WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES! Prison and HR abuses.

GloryMarcabia · Jan 17, 2012

Anonymous said: ↑

It sickens me...as does Saudia Arabia.

You and me both, brother.

GloryMarcabia · Jan 17, 2012

Petition sent, however I am sad that it may not have much of an effect on the despots in power... Fundamentalists love to make a cock-up of things, and usually make it harder for their own citizens to carry on a normal life (and I'm including Christian Fundies, Jewish Ultra-Orthodox Fundies and of course The Mullahs / other Islamists. Oh, and of course lets not forget our favorite cult.)

I feel very sad for the Iranian people. The brutality of killing addicts en-masse is reminiscent of Nazi Germany, or our own legal system which imprisons millions of Americans due to the DEA being wholly unreasonable in it's approach to the domestic drug problem.

I'm going to share something with the anons reading, a personal story, directly from my own family:

Most addicts hate their lives and only need a helping hand. I've witnessed many recover and lead absolutely normal lives, being vigilant that they can relapse into addiction at any time. I've seen the effects of recovery in my own family, and it helped me understand what type of miserable lives these highly addictive drugs, especially narcotics force people to lead.

Do you really think that girl walking the streets in 25 degree weather wants to be out there? With a little help, she can return to a productive member of society.

Criminalization does NOT work. Corporal punishment for drug posession and even yes, even sales sales, as most dealers are users who fund their own supply of hundreds of dollars per day. It would be something if Iran had hung one of the kingpin drug dealers, but users???! Do the Mullahs really think that killing people will scare them away from drugs? If they're unlucky to get addicted, game over. Treatment is the only way back. Not imprisonment to learn more criminal skills, not corporal punishment as in the "Islamic Republic", and certainly not the jack-booted thug tactics employed by our own domestic armed mob, "The D.E.A." - Animals seek out drugs in nature. People have used drugs since before written history. You can kill half your country or imprison it, there will still be drug use.

The only way is education about never trying that first try which can lead towards a life of regrets and crime.

The patently ridiculous thing is the amount of allocated funds to our "D.E.A. aka Jack-booted-thugs-r-us" rivals the GNP of many countries. And I'm sure Iran hasn't thrown the type of money at the problem that the United States had, with opposite results. Now look at a country like The Netherlands, where drugs are technically "illegal" but the nation's leaders are wise enough to separate soft mood altering harmless drugs like cannabis from heroin and cocaine. Caffes where civilized adults can go and enjoy a good smoke remove the aluring, mysterious aspect of the drugs. You're 18? Go smoke it to your heart's content. It's non-toxic and completely harmless, perhaps even medicinally needed by some folks (it does wonders for MS and pain relief.)

The Netherlands succeeded in another area where both Iran and the "Mighty" USA are failing miserably: people don't have to go to some nefarious dealer, which carries pot, coke, heroin, speed, ecstacy, etc and can probably get you whatever you like. This is how my family member was hooked on hardcore narcotic pain killers, and eventually cocaine. I remember that my niece was a pothead, and one day she asked her dealer for something "stronger". The guy was more than happy to provide her with hard drugs, and so began our nightmare.

She served a 2 year prison sentence, cameout and picked up right where she left off. Prison simply tought her how to be a better criminal and get over on the dealers. This shy girl began to pull guns, razor blades and other insanity on dealers, take their stash, use it, rinse and repeat, eventually once again ending up in front of a judge.

Judge Lazarus had the deep foresight to order her to treatment instead of prison. For a period of no less than a year. Today, some 15 years later she's the mom of two bouncing baby girls (twins, no less!) has a very good career, is married and tells me that her past life seems more like a film. She can't believe she ever did those things...

Help and treatment is the only answer. But it's not like Iran Ayatollahs will ever admit their policy is wrong, and leads nowhere other than international and internal outrage.

Sad scene...

iraniam · Jan 18, 2012

Young woman arrested last year for Facebook activities celebrates birthday in Evin prison today

Persian2English – There has been no word on Hanieh (a.k.a. Sharareh) Farshi Shotorban since regime security agents arrested her in Tabriz in July 2010. According to reliable sources, the young Iranian woman was arrested for her membership in Facebook and online activities.
Previously, it was reported that her charges include: “Insulting what is sacred” and “Having contacts with a foreign entity”. She is currently held in the notorious Evin prison. Hanieh has been sentenced to seven years in prison.
Today is Hanieh’s birthday. She turns 30 years old. Reza Khandan, Nasrin Sotoudeh’s husband, posted a Facebook status update today on Hanieh’s situation. He wrote:
Although [Hanieh's] mother is from Tabriz [the Azari language is predominant in this city] and I understand her language, and despite all her efforts to explain her daughter’s supposed crimes to me, I still don’t understand why this young woman has been sentenced to seven years behind bars. Of course, Hanieh tries to make the best of her situation in prison…Hanieh’s mother is forced to travel 650 kilometers alone to visit her daughter for just a few minutes from behind a cabin window. [However,] they have made an exception for [Hanieh's birthday]. They have allowed [Hanieh's] mother face-to-face visitation today. I hope that [Hanieh's mom] will finally be able to share the birthday cake she has been carefully carrying for two days with her beloved daughter. The women’s ward will be celebrating tonight!
Translation byBanooye Sabz | Edited byPersian2English
http://persian2english.com/?p=23467
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO HANIEH FARSHI SHOTORBAN!

iraniam · Jan 19, 2012

Fereshteh Shirazi: Prisoner's of the Day

An informed source close to 38-year-old women’s rights activist Fereshteh Shirazi told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that since her arrest on 3 September 2011 in the city of Amol, she has had very little contact with her family.

The source told the Campaign that Shirazi’s trial was held on 28 September, and despite promises made to her that she could see her son on 25 September, she was not allowed to do so and her visit was postponed.

Last week, security officials searached Shirazi’s home and seized some of her personal belongings. Since her arrest she has only been able to see her brother once and only for a very short period of time. She is prohibited from seeing other members of her family, including her son.

Shirazi is a management student and women’s rights activist who has been active in the Campaign for Change for Equality since March 2009. She was interrogated several times in the past year because of her civil society activities and what she has written in her blogs. Her arrest was probably connected to these activities.

According to the source, since her arrest she has been forbidden from seeing or calling her family members.

In her blogs, Shirazi had written several personal notes about one of her brothers who was executed in 1983. According to the source, Shirazi’s family is worried about her detention in Amol Prison because she has very little contact with others outside of the prison and she is being held with other dangerous criminals.

The conditions at Amol Prison are very poor due to the fact that it was originally a residential home, confiscated by the government, and is located in the middle of the city in a residential area. Prisoners in Amol Prison, unlike in Evin, are not allowed to cook food and they can only eat prison food that is of very low quality. Unlike Evin and Rajaee Shahr prisons, there is no exercise equipment or educational classes and there are no rehabilitation programs.

Amol Prison is estimated to be able to hold 250 prisoners, but currently houses over 700. According to the source, the prison holds about 60 female inmates, and the rest are men. According to former prisoners from Amol, due to the overcrowding of the facility prisoners frequently engage in infighting.

The majority of those held in this prison are charged with drug-related crimes, and include both native and non-native prisoners.

http://www.iranhumanrights.org/2011/10/fereshteh-shirazi/

iraniam · Jan 19, 2012

Iran must halt execution of web programmer

Saeed Malekpour is now at imminent risk of execution

© Private

Iran must not execute a web programmer sentenced to death after one of his web programs was used to post pornographic images without his knowledge, Amnesty International said today, as the Iranian authorities continue their crackdown on bloggers and other users of the internet.

Iran's Supreme Court confirmed the death sentence for Saeed Malekpour, 35, on Tuesday on charges of "insulting and desecrating Islam". He could now be executed at any time.

The Supreme Court's decision comes as the Iranian government is stepping up its targeting of internet users in a crackdown on freedom of expression ahead of the Iranian parliamentary elections in March.

"By confirming Saeed Malekpour's death sentence after an unfair trial, the Iranian authorities are sending a message to Iranians not to freely express their views, or even to help others to do so, including on the internet," said Ann Harrison, Amnesty International's interim Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

"The Supreme Court should have investigated the reports of Saeed Malekpour's torture instead of confirming his sentence. If he is held solely for the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression, he should be released immediately and unconditionally."

Saeed Malekpour, a permanent resident of Canada, was arrested in October 2008 while visiting his family in Iran. He is alleged to have been tortured while being held in solitary confinement in Tehran's Evin Prison for more than a year.

A Revolutionary Court sentenced Saeed Malekpour to death in October 2010. After the Supreme Court returned the case for further review, the Revolutionary Court re-imposed the death sentence in November 2011.

The charges against him are believed to be in relation to the misuse of a program he created which enabled photos to be uploaded online.

Blogger Vahid Asghari, who had been studying information and computer technology in India prior to his arrest in 2008, and website administrator Ahmad Reza Hashempour are also on death row after apparently unfair trials, awaiting execution on internet-related charges.

"It is time for Iran to stop executing people, especially after trials that fall far short of international human rights standards. The authorities must also not unlawfully limit the right to freedom of expression with vaguely worded charges," Ann Harrison said.

A growing number of media workers in Iran are being targeted because of their work on the internet.

According to reports, journalist and blogger Marzieh Rasouli was arrested by security forces at her home in Tehran on Tuesday.

Two days earlier women's rights activist and blogger Parastoo Dokouhaki, also known for her work as a journalist, was arrested by security forces at her home in Tehran. She has since been charged with "propaganda against the system" and believed to be held in Evin Prison.

On Wednesday, journalist and photographer Sahamaddin Bourghani was arrested in his home in Tehran. The reasons for his arrest are unknown.

Simin Nematollahi, a contributor to Majzooban-e Noor, a Sufi news website was arrested at her home in Tehran on 11 January on a charge of "propaganda against the system".

Several members of the website's staff were arrested in September 2011 and have since been freed on bail pending trial.

Dual Iranian and Canadian national, Hossein Derakhshan, known as the "blogfather" for introducing blogging to Iran, is serving a 19 and a half year sentence on internet-related charges. Fellow blogger Hossein Ronaghi Maleki is serving a 15-year sentence for his writings on the internet. He is in very poor health

The government has officially acknowledged executing at least 31 people already this year, although Amnesty International has received information suggesting at least another 22 people were put to death. This would bring the total number of executions for 2012 to 53 people. Five of those executions were carried out in public.

In December 2011, Amnesty International highlighted a massive wave of executions in Iran throughout 2011, with over 600 people being put to death. Most of these were for drug-related offences.

The scope of the death penalty is very broad in Iran and thousands are believed to remain on death row.

These include: Hamid Ghassemi-Shall, a dual national of Iran and Canada, who was sentenced to death in 2008 on espionage-related charges; Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, who faces death by stoning after being convicted of "adultery while married"; and Pastor Yousef Naderkhani, who is held pending the outcome of his retrial on the charge of "apostasy from Islam".

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/iran-must-halt-execution-web-programmer-2012-01-19

iraniam · Jan 20, 2012

ACT NOW: Urgent appeal for release of labour activists

CALL TO ACTON BY Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders:

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Iran.

Description of the situation:

The Observatory has been informed by the Iranian League for the Defence of Human Rights (LDDHI) of the recent arrests of and acts of harassment against several Iranian trade-unionists.

According to the information received, on January 15, 2012, Mr. Shahrokh Zamani, a member of the provisional board for reopening the Building Painting Workers Syndicate, was arrested by the Intelligence Department of East Azerbaijan province while at his workplace in the north western city of Tabriz and taken to Tabriz prison, to serve his 11-year prison sentence.

Presumably on the same day, Mr. Mohammad Jarrahi, a unionist member of the Committee to Pursue Establishment of Labour Unions, who was prosecuted in the same case as Mr. Shahrokh Zamani, was also arrested by the same department while at his place of residence and taken to Tabriz prison to serve his five-year sentence.

Messrs. Nima Pouryaghoub and Sassan Vahebivash, student activists also prosecuted in the same case, were also summoned by telephone during the same period by the Intelligence Department of East Azerbaijan province to go to prison to serve respectively six years and six months of prison. They run the risk of being arrested at any time [1].

The Observatory was also informed of the arrest on January 17, 2012 of Mr. Sheys Amani, founding member of the Free Union of Iranian Workers, by agents of the Justice Department of Sanandaj, provincial capital of the Iranian Kurdistan.

The latter was then taken to the central prison of Sanandaj, where he remains detained at the time of publication. No information could be obtained regarding the reasons for his arrest and the existence of possible charges against him.

Mr. Sheys Amani and Mr. Sadiq Karimi, another founding member of the Free Union of Iranian Workers, had been arrested in May 2007 and sentenced to 2.5 years in prison. Both had been released a few months later following domestic and international mobilisation.

However, recently, the Sentences Implementation Bureau notified the two trade unionists that they had to go back to prison to serve their sentences. At the time of publication, we had no information on the situation of Mr. Sadiq Karimi, who also risks being arrested at any time.

Furthermore, on January 8, 2012, Mr. Sharif Sa’ed-Panah, a board member of the Free Union of Iranian Workers, was arrested by plain clothed security agents at his home in Sanandaj, for being in possession of the Union’s newsletter.

Likewise, Mr. Mozaffar Salehnia, another board member of the Union, was arrested on January 5 by security agents for the same reasons. The two were released on bail on January 19 pending trial. Exact charges are not known as of yet.

Also, on January 3, 2012, Mr. Maysam Nejati-Aref, an unionist at Tehran’s SAIPA car manufacturing company and a student, was arrested for defending rights of workers by security agents at the factory and taken to an unknown place. No specific information could be obtained as to the reasons for his arrest and the existence of charges against him.

The Observatory was also informed that Mr. Ebrahim Madadi, Vice-President of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company (Sherkat-e Vahed). who was granted leave from Evin prison on November 30, 2011 as part of a furlough [2], was arrested again on December 7,2011, when he went to prison to extend his leave.

The latter had been sentenced to three and a half-year imprisonment in December 2008 on false charges of “endangering national security”. As of today, he remains detained in Evin prison.

The Observatory is further concerned with the ongoing detention and health status of Mr. Reza Shahabi, the Treasurer and board member of Sherkat-e Vahed, who went on hunger strike in November 2011 [3] and had to be hospitalised on December 13, 2011. He reportedly ended his hunger strike subsequently, but has been left without proper medical attention.

Moreover, Mr. Mohammad Hosseini, a unionist in the city of Firuzkuh, east of the capital Tehran, was arrested in late December 2011 for defending rights of workers by agents from the Intelligence Department and taken to a detention centre in the city of Damavand, east of the capital Tehran, where he remains detained as of today. No information could be obtained as to the existence of charges against him.

Finally, Mr. Mehdi Farahi Shandiz, a unionist teacher, was arrested during the first week of January 2012, and taken to Evin prison to serve a three-year prison sentence.

The specific reasons of the conviction are not known as to date. He had been previously arrested on May 1, 2010 and had spent more than eight months in solitary confinement in section 209 of Ministry of Intelligence in Evin prison before being released on January 26, 2011.

Actions requested:

Please write to the Iranian authorities and ask them to:

i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Messrs. Shahrokh Zamani, Mohammad Jarrahi, Nima Pouryaghoub, Sassan Vahebivash, Sheys Amani, Sadiq Karimi, Sharif Sa’ed-Panah, Mozaffar Salehnia, Maysam Nejati-Aref, Ebrahim Madadi, Reza Shahabi, Mohammad Hosseini and Mehdi Farahi Shandiz as well as all human rights defenders and their families in Iran;

ii. Release Messrs. Shahrokh Zamani, Sheys Amani, Maysam Nejati-Aref, Ebrahim Madadi, Reza Shahabi, Mohammad Hosseini and Mehdi Farahi Shandiz immediately and unconditionally as their detention is arbitrary since it only aims at sanctioning their human rights activities;

iii. Put an end to any kind of harassment - including at the judicial level - against Messrs. Shahrokh Zamani, Mohammad Jarrahi, Nima Pouryaghoub, Sassan Vahebivash, Sheys Amani, Sadiq Karimi, Sharif Sa’ed-Panah, Mozaffar Salehnia, Maysam Nejati-Aref, Ebrahim Madadi, Reza Shahabi, Mohammad Hosseini and Mehdi Farahi Shandiz and more generally against all human rights defenders in Iran.

iv. Conform in any circumstances with the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted on December 9, 1998 by the United Nations General Assembly, in particular:

its article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually or in association with others, to promote the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”;

its article 5.b, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, at the national and international levels, (…) to form, join and participate in non-governmental organizations, associations or groups”;

its article 12.2 which provides that “the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration”;

v. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by Iran.

Addresses:

Please find them here: http://en.irangreenvoice.com/article/2012/jan/20/3470

Please also write to the diplomatic representations of Iran in your respective countries.
***
Geneva-Paris, January 20, 2012

http://en.irangreenvoice.com/article/2012/jan/20/3470

iraniam · Jan 21, 2012

8000 Prisoners In Evin Are Under Harsh Conditions With No Heating, Cold Cells And No Medical Care

By persianbanoo
The prisoners confined in Evin prison are under very harsh condition these days due to shortage of heating fuel.
According to reports received by Kalameh, the heating system in Evin prison has not been working recently due to a lack of heating fuel, thus creating an unbearable condition for the prisoners.
In the last few days the prisoners have had to use cold water for taking showers.

It should be noted that the political prisoners in Wards 209, 350, 2-A and the women’s political prisoner ward, already were under harsher condition then the regular prisoners.

Evin officials have told the prisoners that they will not have heating fuel for another ten days.
Evin prison holds 8000 inmates, including the political prisoners, that have been without heat or hot water and not able to bathe for the last few days.

Most of the inmates are suffering from a cold and other illnesses, and are under harsh conditions, causing much concern and worries for the families of the inmates.

The families of inmates in Evin don’t know which authorities to complain to. Their only request is for the authorities to pay attention to the welfare of the prisoners and to put an end to these existing harsh conditions.
Evin Detention Center is located in Evin valley in northern part of Tehran and the area usually has lower temperature than other parts of Tehran. This temperature variation is even more so in the winter months, and, coupled with the lack of proper facilities, is making the families of the inmates more concerned and worried for their well being.

According to reports, these days common cold is highly prevalent among the inmates in Evin. But the medical clinic in Evin is not able to provide care and medicine to all the inmates. In particular, the political prisoners are deprived of medical care.

Critical conditions for political prisoners:
Most of the political prisoners in Evin are incarcerated in Wards 209, 350 and Ward 2-A which is under the control of IRGC.

Because these prisoners already were kept under more restrictive conditions, they now have to bear even harsher conditions.
Ward 350 in Evin is located in the basement and these days, it has been divided into two sections for men and women.

This ward that is located in the basement of an isolated building lacking proper facilities and is in much worse condition than the other sections in Evin prison.
This ward has only four bathroom facilities, that even under the regular circumstances are sub-standard. It does not meet the needs of the 180 inmates, most of whom are political prisoners that were arrested during the post-presidential election events.

These days the prisoners in this ward suffer in extreme cold conditions and are deprived warm water for taking showers.
Currently, large numbers prisoners of conscience-political prisoners, including many journalists and student activist supporters of the Green Movement, are incarcerated in this ward.

At the far end of this ward there is a hall, without any facilities or fresh air, that houses the female political prisoners.
There are more than thirty female political prisoners incarcerated in this section that barely has the proper facilities for holding ten inmates.

The female political prisoners that were already deprived of fresh air or any proper amenities, and with sub-standard sanitation, now have to tolerate extreme cold and harsher conditions.
Nasrin Sotoudeh, Bahareh Hedayat, Zhilla Karamzadeh, Mahdiyeh Golro, Atefeh Nabavi and many more are incarcerated in this section.

Wards 209 and 2-A prisoners are in even harsher and in a more difficult situation:
Conditions are even much worse in Evin Wards 209 and 2-A. These Wards are essentially illegal and are not under jurisdiction of the Judiciary. They keep the prisoners in these wards under whatever condition they want and Judicial officials are not allowed to visit these sections.

Ward 209 cells are equipped with solid doors and the cells are very cold in the winter and very hot in the summer.
The cells in Ward 209 do not have beds, and even in the cold winter season, the prisoners have to sleep on the floor which is covered only by a thin carpet.

The cells in this ward are normally very cold in the winter and now with no heating, the prisoners are suffering much harsher conditions.
Officials even deny the prisoners in Wards 209 and 2-A any extra blankets. They even refuse to give the prisoners the warmer clothing that their families provide for them.

The families of inmates in Evin prison provide seasonal clothing for the prisoners which are given to the inmates by the officials.
The prisoners in these two wards have to spend the night on the cold floor of their cells.
Incarcerated in these 2 Wards are people such as, Behzad Nabavi, Abdollah Ramezanzadeh, Abdolfatah Soltani, Kohyar Goudarzi and large numbers of political and student activists.

Also, newly arrested prisoners, Parasto Dookouhaki, Marziyeh Rasouli, Arash Sadeghi and Saham Bourghani are now incarcerated in these wards.
At times, the arrested activists are kept in these illegal wards for months in a limbo status.
Most of the officials and authorities except for the very high rank Judiciary officials are barred from visiting these wards. Even numerous requests from the Parliament members to inspect these wards have been denied by the Intelligence officials.

After hearing of no heating fuel in Evin, the families of the political prisoners request that the District Attorney and the Judiciary officials address this situation. They ask the officials not to forget that they are responsible for the well being of these prisoners, especially the political prisoners that are incarcerated only for their ideology. The officials must provide the prisoners with proper conditions for the duration of their imprisonment.

Source: Kalameh

http://persianbanoo.wordpress.com/2...th-no-heating-cold-cells-and-no-medical-care/

iraniam · Jan 22, 2012

Iran: Authorities Defiant on Rights Record

(New York, January 22, 2012) - Iranian authorities in 2011 carried out more than 600 executions and imprisoned more journalists and bloggers than any other country, Human Rights Watch said today in issuing its World Report 2012 Iran chapter. Iran’s judiciary works hand-in-hand with security and intelligence forces to harass, imprison and convict opposition and rights activists, despite increasing international condemnation of the country’s rights record.

In March the United Nations Human Rights Council appointed Ahmed Shaheed to be the first special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran since 2002. Since Shaheed’s appointment the Iranian government has refused him entry to the country, executed more than 400 prisoners - including people convicted of committing crimes when they were children, and prosecuted dozens of outspoken lawyers, journalists, and rights activists for their peaceful speech and associational activities. In February the authorities placed the 2009 presidential candidates Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi under house arrest, where they remain.

“The Iranian government crushes all voices of opposition while scoffing at the international community’s growing concern over human rights,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.
In its 676-page World Report 2012, Human Rights Watch assesses progress on human rights during the past year in more than 90 countries, including popular uprisings in the Arab world that few would have imagined. Given the violent forces resisting the “Arab Spring,” the international community has an important role to play in assisting the birth of rights-respecting democracies in the region, Human Rights Watch said in the report.

In Iran, the authorities carried out more than 600 executions, according to several rights groups, even though the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and four UN experts pressed Iranian officials for an immediate moratorium on the death penalty, “particularly for drug-related and juvenile cases.” Government sources announced only around 350 of these executions. The vast majority were for drug-related offenses, including trafficking and possession. The pace of executions accelerated following the entry into force in December 2010 of an amended anti-narcotics law, drafted by the Expediency Council and approved by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Despite the hundreds of executions, Yuri Fedotov, executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), made no mention of the wave of executions taking place in Iran for drug-related offenses and praised the country’s anti-drug efforts during a visit to Tehran in July. The UNODC has provided up to $22 million since 2005 to support training projects for Iran’s anti-drug forces, and the European commission, European Union member states, and several other governments including Japan, Norway, Australia and Canada, provide money, technical assistance, and legislative support to Iran’s anti-drug efforts.

Iran also led the world in the reported execution of people convicted of offenses they allegedly committed before age 18, despite the prohibition on such executions under international law. Iranian law allows capital punishment for people who have reached puberty, defined as age 9 for girls and 15 for boys. The judiciary allowed the execution of at least three children in 2011.

Authorities have executed at least 30 people since January 2010 on the charge of moharebeh (“enmity against God”), for alleged ties to armed or terrorist groups. On January 9, 2012, a revolutionary court in Tehran sentenced Amir Mirzaei Hekmati, an Iranian-American, to death on charges of moharebeh, “corruption on earth,” and espionage. The judiciary sentenced Hekmati after authorities detained him for more than four months without providing him access to a lawyer, his family, or the Swiss consular officials who represent American interests in Iran.

As of December 42 journalists and bloggers were in prison in Iran, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. More than 60 journalists were forced into exile in 2011 alone, and authorities have shut down at least 40 publications since 2009. On January 17, 2012, Iran’s Supreme Court confirmed the death sentence for blogger Saeed Malekpour, a Canadian resident who was convicted of “insulting and desecrating Islam” in October 2011. At least two other individuals have been sentenced to death by the judiciary on internet-related charges. The government blocks certain websites that carry political news and analysis, slows down internet speeds to hinder web access, and jams foreign satellite broadcasts.

In January 2011 a revolutionary court sentenced Nasrin Sotoudeh, a prominent rights lawyer, to 11 years in prison and barred her from practicing law and leaving the country for 20 years on charges of “acting against the national security” and “propaganda against the regime.” The judiciary later reduced her sentence to six years and a 10-year ban on travel and practicing law. The judiciary prosecuted, convicted, or sentenced several other prominent lawyers to prison terms and bans on the practice of law. Earlier in the year Sadegh Larijani, the Head of the Judiciary, warned lawyers that they should refrain from giving interviews that damage the government’s reputation.

On January 10, 2012, the Interior Ministry’s election commission disqualified several dozen candidates from running in the upcoming March 2 parliamentary elections because of their “lack of adherence to Islam and the Constitution.” The disqualified candidates include several incumbents who were critical of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s government. In November and December reformist and opposition activists, some of whom are currently serving prison terms, issued several statements calling the parliamentary elections a sham and concluding there was no reason to field candidates. In December the Iranian judiciary announced that anyone calling for a boycott of the upcoming parliamentary elections would be subject to prosecution.

Mousavi and Karroubi were placed under house arrest in February 2011 after they called for mass protests. Several days earlier, beginning on February 8, security forces had arbitrarily arrested dozens of political opposition members in Tehran and several other cities.

“The continued detention of Mousavi and Karroubi, not to mention the dozens of reformist candidates arrested after the disputed 2009 presidential election, is a reminder to all of us that Iran’s human rights crisis is linked to the demand of citizens to participate in free and fair elections,” Whitson said.

http://www.payvand.com/news/12/jan/1230.html

iraniam · Jan 22, 2012

Iran's Killing Rampage, 1 Execution every 4 hours

Since the start of the New Year, the Iranian regime has begun a campaign of death, executing 1 prisoner every 4 hours. If the regime continues its rampage, by the months end they will have executed 186 individuals. If the rate of their killing spree continues further, by the end of the year Iran will have murdered over 2,200 individuals.

The regime has used an assortment of charges against such prisoners, in order to try to legitimize the massacre. The charges against each individual range from terrorism, espionage, drug trafficking, enmity with God, rape, and so on. Each of the prisoners has gone through a judicial system that offers little fairness, transparency, or due process. As a result, differentiating between ordinary criminals and opponents of the regime can be very difficult. Many prisoners face trumped up charges despite committing purely political offenses.

The regime has used an assortment of tactics to carry out its suppression. Prisoners who require medical attention in order to survive, are purposefully neglected, and therefore die without being added to the list of formally executed individuals. This tactic masks the true intent of the regime to the outside world, but ensures that the terror will be felt at home. Hassan Nahid and Mohsen Dokmechi are two examples of political prisoners who died due to the regime’s deliberate medical negligence.

Aside from leading the world in executions per capita in 2011, and being second only to China in the number of executions annually, Iran is currently the only country which still executes minors. In September of 2011, 17-year-old Alireza Mullah Soltani cried and begged for his life as he was publically hanged for murdering Ruhollah Dadashi, an Iranian bodybuilder. The Iranian regime chose to publically hang him for the act of murder.

Undertaking this barbaric spectacle does not serve the regimes public image well in the international community. However, the necessity for the act is clear- namely to terrorize the domestic population into fear and silence.

Underlying these various acts of brutality is the implementation of a conscious policy designed to instill terror in the hearts and minds of Iranians. On the one hand, the regime faces ever growing isolation due to its nuclear program. On the other, the Arab Spring has engulfed the region in popular uprising and the instability in Syria is hitting too close to home for the Iranian Regime’s comfort. The regime knows all too well that its days are numbered. Since the protests in 2009, the regime understands the potential within the population for an explosive uprising and fears that at any moment a spark could set off another round of protests. There’s no doubt that the regime will resort to the most barbaric forms of repression in order to prolong its grip on power.

However, despite the bloodbath, the regime is clearly on its last limb and will not likely be able to continue to drown its problems in the blood of its citizens.

http://www.freedomessenger.com/archives/45819

iraniam · Jan 26, 2012

Death Sentences Upheld for Two Kurdish Political Prisoners

Zanyar Moradi and Loghman Moradi
The Iranian Supreme Court has upheld the death sentences of two Kurdish political prisoners, local sources told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. Prison authorities from Rajaee Shahr Prison allegedly told Zanyar Moradi and Loghman Moradi that their death sentences were upheld.

On 22 December 2010, Judge Salavati of Branch 15 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court sentenced the two Kurdish prisoners to a public hanging on the charges of “moharebeh” (enmity with God) and “murder of the son of Marivan’s Friday Imam.”

The source told the Campaign that prison authorities informed the prisoners of this conviction last week. “During a short call to his family, Loghman Moradi confirmed this news, saying that he was shocked upon hearing the verdict, and considering that the notification of the decision was not in writing, he was hopeful that this was done only to intimidate him.”

The lawyer for the two political prisoners told the source that he was also surprised by the announcement, that he has told the families of the prisoners that he had not been formally served a court decision, and that he will be traveling to Tehran to follow up the case at the Supreme Court.

The two political prisoners had previously written letters alleging that they were tortured in prison and forced to make false confessions. (Link in Persian) On 2 February 2011, the two prisoners had submitted the appeal request for their death sentences to the Supreme Court.

In an earlier interview with the Campaign, Zanyar Moradi’s father Eqbal Moradi, a member of the Kurdish opposition group Komalah, said, “How can a 20-year-old kid be a murderer? My son was arrested 20 months ago and after 17 months he was accused of murder and terror. But the people of Mariwan and even the family of the victim know that Zanyar and a few other kids did not do this. All of Mariwan’s people and even the victim’s family know that the murderer in this recent case of murders is none other than the regime, and this has nothing to do with the kids,” he said.

Similarly, Loghman Moradi’s father Osman Moradi told the Campaign, “During the first nine months when [Osman] was at the Intelligence Office Prison, there was no murder charge in his case. Later, during the next seven months when he was held in prison, there was no such talk, either. But they returned him to the Intelligence Ministry again, and held him there for 25 days. He was tortured and abused to the point where he accepted the murder [charge]. I mean he accepted it in order to save himself from those conditions. It took them 17 months to take that confession from him,” Osman Moradi said.

http://www.iranhumanrights.org/2012/01/kurdistan-loghman/

iraniam · Jan 29, 2012

Kurdish Prisoner Executed in Evin Prison

Human Rights and Democracy website has reported that last week Esmail Kermanjani who had been held behind bars for about 6 years, was executed.

The report states that last Tuesday this Kurdish prisoner was transferred to solitary confinement and executed on the following day.

The website reports that during the past few days, a number of other prisoners have also been executed in Evin prison.

http://www.rahana.org/en/?p=12329

iraniam · Jan 30, 2012

In memory of Zahra Bahrami 1965-2011

29th of January marks one year to the day when Zahra Bahrami, a dual national of Iran and the Netherlands was executed by the IR Terrorist Regime. Zahra had taken part in the Green protests of 2009 and telephoned an Iranian opposition television programme where she gave an eye witness account of the events which had ensued. Her activities brought her to the attention of the IR Terrorist authorities where she was arrested for threatening national security and 'waging war on God'. The Terrorist regime, unable to substantiate the claims against her immediately fabricated charges that she had narcotics hidden in her house. Despite pleas from the Dutch foreign ministry and assurances given by the IR Terrorist Foreign Ministry Spokesman to grant a stay of execution and allow Dutch officials to visit her, Zahra was unexpectedly and secretly hanged in Evin prison on 29 January 2011.

Allegations against Zahra that she had previously been convicted of drug trafficking in the Netherlands were capitalised by the IR Terrorist regime as a pretext to execute her and which the Dutch Foreign Ministry says is totally unrelated to her arrest, detention and execution in Iran.

Zahra leaves two daughters and a void in their lives which can never be filled. Zahra was one of almost 500 Iranians murdered without due process by the IR Terror regime in 2011.

http://www.iranian.com/main/blog/simorgh5555/memory-zahra-bahrami-1965-2011

iraniam · Feb 1, 2012

One man was hanged publicly in Karaj (west of Tehran)

Iran Human Rights, January 31: One man was hanged publicly in the courtyard of the Karaj police department early Tuesday morning, January 31.

According to the official Iranian news agency IRNA, the man was identified as "H. M." and convicted of driving over and killing a police officer in Karaj in 2009.

According to th reports from the human rights group "Human rights and democracy activists in Iran" the prisoner who was executed today was "Hassan Armin (Mafi)". According to this report Hassan, who was a coach in Kick boxing, was paralysed in both his lower extremities as a result of being beaten while he was in the prison.

http://iranhr.net/spip.php?article2435

lillylou · Feb 1, 2012

http://united4iran.org/2012/01/take-action-web-developer-still-at-risk-of-execution/

signed.

In memory of Zahra Bahrami 1965-2011
she was beautiful.
To listen no to feel the sound of her voice, it's terrible. terrifying.

iraniam · Feb 2, 2012

Political Prisoners's Ward at Evin Prison Raided by Security Forces

According to reports received from Evin's ward 350, the men's ward was raided by security forces who searched the premises and transferred all political prisoners to the prison yard despite the fact that it was snowing. The raid reportedly angered the prisoners to such a degree that they began chanting slogans and singing songs, leading to reaction by women prisoners in Evin's women's ward 350 who joined in the slogans, forcing the agents to eventually leave the ward.

According to sources inside Evin, on Wednesday morning February 2nd, 2012 and on the eve of the "Decade of Fajr" [period from February 1 to 11, celebrated every year in Iran commemorating the fall of the Pahlavi Dynasty and the Islamic Revolution's Victory Day] tens of security forces raided Evin's [male] ward 350, searching all prisoner belongings and furniture, leading to prisoners spending hours cleaning and reorganizing the disarray caused by the sudden search.

After the sudden raid and inspection, all male political prisoners [including those suffering from ailments] were forced to leave their rooms and were taken to the prison yard despite the fact that the temperature was below zero and it was snowing. It goes without saying that the sick prisoners suffered greatly under such conditions.

Following this illegal act that took place in the presence of the special prosecutor's assistant, the prisoners broke out in slogans such as "Ya Hossein... Mir Hossein" , "Mahmoud the Traitor" and "Death to the Dictator" and sang the national anthem "Ey Iran" and other songs such as "Yareh Dabestani".

The loud and continuous slogans and songs chanted by the prisoners in Evin's male ward 350 led to reaction by women prisoners at the female ward who joined in chanting slogans and singing songs in protest.

As a result of the raged demonstrated by the prisoners, all inspection was suddenly halted by the inspectors who feared potential loss of control of the situation.

It is worth mentioning that ward 350 located in the basement of Evin prison is divided into a female and male ward. The women prisoners are kept at the end of the ward in a long and narrow area that has no access to fresh air.

http://www.payvand.com/news/12/feb/1018.html

iraniam · Feb 9, 2012

Increased Pressure on Baha'is; Widespread and Multiple Arrest of Baha'is in Shiraz, Iran

CHRR - This morning, February 4th, in widespread arrests, more than 30 house of Baha’is were searched and more than 11 of hosts were arrested in their homes, with the presence of security guards.

Payam Taslimi, Nima Dehghan, Mojdeh Fallah, Mojgan Emadi, Sam Jaberi, sina Sarikhani, Jinoos Fanayyan, Yekta Fahandej, Faezeh Tashakkor, Noora Fallah are the name of eleven cases of those detained, but according to received reports, the number of detainees are more than this number. These Baha’is were transferred to “ward 100” of Shiraz and four other Baha’is were summoned to this place.

Earlier in December this year, Afshin Ahsnyan, Frham Ma’soomi and Vahdat Dana were sent to prison for their sentenced time. And five other Baha’is were arrested in June, while there were pressures on the Baha’is Institute of High Education (BIHE).

http://www.chrr.biz/spip.php?article17136

iraniam · Feb 9, 2012

Four prisoners were executed in Qom (south of Tehran)

Iran Human Rights, February 8: Four prisoners have been executed in the prison of Qom in the past few days, reported the Mehr news agency.

The report which was quoting Mostafa Barzegar, the prosecutor of Qom, said: " Four persons convicted of drug trafficking were executed in the prison of Qom during the pas days".

The report didn’t identify the prisoners who were executed and no further details about the charges and exact day of the execution was provided.

http://iranhr.net/spip.php?article2436

iraniam · Feb 12, 2012

Suicide in Prison

According to reports on “Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran.” the inhumane and unbearable condition existing in Gohardasht prison has led to the suicide of at least 3 people.

During recent days, some of the defenseless prisoners who were affected by the overwhelming pressures and medieval circumstances committed suicide which is increasing to an unprecedented manner by every day.

At least three people have during these recent days committed suicide in the solitary confinement at section 1 in Gohardasht prison.

The last being Javad Lotfi (22 years old) who took his life for the purpose of being freed from torture and the inhumane behavior by the guards.

On Wednesday the 26th of January; in the solitary cell section 1, shout and scream were heard by other cell mates were one of the prisoner were transferred to another section.
Still, there is no information of what happened to this prisoner.
Similar cases have been informed from other sources claiming that this act is systematically increasing by every day.

The prisoners’ situation at the solitary section in Gohardasht is harsh and inhumane.
With no contact with the outside world, these prisoners are kept isolated by the guards. During the maintance period in solitary confinement, physical torture occurs where several suffer organ failure.
Rape occurs by the guards as an oppressive method.

The prisoners have insufficient amount of food where they are forced to go hungry for a long period of time. The rejection of using the shower and in some cases limiting their use of different health services for several months. In other cases there are no glasses in the cells and temperature below zero makes the prisoners situation unbearable.

In fear of seeing protests by the prisoners against these medieval conditions, electric doors have been installed in corridors and halls of the prison where the revolutionary guards of the prison use fingerprints to open and close these doors which lead to a more oppressive and limited condition for the prisoners.

These restrictions and repressive measures have been taken into action since Mohammad Mordani (chairmen of the prison) approved it. Mr. Mordani is one of the revolutionary guards who during previous years were responsible for the oppression and torture of our fellow Kurdish countrymen.
These crimes against humanity against the Kurdish political prisoners took place and today he is brutally acting with the same measures against the Gohardasht prisoners.

Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran condemns this increasing intensification of repressive measures against the defensless prisoners who commited suicide and ongoing condition for all the other prisoners at Gohardasht prison and turns to the High commissioner for Human rights to condemn this as well.

Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran also condemns other international crimes against humanity and demands that supreme leader Ali Khamenei and his regime’s case is implemented by the UN Secuirty Council to take the necessary decision for the future.

Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran
11th February 2012
The above report was sent to the following organizations:

High Commissioner for Human Rights UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Europe Union Commission on Human Rights
UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights
Amnesty International

http://www.freedomessenger.com/archives/46612

JohnDoe · Feb 12, 2012

Deep sigh

iraniam · Feb 16, 2012

Death sentence proceeds for software designer

Saeed Malekpour

The death sentence for Saeed Malekpour has been forwarded to the enforcement branch of the Iranian judiciary.
The Human Rights House of Iran (RAHANA) reports that Malekpour, a software designer charged with creating indecent and pornographic websites, is now in imminent danger of being hanged. His lawyers have reported that his sentence has been delivered for execution.

In June, 2011, Malekpour’s death sentence was annulled after his lawyer disputed the charges against him and criticized the unjust sentencing. The Supreme Court acknowledged the discrepancies in the case and called for further investigation.

According to RAHANA, "In an illegal proceeding, Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court, with no warning and without adhering to the Supreme Court’s recommendations, reinstated the death sentence."

Malekpour, 35, is a resident of Canada and was arrested in Iran three years ago when he had travelled there on a visit.

After his arrest, state television aired his alleged confessions to the crimes; however, Malekpour has since recanted, saying the confessions were extracted during torture and physical abuse.

http://radiozamaneh.com/english/content/death-sentence-proceeds-software-designer

Anonymous · Feb 16, 2012

I have written 23 letters on behalf of Malekpour, I went back and counted. Today will bring #24+.

Paulius · Feb 17, 2012

where is pics

Jacky Blue Note · Feb 17, 2012

Paulius said: ↑

where is pics

Try message #8, ITT.

Paulius · Feb 17, 2012

is my point...

notghing

Paulius · Feb 17, 2012

maybe

Jacky Blue Note · Feb 17, 2012

Paulius said: ↑

is my point...

notghing

So when you go here: https://whyweprotest.net/community/...ages-prison-and-hr-abuses.98358/#post-2006272

You see nothing? I think you may have a Browser Problem!

Paulius · Feb 17, 2012

Paulius said: ↑

where is pics

Paulius · Feb 17, 2012

Jacky Blue Note said: ↑

So when you go here: https://whyweprotest.net/community/...ages-prison-and-hr-abuses.98358/#post-2006272

You see nothing? I think you may have a Browser Problem!

sorry

Jacky Blue Note · Feb 17, 2012

Paulius said: ↑

sorry

NP.

iraniam · Feb 18, 2012

'God, Let Me Die Standing': Remembering Mohammad Mokhtari

Read more: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2011/02/god-let-me-die-standing-remembering-mohammad-mokhtari.html#ixzz1mkQLxAiU

Anonymous · Feb 18, 2012

A young university student. What a senseless loss.

"iraniam said: ↑

'God, Let Me Die Standing': Remembering Mohammad Mokhtari

Read more: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2011/02/god-let-me-die-standing-remembering-mohammad-mokhtari.html#ixzz1mkQLxAiU

iraniam · Feb 21, 2012

American Sentenced to Death in Iran Visited by His Mother

The mother of an American man sentenced to death in Iran for espionage visited her gaunt and frightened son on death row in a Tehran prison this month, as his lawyers in Iran began an appeal of his conviction, an American lawyer representing the family said on Tuesday.

Benhaz Hekmati traveled alone to Tehran on Jan. 28 to visit her son, Amir Mirzaei Hekmati, a former Marine who, according to rights activists, is the first American citizen sentenced to death in Iran since the Islamic revolution in 1979. Mrs. Hekmati stayed with close relatives, and visited her son at Evin Prison three times, spending roughly an hour with him each time, before returning to the United States last week.

“She had no restrictions on her movement — she was able to meet her son, to see her son and to hug and hold him,” said the lawyer, Pierre-Richard Prosper, a former diplomat who negotiated the release of another American of Iranian descent in 2010. “Her purpose for being there was to be the mother.”

According to his mother, Mr. Hekmati, 28, appeared to have lost weight and remained in a state of shock about his situation.
“While he is disappointed by the circumstances he finds himself in, he is hopeful that the truth will be known and he will be able to come home very soon,” Mrs. Hekmati said in a prepared statement. She described the Iranian officials she met as “hospitable” and “respectful.”

Shortly before her trip to Tehran, a court-appointed lawyer in Iran filed an appeal of Mr. Hekmati’s sentence, which under Iranian law can be done only within 20 days of sentencing. The family has since hired a private lawyer in Tehran to represent him.

Mr. Prosper and a public relations company representing Mr. Hekmati’s interests have largely remained tight-lipped about their efforts, choosing to operate behind the scenes rather than mount the kind of public campaign that has often followed the imprisonment of other Americans.

A Web site calling for Mr. Hekmati’s release, FreeAmir.org, has not been updated since January, shortly after the death sentence was handed down by the Islamic Revolution Court Branch 15 in Tehran.
“By remaining discreet,” Mr. Prosper said, “you are not ruling out the option to be more public later. A more visible campaign has not been ruled out.”

The arc of Mr. Hekmati’s case has closely tracked the international war of words over Iran’s nuclear program, which the West believes is aimed at developing weapons but which Tehran insists is peaceful.
Mr. Prosper, a Los Angeles-based lawyer with the firm ArentFox, said the Hekmati family wanted to avoid having Mr. Hekmati’s situation get caught up in the broader back-and-forth between Iran and the United States or in the speculation over a pre-emptive military strike by Israel.

“We’re interested in making this about Amir, and not about geopolitical issues,” he said.
The next step for the family and its lawyers would be to gain access to the case file to learn exactly which facts underpin the Iranian conviction.

The details have remained mysterious since Mr. Hekmati was detained in August, when, according to his family, he had been visiting his grandparents in Iran.

Iran did not even confirm that he was in custody until December, when he was put in front of Iranian state television cameras for a national broadcast. In the interview, shown on Dec. 18, Mr. Hekmati was heard to say that he had enlisted in the military out of high school in 2001, had received language and espionage training and had been sent to Iran by the Central Intelligence Agency.

The C.I.A. has declined to comment on the case. The White House and the State Department have denied that Mr. Hekmati, who was born in Flagstaff, Ariz., was a spy and have called for his immediate release.
Iran has a history of arresting Americans and convicting them of spying, and then freeing them once bail money is paid. Two American hikers who received eight-year prison sentences were released in September after two years of diplomatic skirmishes and a very public media campaign by supporters. Bail of $500,000 was paid for each of them.

“Experience shows that the Iranian officials are very concerned about public relations and how they are reflected in global media,” said Hamid Dabashi, a professor of Iranian studies at Columbia University. “The more public this becomes, the more political it becomes.”

Haleh Esfandiari, who was jailed in Iran for more than three months in 2007, said that public attention helped secure her freedom. “Everywhere the Iranian diplomats went, they were asked about me,” she said.
But Ms. Esfandiari, the director of the Middle East program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, said that though Mr. Hekmati’s death sentence might never be carried out, negotiations over his fate would probably not be swift.

“I don’t want to sound pessimistic,” she said, “but this might stretch on for years.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/22/w...d-by-his-mother.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

iraniam · Feb 24, 2012

Remember Sohrab Arabi on His Birthday: Report

Happy birthday to the courageous Sohrab Arabi!
“We will always remember you”

Persian2English – February 23 would have been Sohrab Arabi’s 22nd birthday. He was murdered by Iranian regime agents in summer 2009, after he went missing the day he attended the June 15, 2009 large opposition demonstration in Tehran. In December 2009, a few days before the mass Tasooa and Ashura protests, Iranian security forces attacked the residence of Parvin Fahimi, Arabi’s mother, when she was not there. They mainly tore down pictures of Sohrab Arabi displayed around the apartment. When Fahimi returned home she witnessed the incident and protested against the inhumane act. Fahimi reportedly stated that the attack was an infringement on her family’s privacy.

On the occasion of Persian New Year in 2010, Parvin Fahimi wrote a letter to the Iranian people. Part of the letter reads: “As a mother with an aching heart, I take refuge in God’s grace. What crime did our children commit to be subjected to such injustice? Our youth only demanded to have the same rights every human being is entitled to.”
In a translated interview uploaded on YouTube, Parvin Fahimi talks about her son’s murder. “I have always wondered where Sohrab was killed, but nobody has responded to my question yet…” She stated.

“Sohrab is described by people who knew him as a sensitive young man with many hopes and dreams.”
Read more RFERL (2009)

Sohrab would have turned 22 years old on February 23, 2012.

http://persian2english.com/?p=23629

iraniam · Mar 11, 2012

Iran Hanged 8 including 2 women in Zahedan

Stop Fundamentalism – Iranian regime has hanged 8 prisoners in Zahedan, southwest of Iran, Saturday morning, reports HRA News agency (Iranian Human Rights Activists). Two of the prisoners were women. Also reports say that two of the men executed were Afghan nationals.

The victims were moved to solitary prison Friday just before their execution was carried out the next morning. Not all of the prisoners have been identified by authorities but prison officials say that all eight hangings were due to drug related charges.

HRA says that the families of victims had to pay a considerable amount of money to receive bodies of victims; charges such as: “Rope Fee” 500,000 Rials, “Coroner’s fee” 400,000 Rials, and “Death Certificate” 300,000 Rials.

Rial is the Iranian currency.

http://www.stopfundamentalism.com/i...en-in-zahedan&catid=44:human-rights&Itemid=39

iraniam · Mar 11, 2012

13 prisoners executed in the past days- Five others to be hanged publicly in the coming days

Iran Human Rights, March 11: After a short break in executions, which is thought to be due to the Parliamentary elections, the execution wave in Iran has started again.

At least 13 people have been executed in Iran, according to the official and unofficial sources during the last five days.

Earlier this week Iran Human Rights (IHR) published its annual report on the death penalty in Iran, according to which at least 676 people were executed in 2011- the highest number of annual executions since the early 1990’s.

Three prisoners executed in Western Iran:
Three prisoners were executed in Shahr-e-Kord early morning on Saturday, March 10. According to the Iranian state, the three men, who were not identified by name, were convicted of rape. They were between 23 and 24 years old and were arrested in summer 2009.

Eight prisoners, among them two women, were hanged in southeastern Iran:
According to the rights group "Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran" (HRDAI), eight prisoners were hanged in Zahedan prison (southeatern Iran) on the morning of Saturday, March 10. According to the report, all the prisoners were convicted of drug trafficking and there were two women and two Afghan citizens among them. Three of those executed were identified as:

1. Mohammad Sayeri (Siri), 40 years old

2. Gol Ahmad Heydari, 38 years old, Afghan citizen, father of four children

3. Gholam Sarani, 39 years old, Afghan citizen

This report has not been confirmed by official sources.
Two public hangings earlier this week:
According to the official Iranian news agency IRNA, one man was hanged publicly in the town of Shirvan (northeatern Iran) on Tuesday, March 6. The report said that the man, identified as Yunes Shafigh (age not mentioned), was convicted of murdering a school teacher who had allegedly physically punished the offender’s brother.

On the same day, another man was hanged in public in the Fardis area of Karaj (west of Tehran). The man, identified as Amin (20 year old) was convicted of murdering a 23-year-old girl by the name Elham, and was sentenced to retribution. The family of the offended (Elham) had to pay half of the blood money since the blood money for a man is twice as much as the blood money for a woman, according to the Iranian law.
Five Khuzestani Arabs at imminent danger of execution:
Iranian authorities informed the families of five prisoners from the Arab-dominated Ahwaz province that their sons will be hanged in public “within days” for allegedly killing a security member and wounding another in 2011, a local human rights activist told Al Arabiya on Tuesday. The detainees include three brothers – Abdolrahman, Taha, and Jamsheed Haidari – and their cousin Mansour Haidari and Amir Moawya. They were arrested in 2011 and charged with the murder of a security member and the wounding of another person. Their families say the prisoners confessed to the murder under torture.

In a statement, the Spokesperson for IHR, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, urged the international community to put pressure on the Iranian authorities to stop the scheduled executions.

http://iranhr.net/spip.php?article2442

Jacky Blue Note · Mar 11, 2012

When a country becomes a slaughterhouse, for me, it ceases to be a country.

iraniam · Mar 13, 2012

Two men publicly hanged in Mashhad, one day after a UN request for a Moratorium on the Death Penalty in Iran

Public executions in Mashhad: March 13, 2012
Iran Human Rights, March 13: Two prisoners were hanged in public in the city of Mashhad (northeastern Iran) early morning on March 13.

According to an official Iranian news agency, the men were charged and convicted of involvement in 13 rape cases. They were arrested less than three months ago. The public hangings took place in Mashhad’s Ferdowsi Square at 6:30 AM local time.

The prisoners were identified as Akram Norouz Zahi, known as “Yasein”, and Mojtaba Afshar, known as ‘Saddam”. One of the prisoners was an Afghan citizen, according to the state-run news agency Fars.

According to the Iran Human Rights annual report on the death penalty there was a dramatic increase in the number of public executions in 2011 in Iran. 65 people were hanged publicly- that is more than three times the number in 2010 (19 public hangings) and 7 times higher than in 2009 (9 public executions).
It seems that this trend is continuing in 2012 where so far at least 15 people have been hanged publicly.
Today’s public executions took place just one day following the UN Special Rapporteur Ahmad Shaheed’s presentation of his report on the human rights situation in Iran at the UN Security Council meeting in Geneva.

Shaheed had criticized the dramatic increase in the number of executions, and called on the Iranian government “to seriously consider a moratorium on the death penalty for all crimes” and “to allow for legal representation of accused persons at all stages of investigations.”

http://persian2english.com/?p=23749

iraniam · Mar 15, 2012

Three prisoners were hanged in Qazvin yesterday- 18 executions in one week

Iran Human Rights, March 14: Three prisoners were hanged in the prison of Qazvin (Ghazvin), west of Tehran, yesterday morning.

According to the official website of the judiciary in Qazvin, the prisoners were identified as: 1- Reza P. (39 year old) for carrying 3 kilograms of heroin and 7,8 grams of "shisheh" (synthetic narcotic sunbstance), 2- Mansor A (45 year old) son of Hossein, for keeping and carrying 734 kilograms and 400 grams of opium, keeping arms and large quantities of other narcotic drugs, 3- Latifollah B. (50 year old) son of Shahbaz, for keeping 354 grams of heroin, buying 1260 grams of heoin and selling 50 grams of heroin

The prisoners had been sentenced to death by the second section of the Revolutionary Court in Qazvin. The executions took place inside the Qazvin central prison Tuesday morning March 12.

Two other prisoners were also publicly hanged in Mashhad yesterday.
According to the official and unofficial reports at least 18 people have been hanged in Iran during the past 7 days

http://iranhr.net/spip.php?article2445

Paulius · Mar 15, 2012

sad

iraniam · Mar 15, 2012

Two men publicly hanged in Mashhad (northeastern Iran) this morning

Tuesday 13 March 2012

Iran Human Rights, March 13: Two prisoners were hanged in public in the city of Mashhad (northeastern Iran) early morning on March 13.
According to an official Iranian news agency, the men were charged and convicted of involvement in 13 rape cases. They were arrested less than three months ago. The public hangings took place in Mashhad’s Ferdowsi Square at 6:30 AM local time.
The prisoners were identified as Akram Norouz Zahi, known as "Yasein", and Mojtaba Afshar, known as ’Saddam". One of the prisoners was an Afghan citizen, according to the state-run news agency Fars.
According to the Iran Human Rights annual report on the death penaltythere was a dramatic increase in the number of public executions in 2011 in Iran. 65 people were hanged publicly- that is more than three times the number in 2010 (19 public hangings) and 7 times higher than in 2009 (9 public executions).
It seems that this trend is continuing in 2012 where so far at least 15 people have been hanged publicly.
Today’s public executions took place just one day following the UN Special Rapporteur Ahmad Shaheed’s presentation of his report on the human rights situation in Iran at the UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva. Shaheed had criticized the dramatic increase in the number of executions, and called on the Iranian government "to seriously consider a moratorium on the death penalty for all crimes" and "to allow for legal representation of accused persons at all stages of investigations."

http://iranhr.net/spip.php?article2445

Log in or Sign up

WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES! Prison and HR abuses.

GloryMarcabia Member

GloryMarcabia Member

iraniam Member

iraniam Member

iraniam Member

iraniam Member

iraniam Member

iraniam Member

iraniam Member

iraniam Member

iraniam Member

iraniam Member

iraniam Member

lillylou Member

iraniam Member

iraniam Member

iraniam Member

iraniam Member

JohnDoe Moderator

iraniam Member

Anonymous Member

Paulius Member

Jacky Blue Note Member

Paulius Member

Paulius Member

Jacky Blue Note Member

Paulius Member

Paulius Member

Jacky Blue Note Member

iraniam Member

Anonymous Member

iraniam Member

iraniam Member

iraniam Member

iraniam Member

Jacky Blue Note Member

iraniam Member

iraniam Member

Paulius Member

iraniam Member

Share This Page

Customize Theme Colors

Predefined Skins