An Iranian cycle tourist, who was jailed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on espionage allegations, says he was tortured during his detention in the Arab country, Press TV reports.

“I was tutored for 35 days. I’m not the same person physically and psychologically, I was deprived of basic needs,” Hossein Gharedaghi, who is also a teacher in the northwest of Iran, said in an interview with Press TV on Tuesday.
The Iranian citizen noted that he travels to different countries on his bike with the message of peace and friendship for the world.

Gharedaghi was jailed for 78 days without permission to contact his family or the Iranian Embassy.

“They accused me of espionage and tortured me, but they didn’t have any documents against me. I’m just a cycle tourist,” he added.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry says it is still following up the case through diplomatic channels. Gharedaghi has called on the ministry to take his case to the International Court of Justice.

On June 28, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the Alkarama human rights group said in a joint statement that they had received 22 handwritten letters sent by some of the detainees in the UAE, citing “systematic mistreatment and torture.”

By Press TV

 

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