Posted on 04/28/2003 12:01:27 PM PDT by knighthawk
TEHRAN, April 27 (AFP) - A former Iranian deputy prime minister, widely known as the Islamic republic's longest held political prisoner, has been sent back to jail after calling for a referendum on the country's political system, a source close to the dissident said Sunday.
Abbas Amir-Entezam, who has spent most of the last 24 years in jail after being found guilty of espionage and treason shortly after the 1979 Islamic revolution, had been freed on bail to undergo medical treatment over a year ago.
"Amir-Entezam was freed temporarily from jail last year, on a bail of 300 million rials (37,500 US dollars), for urgent medical check up and care as recommended by doctors," said his wife, Elaheh Amir-Entezam.
"But he was ordered to go back to Evin prison on Saturday," she added. Another source close to the dissident blamed a recent speech he made at a Tehran university calling for a referendum on whether Iran should remain under religious rule.
Amir-Entezam is widely considered by human rights groups to be Iran's longest-serving political prisoner, having served more than two decades in jail for treason.
Born in 1933, Amir-Entezam was a deputy prime minister and government spokesman in the provisional government headed by Mehdi Bazargan after the 1979 Islamic revolution. He also briefly served as Iran's ambassador to Sweden.
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