by Davar Iran Ardalan

Roxana Saberi has been released from Tehran's Evin prison, but she isn't the only political prisoner in Iran. Scott Simon spoke to one of the most prominent human rights lawyers in Iran today about the state of dissent.

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  • Abdolfatah Soltani, far right, is an Iranian human rights lawyer. Here, he's pictured at a 2004 press conference with the legal team that represented Zarah Kazemi, a Canadian-Iranian who was murdered while being detained in Evin prison.
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    Abdolfatah Soltani, far right, is an Iranian human rights lawyer. Here, he's pictured at a 2004 press conference with the legal team that represented Zarah Kazemi, a Canadian-Iranian who was murdered while being detained in Evin prison.
    AP Photo/Vahid Salemi
  • Nobel Laureate and human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi stands outside her home where demonstraters have vandalized a wall with the phrase, "Shirin equals America," in Farsi.
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    Nobel Laureate and human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi stands outside her home where demonstraters have vandalized a wall with the phrase, "Shirin equals America," in Farsi.
    Photo courtesy of Kosoof.com
  • Drs. Arash and Kamiar Alaei are world-renowned Iranian HIV/AIDS physicians. They were indicted in December on charges of communicating with an "enemy government."
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    Drs. Arash and Kamiar Alaei are world-renowned Iranian HIV/AIDS physicians. They were indicted in December on charges of communicating with an "enemy government."
    Photo courtesy of the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran
  • Arash (pictured here) and Kamiar Alaei have traveled the world to share Iran's model of HIV prevention and treatment. The Alaeis' first appeal was denied by Iranian courts in March. They are on their last appeal.
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    Arash (pictured here) and Kamiar Alaei have traveled the world to share Iran's model of HIV prevention and treatment. The Alaeis' first appeal was denied by Iranian courts in March. They are on their last appeal.
    Photo courtesy of the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran
  • Demonstrators gathered in front of Tehran University on June 12, 2005 to call for gender equality. During an anniversary of the demonstration the following year, 70 people were arrested.
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    Demonstrators gathered in front of Tehran University on June 12, 2005 to call for gender equality. During an anniversary of the demonstration the following year, 70 people were arrested.
    Photo courtesy of Kosoof.com
  • After the demonstration, women's rights activist Parvin Ardalan and others started the One Million Signatures Campaign — an effort to bring awareness to unjust laws in Iran.
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    After the demonstration, women's rights activist Parvin Ardalan and others started the One Million Signatures Campaign — an effort to bring awareness to unjust laws in Iran.
    Photo courtesy of Kosoof.com
  • Parvin Ardalan and other members of the One Million Signatures Campaign were charged with security violations. Parvin's sentence was suspended but she remains one of the leaders of the movement.
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    Parvin Ardalan and other members of the One Million Signatures Campaign were charged with security violations. Parvin's sentence was suspended but she remains one of the leaders of the movement.
    Photo courtesy of Kosoof.com
  • Another member of the One Million SIgnatures Campaign is Kaveh Mozafari. He was detained on May 1, 2009 during a celebration of May Day in Laleh Park in Tehran.
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    Another member of the One Million SIgnatures Campaign is Kaveh Mozafari. He was detained on May 1, 2009 during a celebration of May Day in Laleh Park in Tehran.
    Photo courtesy of Koloof.com
  • After arresting Kaveh, security forces went into his home and also detained his wife, Jelveh Javaheri. They are both being held in Evin prison's ward 209 — which is under the control of the Intelligence Ministry.
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    After arresting Kaveh, security forces went into his home and also detained his wife, Jelveh Javaheri. They are both being held in Evin prison's ward 209 — which is under the control of the Intelligence Ministry.
    Photo courtesy of Koloof.com
  • Mansour Osanloo is a trade-union activist and president of the Tehran Bus Workers' Union. He was arrested on July 10, 2007 and is currently being held in prison.
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    Mansour Osanloo is a trade-union activist and president of the Tehran Bus Workers' Union. He was arrested on July 10, 2007 and is currently being held in prison.
    Photo courtesy of the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran
  • Silva Harotonian, an Iranian of Armenian descent, is being held in Evin prison. Her company, the International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX), maintains that she is a non-political administrative staff member who "has never acted with harmful intentions toward Iran."
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    Silva Harotonian, an Iranian of Armenian descent, is being held in Evin prison. Her company, the International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX), maintains that she is a non-political administrative staff member who "has never acted with harmful intentions toward Iran."
    Photo courtesy of IREX
  • Seven Baha'i leaders are currently being detained in Evin prison.There are approximately 300,000 members of the Baha'i Faith in Iran, and persecution of members has included home raids and propery confiscation.Seated from left: Behrouz Tavakkoli and Saeid RezaieStanding from left: Fariba Kamalabadi, Vahid Tizfahm, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naemi and Mahvash Sabet (Photo courtesy of the Interna...
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    Seven Baha'i leaders are currently being detained in Evin prison.There are approximately 300,000 members of the Baha'i Faith in Iran, and persecution of members has included home raids and propery confiscation.Seated from left: Behrouz Tavakkoli and Saeid RezaieStanding from left: Fariba Kamalabadi, Vahid Tizfahm, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naemi and Mahvash Sabet
    Photo courtesy of the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran

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Note: Parvin Ardalan is not related to Senior Producer Davar Ardalan