Guards told him that about 4,500 people were swept up June 20, with unaccounted numbers jailed in many other places. At one point, he met a family whose members were all jailed. A man, who was with his two sons, said his wife and daughter were in the women's section of the prison.
Finally, M was taken for interrogation.
He was blindfolded, never getting a chance to see his questioners. But judging from their voices, they were young men.
One asked who he was. M replied that he was a mine engineer who for the last 15 years had been accredited to publish books. "I am sorry that by publishing books, I could not change the destiny of society -- and that I see this bad day," he said he told them.
A second man asked whom he voted for.
"Unfortunately, I could not vote as I was busy and I did not have my birth certificate, but if I had, I would vote for Mousavi," M replied.
"Do you condone the setting ablaze of banks and breaking windows and the damaging of public property?" the interrogator asked.
"Not at all," M replied. "But I understand the frustration of young people and the way they may vent their anger."
The interrogators, seemingly perplexed by M's nuanced answers and calm demeanor, spared him abuse.
"You were mistakenly taken," an interrogator told him. "Sorry." M was allowed to leave Evin on June 27, a week after his arrest.
Some prisoners say they were asked to sign statements promising not to take part in any more demonstrations.
"I did not even read it through," said one Iranian Canadian dual citizen who was held in Evin for a week. "I signed it as I was eager to be freed and go back to Canada."
The families of most prisoners had to put up bail. A judge asked for the equivalent of $300,000 to secure the release of a man who had video of riots and demonstrations on his cellphone, a friend said.
Even though investigators acknowledged a mistake, M's family had to put up the accreditation of his publishing house, his family's economic future. Still, he feels he got off lightly. Many continue to be held in Evin, and more are rounded up daily.
The crackdown has made a mockery of Iran's democratic facade, he said.
"Most of the prisoners were shocked that for voting for one of four qualified candidates, they are paying a high price," M said. "I think next time in any elections, it will be very difficult to woo people to the polling stations to vote for anyone."
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daragahi@latimes.com
