An open letter by Saman Yassin, a Kurdish artist and political prisoner, addressed to lawyers and the general public

Hengaw; Sunday, August 20, 2023.
 

In an open letter published to the general public and especially directed towards lawyers, Saman Yasin, the detained singer and songwriter from Kermanshah (Kermashan), described his severe mental and physical condition from within the prison. Furthermore, he articulated a demand for the publicity of his court hearing.
 

According to the report received by the Hengaw Organization For Human Rights, Saman Yasin, a 27-year-old rapper and songwriter, explained that he was forced to confess under physical, mental, and drug torture. He emphasized the possibility of his transfer to different prisons and his ongoing denial of having a private and chosen lawyer in his case.

This Kurdish artist explained his initial request in an open letter written before being transferred to Evin prison as follows: "I demand that the lawyer I chose, Mr. Amir Raisian, and his team enter the case immediately and with enough time before this court. Please send this request in writing to the relevant authorities and facilitate a meeting with me before the court date arrives."
 

Saman Yasin further underscored the importance of transparency in his court session and articulated: "Both domestic and international legal practitioners and journalists should be granted permission to attend this proceeding. I urge that their requests to be present be expeditiously submitted in written form to Judge Salavati, as well as to the pertinent officials of the court."

At the end, he extended an invitation to Toomaj Salehi's father, another artist who had been apprehended, to attend the court session scheduled for September. He stated, "His son is a respected colleague of mine, who has been incarcerated due to his music and rap."
 

On Friday, August 6th of this year, Saman Yasin released a statement from Rajaei-Shahr Prison regarding his torture involving drugs and his transfer from prison to the Amin Abad psychiatric center. He emphasized, "I do not possess any suicidal tendencies, and anything that happens to me is the direct responsibility of Judge Salavati.”
 

After being injected with an unknown drug, this singer and songwriter was returned to Rajaei-Shahr Prison from Amin Abad Psychiatric Center on Tuesday evening, July 25. He stated that his next court session is scheduled for September 9 of this year.
 

On Wednesday, August 2, 2023, Saman Yasin was promptly transferred from Rajaei-Shahr Prison to Ward Eight of Evin Prison along with a group of political prisoners.
 

On October 29, 2023, the aforementioned artist received a death sentence from the General and Revolutionary Court of Tehran on charges, including "Moharebeh." Subsequently, this verdict was overturned by the Supreme Court, leading to the referral of the case back to the same branch for a re-examination.
 

Saman Seydi, known as Saman Yasin, is a songwriter, singer, and rapper hailing from Kermanshah, and resident of Tehran. He was apprehended by security forces at his residence on Sunday, October 2, 2022, due to supporting the nationwide protests (Woman, Life, Freedom movement) and after being interrogated, he was subsequently transferred to Rajaei-Shahr Prison.
 

The Open Letter 

Greetings to esteemed lawyers and honorable people,

I am Saman Yasin (Seydi), currently incarcerated at Rajaei-Shahr Prison.
Given the ten-month duration during which I was forcibly removed from my residence, subjected to coerced confessions through physical, mental, and drug-induced torture, abeyance, and endured transfers across multiple prisons, all while being denied access to my privately selected legal representative. The reason for this communication is the imminent possibility of being relocated to an unfamiliar destination, a prospect that hangs over me at any given moment.
 

"My court date has been announced for September 9th."

I demand that the lawyer I chose, Mr. Amir Raisian, and his team enter the case immediately and with enough time before this court. Please send this request in writing to the relevant authorities and facilitate a meeting with me before the court date arrives.

My second request:

The court should be open to public and both domestic and international legal practitioners and journalists should be granted permission to attend this proceeding. I urge that their requests to be present be expeditiously submitted in written form to Judge Salavati, as well as to the pertinent officials of the court.

I strongly emphasize that the court proceedings should be open to the public, with the presence of esteemed legal professionals, international human rights advocates, as well as Iranian and international journalists.

In the end:

I kindly request the presence of Toomaj Salehi's father at my court hearing. Because His son is a respected colleague of mine, who has been incarcerated due to his music and rap.
 

Saturday 
July 29, 2023
Rajaei-Shahr Prison
Saman Yasin (Seydi)