December 06-2013
. . . free at 86
The government has freed a Baha’i man after holding him in jail for almost one year. Mohammed-Hossein Nakhaei is 86 years old
His family says it doesn’t know why he was detained in the first place.
Nakhaei has been allowed to leave Iran and is now living in Illinois with his wife and near his daughter, who is hoping to change their visitors’ visas so they can stay in the United States.
After his release from prison in April following 11 months there, Nakhaei reunited with his wife in Italy and has since moved with her into a home near Chicago to be near his daughter, Nasrin Nakhaei, the Chicago Tribune reported Tuesday.
Nasrin Nakhaei, who moved to the United States 12 years ago, said her father was released from prison earlier than expected after paying a fine. He was given leniency because of his age, she said.
“You know, I couldn’t believe it,” she said of her father’s release. “It was the best day—April 21—was the best day of my life.”
Speaking in Farsi, with his daughter serving as translator, Nakhaei said he was glad to be free but disappointed about being unable to return to his country because of discrimination against Baha’is.
“Unfortunately, he could not go back to Iran and he loves to be there,” his daughter said. “He misses his country, his place. He misses his friends.”
Mohammad-Hossein Nakhaei was detained in May 2012 on charges the family says were not clear. He was also imprisoned for five years at the start of the revolution, his daughter said.
Since 1980, an estimated 12,000 Baha’is have left Iran for the US, according to Baha’is of the United States. There are about 170,000 Baha’is in the US.
Mohammad-Hossein Nakhaei had been the primary caregiver for his wife at the time he was taken into custody. She has Alzheimer’s disease and spent some time in Italy with another daughter — they have four daughters in all — before coming to the United States.
“It was very hard for my mom, because she kept asking, ‘Where is your father, where is he?’” Nasrin Nakhaei said. “I would say, ‘He’s in prison, Mommy, don’t ask.’ Then one minute or two minutes would pass and she would ask again.”
Mohammad-Hossein Nakhaei said through his daughter that when he was in prison he often thought he might never see his wife or daughters again. Nasrin said she has applied for legal permanent residence for her parents in the US. They’re now in the country on six-month visas.
“At the age of 85, they put him in prison again. Unbelievable,” Nasrin Nakhaei said. “But we are just happy he’s here now.”