On Thursday, May 3, 2007, Lily Mazahery, the human rights lawyer spearheading the international effort to save Delara Darabi from execution, spoke with Delara's father. 

Mr. Darabi stated that he had visited Delara on Saturday (April 28, 2007).  His visit had revealed that Delara is not doing well, although she does not want to say anything to worry her family any more than they already are worried.  According to Mr. Darabi, Delara is only hanging on so that her family would not suffer any more than it has.  Mr. Darabi emphasized that the conditions of Rasht prison are unacceptable.  According to Mr. Darabi, Delara does not receive adequate nutrition.  Additionally, sanitary conditions are dreadful and contribute to Delara's health problems.  Mr. Darabi's latest request to transfer Delara from her current prison in Rasht to one in Tehran has once again fallen on deaf ears.  When asked why he believes that the pleas to transfer his daughter have been ignored, Mr. Darabi stated that there have been some suggestions that he is attempting to help her escape by having her transferred to Tehran, an assertion which he described as ludicrous.  In addition to that, he believes that they simply do not care that Delara's prison conditions are dreadful or that she suffers as she does.

In response to what he wishes to see happen in Delara's case, Mr. Darabi explained that he wants to see justice served, which he believes can be achieved through a fair trial for his daughter.  He explained that he himself had turned Delara in when he thought that she had a role in Mahin's murder.  But he never thought that she would be labeled a murderer.  Passionately emphasizing that Delara is not a murderer, Mr. Darabi stated that Delara has the innocence and purity of an 8 year old child.  He went on to emphasize that the evidence  in this case does not, in any way, support the court's ruling.  He explained that the lawyer who originally handled Delara's case was entirely ineffective.  The lawyer was not present during the hearing where Delara was found to be guilty, Mr. Darabi explained, and the same lawyer had told the Darabi family that he had spoken with the judge and that there was no need for them to go to the court that day because no hearing was to take place.  It was not until Delara herself contacted her family to let them know that she was found guilty of murder that the Darabi learned about the summary trial and Delara's sentence. 

Conversely, Mr. Darabi had much praise for Delara's current attorney, Mr. Abdolsamad Khoramshahi.  "Khoramshahi is a great person who will be rewarded one day for his work by greater forces than me or anything that I could possibly give him," Mr. Darabi stated.   According to Delara's father, Mr. Khoramshahi has done everything in his power as a lawyer to save Delara, and for that, the Darabi family is forever indebted to him.

Mr. Darabi went on to state his disappointment in the manner by which his daughter's case has been treated.  From the start, he explained, the courts have summarily ruled on the case without bothering to examine the contents of the case file or the evidence.  One after another, the reviewing bodies have failed to deliver justice by serving as a rubber stamp for the original ruling, without taking the time to examine the evidence.  Mr. Darabi was quite passionate in stating that those who have denied justice to Delara will one day face the consequences of their cruelty by higher powers.  For, according to him, if they were only to take the time to talk to Delara herself, they would learn immediately that she could never have killed anyone; that she is not a murderer.  But they have refused to do so, which is quite regretful. 

Mr. Darabi also thanked Ms. Mazahery for the letters and presents that she had collected and sent to Delara, stating that Delara very much enjoys receiving and reading them.   Ms. Mazahery assured him that she would continue to write to Delara as well as translate the letters that are sent to her attention for Delara from around the world.

The two then spoke about Delara as an artist.  Mr. Darabi granted Ms. Mazahery permission to use Delara's paintings in any way appropriate, stating that Delara's wish is to one day use the proceeds from her paintings to fund charities and to help other prisoners. 

In conclusion, Mr. Darabi stated:  "Ms. Mazahery, you are an artist yourself, so you can relate to how Delara is.  You know what the nature of an artist is like.  Painters do not destroy.  They love to create beauty instead.  As an artist, you can understand how my daughter, who is also an artist, has all of her life loved beauty and has loved creating beauty.  She could in no way destroy life.  She could not murder anyone."

April 26, 2007

Beatings Have left Delara with a Broken Arm Delara Darabi's lawyer reported about Delara's abuse in prison:  According to sources close to the case, Delara has been severely abused in prison and has been beaten extensively, leaving her with a broken arm. Delara is in extremely poor emotional and mental state, and there are concerns that she will once again attempt suicide.  When she last had contact with her family, Delara requested that they no longer come to her visit, and has even refused to see her father.  Meanwhile, efforts by Delara's lawyer and father to secure a transfer for Delara to a prison in Tehran have been unsuccessful.   Considering that the approval of Delara's death sentence has placed her case in the last stages, the only person who can stop the execution is Iran's head of the judiciary, Ayatollah Shahroudi.  Khoramshi (Delara's lawyer) remains hopeful that this case has been reviewed by Shahroudi's office and that he will commute the sentence.  However, he emphasizes that until the sentence is actually commuted, there is reason to be concerned.     April 24, 2007 Mino Hemati Interviews Delara Darabi's Lawyer, Abdolsamad Khoramshahi On April 24, 2007, a day after Delara Darabi's execution order was approved by the Distinctions Branch of Iran's Supreme Court, Mino Hemati of Rahai-Zan TV and SaveDelara! Campaign spoke with Delara's lawyer, Mr. Abdolsamad Khoramshahi.  Mr. Khoramshahi emphasized that the way to save Delara is via legal means.  With respect to the manner by which Delara was found guilty, he explained "confession is only worth anything when the confession matches the evidence!   The court should not accept any and all "confessions."  Even though Delara provided a confession, we must determine whether this is really the truth of the matter, could Delara have been the murderer?   According to the investigations, it was clear that Delara is left-handed and the stab wounds were on the right side of the victim.  And this occurred when Delara's friend was standing between Delara and the victim! Close examination by the police revealed that Delara could have in no way inflicted these wounds.   So from a logical and physical stand point, Delara's confession has absolutely no value.  And the plan was that this matter would be recreated (in court).  That is how our plea to the first court was:   That if Delara was proved to be left-handed, then the crime scene would be recreated in court so that it could be shown whether Delara could have done this with her left hand.  Unfortunately, for reasons that are still not clear to us, this recreation never occurred despite the fact that it was proven that Delara is left-handed." You can read the transcript of the interview here .   April 24, 2007 Approval of Delara's Death Sentence in Distinction Branch of the Supreme Court Approval of Delara's Death Sentence in Distinction Branch of the Supreme Court A source familiar with Delara's case reports that Delara's death sentence has been approved and the order will be soon issued to her lawyer.  Delara Darabi , accused of murder, has spent the past 3 years in prison.  Recent beatings in prison have left her with a broken arm and she is not feeling well.  Yesterday, Delara's father filed a letter with the head of the judiciary, seeking a transfer of prison for his daughter.  In this letter, Delara's father states:  "Delara is in dire condition and is suffering greatly.  She is only accused.  We have reasons to show that she is not a murderer.   However, even if she were guilty, she has a basic right to be treated fairly in prison, not to have her arm broken.  If Delara is a murderer, she should be executed once, not a thousand times.  Yet, in Rasht prison, she is executed a thousand times a day.  I need your help to save my daughter." In an discussion with Mino Hemati of Rahai-Zan TV, Abdolsamad Khoramshahi, Delara's defense counsel stated today that his objection to Distinction Branch's decision was rejected today.   Accordingly,  the only person who can commute this sentence is the head of the judiciary, Ayatollah Shahroudi.   By finding fault in the case, he can issue a new trial or commute Delara's death sentence.