hard place and without facilities to live in. The only financial facility of there was the same 12 Rials for each prisoner to buy food. However, they would give two pieces of bread each day to each prisoner. The living for prisoners was hard there. Because of the limited chances for visiting the families and also their poorness, they were not able to afford any financial help either. And if sometime it was possible, we would allow ourselves to ask for such help because we would consider it disdaining.

We would pass our time in religious and gym classes. Ayatollah Mohiyeddin Anvari[1] had some classes in his room and I would participate in public classes every day after the morning prayers. Some would take part in professional classes for Islamic seminary or jurisprudence classes.

Ayatollah Anvari observing out bad financial condition and food problems wrote a letter to Ayatollah Milani and explained our condition and also mentioned there that we were not about to accept any help and would not break our self-esteem. After some time, Ayatollah Milani sent 7000 Tomans to help the prisoners. Mr. Anvari called us and said that Ayatollah Milani had been aware of our situation there and he had sent that 7000 Tomans to help us. Naturally we objected to accept that money. However, Mr. Anvari reacted and said that his holiness was Source of Imitation (Marja’-e Taqleed) and rejecting his help was not correct. He also presented some other reasons too. We accepted provided that he would keep that money in his own hand and give it to us only if we asked for it.

A happy time for prisoners was the time of playing sports to keep up their morale. The main sport that was possible there considering the facilities and conditions was only volleyball. Since I was sports teacher before, I would not lose those chances to play and would play professionally.

A miserable matter to me was the religiously prohibited music over the loudspeakers in prison. I had become sensitive to the stunning voice of a female singer. One day I decided to break the radios in prison. I consulted with Mr. Noor-Sadeghi[2]. He opposed and said my idea was useless. I said if I destroy the radios, they may send me to another place at least and I would not be there anymore to hear that damn voice. He said: “wherever you go the conditions are the same.”

The next day, after the morning prayers Ayatollah Anvari turned to me and said: “Ahmad! What kind of job is it that you want to do?” I said: “What?” He said: “Mr. Noor-Sadeghi has told me what you are going to do?” I saw that he was aware of everything and denying had no use. I began explaining and giving my reasons. He said: “This deed is a very bad one. Be sure that you are making any sin when you have to listen to such a thing despite your wish.” Then he continued explaining the matter for about half of the time of the class. He said if enjoy listening the voice, since you are obliged to listen and not on you own will, you are not a sinner. Thus, I gave up the matter hearing the viewpoint of Ayatollah Anvari.

In the prison, there were occasions that some unpredictable problems would happen for our palls that they were not easy to solve. Once there was a man named Amir-the-yellow-hair who was coming from the quarter of Mr. Sarhaddizadeh who was in ordinary prison. Through the cleaner he contacted us and gave us some news of there. He also deepened his relation with the late Mr. Nasser Naraghi[3]. Bit by bit they became close friends. One day, Amir-the-yellow-hair sent a message for Nasser and said: “I want to take a pair of shoes inside but I am scared the guards may tear it apart and take out the sole and heel. You are a political prisoner and if you bring it, they may not suspect.” Nasser accepted and took in the shoes which Amir’s mother had brought and then gave it to Amir safe and sound. Two days later group of guards came to our row while Amir was with them. Amir’s face would show that he had been beaten badly. When they reached to Nasser, Amir said: “He is Nasser Naraghi!” It was unclear for us that what the matter was. We asked the guards but they did not answer clearly. They took Nasser with themselves to Zir-e Hasht[4]. After few hours it was clear that Amir had misused the frankness and simplicity of Nasser. It seemed that after two days the guard would notice that some drugs (heroin) had entered the prison through those shoes and after some investigations they had reach to Amir-the-yellow-hair.

When the matter became clear to us, we all went to the guards and prison officials and told them that Nasser was not aware of the matter at all and he had just wanted to help an Amir as a friend. We also noted them that it had been their own fault too because of not implying full control. Then we warned them that if they punish Nasser and send him to solitary confinement or exile, we would react. Finally­ with more negotiations Nasser was freed.

In April 1966, we were informed that with the mediation of Ayatollah Hakim as a result of persistent pursuance of Mr. Bojnourdi’s family, his verdict has changed to life imprisonment. Then we were relaxed that he would be alive too.