Zeidabadi suffered 13 months imprisonment back in 2000 charged with incitement of public opinion and actions against national security. During the last elections he worked in Karroubi's campaign team and shortly after the rigged election results he was arrested.
During his interrogation period, Zeidabadi was put under all kinds of horrific mental and physical tortures yet he refused to give in. His wife Mahdieh, returning from a rare prison visit said Ahmad was on the verge of committing suicide. His jailors and interrogators unable to extract a confession from him tried to compromise with him and told him to simply apologise. Zeidabadi still refused. Today he received a 6 year sentence. Five years of which will be in a prison far away from his family. He has also been banned for life from any socio-political activities. Effectively Zeidabadi has been banned from writing ever again.
Committee to Protect Journalists issued this statement today:
“We are outraged by this harsh prison sentence and lifetime writing ban. We urge the appeals court to overturn it,” said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Mohamed Abdel Dayem. “This ruling is further proof of the government’s determination to muzzle independent voices in the wake of the disputed presidential election in June.”
Meanwhile Brazil's Leftist President da Silva greeted Ahamdienjad and his 200 man delegation as if nothing inhumane has happened in Iran.
