Iran human Rights

Seven prisoners were executed in Evin prison, forty executions on the way in Ardebil province..

2011-07-03T23:31:00.000-07:00

Names of those executed in Evin prison on sunday morning (July 3, 2011) :
1-Hamid Nader, 44
2-Abolfazl Azimi Tabar, 50
3-Mehdi Bashiri,
4-Javad Abdullahvand, 54
5-Asghar,...
6-An Afghani citizen
7-MAssoud Alimoradi, 30

Forty execution orders have been given in Ardebil province as well.

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Iran Human Rights Blog is back.

2011-07-03T09:21:00.000-07:00

After a fairly long interval, the Iran Human Rights Blog blog is now back. Please recommend this blog to your friends and share the content. Please contribute by sending news, pictures and clips about human rights abuse in Iran.

***Please give a link if you use material from this blog.

Updates from today's protests in Tehran (February 11)

2010-02-10T23:32:00.000-08:00

Police beating a protester in Tehran

Tehran:

-A man (left picture) was shot in the head by the Iranian police.

-Clip: CNN: scenes from Iran show how difficult and dangerous it is to show any opposition to this government. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqexh2Wa8O4

-Clip: People chant: Torture, murder, death to this government http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d836D4zsz0
-Fierce clashes between the police and protesters are still going on in Ariashahr and Ferdows Blwd.

-Clip: CNN's report on Tehran. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d836D4zsz0

-Clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ei9HsTVO34E

Anti-riot police attacking people with tear-gas!! People chant: " Dont be afraid we are all togheter"

-Thousands of protesters have surrounded the Radio/TV station in Jame-Jam St.

-clashes in Poonak.

-Zahra Rahnavard, Mousavi's wife was beaten in the head and back.

-Clip: Police chasing protesters http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1CaPVVZYVo

-L.A. Times: Protesters clash with police as Iran marks Islamic revolution

-Clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaV5yTzAcc0, people capture a BAsij motorbike and set it on fire

- Leila Zarei, 27, was shot and killed

-Clip: Chanting death to the dictator in Metro (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XG15z_38N8)

-Opposition looks to hijack Islamic revolution anniversary
-Enghelab St., The police is beating women and searching their handbags.

-The police and plain clothes are beating people in Aria Shahr. All roads to Aria Shahr have been blocked.

-Protests in Amirabad

-4-5 thousand chanting anti-government slogans in ferdowsi Sq.

-Clashes in Mosadeq sq. At least 2-3 thousand are chanting.

-Khatami's vehicle was attacked and damaged.

-The crowd in Sadeghiye Sq. is getting larger by the minute. People are chanting: "Death to the dictator", "Iranians, support, support"

-Tehran in turmoil

-clashes in Enghelab square. Police takes those arresred to "Bahman Movie Theatre".

-azadi square: people chanting:"free political prisoners", and " death to the dictator"

-6 women and a man were arrested in Enghelab sq. , corner of Mosadeq st.

-Government thugs have attacked people with butcher knives. several killed ( not verified)

-11:20 :Clashes in Vali-Asr St. A police motorbike was set on fire in Keshavarz Blvd.

-Pole Chubi: People are destroying the loud speakers mounted by the government. The street is filled with the anti-riot vehicles imported from China (Shame on China!).

-presstv, irna, irib and farsnews have all been brought down

-Fierce clashes between people and the government forces in Sadeghiye and Satar Khan. Tear gas, helicopters. People have destroyed the loudspeakers mounted by the government.

-clashes between the police and people coming from Ekbatan ( Ferdows Blvd. and Satari St.) towards Aria shahr

-10:54 -Mehdi Karubi was attacked in Sadeghiye square, resulting in a head injury. The windows of his car were broken by batons.

-Ashrafi Esfahani Street: Clashes, tear gas and gunshots ...
-Clashes in Enghelab & Sadeghieh Sqs. Tear gas fired in Eneghelab square.
-Aria Shahr, many women have removed their scarves.
-A big crowd is going towards Apadana, where Sohrab Arabi's house is.

-A Basij bus was set on fire in Aria Shahr

Gonbad Kavus

Molotov coctails were thrown.

Isfahan

-11:30: Police is hooting at people at Azar Bridge.

-All the roads to Imam Sq. are closed.

Tabriz

-Protests in Ark Sq.

Behbahan

-People have started to protest

Shiraz

-20 have been arrested in anti-government protests.

Support the call from Iranian bloggers to stop executions in Iran

2009-12-05T08:56:00.000-08:00

Support the call by the Iranian bloggers to stop the executions in Iran. They are asking for Iran to halt all execution orders immediately. In particular, the execution of five men in relation to the election protests, a Kurdish woman and a political prisoner. All seven are in immiment danger of execution.

Whoever you are, wherever you are, even if you are not a blogger, go to this page and enter your name to be included in the comments to support this act.

Five men convicted in relation to the recent uprisings and a Kurdish woman in imminent danger of execution. Twenty more in the waiting list!

2009-11-29T01:15:00.000-08:00

The Iranian government has no consideration for the international law. Ehsan Fattahian's execution order was full of flaws, but Ehsan was murdered regardless.

Now Zeynab Jalalian, another 28-year old Kurdish activist is in imminent danger of execution. Her sentence has been confirmed. She wrote in a letter from the prison that she was ill as a result of all the brutal tortures she has gone through and that her court was held without her lawyer and she was sentenced to death in a few minutes.

Zeynab is convicted because of her support for the Turkish Kurdish group P.K.K. She also had given refuge to a Pejak member. But she has never used weapons and has never been armed. Death penalty seem to be very harsh.

Five men who were present in mass trials after the uprisings, have been sentenced to death. This is a ridiculus sentence as a few of these men were arrested before the June elections. They took part in the mock trials with the promise that if they would confess to what the government wants, they would be free.

These five men are: Mohammad Reza Ali Zamani, Hamed Ruhi Nejad, Arash Rahmani poor, Reza khademi and Naser Abdolhosseini.

Please call your representatives and inform your friends and family, to call amnesty international and the United Nations and ask for their intervention to stop these executions and the massacre f the other political prisoners.

In memory of Ehsan Fattahian.

2009-11-26T14:32:00.000-08:00

Ehsan was executed on the morning of November 11, 2009 in Sanandaj prison. His was denied a last visit with his parents and his lawyer. He was on dry hunger strike when executed. A witness said Ehsan himself kicked the stool from under his legs.

His body was not given to his parents for burial. They were shown a grave in the far corner of Kermanshah cemetery with no name on it. This is how the Iranian regime tries to torture not only the prisoners, but their families and friends.

Shame on the United Nations for letting Iran get away with this systematic abuse of human rights and shame on the Western countries who sweep everything under the carpet for money.
A video about Ehsan Fattahian:

Kurdish activist, Ehsan Fattahian, to be executed on Wednesday, November 11th.

2009-11-09T22:27:00.000-08:00

Ehsan Fattahian is a 27-year old Kurdish activist and a member of the Kurdish opposition group Komala. Ehsan was arrested when he was visiting with his family in Kamiyaran. He was initially sentenced to 10-years in prison, but the order was changed later to execution.

Ehsan's only crime is being Kurdish and being a member of an opposition group. There is no other charge against him. On Sunday he was informed that his execution will be in order for Wednesday in Sanandaj Prison. Ehsan has been on dry hunger strike since Sunday.

Human rights activists inside and outside Iran have been trying to stop the execution. Several other Kurdish activists have announced that they will too go on a hunger strike if the order is not stopped. Human rights activists have called people to gather in front of Sanandaj prion at 2:30 am on Wednesday to stop this unjust order.

The following is from Ehsan's letter from Sanandaj prison:

Let me add that, shortly before my sentence was changed to the death sentence, I was taken from Sanandaj prison to the Intelligence Ministry’s detention center, where I was asked to make a false confession on camera, show remorse for the actions I had not committed and reject my beliefs. I did not give in to their illegitimate demands, so I was told that my prison sentence would be changed to the death sentence. They were fast to keep their promise and prove to me how courts always concede to the demands of intelligence and non-judicial authorities. How can one criticize the courts then?

All judges take an oath to remain impartial at all times and in all cases, to rule according to the law and nothing but the law. How many of the judges of this country can say that they have not broken their oath and have remained fair and impartial? In my opinion the number is countable with the fingers on my hand. When the entire justice system in Iran orders arrests, trials, imprisonments and death sentences with the simple hand gesture of an uneducated interrogator, what is to be expected from a few minor judges in a province that has always been discriminated against? Yes, in my view, it is the foundation of the house which is in ruins.

Last time I met in prison with the prosecutor who had issued the initial indictment, he admitted that the ruling was illegal. Yet, for the second time, it has been ruled that my execution should be carried out. It goes without saying that the insistence to carry out the execution at any cost is a result of pressures exercised by political and intelligence groups outside the Judiciary. People who are part of these groups look at the question of life and death of a prisoner only based on their own political and financial interests. They cannot see anything but their own illegitimate objectives, even when it is the question of a person’s right to life - the most basic of all human rights. How pointless is it to expect them to respect international treaties when they don’t even respect their own laws?

Last word: if the rulers and oppressors think that, with my death, the Kurdish question will go away, they are wrong. My death and the deaths of thousands of others like me will not cure the pain; they will only add to the flames of this fire. There is no doubt that every death is the beginning of a new life.

Ehsan Fattahian,

Sanandaj Central Prison

Amnesty International's call for urgent action:

http://www.vokradio.com/content/view/978/23/

Please help however you can to stop Ehsan's execution and ask them to pressure the Iranian government to stop Ehsan's execution.

1) Call/ write to Amnesty International, UNHCR and the Red Cross

2)Call ypur friends, your local media and your legislatures, explain the situation and ask them to help Ehsan.

3) Sign the following petition:

http://gopetition.com/online/31973.html

The Iranian uprising is very much alive!

2009-11-04T19:12:00.001-08:00

Today, the Iranians poured in the streets of Iran (Tehran, Tabriz, Isfahan and many more cities) and protested against the oppressive government. The witnesses report that many were beaten and injured and many were arrested. The police and the plain-clothes ones were even more forceful and brutal, but that did not deter the people.

Yahoo messenger and mobile services were cut from the previous night, so that people could not contact each other. The police and Basijis ( plain-clothes) had spies among people and reported against them.

Mousavi was under house arrest and did not attend the protests. Karubi, however, atteneded the protests and was attacked close to the 7-Tir square. According to his son, one of the police officers threw a tear gas to Karubi's face that was fended off by one of his bodyguards.

The police was very brutal, especially targeting women:

One of the witnesses wrote that the police and Basijis were there to KILL. They hit people with batons and iron rods. Still, people stood up and chanted against the government.

Meanwhile, and not surprisingly President Obama sent a message, not to the Iranian people, but to the Iranian government, asking them to FORGET THE PAST and START RELATIONS! You can read the message here (scroll down for English):

http://www1.voanews.com/persian/news/iran/obama-speech-2009-11-04-69075832.html

NYTime on today's protests: Iran Opposition Protesters Return to Streets

Second Letter from Hamed Rouhinejad, Political Prisoner Sentenced to Death because of participation in demonstrations

2009-10-31T08:56:00.000-07:00

Friday, October 30th, 2009

Hamed Rouhinejad is a young prisoner who has multiple sclerosis. He was arrested on bogus charges by agents from the Intelligence Ministry, 40 days before the election.

Following the post-election mass protests, partly because of false promises and partly under threat, Rouhinejad ended up playing a role in the show trials, a role that resulted in a death sentence for him.

The following is the second letter Rouhinejad has written from Evin, where he is detained. In this letter which is addressed to one of his cellmates, he explains his painful ordeal. HRA has previously published Rouhinejad’s first letter.

To my cellmate, on my birthday (Aban 8th, October 30th) which this year coincided with Imam Reza’s birthday,

It was the 40th day of my detention within the horrifying walls of the solitary cell when the guard came looking for me. I was listening to his footsteps approaching. My heart was beating fast. The thought of having to face the threats and promises of my interrogator, who would make me rehearse the scenario, gave me shivers and fear. Then the sound of footsteps stopped, and the door opened. I was told by the guard to put on my blindfold and follow him.

Hurriedly, I put on the blindfold and, with thousands of thoughts in mind, started to follow the guard. Even though my eyes were covered I could feel that he was taking me on a new route. Suddenly he ordered me to stop and face the wall. After a few minutes, as I was standing still and quietly facing the wall, I heard the voice of the interrogator who called me in. I had no idea what to expect. He took a telephone card out of his pocket and asked for my family’s phone number. He then dialed the number and gave the phone to me. I heard my sister’s voice and I could only say hello before I burst out crying. I let the phone go and sat on the floor with my hands on my head. I stood back up when the interrogator yelled that the phone was about to get disconnected. I spoke to my sister as I was sobbing. It was not a conversation; we were both crying. Then I talked to my mother. The tone of her voice told me the whole story. I wish those who inflict so much pain on people knew something about humanity. My mother’s tearful voice and her sobbing will whisper in my ears for the rest of my life.

I was told to end the call fast. Unwillingly and because I was told to, I disconnected the phone and went back to the dungeon. A few minutes after arrival to my solitary cell, the guard came back and told me to pack my belongings because he was taking me to another cell. I did not know what was going to happen to me or where he was taking me to. I packed my belongings and put on my blindfold and started to follow him again. He stopped in front of a cell, opened the cell door and ordered me to step inside. I could feel the presence of one human being but later I found out there were actually two other people inside the cell. I could not believe it. Never in my life had I been so happy to see another human being. It was an endless favor from God, who had given me a cellmate and a friend; someone to whom I could talk without any reservation about all the pain that, until that moment, I had kept only to myself.

I am talking to you who welcomed me warmly; you who gave me the gift of happiness with your welcoming face. You who were the only person to whom I could tell all the unsaid things and you listened to me. I told you how the agents raided our house in the middle of the night and arrested me for no reason.

The only charge on my file was that I had left the country illegally, for which I had good reasons. I told you how I returned to Iran with the approval of the Intelligence Ministry. Do you remember the time that, with tears in my eyes, I explained to you how I had to write down unwillingly, disgusted and under threat and psychological pressure what the interrogators wanted? Not because I was promised that by doing so I could go back to my family and continue my studies, but only because I did not want my MS attacks to start. I did not want to lose sight in my eyes or become paralyzed, even though it happened anyway, and today I have to almost stick my face to the paper in order to see the letter I am writing to you.

As I am writing I have to use all the force that is left in me to stop the pen from slipping out of my numb fingers. These days I have only one leg to stand on, and even when I hit hard objects I can’t feel the pain. You used to say mental and physical health is a gift God has given to us and therefore should be cherished and cared for. I used to answer that that was the reason I confessed to doing things that even my soul was not aware of. I described to you how horrified I was each time I thought my family members would be brought in to Ward 209, and, in order to save me, would confess to things they were not aware of, the same way I did.

I have said everything to you. You know that none of the charges against me are true. Today those charges have formed a noose around my neck. I have to tell you that even the little treatment I used to get has stopped. My only wish now is to get back my sight and feeling in my body when and if my sentence is overturned. I pray to God to give me enough inner peace and patience until the day I can return to my family and society. I am grateful to God for letting me walk on a path with serving people as my goal. I am a captive today because I wanted to serve the people, a crime for which I will have to walk to the gallows. Yet, in my belief, there is no honor higher than being sacrificed for my compatriots.

Hamed Rouhinejad.

Evin Prison
(taken from the facebook page of http://freedommessenger.blogspot.com)

Behnoud Shojaie, 21, was executed this morning.

2009-10-10T21:46:00.000-07:00

People had gathered in front of the Evin prison since 2 am. Among the 100 or so, mothers of the martyrs of the recent uprising ( Sohrab Aarabi's mother), a representative from UNICEF , artists and human rights activists could be seen.

The victim's family came and everyone gathered around them. Asked them to forgive Behnoud. They went inside. Behnoud came and fell on their feet, begged for forgiveness. Asked them not to kill him. The victim's mother said she wanted to see the noose on his neck. So they did.

They took Behnoud to a room where everything was prepared to kill him. He was guided to stand on top of a stool. They put the noose on his neck and while everyone was hoping for the family's forgiveness, the parents went forward and pulled the stool from under Behnoud's feet.

And he died! at the age of 21. He had spent 4 years in jail already.

He had killed their son by accident, but the laws of the Islamic Republic made him the victim of a legal homicide. The barbaric laws of Iran need to be changed. NOW!

sources:

http://www.hra-news.org/news/6757.aspx

http://mohegh.blogfa.com/

Next week Safar Angooti might have the same fate. Please call anyone you can and ask them to stop executions in Iran, immediately.

Behnoud Shojaie, Safar Angooti are to be executed tonight.

2009-10-10T17:58:00.000-07:00

Behnoud Shojaie (left) will be executed on the early morning of October 11th in the Evin prison, Tehran. Safar Angooti (right) will be executed on October 19th. They have been both convicted of murder when they were 16 and 17 years old.

Iran has signed treateis on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), both of which prohibit the use of the death penalty against people convicted of crimes committed when they were under 18.

Behnood Shojaie has been taken to the execution chamber 6 times and has been brought back. For three times he has had the rope on his neck, has watched others die and has been taken back to the prison and he is only 20-years old now.

Amnesty International has issued statements asking the stay of execution for Behnoud Shojaie.

According to Iran's Human Rights News Agency, about 100 human rights activists, Behnoud's family and a represenatative from UNICEF are now in front of the EVIN prison, trying to convinve the victim's family to forgive Behnoud. According to Iran's Qesaes (retribution ) law, Behnoud's life has to be taken in exchange to the victim's life. The convict's life however, can be bought with a sum of money determined by the victim's family.

There are no news about Safar Angooti's case and he is in serious danger of being executed at the age of 21, because of a fight over his girlfriend that resulted in the death of a person who had attacked Mr. Angooti.

Iran's barbaric laws take the lives of hundreds a year just by execution. Iran has the record of highest execution numbers per capita and has disregarded the international treaties banning child execution. Unfortunately the US government and the European countries have never demanded such commitments from Iran and have swept Iran's systematic human rights abuse, as long as Iran conceded on the nuclear front.

Amnesty International's call for action on Behnoud's lawyer's blog

36 Iranian dissidents abducted by the Iraqi forces during the raid on Camp Ashraf were released!

2009-10-10T15:05:00.000-07:00

On July 28 and 29 of 2009, Maliki's forces raided Camp Ashraf which is home to some 3400 members of the Iranian opposition group People's Mojahedin Of Iran (PMOI).

In the brutal attack, where Iraqi forces used anything from nail-enforced wooden sticks to iron rods, sickles and live bullets,more then 500 were injured and 12 were killed. One was run by a bulldozer. The rest died as a result of blow their heads and faces or live shots to their face or chest. Thirty-six were taken by the Iraqi forces.

The thirty-six hostages and their friends and families in Ashraf along with Iranians all around the world went on hunger strike immediately. This hunger strike lasted 72 days.

The hostages were ordered to release by a judge in Khalis City, but the police refused to release them because of "higher" orders. The case was appealed 3 times and every time the judge ruled for the release of the hostages.

After the last release order, the Iraqi Prosecutor General said the hostages should be freed anywhere in Iraq. That is when the Iraqi police stormed the Khalis police station and beat up the already weak hostages who were on the 66th day of their hunger strike. Two of them were severely injured. The half-conscious hostages were dragged to mini-buses that transferred them to a prison near Baghdad and finally to a prison in Mosanna air base, where the headquarters of the Dawa party ( Maliki's party), police forces, Qods forces and the army are located.

The hostages went on dry hunger strike immediately after they were transferred from Khalis and their already fragile health started to deteriorate rapidly. Two were in critical conditions and were feared to die in a few hours. Finally with colossal attempts from Iranians, human rights organizations, human rights activists and many humanitarian personalities the hostages were released on October 6th and returned to Camp Ashraf. They were in very poor health though and were immediately taken to the Ashraf Hospital.

Iranian boy who defied Tehran hardliners tells of prison rape ordeal

2009-08-24T07:47:00.000-07:00

The following article published by timesonline shows a glimpse of what is going on in Iran's prisons in the 21st centuary. Way worse than what happened in Gitmo and Abu-Gharib and yet there is no serious reaction from the world. The silence of Obama adminstration, the West and the United Nartions is most disappointing.

-----------------

The 15-year-old boy sits weeping in a safehouse in central Iran, broken in body and spirit. Reza will not go outside — he is terrified of being left alone. He says he wants to end his life and it is not hard to understand why: for daring to wear the green wristband of Iran’s opposition he was locked up for 20 days, beaten, raped repeatedly and subjected to the Abu Ghraib-style sexual humiliations and abuse for which the Iranian regime denounced the United States.
“My life is over. I don’t think I can ever recover,” he said, as he recounted his experiences to The Times — on condition that his identity not be revealed. A doctor who is treating him, at great risk to herself, confirmed that he is suicidal, and bears the appalling injuries consistent with his story. The family is desperate, and is exploring ways of fleeing Iran.
Reza is living proof of the charges levelled by Mehdi Karoubi, one of the opposition’s leaders, that prison officials are systematically raping both male and female detainees to break their wills. The regime has accused Mr Karoubi of helping Iran’s enemies by spreading lies and has threatened to arrest him.
The boy’s treatment also shows just how far a regime that claims to champion Islamic values is prepared to go to suppress millions of its own citizens who claim that President Ahmadinejad’s re-election was rigged.

Reza’s ordeal began in mid-July when he was arrested with about 40 other teenagers during an opposition demonstration in a large provincial city. Most were too young even to have voted. They were taken to what he believes was a Basiji militia base where they were blindfolded, stripped to their underwear, whipped with cables and then locked in a steel shipping container. That first night Reza was singled out by three men in plain clothes who had masqueraded as prisoners. As the other boys watched, they pushed him to the ground. One held his head down, another sat on his back and the third urinated on him before raping him.
“They were telling us they were doing this for God, and who did we think we were that we could demonstrate,” Reza said. The men told the other boys they would receive the same treatment if they did not co-operate when interrogated the next day.
Reza was then taken outside, tied to a metal pole and left there all night. The next morning one of the men returned. He asked whether Reza had learnt his lesson. “I was angry. I spat in his face and began cursing him. He elbowed me in the face a couple of times and slapped me.” Twenty minutes later, he says, the man returned with a bag full of excrement, shoved it in Reza’s face and threatened to make him eat it.
Reza was later taken to an interrogation room where he told his questioner he had been raped. “I made a mistake. He sounded kind, but my eyes were blindfolded. He said he would go look into it and I was hopeful,” Reza said.
Instead, the interrogator ordered Reza to be tied up and raped him again, saying: “This time I’ll do it, so you’ll learn not to tell these tales anywhere else. You deserve what’s coming to you. You guys should be raped until you die.”
He was subjected to further brutal sexual abuse — and locked up for three days of solitary confinement.
Reza was then forced to sign a “confession” in which he said that foreign forces had told him and his friends to burn banks and state media buildings. He was told to identify as the ringleader a 16-year-old friend who had been so badly beaten that he was in hospital.
“I was shaking so much I couldn’t even hear what they were saying,” said Reza. “I just signed whatever they put in front of me without looking at it. I was scared they would rape me again.”
The next day Reza and other detainees were transferred to a police detention centre, where he was held for a further week.
On the third day, police officers entered the cell in the middle of the night, blindfolded him and led him to the toilet, where he was again raped. “My hands began shaking, my legs were weak and I couldn’t stand up properly. I fell down and smashed my head hard on the ground to try and kill myself. I started screaming and shouting for them to kill me. I just couldn’t bear it anymore. I hated myself,” he said, weeping at the memory.
The following morning he was summoned by a police commander, who asked why he had been screaming the previous night. When he explained, he was asked to identify his rapist. The boy said he had been blindfolded, so the chief commander hit him and accused him of lying. He was forced to sign a letter admitting he had made baseless accusations against the security forces.
Reza’s ordeal was far from over. He was taken with about 130 other prisoners to the city’s Revolutionary Court, where they were herded into a yard. The judge told them that he would hang those who had violently resisted the Islamic revolution and read out the names of ten teenagers, including Reza. The message was clear: if they continued to say they had been raped they would be executed.
The judge sent them to the city’s central prison, where Reza was handcuffed and held in a small cell with six other boys for ten more days. In the evenings officers beat the boys and taunted them with the words: “You want to cause a revolution?.
Periodically, the most senior officer would take the boys away, three at a time. “When they returned they would be very quiet and uneasy,” Reza said. When his turn came he and the others were led into a small room and ordered to strip and have sex with each other. “He told us that with this we would be cleansed — we would be so shattered that we would no longer be able to look at each other. This would help calm us down.”
After 20 days Reza’s family finally secured his release on bail of about £45,000 — and with a final warning that he should say nothing about his treatment. His brother said: “A friend of mine who is a guard in the prison where Reza was being held had told me he was ill. The night he was released he was crying uncontrollably; then he broke down and told my mother everything.”
The family persuaded a hospital doctor they knew to treat him, despite the danger to herself. She has treated his physical injuries and given him antibiotics and sedatives but cannot perform an internal examination. Reza is deeply traumatised, terrified of being returned to prison and barely sleeps.
The doctor told The Times that other detainees had suffered a similiar fate. “We have many cases in the hospital but we can’t report on them. They won’t let us open a file. They don’t want any paperwork,” she said.
Drewery Dyke, an Amnesty International Iran researcher, said that Reza’s case was “consistent with other reports we have received in terms of the severity of disregard for human dignity, the unrestricted abuse without any recourse to justice, the involvement even of judicial persons in rape abuse and the denial of the basic right to healthcare”.
Reza, at least, survived to tell the world his story. The 16-year-old friend he had to name as the ringleader has since died in hospital from his injuries.
• The identities of all people mentioned in the article have been withheld.

Mohammad Kamrani-18, killed under torture in Evin prison.

2009-07-23T21:31:00.000-07:00

Mohammad Kamrani, 18 was arrested on July 9th in Tehran ( Vali-Asr square) and transferred to Kahrizak prison. Kahrizak is notorious for its inhumane conditions and maltreatment of prisoners. when Mohammad was transferred to Evin prison a few days later. The family was told their son was about to be released. When they went to get Mohammad, the family were told he has been transferred to a hospital. The devastated family rushed to Loghman hospital and found their child in critical conditions , still surrounded by the police. The family persisted in transferring their son to a facility with better care and were able to transfer Mohammad to Mehr hospital, but his condition deteriorated and Mohammad, who was getting ready for the medical school entrance exam, passed away at the tender age of 18. His body was buried in Tehran.(source)

from ireport:

his family said :Mohammad died after 3 hours in hospital @ 16 july. Even when Mohammad was brutally tortured and there was almost no life in him anymore, he was still "locked" to his bed so he could not scape,in the Loghman hospital by the security forces!

Naser Amirnejad, another victim of Iranian Basiji fire on June 15 th

2009-07-23T21:16:00.000-07:00

Aerospace master student, was wounded when a Basij member started shooting from a building and passed away on June 18th in the hospital . His body was buried in his home town, one of the villages in the city of Yasouj on 19 June 2009.

This is the Basiji who shot many people on that day:

Arrested, raped and burnt. This is human rights in Iran!

2009-07-17T01:22:00.000-07:00

Taraneh Mousavi was arrested near The Qaba Mosque by the Basij Militia. Her family did not hear from her until they got an anonymous call, saying she was in Karaj hospital with torn womb and rectum. The caller told the family that Taraneh had sexual problems and had tried to kill herself by using the IV tube in the hospital.

When the family arrived in the hospital, the personnel said they did not have a patient in that name . But a nurse told them that she had seen a girl as they described who was delivered unconscious but was taken away a few hours later.

The news took over the Internet and today it was announced that the family have found Taraneh's burnt body in the fields near Qazvin. The family has been threatened and are extremely scared to talk. They did not announce when or where the funeral would be and asked Taraneh's friends not to call them anymore.

How was Taraneh arrested and why?

A friend of Taraneh who wishes to remain anonymous, says that on June 30th, Taraneh had a hairdressing class. she parked her car and after seeing the gatherings she called one of her friends and asks her to meet her to go to the Qaba mosque before going to the class. She had a green long coat and a green shawl. While waiting for her friend, she was arrested by the Basij militia.

Her friend, who was approaching her, wintessed the arrest. Taraneh was taken away by a van. Several people who were arrested in the same area, call Taraneh'a family and inform them of Taraneh's arrest. Taraneh had given her phone number to some of them during detention.

An interview with one of Taraneh's friends:"Taraneh is a victim of rape by Iran's intelligence agencies".

Q: When did Taraneh's family find out about the body?

A: They went to Qazvin yesterday to take the burnt body. The family members have been threatened and are very scared. They do not want to give any details.

Q: was Taraneh arrested on June 30th ( Tir 7th), around Qaba Mosque?
A: yes. She has a long green shawl and a green long coat on with high heels. She had beautiful green eyes and that's why I think the Basijis arrested her. she was not even present in the meetings or clashes and had told that to those who arrested her. She had parked her car very close to get to her hairdressing class nearby.

Q: was she taken to jail then?
A: yes. She was taken to a secret prison with high walls in Pasdaran Avenue and they were all kept in a big room. They were harassing the girls more and her interrogation had taken longer than anyone.

Q: Was it there that she gave her phone number to the others?

A: Yes. When Taraneh Came back from that long interrogation, she had told the others that she was harassed ( that can mean rape) and had asked several young girls and boys to call her parents and a couple of her friends and tell them that she was arrested. She was constantly crying. She starts to worry more when everyone but her was allowed a phone call to their families.

Then all the detainees were taken out of that building. Some were taken to Evin and some to Noboniad police station. But everyone starts to worry when Taraneh was kept there.

Q: Do people call her family and friends?
A: Yes. Some of the detainees who were released that night or later and had the number and had seen the way the girls were treated, call Taraneh's family and friends .

Q: Did the family follow up?
A: Yes. After a few days they found her car close to where she was working but no one heard from her until last week.

Q: When they receive an anonymous call?
A: Yes. Someone who was perhaps one of Taraneh's kidnappers, called the family and said that "Taraneh had problems and was not arrested, but after her womb and rectum were torn, she wanted to commit suicide by throwing herself in front of a car and that's why she iwas in Emam Khomeini hospital in Karaj and in the hospital Taraneh tried to kill herself using the IV tubing."

The family went to the hospital immediately but she was not registered there. One of the nurses told them secretly that a girl with Taraneh's specifications was brought to the hospital a few days ago while unconscious and after a few hours was taken away.

That's why we think that she was raped repeatedly and was taken to the hospital in her last moments.

Q: How much have Taraneh's family followed up?

A: This is our main concern. Taraneh's family are very religious . They are both over 60 years old. Taraneh was their only child after many years of treatment and prayers. They loved her very much. But after what happened, they have been very scared and do not even answer our calls. we are Taraneh's friends and want to know where her body will be buried.

Q: Have you heard about the funeral?
A: No. yesterday the family was told that a body with Taraneh's specifications has been found in the fields between Karaj and Qazvin. But her family have been seriously threatened not to say anything about their daughter's arrest.

Q: Now that the blogs and the media know about it, do you think the truth will be revealed?

A: I don't want Taraneh's voice to be muted. Or our voice. They took our Friend, raped her savagely for days and then burnt her body and threw it in the fields.

When Taraneh sang a song, I would remember her beautiful voice for days. But since yesterday all I hear is her screaming. He agony ended after two weeks but we will carry it for all our lives. She was our Taraneh.

(The interview has been translated from Persian by Iran-human-rights.blogspot.com staff. Please give a link if you use or quote it.)

Sohrab Arabi, 19 and Yaghoub Bervaye, 27 were killed by the Basij militia.

2009-07-14T08:11:00.000-07:00

The Basij militia who shot Yaghoub and perhaps Sohrab during the peaceful demonstrations of June 16th in Azadi square, Tehran.

Sohrab (pictured) disappeared about a month ago during the peaceful demonstrations on June 16th. His family searched everywhere for him and they were told he was in Evin prison. His mother went to Evin every day. She had photos of her son and was showing it to those released, asking them if they had seen her son. There is video clip here showing Sohrab's mother desperately trying to get some news about her son and one of the gourds (the big guy in black) tells her not to worry and her son is all right and will call her.

The officials in Evin even issued bail money for Sohrab and his uncle pays the money. The family were waiting for Sohrab to be released and they were told by judge Mortezavi he had died in prison. Sohrab had a bullet in his chest and two in his head. Death, execution style, Islamic Republic style!

It is not clear whether Sohrab died in the demonstrations or under torture. The fact that he was issued bail money brings out the suspicion that he was in Evin.

Sohrab was 19. He was a senior at high school and was studying of the university entrance exam. Clips of his burial follows:

His mother says:" People, all of you should know that they brutally killed my son. They told me he was in prison, but they had already killed him. I will not stay quiet...."
The officials had warned the family not to make the funeral "political". Many Basij militia members were there to monitor the events.
Read more:
New York Times Blog about Sohrab
LA Times about Sohrab

Another student, Yaghoub Bervaye, who was shot in the head by the Basij militia on June 21 and was in coma, passed away.(source)

Yagoub was a graduate student of Arts, from Tehran University, was shot in the head by the Basiji who shot several people from the roof of a Basij center in Azadi square on June 16th. Yaghoub was in coma after being shot.

The Basiji who shot Yaghoub ( and perhaps Sohrab too) was filmed and pictured and his whereabouts are known. The Iranian government went to extreme lengths to tie Neda's death to foreign factors . But in this case they do have the shooter and his pictures!

*******

A Call to President Obama!

Dear Mr. President,

how can you witness these atrocities and still want to legitimize this brutal government by going ahead with negotiations? We don't want you to go bomb Iran, but we want you to condemn these vicious acts of brutality by taking decisive measures. Political sanctions at the least, but you say ( in not so many words), it does not matter how many people are tortured and killed in Iran. It does not matter how the human rights is being abused by the Iranian government. You don't care,! You will still proceed with negotiations! Would you have negotiated with Hitler too?

Your soft talk will not deter these serial killers, it will just encourage them. Hopefully you don't want your name come in the same sentence with theirs. Then show us that you really do care about universal human rights and it is not just some election propaganda.

Arrested, beaten and raped: an Iran protester's tale

2009-07-01T13:52:00.000-07:00

This is an article published on Guardian.co.uk. There are several similar stories on Persian websites that will be translated and published here. We would like to thank Guardian for following up on those arrested in Iran.(link to the original article).

Please call someone in your country and ask them to call for the immediate release of those detained in Iran. Call UN and ask Mr. Ban Ki Moon to travel to Iran to negotiate the release of the political prisoners. The Iranians need your help. NOW!

Arrested, beaten and raped: an Iran protester's tale
Afshin, a shopkeeper from south-west Iran, alleges that one of his friends was beaten and repeatedly raped after being arrested at an opposition rally after last month's disputed election. He gave this account to Esfandiar Poorgiv, a journalist and academic. It is published here as part of the Guardian's project to trace those killed and detained during the unrest. The Guardian has been unable to independently verify the account
Esfandiar Poorgiv
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 1 July 2009 16.46 BST

He came to my shop around 10.30am. You could tell straight away that he had just been released. His face was bruised all over. His teeth were broken and he could hardly open his eyes.
He was not even into politics. He was just an ordinary 18-year-old in the last year of school. Before the election he came to me and asked how he should vote. He looks up to me. His father is an Ahmadinejad supporter.
He had gone home directly after his release, but his father did not let him in. He didn't mention he had been raped. At first, he didn't tell me either. It was the doctor who first noticed it and told me.
When he came to my shop he collapsed in a chair. He said he had nowhere to go and asked if he could stay with me. I called a friend of mine who is a doctor to come home and see him. Then I brought him home.
His shoulder blades and arms were wounded. There were some slashes on the face. No bone fractures, but he was bruised all over the body. I wanted to take some photos but he did not let me. The doctor said only four of his teeth were intact, the rest were broken. You could hardly understand what he said.
Then the doctor told me what had happened. He had suffered rupture of the rectum and the doctor feared colonic bleeding. He suggested we take him to the hospital immediately.
They registered him under a false name and with somebody else's insurance. The nurses were crying. Two of them asked what sort of beast had beaten him up like that. He was a broken man. He told us not to waste our money on him, and that he would kill himself.
He was arrested in Shiraz on 15 June, the Monday after the election. Some sturdy young men made a human shield around the demonstrators. He was among them. He said he managed to hit some of the anti-riot police. But then they caught him and beat him up.
"I was kept in a van till evening that day and then transferred to a solitary cell where I was kept for two days," he said. "Then I was repeatedly interrogated, beaten and hung from a ceiling. They call it chicken kebab. They tie your hands and feet together and hang you from the ceiling, turning you around and beating you with cables.
"They gave us warm water to drink and one meal a day. Repeated smacking was a regular punishment. In interrogations, they kept on asking if I was instructed from abroad. I believed I was going to be sent from the detention centre to prison. But they sent me to where they called Roughnecks' Room. There were some other youths of my age in there. I asked a guard why I am not sent to prison and the reply was: 'You have to be our guest for a while.'
Read the rest of the article here.

Sunday June 28: Tens of Thousands of Iranians protest around Qoba Mosque

2009-06-29T05:09:00.000-07:00

Tens of thousands of Iranians gathered today around Qoba Mosque:

Iranians chanting: Death to the Dictator:

Iranian Police is shooting directly to people:

more clips:

Police attacking the protesters

Police beating up two boys ( one has been seriously injured in the eye)

Saturday July 27: Iranian Police forces beat up mothers of those killed in the protests

2009-06-29T05:06:00.000-07:00

The mothers of those killed in the protests, have announced that they will gather in Laleh Park every Saturday at 19:00 , to mourn the loss of their children together symbolically by sitting silently next to the water fountain.

The police and Basing raided the park, beating old women sitting on the benches with batons and cursing them. A reporter wrote that the words were so DIRTY that she could not repeat them.

Around 3000 people gathered in the park and after the police dispersed them, gathered again in Keshavarz Avenue, chanting : DEATH TO THE DICTATOR.

a video clip of the gathering:

Iranians are being butchered. They need help. Now.

2009-06-24T17:53:00.000-07:00

The Iranian government knows no boundary in using violence against its own people. Demonstrators are being beaten to death. Doctors and hospitals are instructed not to see the injured demonstrators, the Basij invades houses at nights, families of the death are not allowed to mourn, families of those arrested are not allowed visitations. Mortezavi ( The Butcher), who was responsible for the killing of Zahra Kazemi, has been appointed as the prosecutor.

Pictures of bloodies bodies, spilled out brains, torn chests, gouged eyes, Basiji with knives, police with Baton and guns,...are all over the Internet.

And all the world has remained silent. How many more should be killed to convince the world of the brutality of this regime?

Shirin Ebadi has repeatedly called for political sanctions against Iran.

Iranians are being butchered. They need help. Now:

This is horrific, this is genocide, this is massacre, this is Hitler and you people should stop it. Long time we have been exposed to this and nobody takes action. It's time to ACT.
(from the video)

Help Iranian people. Where is the UN?

2009-06-24T11:40:00.000-07:00

HELP NOW!

Iranians are being killed in masses.
People being beaten to death or shot on the street and have no medical help.
Those taken to the hospitals are kidnapped and taken to prison.

Why is this allowed?

Video clips from today's demonstrations in Baharestan Square:

If you live outside Iran, please call someone NOW. This has to be stopped right away.

Thousands of Iranians gather again today ( June 22)-Rev. Guard commander, soldiers refuse to shoot people and fired or leave their posts

2009-06-22T08:50:00.000-07:00

According to two reports, thousands of Iranians have gathered in Haft-Tir square wearing black in mourning of those being killed by the police in recent days. The police is using tear gas, guns, batons and sprays to disperse the crowd. The gathering is also monitored by choppers (source, source).
In previous days, choppers poured chemicals on defenseless people, which caused severe burns.
The phones are cut and any connection to the gathering is impossible right now.

In other news, Sardar Ali Fazli , a prominent Revolutionary Guard commander was fired, because of his refusal to take part in Saturday's operations. According to a blogger, he has was fired because of his "minimal" contribution on Saturday (source). Many soldiers have refused to fire on innocent people and have fled their posts (source).

People have reported gruesome scenes from Saturdays's clashes. Three people reported that a 20-year old was caught by the Basij militia after escaping arrest. He fell on the ground and a Basiji cut his throat in front of the people on the streets and the students and professors of the Veterinary School of Tehran University.

A reporter writes how he witnessed a young boy named Kamran being beaten by a baton and lost one eye. His body, still in shock and trembling, was taken away by the Basij forces (source).

The story of Neda, the woman who was shot on Saturday by Basij

2009-06-21T16:53:00.000-07:00

Neda Agha Soltan -26 years old, student

These clips are from CNN:

Neda's story:

Neda and her music teacher (the man in blue-stripy shirt) moments before shooting:

The moment Neda was shot:

The government cancelled her memorial which was supposed to be held in "Nilufar Mosque" in Abbasabad, on Monday.

BBC Persian had an interview with Neda's fiance, Caspian Mahan, who gave accurate information about Neda and the shooting (source). According to him, Neda and his music teacher were in the traffic and left the car because of the heat. They were watching the demonstration with a few friends. Two Basijis on a motorbike shot her in the chest.
Caspian said that Neda's body was held by the government and was given to the family only after they agreed for some parts of her body, including a part of her femur bone be taken.
According to Caspian, the Iranian government has banned the hospitals from issuing death certificates with the cause of being shot.

Neda's body was buried in a secret and private funeral in Behesht-Zahra . The memorial service in the Nilufar Mosque was cancelled by the Mosque and none of the Mosques in Tehran accepted to have her memorial service.

Caspian said, Neda was not a supporter of Musavi. She was a supporter of freedom. Ironically, she had told her fiance that she would defend freedom even if she has a bullet in her heart,

and that's how Neda left us; with a bullet in her heart , but as a symbol of freedom.

Basij and police invade houses in Tehran-June 21.

2009-06-21T13:31:00.000-07:00

The world is watching in silence and is doing NOTHING, while the Iranian people are wounded, arrested, tortured and killed every day by the Iranian government.

What should Iranians do?

Where should Iranians go?

This is their own government treating them like this and it will, until the world starts protesting actively.

Iran has been invaded by thugs, mobs and terrorists and the world is happy to watch as long as the flow of oil and money to WEST does not stop. As long as it is Iranians who are killed, as long as the nuclear Iran will not harm them, ...there will be silence.

Do not leave the Iranians alone. They are fighting with their bare hands. Pressure your governments to show some action.

Will Mr. Obama shake hands and negotiate with a government this brutal?
Wasn't the human rights universal? Who is enforcing it for Iranian people?

IS the UN a joke?

"Don't be scared, we are all together"

2009-06-21T10:04:00.000-07:00

"Don't be scared, we are all together"

Video uploaded to CNN and confirmed June 21st.

From www.Cnn.com: A Basij Militia headquarter on fire in Tehran:

Iranian police pours chemicals on the protesters using helicopters.

2009-06-21T09:43:00.000-07:00

The Iranian regime is using chemical weapons against its own people. Demonstrators were affected by chemicals released by helicopters. Some reported a sort of liquid being poured by the helicopters that burnt the skin and became worse upon washing with soap and water. On the Internet people advise to neutralize the liquid chemical by vinegar or lemon juice.
(special thanks to Omid for correcting us about the previous photo.)

Another young man shot to death in Tehran.

2009-06-20T19:34:00.001-07:00

The Iranian government has cut the phones and cell phones, reduced the Internet speed and is expelling the foreign reporters. The police and Basij militia kill people using knives, chains, batons, guns. Today helicopters poured chemicals on demonstrators. Thousands have been arrested and are being tortured and tens have been killed. Those wounded cannot be treated in hospitals, because the government thugs will kidnap and kill them.

What is the world doing? what is the difference between the situation in Iran and that in Dar fur? Innocent people are being trapped and killed. The world has to react immediately. Throw Iran out of the UN. Close Iranian embassies and immediately send inspectors to protect Iranians against the government.

Another young man shot to death today:

Globe and Mail reported detained and beaten in Tehran, talks about the riots, the Basij and the terror.

2009-06-20T17:38:00.001-07:00

Iranians do not back off. Police and Basij shoot to kill.

2009-06-20T17:08:00.000-07:00

Another young girl shot and dead in Tehran ( on June 20, 2009)

Several wounded and killed in Shiraz:

UN must protect the Iranians from their government. Throw Iran out of UN! Iranian police shoots defensless people in their head and chest!

2009-06-20T12:50:00.000-07:00

At least five have been killed and tens wounded in today's clashes in Tehran. According to many witnesses, the police force, Pasdaran (Revolutionary guard) , Basij and Ansar Hizbullah attacked the protesters with batons, metal and wooden sticks, pepper spray, tear gras and water cannons filled with boiling water ( at least two accounts), but were not able to deter the protesters. They later on started shooting rounds at the defenseless demonstrators directly in the chest and head and have killed at least 5, but have not been able to deter people. It has been reported that Revolutionary guard helicopters were commanding the shootings (source).

Where is the United Nations? Why aren't there any severe measures against the Iranian government?

Expel the Iranian ambassadors. Close the Iranian embassies. Throw Iran out of UN, until they abide by the international rules.

Iran's Basij militia now wear protective helmets!

2009-06-20T10:48:00.000-07:00

From the beginning of the riots last week, the Iranian people have been outnumbered by militias armed with batons, billy clubs, assualt rifles, tear gas, and motorcycles. As if the arsenal of the Basij wasn't harmful enough, militias have begun wearing helmets to most likely deflect petty stones and pebbles compared to their bullets, knives and electric batons.

Khamenei threatens people, Police uses armed cars, tear gas, water cannons, guns, militia,..against defenseless demonstrators.

2009-06-20T09:33:00.000-07:00

from Washington Post:

"IN ITS OWN obtuse and menacing way, yesterday's speech by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, was actually useful. Mr. Khamenei made it plain that he and the vast security establishment he heads have no intention of permitting anyone but his own favorite, incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to become president. He issued a threat to the multitudes who have bravely and peacefully denounced alleged electoral fraud: "If there is any bloodshed, leaders of the protests will be held directly responsible." And he rehearsed tired conspiracy theories, blaming the historic unrest on "dirty Zionists," the United States and Britain. In so doing, Mr. Khamenei clarified the true nature of his regime and the true nature of the challenge it poses to the United States and the world."

The Iranian people responded by spending the 7th night on their rooftops and chanting against the government. Today ( Saturday), people poured to the streets. There are reports of massive protests with the police and the Basij militia opening fire on people, using water cannons and tear gas to disperse them.

Help Iranian people! where is UN? where are the human rights organizations?

2009-06-17T07:41:00.000-07:00

The Iranian regime is killing the youth by masses. The police and paramilitary forces are on the streets with guns, knives, batons, sticks, pepper spray, chains , tear gas and are killing men and women of any age. The government has banned any transfer of information and the foreign reporters are being expelled.They want to kill in the dark and in silence.

Please help!

Call someone in your country and ask them to pressure the Iranian government to stop the killings. where is UN? where is the human rights council?

These are just a few images. Multiply this by thousands to get the real picture.

Iranian protests continue in many cities, several were killed, hundreds arrested

2009-06-16T23:52:00.000-07:00

Shiraz:

Shiraz
People chanting: Death to the dictator

Shiraz:

Isfahan
People set a Basiji station on fire

Two people were thrown from a building by the police and were killed. One of them was identified as Hossein Akhtar Zand, 32.

Bandar Abbas:

Reports from other cities:

Bushehr:
Many were injured and arrested (source)

Ahwaz:
Students of Chamran University have been attacked by the police and paramilitary forces. Many are wounded and have been taken to the hospital. (source)

Tabriz:
All the cell phone services have been interrupted by the government.
Yesterday 83 were arrested and 46 were wounded in the attacks by the police and the paramilitary forces. The wounded have been taken from the hospital to an unknown place.
50,000 were in yesterday's demonstration where the police opened fire on people.There were demonstrations by students of Tabriz and Sahand universities.

Hamadan:
20 students have been arrested.

Urumia:
At least 300 , mostly aged under 25, have been arrested. several were released after being brutally beaten. A parent has reported his 21-year old's condition as critical. The police had broken his arm and all the teeth in his lower jaw. The boy was beaten by batons and wooden/metal sticks by about 20 police officers in the yard of one of the police stations in Urumia, along with 8 other students.
Ten anti-riot police officers stormed a dormitory, beat up the guard and confiscated all the cell phones. People living in the apartments looking over a police station, have taken video clips from young people whose shirts were pulled to their head and were being beaten by the police in the yard (source)

Babol:
3 protesters were killed and a woman is in critical condition after being beaten by the police. The university is surrounded by the police and paramilitary forces and the students cannot leave the dormitories (source)

At least 58 killed and wounded in yesterday's demonstrations

2009-06-16T01:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday a calm demonstration was held by hundreds of thousands of demonstrators to protest the fraudulent elections.
After the demonstration ended, the Basiji forces opened fire to the people going back to their homes. At least 8 people were killed, including 3 women and 50 were wounded. The police and Basij forces took the bodies out of "Rasul Akram" hospital immediately and did not let the hospital keep their records. The nurses and doctors used the patients' cell phones to call their family and inform them about the situation.

some clips of Basijis shooting defenseless people:

Report by the British "Channel 4 TV":

Terror in Tehran after the rigged elections

2009-06-14T05:05:00.000-07:00

Thousands of Iranians poured to the streets in many Iranian cities to protest the fraudulent results of the presidential elections. In all cases the protesters were beaten by the police and the mobs hired by the government (image source).

Hundreds of the protesters, several aids to the candidates opposing Ahmadinejad and at least one human rights activist ( Shiva Nazar Ahari) have been arrested so far (source).

The police has stormed the hospitals to arrest those injured during the protests (source).

Youtube, face book and twitter are filtered in Iran now and the Internet speed has been reduced. SMS text messaging has been disabled. The police has even banned honking the car horns in fear of it being used as a way of protest (source).

The Iranian government has not renewed the visas for the foreign reporters and urged those with valid visas to leave Iran. A Belgian reporter was beaten yesterday in Vali-Asr Square and two foreign reporters were arrested (source)

some reports cite that the mobs beating up people on the streets speak in Arabic and have been possibly brought from Lebanon or Iraq (source).

click here for some video clips of the protests.

news from universities:

125 professors from "Sharif University" (in Tehran)resigned in protest to the "unruly " election process. The university is now surrounded by the police (source).
Mobs have invaded the dormitory of the Isfahan University, beating up students and chanting for Ahmadinejad (source).
Students in Ferdowsi University in Mashad have been clashed with the police and the mobs (source).
Click here for a video clip from the attack by the police ( using tear gas) to the students of Shiraz University.

Other reports: BBC news, AP, Guardian (pictures), BBC (pictures), more pictures

Who congratulated Ahmadinejad?

1) Hugo Chavez of Venezuela
2)Jalal Talibani of Iraq
3)Lebanon Hizbullah

Two executions and 88 arrests in Zahedan in two days!

2009-06-07T09:52:00.000-07:00

According to ISNA, the Attorney General of Zahedan announced the arrest of 58 Iranians and 30 Afghan citizens , after the recent uprisings in Zahedan (source)

There are worries that many of the arrested could be executed in the coming days to terrorize the people of Zahedan.

Yesterday two Baluchis were executed in Zahedan prison. One of them (Abdolhamid Rigi), was the brother of "Abdolmaledk Rigi", the head of "Jondollah" movement.

Last week after "Jondollah" accepted the responsibility of a deadly blast in a gathering of the revolutionary guard members in a mosque in Zahedan. The Iranian regime immediately executed three prisoners arrested long before the bombings (source) in public and showd the execution on national TV (source). Since then, the government forces ( in military and civil uniforms) have been raiding houses and chanting against the Sunni beliefes and making random arrests and executions.

Behruz Javid Tehrani's life is in imminent danger after being tortured while on hunger strike. Where is the UN Human Rights Commissioner?

2009-05-22T18:42:00.000-07:00

According to the reports by the Activists for Human Rights and Democracy, from Ward number one of the Evin prison , Behruz Javid Tehrani is being repeatedly tortured while on hunger strike and his life is in serious danger.(source)

Behruz Javid Tehrani is the only prisoner from the students' uprising in July 9th of 1999. He has been transferred to the notorious Rejayi Shahr Prison ( formerly Gohardasht). The wardens call this ward "the last lane" and the solitary confinements are called "Doghouse" .

Behruz has been repeatedly tortured (while still on hunger strike) after being transferred to this ward, reportedly being surrounded by a group of torturers while his hands and feet were in cuffs and blindfolded, and beaten by batons for a long period of time.

The wardens who take part in Behruz's torture sessions are:

Ali Mohammadi, deputy chief of the Rejayi Shahr prison

Kermani, Chief of itelligence and protection

Nabiyollah Farajnejad, deputy of itelligence and protection

Several of "Pasdaran "

Ali Haj Kazem, head of the Rejayi Shahr prison has been personally supervising the torture sessions.

Behruz's family have not been allowed to visit him and according to other sources, the prison wardens have distributed rumors that Behruz has been committed suicide.

This has been a common method to eliminate the political prisoners. Several prisoners have been murdered under torture and their death has been reported by thr Iranian government as "suicide", including Valiyollah Feyz Mahdavi, Abdolreza Rajabi, Hojat Zamani, Akbar Mohammadi, Amir Hossein Heshmatsaran.

It is unknown how prisoners in hand and foot cuffs and blindfolded can commit suicide!

The big questions is: where is the UN Human Rights Commissioner? What have they been doing while Iran is killing the political prisoners one by one under the most inhuman conditions? Why there is not a UN delegation in Iran to supervise the treatment of prisoners and especially human rights activists and political prisoners?

How many political prisoners should be killed in Iran's prisons until the United Nations wake up and put aside political and economical preferences? How many more times will Iranian leaders be welcomed to the UN meetings while the Iranian youth are being killed under their reign? Is the humanity a victim of money, oil and trade?

Then why this silence?

Iran Human Right's voice: Behrooz Javid-Tehrani’s Life Is in Serious Danger

Human Rights Watch: Iran: Political Prisoner’s Life in Danger

Delara Darabi was executed today!

2009-05-01T14:41:00.000-07:00

Delara Darabi was executed in Rasht prison today morning. The execution took place without the presence of Delara's lawyers and family members. Her lawyers and the Iranian people are still in shock (source) . But what did we expect from the Iranian government?

Dear Mr. Obama! Do you still want to shake hands with Iran's rulers? Will you wash your hands so that the blood stain of thousands of Iranians killed by the Mullahs does not smear to your hand? what if instead of supporting the Iranian government, you support defenseless families whose lives has no value in Iran and negotiate with them? why do you insist in legitimizing a murderous government?

Delara Darabi, 23, will be executed in four days!

2009-04-15T17:52:00.000-07:00

This young woman will be executed within four days. There are only a few days to save her. So, please do something! now!
Delara Darabi is accused of murder when she was 17.
Delara and her boyfriend went to a relative's house 6 years ago. Delara says she went to the kitchen to bring tea when she heard the noise. She cam back to see that her boyfriend had hit the woman with a stick. He asked Delara for a knife and killed the woman. Later Delara and the boy were arrested. The boyfriend asked Delara to admit to the murder and she won't be harmed because she is under age ( 17). Well, they were wrong! Delara was sentenced to death.

Later the examinations showed that the woman was murdered by a right-hander where Delara is left-handed. Also Delara was a tiny 17-year old girl and it was almost impossible for her to kill a woman twice her size using a knife.

However, the judges on Delara's case have made their minds. The boy got 10 years in prison where Delara will be executed. The only way to stop the execution is for the victim's family to forgive Delara or for the head of judiciary system to stop it.

Delara is an artist. She had two exhibitions while in prison ( past six years). She has been abused and has committed suicide, but saved. Her parents and her lawyer believe she is innocent.

Iran has the highest number of juvenile executions in the world. Delara can be dead in four days if we do not do anything right now.

Just call someone. A representative, amnesty international, a newspaper.

It has been shown that international awareness and pressure can save the lives of many prisoners. So please do your part. Try your part to save Delara's life.

for more information on Delara's case read the following blog:

http://www.savedelara.com/

Delara's mother

A movie about Makwan Moloudzadeh

2009-03-29T09:57:00.000-07:00

This movie is about Makwan Moloudzadeh who was executed in Sanandaj last year. The Persian version can be found here.

This is the story of Makwan as told in the movie:

Dear Mom, don't cry. Do not mourn for me when they tell you I am dead. I beg you do not cry . Do not feel ashamed to see me naked, with no flags covering my body, and on my neck the impressions of the execution rope.

Mom, I was innocent.

In this short and beautiful life, I was in peace. A white flower. A red flower in the dark. I was innocent Mom. The heartless judged me.

I was innocent Mom. Like my childhood, when you taught me how to sing.When they tell you i will never come back, please do not cry. Because my name will survive with yours.The pain is gone. Like night that has to end...

And you are so beautiful under the ray of sun, when you go out of the house and walk in PAVEH's streets.PAVEH, our house, city of gardens and fruits, so beautiful that it is called Iran's heaven.

You used to call me "child" Mom.Even when all my childhood games were gone.How fast the childhood passes you. When we all , would run for our dreams. And life has an infinite end, like the other side of the ZAGROS mountains.

I was innocent when they arrested me.

Before they took my life, I told the truth to the judge, in front of the GOD's eyes, that I didn't do anything.When they insulted me I was innocent.When they told me it is a sin for me to breath and a murder for my heart to beat, I was innocent.When they put me on the back of a donkey around PAVEH's streets to humiliate me and tell people that I was GOD's enemy, I was innocent Mom, but I wouldn't hold my head up.

I was scared that you would be there. How could you bear seeing your son like that? I was innocent!

But....I held up my head for one second. I saw no one was laughing at me.They had tears in their eyes and flowers in their hands.....White flowers to show I was innocent and red flowers to stop my death.....I saw thousands said my name: "Makwan". And it was in the air like the scent of flowers.

"Our Makwan is innocent"

that name raises to the sun, and thanks GOD gracefully,and the wind takes that name, further and further, to the other side of the world. They all cried for me, prayed for me and wanted to break the silence. They begged my murderers for my life. And in a few days those flowers and pleas reached my judges.

Mom, I was still a child when I had the sacred fire of LOVE inside me.All my dreams, my feelings, without a name, without a face, changed to real ones, like SWALLOWS...and in the moment of forgiveness I realized they call my old PAVEH, the heaven, for it is filled with Angels,....And I realized that LOVE is prayers and GOD is light and silence and darkness is in the heart of the world.

Mom, when you wake up in the middle of the night, remembering my smile, don't cry. You were my star. You were the sight for my eyes. Those eyes who couldn't see the darkness.My star, understand the life. When the wind brings it the scent of Jasmines, in the middle of the moonless nights, I am in eternal peace.

Remember me forever, like you, alive, honorable, nice and generous.

When they tell you I am dead with their nasty voice: "He is done"

But you will hear the echo of the voice of Angels. A light will tell you he is not dead.Because innocents do not die. Death will interrogate the murderers.I want to be in peace now. I have less pain. No pain by my memorial.I will close my eyes. Give me a kiss on my forehead.

Good Night Mom. Good night my child.

Tomorrow when your hands wash my body, I will become a star too.

Call for protest in London against attacks to sufis and students in Iran

2009-03-27T08:18:00.000-07:00

We have received the following call and pubish it as recevied:

The Committee for the support of rights of Sufis and Students has requested that friends and supporters of human rights to gather on 2nd April 2009 from 12:00 noon to 2 pm outside the head quarters of Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi in London; in order to protest against his extreme views and open support for destruction of Sufi sacred sites and house of worships in Iran.
We hope that by showing your open and boisterous support we can not only show our distain for Ayatollah’s views but put a stop to his open support for persecution of Sufis and other minority groups in Iran . By supporting this open protest you will also be supporting the rights of students and Sufis who are tortured and imprisoned without charge or justification in Iran .
We hope you can all join us in this important protest in support of Human rights.

The Committee for defense of Sufis and Students

Date of Protest: 2nd April 2009
Time: 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Location: 856-8 Harrow Road Wembley, Middx , HA0 2PX

Iraqi forces attack Iranian dissidents in Camp Ashraf, cut food, water

2009-03-15T13:25:00.001-07:00

The Iranian supreme leader Khamenei said blatantly in his meeting with Mr. Talebani:"According to our agreement, PMOI members were supposed to be expelled from Iraq. We wish to see that happen as soon as possible" .

Reuters reported quoting from Khamenei: "Iran was waiting for Iraq to carry out its decision to close a camp of an Iranian exiled opposition group, the People's Mujahedeen of Iran (PMOI), on Iraqi soil. Iraq considers the PMOI a terrorist group. " (source)

Carrying out Khamenei's orders of March 1st, Mr. Muwafak Al-Rubai, the Iraqi National Security Advisor, has since cut all transportation to Camp Ashraf, depriving the residents from food, water, medication and their daily needs.

To make the matters worse, the Iraqi security forces have now surrounded a building , hosting mainly women, pointing their guns towards them , asking them to hand over the building to the Iraqi troops.

In the last development, the Iraqi forces arrested two PMOI members, handcuffed them and beat them with electric batons. The two were released only after the American troops present in Camp Ashraf interfered.

Camp Ashraf hosts about 3500 Iranian dissidents who fled Iran after massive executions by the Iranian government. They surrendered their weapons to the American troops and signed a treaty with them. After 16 months investigation by FBI and Pentagon, the US government decided there is no evidence relating PMOI members to terrorism. Therefore they were all granted the "Protected status" as part of the 4th Geneva convention.

With the withdrawal of the American troops, the camp was handed over to the Iraqi troops. Iran sees this as a great opportunity to get rid of 3500 of its most determined opponents. We all know a government that executes 48 in two weeks and has already executed 30,000 in summer 89 and buried them in mass graves, is capable of the worst atrocities against these men and women.

for more information read:

http://ashrafcity.blogspot.com/

Mr. Talabani meets with Khamenei (March 1st)

After meeting with Khameni (March 2nd)

Talabani, Khamenei stress need to start new chapter

Talabani heralds ties with Iran

Muwafaq Al-Rubaie promises Iran to close Camp Ashraf and extradite residents to Iran

(This is from Fars news agence, an official Iranian NA. Who is Mr. Rubaie is working for and why is the US silent to all this?)

Iranian Resistance calls for UN, US support for the residents of Camp Ashraf

An interesting article:

Iran Threat? Nobody Told the Iraqis…

About arresting and beating up parents who were on their way to visit their children in Ashraf City. Mothers as old as 85 are now in Iranian prisons

If we all object the Holocaust.
If we all object the massacres in Darfur,....
Then we should all protect the lives of people in Ashraf and prevent another humanitarian disaster

Call your legislators,
Join the protests in front of the White House, UN
Write a letter to President Obama, to first lady Michelle Obama and ask them to protect these people.

Man stoned to death in Rasht, Iran and thirteen more executed.

2009-03-15T12:39:00.000-07:00

According to Amir Kabir Newsletter, Vali Azad a 30-year old man was stoned to death on March 3rd in Rasht, northern Iran (source, source-en).
Mr. Azad was from Parsabad, Moghan and was employed in the office of commerce. He was stoned to death in Lakan Prison, Rasht. He was sentenced to death by stoning by Ghazi Kashani, the prosecutor.
Mr. Azad's body was not given to his family and was burried in an anonymous place.
***************

According to other news, at least eight men were executed during the past week.
Four men (Ali Absetan, Ali Dehghani, Ali Damshad, and Mahmud Moradi.) were executed in Tabas on March 11th and one in Orumiye prison (Mahmud Hamde Zadeh) on March 10th.(source).
Four men were executed in Shiraz (source) on charges of rape and murder Four Sunni Baluchi men were executed in Zahedan on charges of being against the government and another man (Mustafa-M, 34)was executed in Isfahan ( source)
Only in the last two months at least 65 executions has been announced by the Iranian government.
***********
Two prisoners in Isfahan committed suicide as a result of torture and mal-treatment by prison officials. Farhad Mirzayi, was 26 and Ismail Zamani was 30. Torture and inhuman treatment of prisoners is a major problem in Iranian prisons.Mainly because the western governments and the United Nations have ignored the offences by the Iranian government in favor of economic deals. There is no supervision on the way the prisoners are treated and unfortunately there has been no visits to Iranian prisons by the UN or the red cross in the past few years.

************
It has been reported that the officials of the Rejayi-Shahr prison have attacked The late Mr. Heshmat Saran's cell and confiscated his personal belongings and the powdered medications given to him by the prison officials. Previously many had warned that the prison officials have powdered all the medications and have mixed them with poison, making it a strong possibility for Mr. Saran's sudden death.
Mr. Heshmat Saran was denied treatment and died while in custody this month. The attack to his cell and confiscation of the powdered medication has made the suspicion of poisoning much stronger.

Petition for Human Rights and freedom of individuals in Iran

2009-03-10T22:46:00.000-07:00

This petition was e-mailed to us and is published as received:

We are writing to you to invite you to join us and show your support for Human Rights and freedom of individuals in Iran by helping us to fight the Iranian Governments consistent policies of harassment and persecution of individuals and religious minorities in Iran by signing this petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/IOI5/petition.html
The Iranian Islamic Republic during the Mahmud Ahmadinejad presidency, has had continued policy of suppressing the freedom of individuals and minorities.
In recent years their acts of suppression and violation of individual human rights has been focused on Iranian Sufis who stand as a voice of moderation and respect for human values, for all cultures and religious groups.
The popularity of Sufism in Iran , which is partly based on their views on respecting all forms of beliefs and individual freedom, has acted as a thorn in the eyes of Iranian authorities who are bent on spreading their own ideology of fundamentalism and intolerance. This ideology has been pushed to extremes under the Mahmud Ahmadinejad presidency who, is known globally for his extreme views and intolerance towards human values.
Therefore, since the start of his presidency the Iranian authorities have increased their persecution of the Sufis, who have suffered extreme waves of intolerance and suppression which have resulted in destruction of Sufi sacred sites, mass arrests and interrogations without trial, as well as denying the arrested people basic rights of representation of visitations.
During these waves of suppressions there have been large numbers of injuries because of security forces violent treatment of the individuals and extreme use of pepper and tear gases as well abductions which leave no trace for the families of the missing people to follow.
The Sufis who have been powerful force for Love and tolerance since the early day of Islam in Iran have been responsible for great cultural and scientific movements within the country. The well known Sufis like Hafez, Rumi, and Saadi have been an immense influence in Iran’s cultural growth and their works have been benchmark for human tolerance, freedom and brotherhood not only in Iran but through out the world.These great Sufis and the Sufi movement in general have been source of national pride within the country and through their contributions, they are generally accept as one of world great spiritual and cultural movements. The Sufis contributions to Iran that is based on their love for humanity, and respecting everyone’s beliefs is something this current Iranian regime has tried hard to prevent and suffocate by its cruel and unjust activities.
Therefore, we would like to ask you to join us in expressing your support for this humanitarian and spiritual movement and help us to stop the Iranian regime acts of suppression and violence towards all minorities. Hopefully by helping the tolerant and peace loving spiritual movements within Iran we can together act as a force against fundamentalism and intolerance.

We thank you in advance for your kind support.
Sincerely,

The Committee for Defense of Rights of Sufis and Students

http://www.petitiononline.com/IOI5/petition.html
Ps. You are able to follow these violation against human rights in iran in: www.insideofiran.com/en

Another murder of an Iranian political prisoner in custody

2009-03-07T21:57:00.000-08:00

Mr. Amir Hussein Heshmat Saran, a political prisoner who had spent five years in prion, was announced dead last Thursday.

Mr. saran was suffering from heart disease. His family had requested many times for permission to treat him properly in a hospital, but the officials never agreed. According to the news, Mr. Saran was not well enough to visit his son on Monday. On the same day or perhaps Tuesday, his health deteriorated, but the prison officials did nothing to help him. He was transferred to Rejayi Hospital after losing his consciousness, but still was not transferred to the intensive care until 16 hours after being taken to the hospital. Mr. Saran lost his life a few hours later.

His family were denied a visit and even when unconscious, his hands were cuffed to the hospital bed.

There were warnings a few weeks before that all the medications are now given in powder form to the prisoners and in many occasions they are mixed with different poisons. Many prisoners had severe reactions to these powders. Mr. Saran's family declared that he was quite well before Monday and could not understand the sudden change in his condition and the deliberate neglect by the prison officials to help him. All these lead to speculations that he might have been poisioned. It raises concerns about the safety of other political prisoners.

Mr. Saran was imprisoned for founding the National Democratic Front, which advocates a peaceful change of regime in Iran. He was arrested in his home during a meeting with some of his party members and was sentenced to a total of 16 years in jail.

Prior to Mr. Saran several political prisoners were killed under torture . Their death was declared as suicide and their bodies were buried without being shown to the family. Mr. Saran's family are asking for an autopsy and for the body to be given back to the family.

Iran's Sharia law promotes child murder-letter from a mother whose 11-year old daughter was burnt alive.

2009-03-07T19:27:00.000-08:00

According to Iran's Sharia law, if a father kills his child, he will receive a maximum sentence between 3-10 years in prison.

The deteriorating economic situation in Iran and promotion of violence by the Iranian government, encouraging killing women and children, police beating up random people, executions in public, has created a very unhealthy society. Unfortunately those affected most are those with least of defense; children.

According to Iska News (source), just in the past few months, a 4-year old boy ( Ali-Akbar), an 8-month old girl (Paria) and a 24-day old baby were killed by their fathers. An 8-year old was suffocated by her dad (source)and a 16-year old was shot to death (source).A baby girl was suffocated by her mother following the order given by her husband (source).

In November 2008, an addict father took 11-year old Sara from her aunt's house to his home. He poured gasoline in the apartment and on Sara's body. He lit a gasoline heater and pushed Sara against it, while she was pleading for her life. When her body was inflamed, he ran away. All the while Sara's mother was outside the house trying to get in. Because of the traffic, the firefighters had to rush to the house with fire extinguishers. All they found was a charred body, a burnt doll and Sara's burnt trophies from school.

Sara's father, a drug addict, explained the murder in cold blood. He said after separation from Sara's mother, he started hating Sara. he wanted to shoot her a few times but was not able to. This time he decided to burn her before her mother could rescue her. he explained how Sara pleaded for her life, telling she will do whatever her Dad says.

This man will receive a sentence between 3-10 years in prison. Today we received a letter from someone claiming to be Sara's mother. Since the story is true, we have decided to placer her letter here. The Iranian government has no value for the lives of its citizens. It is time for the international bodies to protect the lives of Iranians, especially children in Iran.

Please call UNESCO, Amnesty International , Red Cross and your legislators and ask for strict measured against child murder in Iran.

___________

Letter from Sara's mother (You can see the Persian version here):

I am little Sara's mother. Her father burnt her alive in front of me and made me suffer forever. My dear Sara was my only child. I cry for her day and night. Why that man was able to do what he did with my child? He was empowered by the constitution who says a father is immune of punishment if he kills his own child.

Isn't this injustice? Can anyone hear me? How would I take my child's revenge?

To those who are supposedly the face of justice in Iran,... can you even imagine watching your child being burnt alive? Would you still give a 3-10 year sentence to that murderer? Let him be free after a few years while you mourn your child all your life?

Will you re-consider his sentence?

Please help me. Is there anyone who can hear me?

Little Sara's mother

sh55love@yahoo.com

------------

Read our previous report on little Sara here.

At least fifteen prisoners were executed in Iran in one week.

2009-03-07T17:38:00.000-08:00

Just in one week , fifteen prisoners were executed in Iran. At least one more execution was announced the week before. Executions took place in Kermanshah (11), Zahedn (2), Isfahan (1) and Miandoab(1) (source-en) (source-p)

Mehdi Ghasem Zadeh, a follower of "Ahl-e-Haq" (a Shiite offshoot adhering to Imam Ali, the first Shiite Imam) was hanged in Orumieh, on February 28.Eleven other prisoners were hanged in Kermanshah on March 1st. On March 3, two prisoners were hanged in Zahedan charged for being at war with God, ILNA state-run news agency reported. Mostafa Hosseini, 37, who was in Ward 4 of Isfahan’s Central Prison was executed on March 4. Nader Shokrollahi , 25, was hanged in Miandoab prison.Abdullah Farivar, a music teacher and father of two was hanged in the "Sari "on February 20.

Iranian kurdish teacher in imminent danger of execution

2009-02-28T16:42:00.000-08:00

Farzad kamangar, the young Iranian kurdish teacher who was arrested in July 2006 when visiting his brother in tehran. According to Farzad, they did not even know he was Kurdish and now he has been chjarged with being a member of a Kurdish group PKK! which carries a death penalty.

Farzad Kamangar has been severely tortured ( read his letters here) since his arrest and received the death penalty.

He was transferred to evin prison this week. According to the news by Iranian human rights activists, he has been asked to write his will and get ready for execution, every day in the past five days.

His mother and the rest of the family and people in Kamiaran city are very worried about Farzad and are ready to pour to the streets.

Please do whatever you can to stop the execution of this young teacher who has committed no crime, but being a Kurdish teacher. Call your legislatures, Amnesty International, Teachers' union, anyone you can. Farzad kamangar should stay alive.

more:
Global voices: Iran: Do not Execute Farzad Kamangar
Education International:[2008-12-22] Farzad Kamangar still at risk in the Evin Prison
Amnesty International: UA 147/08 Death penalty/ torture and ill-treatment

Families of Iranian opposition members were attacked an arrested in their houses.

2009-02-28T12:57:00.000-08:00

Iran arrests those visiting their beloved ones in Camp Ashraf

Attacks on the members of the families of PMOI (People's Mojahedin of Iran) has been intensified in Iran.
Although the Iranian regime claims amnesty for Iranian dissidents in Ashraf Camp in Iraq, in reality many Iranians who have been there to visit their relatives have been arrested, tortured and received long imprisonment sentences. Among them there are mothers as old as 85.

Most Recently Mrs. Nazila Dashti and her son Hud Yazalou (pictured) were arrested after visiting Mrs. Dashti's sister in Camp Ashraf. They have both been tortured. According to Amir Kabir Newsletter, hud has been in Solitary confinement in ward 209 of Evin prison and has been coughing blood as a result of torture (source).

Later on, 18 family members leaving Iran to Iraq were arrested in Mehrabad airport and there is no news on their whereabouts.

Pro-Iran Iraqi official bans the Iranian families from visiting Ashraf

Iraq's National security adviser Muwafaq al-Rubaie, who has a every close ties to Iran, has assured the Iranian regime- in his visits to Iran -that their opposition will be kicked out of Iraq. A few weeks after he declared that the PMOI members in Ashraf will be persecuted, 15 family members including children as young as 5, who had travelled to visit their beloved ones , were prevented from entering Ashraf. They were kept in brute cold outside the camp and were sent back to Iran (source).

Attacks to the houses of the families of Iranian dissidents in Ashraf

A few weeks later, in a systematic operation, families of the arrested and many more were attacked in their houses early in the morning. The pictures and letters of the executed members of the families were confiscated and many properties were destroyed. The Iranian government refuses to give any information on whereabouts or the conditions of the arrested. Among the arrested are Mr. Hamed Yazarlou-27 and Mr. Hani Yazarlou, Hud yazarlou's father. He had been arrested before and has a history of heart attacks (source).

Click here to read Mrs. Fereshteh Dashti's interview with VOA (voice of America-Persian).She explains how her sister and nephew have been arrested just for visiting a family member in Ashraf. She counts seven members of her family (sisters, brothers, cousins) who were executed by the Iranian government.

Open letter about the rights of Bahaii faith

2009-02-28T12:44:00.000-08:00

A Kurdish opposition site (PJAK) has issued a statement on February 23 , to condemn the vast abuse of human rights in Iran and in particular the recent atrocities to the people of the Bahaii faith. Read the whole statement here (in Farsi).

Seven members of the Bahaii faith who have been arrested for eight months, are now accused of espionage(source) and face penalties as harsh as execution.

In Semnan, houses of several Bahaiis have been attacked by Molotov Cocktail. Bahaiis can not attend higher education or get a government job. Now with espionage charges, members of Bahaii faith in Iran are considered enemies of state and their lives are in serious danger.

Tens of protesting Polytechnic students beaten and arrested

2009-02-24T11:47:00.000-08:00

Some pictures from the brave Iranian students protesting the government:

"The University is not a military base" and " "The University is not a cemetery"

Basijis and university authorities identifying and reporting the students.

A Basiji pulling a girl's hair. (Apparently Islamic rules are not valid here!)

Now the Basiji is pulling a boy's hair.

What is the protest about?

The Iranian regime has started a new trend. Every few days, they bring a coffin, claim it contains the remains of a martyr from the 1980-1987 Iran-Iraq war and bury the coffin in universities.

This has nothing to do with respecting those who lost their lives for their country. Rather it is an attempt to militarize the environment in the university and prepare the grounds for the presence of the fascist Basij and Pasdaran forces to suppress student activities.

Yesterday the students of Tehran polytechnic protested this burial ceremony. The university was surrounded by Basij forces. The students were attacked by knives, sticks, maces and pepper spray. Today the student bodies report massive arrest of students by the police forces. At least 70 students have been arrested. The Basij/Police forces have arrested several student activists from their homes last night.

At least 30 girls are among those arrested.

The clip shows basijis attacking students.Students chanting"Basiji, get lost!"

Students chanting: "Down with Taliban, In Kabul and in Tehran"
"Dictator, you are using the Martyrs and an excuse"

The pictures and movies posted here are reported by "Amir Kabir" press. Please spread them by e-mail or SMS. Please support the Iranian students in their movement against fascism by calling your legislatures, the Amnesty International, The US State department and by reporting it in your web sites and blogs.
sources: 1, 2, 3 (press on the links for pictures and movies) , 4 (English), Amirkabir Newsletter

Sixteen have been transferred to Evin prison for execution.

2009-02-22T17:48:00.000-08:00

Sixteen convicts have been transferred to Evin prison for execution, the Human Rights Activists in Iran report (source).

Hani Khandar, Aziz Mohseni and Hamid Mohammadi are among those to be executed. They are convicted for being " Corrupts on Earth", according to Iran's judiciary system. Hani Khandar was arrested during last year's "security in society" crack downs. Many of those arrested were kept for days in "kahrizak" in rooms without ventilation and without access to food or water. Those released later, told horrific stories of the way the prisoners were tortured. Hani Khandar's all nails were extracted and he has been severely tortured. His mother was also arrested after inquiring about her son (source). (see also this link)

There are also fears for the lives of Amir Khaleghi, 18, who was arrested for murder when he was 16 (source).

According to Borumand Foundation, Iran has executed 71 people in 2009. 15 of them in February.

Please call your legislatures, Amnesty International and the Red cross and let them know of your concerns. Please help stop the massacre of Iranians by this barbaric regime. Every voice counts.

Fears for the lives of seven Iranian Baha'is

2009-02-18T23:03:00.000-08:00

The seven Baha'is arrested in Iran will go on trial this week. They have been accused of spying for Israel, insulting the religion and propaganda against the government. The sentence for such crimes can be a death penalty.
In a letter to Iran's intelligence ministry, Iran's attorney general asked for a thorough persecution of Bahaiis, because he believed they are spies and work for foreign governments. In other cities the officials urge people in the Friday prayers to attack and burn the Bahaiis. In Semnan a house was attacked with Molotov cocktail (source).
The US administration and the European Union have announced their concerns about the well-beings of the arrested Bahaiis (source).

Press here to read the transcript of an interview of the Australian ABC network with Roya KAMALABADI, sister of Fariba KAMALABADI, one of the arrested.

Five men executed in Isfahan, Iran.

2009-02-18T22:38:00.000-08:00

Of the seven men who were transferred on Sunday ( see the news below), five of them were executed and two were taken back to their cells, in Dastgerd prison, Isfahan, Iran (source).
The executed prisoners were:
Hamid Babai-35
Mohammad Gorgi, 25
Omid Nuri-27
Yasin Jafari-27
abbasali Ghasemi-30

The other two prisoners went through the whole ordeal, but at the last minute the rope was removed from their necks and they were transferred back to the prison. Their names are:
Ali Akbar Farshadfar-40
Rasul Saburi-25

Iran has the highest count of execution per capita. Just last year more than 365 executions were announced and at least three people were killed by stoning to death. Another inhuman practice is to take the prisoners to the execution stand and bring them back at the last minute. This should be accounted as severe torture and should not be allowed.

Unfortunately, until the western governments and in particular the US government tolerate the systematic abuse of human rights in Iran and tries to find avenues of mutual agreement with the Iranian government, the Iranian people will suffer even more.

Upcoming mass execution in Isfahan, Iran's Attorney General calls for complete persecution of Bahaiis, Student and wife in prison

2009-02-15T14:57:00.000-08:00

According to the Human Rights Activists of Iran, several prisoners in Isfahan have been transferred to solitary confinements to make them ready for executions (source). According to the reports from Dastgerd prison in Isfahan, seven prisoners are going to be executed. Their ages range between 25-40:

-Hamid Babayi-35 ( convicted for drug trafficking)
-Mohammad Gorgi-25 ( convicted for drug trafficking)- has been in prison for 2 years.
-Omid Nuri-27 , has been in prison for 5 years.
-Yasin Jafari-27, ( convicted for drug trafficking), has been in prison for 4 years.
-Abbasali Ghasemi-30, ( convicted for drug trafficking)has been in prison for 4 years,
-Ali -Akbar Farshadfar-40, ( convicted for drug trafficking) has been in prison for 5 years
-Rasul Saburi, 25, (convicted for murder), has been in prison for 5 years.

Many of the convicts have spent 4-5 years in jail . Mass executions at this stage is an attempt by the Iranian government to terrorize people who have been increasingly protesting the government.

The Iranian government is encouraged by the indifference of the West and in particular the United States of America. How is the US administration going to negotiate with those who kill 60 people in one month?

*****************
In a letter to the Intelligence ministry, Iran's attorney general, Dorri-Najafabadi, asked for complete persecution of the Bahaii people, calling them dangerous, Israel spies and illegal. (source). Several Bahaii members were arrested in the past months and there is no news on their whereabouts. In Several cities, the Imams in the Friday prayers have urges people to attack and burn the houses of Bahaiis.
*********************
Yunes Mirhosseini is a student in Shiraz University, who was arrested two weeks ago. he has been on hunger strike for the past two weeks and just yesterday a family member was able to visit him. His conditions are reported as "critical".
Mr. Mirhosseini's wife, Sahar Yazdanipur, was also arrested 3 days ago when she inquired about her husband(source)

***************
Dear Mr. Obama,

You came to change something. We hope this change will benefit the persecuted people of Iran and not those who kill them by masses. If you chose to appease the Iranian government and encourage them by giving incentives, you will be responsible for every life they take in Iran, Iraq, Palestine, Israel, Afghanistan, Lebanon and the rest of the world.

(Execution images from iranhr.net website)

Bahaii man arrested because of his faith.

2009-02-06T17:47:00.000-08:00

Aziz Samandari has been arrested on January 14, 2009, apparently only because of his faith. It seems that no Iranian lawyer will be able to defend him, because he is a Bahaii. His friends and family are trying hard to understand the reasons for his arrest and the ways to help him.
Apparently Aziz's father was shot in 1992 and his grandfather had been assassinated in 1988, for being Bahaiis (source).
See the following website for more details and the ways you can help free Aziz:

http://www.freedomforazizsamandari.org/

Court orders blinding a man by pouring acid in both eyes

2009-02-06T17:39:00.000-08:00

A court in Tehran ordered to blind a 27-year old man ( Majid) by pouring 10 drops of sulfuric acid in each eye(source, source, CNN)

Majid had thrown acid on the face of a girl that resulted in disfiguring and loss of both her eyes. The Tehran court came to the decision to blind the man as well.

48 executions in two weeks in Iran

2009-01-31T12:26:00.000-08:00

(Public executions in Shiraz- from Iranpressnews archive-source)

According to the Iranian press, at least 48 have been executed in Iran in the past two weeks (Source-P).
4 in Arak
9 in Yazd
4 in Isfahan
1 in Karaj
19 in Tehran
6 in Bojnurd
4 in Mashad
1 in Kazerun

have been executed in the past two weeks!

22 of the executions were carried out last week, among them a woman who was executed in Evin prison in Tehran.

The Iranian judiciary has announced the crimes as:
selling and trafficking narcotics
rape
attacking with knife
drinking alcoholic beverages
and kidnapping

Last Tuesday in Mashad, 4 men were executed and a government newspaper described them as "satanic boys"!

Iran has the world record in execution of juveniles and is second in execution of adults after China.

******************
Dear Mr. Obama,
You have proposed direct negotiations with the murderous Iranian regime. What is your opinion about the abuse of human rights in Iran and massive executions? Will you let the Iranian government do whatever they want to the Iranian people as long as they don't bother the United States in Iraq and Afghanistan?

Dear Readers,
Please write to Mr. Obama and your legislators and express your concern about the extent of human rights abuse in Iran. Iranians are entitled to a humanly life like anyone else in the world and no amount of oil or blackmailing by terrorist activities should let a government shake hands with a government who is in power merely by killing and terrorizing its own people and everyone else in the world.

Concerns on the rise for parents aged 60-85 arrested in Tehran airport

2009-01-28T00:18:00.000-08:00

The association of Human Rights Activists of Iran is concerned about the well-being of eighteen elderly men and women, mostly aged between 60 and 85, who were arrested in Tehran airport last week and were taken directly to the section 209 of Evin Prison. They were all parents of the Iranian dissidents living in Camp Ashraf in Iraq, who had obtained a visa and had plane tickets to go to Iraq to visit their beloved ones (Source-P).

The following are among the arrested:

Sakineh Soleyman Zahed

Farzad Javadi

Ferdos Mahbubi

Ezzat Nuri

Fatemeh Sadeghi

Kobra Amirkhizi

Mr. Pour Eghbal

Mrs. pour Eghbal

Parisa Pour Eghbal

Azizeh Shafii

Jamileh Mohammad Zadeh

Kobra Badirudi

Mr. Bahrami

Atefe Bahrami

Several members of the Rezaii family

Most of the arrested are women aged between 60-85.

The arrested parents had done nothing illegal. They were going to visit their children, which is not an offense. They were departing Iran to Iraq legally and had a visa to enter Iraq. The Iranian Human Rights Activists are concerned about the well-being of these parents and call for their immediate release.

An earlier report(source-P) stated that the parents were beaten before being arrested and were taken by the agents of the Iranian Intelligence Ministry to a temporary detention center in Mehrabad airport until 23:30. During this time there were denied food, water and use of bathrooms. They were then taken to their houses. Their family members were taken at gunpoint while the houses were searched, furniture broken and computers, disks, family photos, even those from their executed children, were confiscated. The family members including children were forced to announce their names. while they were being filmed. The parents were then taken back to Evin prison and there is no more information on their condition or the reason for their arrest.

22, including a minor offender, executed in Iran in two days

2009-01-25T02:06:00.000-08:00

The Iranian regime executed 22 , in two days (source-P)(source-En).

Tuesday January 20th:

Six were executed in Yazd,

One, in Rejayi-shahr prison, Karaj,

two in Isfanan ( Reza Mohammadai, 25, Jan Mohammad Mohammadi, 40)

Wednesday, January 21st:

Ten executed in Evin prison, Tehran

Two were executed in Yazd

This brings the number of executions announced by the Iranian government to 370 during 2008/2009. The real number can be much higher and does not include the statistics of those killed under torture or executed on the streets.

Molla Golhasan, was one of those executed. He was 21 and was 17 when accused of murder. Mohammad Mostafai, Molla Golhasan's lawyer had not been informed of his execution. Mostafai says one of the reasons people are being killed in groupos is that the government receives 150,000 Toomans ( $150) for each execution (source-P)

The Iranian killing machine: A woman to be hung, another woman to be stoned to death, three men to be executed in public, another man to lose both eye

2008-11-29T15:16:00.001-08:00

This is not a terror movie and none is fiction. This is all happening in the Islamic Republic of Iran. As long as people in the world are ignorant towards the severe human rights abuse in Iran and promote more "negotiations" with murderers, more people will be tortured and killed.

Woman in Shiraz to be killed by stoning:

According to Etemad Meli daily, a woman in Shiraz was sentenced to "stoning to death" and her sentence has now been approved by the Iranian Supreme Court. Her crime was having extra marital relations.(Source- AP)

Woman is sentenced to death by hanging:

Again reported by the Iranian Etemad Meli daily, a woman was sentenced to death because of extra marital relations and assistance in the murder of her husband. Her male associate got 15 years and 100 lashes for the same offense.(Source- AP)

Three men to be executed in Public in Shiraz.

These three men are accused of bombing a holy place in Shiraz. The Iranian police first said that the bombing was an accident ( Source), but then produced three men as convicts. Mohsen Islamian, Ali Asghar Pashtar, Ruzbeh Yahyazadeh, (pictured)will be hung in public where the alleged bombings happened (source).

Two eyes of a man to be blinded by acid.

Majid poured acid on the face of a girl he liked, which resulted in severe disfiguration and loss of both her eyes. He is now sentenced to lose both his eyes by pouring acid in them(source).

Ten people including Fatemeh Haghighat Pajuh, executed in Iran in one day!

2008-11-26T07:00:00.000-08:00

The Iranian regime is in a hurray to get rid of the prisoners. A new wave of executions has started. Yesterday nine men and a woman were executed in Evin prison, Iran (source).

These executions are in addition to the execution of Ali Ashtari in Tehran, 3 men in Zahedan and other possible executions in Iran just since Saturday.

Fatemeh Haghighat Pajuh, 37, was a mother of two. She was convicted of the murder of her husband, who according to Fatemeh was about to rape her 14-year old daughter from a previous marriage. Fatemeh's two daughters confirmed her allegations, but she was still convivted.

The day before Fatemeh's execution, the prison officials called her daughter and told her to bring the birth certificates of her and her sister to the prison because "their mother is about to be executed tomorrow"! Zahra, now 23, was shocked and could not talk. Fatemeh's younger daughter , now 17, is in the hospital because of anxiety (source).

more:Amnesty International's warning

Farzar Kamangar, a Kurdish teacher is also in danger of execution. Kamangar was arrested for alleged relations with a Turkish-Kurdish group. He has denied all allegations. However, he has been severely tortured and his execution has been approved. Teachers from his city and many of his students have written letters to the head of the judiciary system to prevent his execution. Only international pressure can save his life.

The Iranian regime uses execution as a scare tactic. Now with a new president in the white house and rumors of "talks" and "negotiations without preconditions" with Iran, the Iranian regime feels less pressure to oblige to the international standards and treaties, because whatever Iran does, no matter how severe the human rights abuse is, magically, there is no punishments, just rewards!

Another juvenile execution approved. Man executed for spying charges.

2008-11-22T00:11:00.000-08:00

According to "Etemad" daily, Hussein was 17 when was engaged in a fight in a park in defense of his younger brother. The fight resulted in the death of one of the attackers. Hussein was sentenced to "Qesas", which in this case would be execution. The head of the judiciary system asked for the review of the case for self defense possibilities. The appeal court decided against self-defense and has approved the execution.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is the world leader in juvenile execution. Previously Iran obliged to the international pressures to stop the execution of under age victims, but announced later that in case of "Qesas", the execution sentences will be valid.

In other news, according to Mehr Agency, a man named Ali Ashtari was executed for charges of spying for Israel.

30,000 Iranian police will monitor Tehran's streets for six days...

2008-11-14T01:28:00.000-08:00

Frightened with the escalating of protests and the economy on the verge of collapse, the Iranian government is taking new measures to control people.

In a six-day maneuver of "improving the security", in Tehran, 30,000 police members will monitor the streets and harass people. 55 brigades, 50 helicopters and 4000 vehicles will monitor Tehran's streets for anything "out of order"!Rajabzadeh the police chief said:"the police is ready for any crisis". This will continue in other cities depending on the level of "security", the police chief said.(Source- Source)

It has been announced that the "Basij" ( paramilitary forces) will control the streets in Tehran ultimately. "Basij" is the paramilitary branch of the Revolutionary Guard who can make roadblocks to search cars and people stop, arrest or shoot people for random reasons. Unlike the police forces, Basij is not accountable for their actions, therefore they can go to unthinkable extents to terrorize and intimidate people.

Last year during another "national security" operation, police raided the houses, beat up people and arrested and executed many. Survivors told horrific stories of the way they were treated while in custody, often citing torture, beating and not having access to food and being denied to use toilets often for days.

The Iranian police beating up a man

2008-11-10T06:53:00.000-08:00

This video clip shows how the Iranian police ( presumably in Khoramabad city) are beating up a man suspected of stealing.

This is how the police behaves in public. What happens to the prisoners behind closed doors is just barbaric. This all happens because the United Nations and the Western governments try to appease the Iranian government for their oil money. Shame on all!

(Warning: The content is very disturbing.)

http://www.iranpressnews.com/source/049123.htm

Iranian court orders amputation of fingers for two men for theft.

2008-11-09T22:43:00.000-08:00

According to the news agencies (source) the fingers of two men (Soheil-M and Nader K) will be amputated in Tehran as the Sharia court has ordered. Apparently the two me are accused of stealing.

While Poverty and unemployment drives people to stealing for survival, billions of dollars of Iranian oil money has made the Iranian officials some of the wealthiest in the world. The rest of the money is either spent to spread terrorism or to suppress people. Meanwhile ordinary , hungry people receive barbaric sentences for petty theft.

Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow, a 13-year old multiple rape victim stoned to death in Somalia.

2008-11-07T06:10:00.000-08:00

Although we mainly focus on the human rights issue in Iran, however we would like to draw your attention to the horrific abuse of human rights of a child rape victim that received limited or non-existent attention from the Western media.
Last week Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow went to authorities in the city of Kismayo in Somalia to ask for help.She had been raped by three men. Instead of being helped, her hand and feet were bound, she was dragged out of a car to a hole in the middle of a Stadium, buried in the soil up to her neck and 50 men started throwing stones to her. Aisha was taken out of the hole and burried back twice to see if she was dead. The third inspection proved no life remained in her crushed body.
Amnesty said Duhulow struggled with her captors and had to be forcibly carried into the stadium.
"At one point during the stoning, Amnesty International has been told by numerous eyewitnesses that nurses were instructed to check whether Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow was still alive when buried in the ground. They removed her from the ground, declared that she was, and she was replaced in the hole where she had been buried for the stoning to continue," the human rights group said. It continued: "Inside the stadium, militia members opened fire when some of the witnesses to the killing attempted to save her life, and shot dead a boy who was a bystander."( from The Guardian)
Stoning to death came to life with the Islamic Republic of Iran and now has become a standard practice wherever Islamic fundamentalists take over a region or a country. Why the Western media remains silent against such atrocities is still a puzzle. urgent action should be taken to protect other rape victims and women in Somalia, Iran and wherever Islamic fundamentalism rules. Just last year a man was stoned to death in Qazvin, Iran. Two sisters are awaiting this horrible death and many have been killed before. After the Iranian puppet Iraqi government took office, a 17-year old Kurdish girl ( Suraya) was stoned to death with suspicions of affair with a man.
Further:
Somalia: UNICEF speaks out against stoning death of 13-year-old rape victim
UN condemns stoning to death of 13-year-old Somali girl
Condemnation of Stoning to Death of Asha Ibrahim Dhuhulow

from bbc news:

Please write to UNICEF, UNHCR , Somalian government and your representatives and ask them to protect women and children in countries with Islamic fundamentalist governments.

Abdolreza Rajabi, Iranian Political Prisoner, killed under torture.

2008-11-02T00:53:00.000-07:00

According to the Iranian Human Rights Activists , on Tuesday October 28, Mr. Abdolreza Rajabi, 46, was killed under severe toture in Rejayi-Shahr prison.

Mr. Rajabi was a member of People's Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI). He was arrested eight years ago in the Iran-Iraq border and was wounded by grenade. He did not receive proper medical treatment and suffered from pieces of grenade in his body. His death sentence was converted to life. However, he was under extreme pressure to repent. Mr. Rajabi was held in the section 350 of Evin prison. He was then exiled to the Rejayi-Shahr prison. Usually the political prisoners exiled to Rejayi-Shahr prison undergo torture before starting their time in that prison.

The political prisoners in Evin and Rejayi-Shahr issued a statement, denouncing this barbaric act and asked the human Rights activists and organizations to investigate Mr. Rajab's murder. Ceremonies to honor Mr. Rajabi were held in both prisons.(source) (source)(source)(source-English)

Statement of the Human Rights activists in Iran

PMOI statement (English)

This incident, right after the news on severe torture of Mr. Pour-Mansuri, highlights the barbaric nature of the Iranian regime. As long as the United Nations and the Western governments ignore Iran's systematic abuse of human rights and prefer to legitimize this human rights abuse by negotiating with the Iranian government, the hope for a better life for Iranian people is not very strong.

Please talk to your representatives. Ask them to act against the severe human rights abuse in Iran in any way they can. You can make a difference. Please try today!

Farhang Pour Mansuri, an Iranian-Arab political prisoner in critical conditions after severe torture

2008-10-28T21:50:00.001-07:00

According to the reports from section one of "Gohar Dasht" prison in Karaj, Iran ( Rejayi-Shahr), Mr. Farhang Pour Mansuri, is in critical conditions and has been transferred to the medical ward last night after severe torture.

Last night Farhang Pour Mansuri was tortured by "Bakhshi" and became unconscious. "Bakshi" informed Me. Shahram Pour Mansuri ( Farhang's brother, who is also a prisoner) that his brother has committed suicide and can die any minute.

Shahram saw his brother's body which was naked and on the floor and has visible signs of torture on his body. The officials refused the request to take Mr. Pour Mansuri to the medical ward for a few hours. Mr. PourMansuri is still unconscious and in critical conditions. He needs to be transferred to a hospital for adequate medical care.Until now, the prison wardens have refused proper medical care for Mr. Pour Mansuri. His parents have beed denied visit.

The human Rights activists in Iran are calling for help to rescue Mr. Farhang Pour Mansuri and all the prisoners in section one of Rejayishahr prison. This is a humanitarian catastrophe and needs immediate attention (source)

Mrs. Nabavi under torture in Iran for attending the ceremony in memorial of political prisoners killed in the massacare of 1988

2008-10-21T00:15:00.001-07:00

Mrs. Hamide Nabavi and her 5-year old daughter were arrested by the Iranian Intelligence Ministry. She had been stopped and her identification card was taken by the Intelligence Ministry when attempting to join the families of the political prisoners who were killed in the massacre of 1988.

Mrs. Nabavi had been arrested once before in 2006. Her brother Seyed Zohur Nabavi is also in prison because of publishing a legal newspaper " Sarzamin Aryai".

Mrs. Navai is currently in the section 209 of Evin prison, which is exclusively used for torturing the political prisoners. (source) . Mrs. Nabavi's 5year old daughter , Roya, who was with her at the time of arrest, is still in shock and has not recovered from the trauma (source)

Nine flogged in public in Iran, stopping child executions has exceptions

2008-10-18T22:06:00.000-07:00

Nine flogged in public in Iran
According to Fars News Agency, nine men accused of disturbance, taking part in group fights and destruction of public belongings, each received 74 lashes in public (source)
Iran is notorious for the systematic abuse of human rights, including flogging and hanging in public, mutilation of limbs and stoning to death. Iran has the highest number of juvenile execution in the world.

Iran changes comments about stopping juvenile executions
Last week Iran announced that it will convert all Juvenile execution sentences to life in prison (link). But Hossein Zabhi, the deputy attorney general announced today that it will not include those who have killed someone, because their life is in the hands of the victim's family, not the government!Only those juveniles who are sentenced to death because of crimes like drug trafficking, will be exempt from execution.(source)
also:
http://stop.juvenileexecutions.com
http://scenews.blog.com/

The Iranian governments bombards the Baluchi villages

2008-10-15T23:20:00.000-07:00

The "Baluchestan Human Rights Watch" announced today that the Iranian regime has started bombarding the villages around Zahedan, Baluchestan since Monday October 13. According to the witnesses, the bombardment started after the police clashed with several armed men, allegedly members of the "Jondollah" group. Some of the villages under attack are: Dumag, Kurin, Shuro, Galugah and Gurag. Apart from human fatalities and forced migration, the attack also destroyed the crops and the limited facilities owned by the Baluchi farmers, in one of the rare areas in the dry Bluchetsn the could be cultivated. There has been no news on the human fatalities yet.

The government-run newsagencey ISNA, had hinted towards a possible attack on Saturday, describing a "plan for cleaning up and bringing order to Zahedan and its surroundings". The Baluchestan Human Rights Watch has urged all the human rights activists to react to these attacks (source).

A couple of months ago, Yaghoub Mehrnehad, a 28-year old Baluchi civil nonviolent activist was executed after months of being tortured. His 16-year old brother, Ebrahim, is still under arrest.

Also see: http://iranianminorityshumanright.blogspot.com/

Political prisoners on hunger strike were taken to solitary confinement

2008-09-14T21:02:00.000-07:00

The committee to support the hunger strike of the political and social Kurdish prisoners announced that on Sunday September 13, 2008, nine of the prisoners on hunger strike in Urumia prison were violently taken to solitary confinement.

37 prisoners have started an unlimited hunger strike several days ago and announced the hunger strike to the prison officials. The representatives gave a letter to the officials, outlining their six requests. The letter was torn by the officials and the prisoners were threatened.The prisoners wrote another letter and this time nine of them were taken to the solitary confinement without any explanation. Their names are:

Morad Diar, Ali Ahmad Suleyman, Mostafa Ali Ahmad, Balal Chi ligar, Nahad Tunjer, Omar Chapraz, Jomhur Ozguch, Ehsan Topuz and Yusuf Atsaz. (source) (image source)

You can sign this petition to support the kurdish prisoners in Iran.(source) You can call the Amnesty International, The International Red cross and your representatives. The Iranian government knows no boundries.

To be executed....

2008-09-14T20:39:00.000-07:00

According to Etemad Melli, the head of the judiciary system approved the execution of two youngsters. The third one will stay alive for now.
Hussein was 17 , Rahim was 15 and Iman was 16 when each were engaged in fights that ended in someone's death. Rahim claims he was attacked and would have been beaten to death if he did not defend himself. He turned himself in the next day.He was sentenced to death when he was 15. The sentence has been approved now and he can be executed any minute.Hussein's sentence has been approved, but the case will be reviewed again. Iman will stay alive because the victim's family have decided so.(source)

Stop A Humanitarian Disaster!

2008-08-30T13:29:00.000-07:00

The AFP reported today that the custody of nearly 4000 Iranian exile members have been transferred to the Iraqi troops.(source)
The members of Iran's most prominent opposition group, People's Mojahedin of Iran ( MKO) have been fighting against the Iranian regime for thirty years. During invasion of Iraq the MKO camps were bombarded by the American troops. However they did not fight with the Americans, stating that their enemy is the Iranian government. They gave their weapons to the American army and signed a truce.
A long 16 month investigation showed no tie between the group and terrorism and the group was given the "protected status" by Geneva's convention.

The Iranian government has launched missile attacks, explosion in the water/electricity facility and kidnapping the members, to dismantle the camp and get rid of its most persistent opposition members.
There is no question that the Iraqi government has very close ties with Iran. Prime minister Nuri-Al Maliki and Sadr have spent many years in Iran. The notorious fundamentalist "The Supreme Iraqi Islamic Revolution Council" was formed in Iran and its fascist troop, the "Qods Army" was trained by the Iranian Revolutionary guard.

Handing over 4000 members of Iran's opposition group to the Iraqi security forces is nothing less than handing them over to the Mullahs in Iran. The United States government has the responsibility of protecting these people, not handing them over to be slaughtered by Iran. They will either be sent to Iran or will be killed on the spot.

Iran's immediate reaction:

Iraqi Forces in Control of MKO Camp

The relatives and families of the Iranian Opposition members currently have a sit-in protest in front of the United Nations building in Geneva.

Iranians rally in London in support of the Mojahedin in Ashraf City-Iraq

DC Rally to Warn of Humanitarian Crisis for Iranian Refugees in Iraq

Humanitarian Crisis Looming in Iraq

America’s Obligations to Protect the Iranian Opposition

Al-Quds Iranian force bombarded Ashraf camp - MKO

http://ashrafcity.blogspot.com/
This is a very serious crisis,involving the lives of 4000 people!

Please talk to your representatives, talk to the red cross(contacts), the united nations human rights commissioner (contact) and anyone you know.

Behnam Zaeris last words in his own voice

2008-08-28T07:45:00.000-07:00

These are Behnam Zarei's last words in his own voice. He was executed at 19 years of age a few days ago for a crime he had committed when he was 15. Iran is the leader in executions in the world with more than 330 people already being executed in 2008. Iran is also the number one killer of juvenile offenders.

Translation:
My name is Behnam Zare. It has been three years since I have been in Adelabad prison in Iran.I am a murderer. I committed murder when I was 15. I am very remorseful for what I did.
You, defenders of the human rights, rescue me.It was an accident. I beg you to rescue me.I want to stay alive. I want to be free.I am spending the last days of my life. I can be taken to be hung, any minute. Will the God be happy if I die at the age of 19?
Those who hear my voice, is there anyone to help me? I ask you take my plea to all the authorities.I ask you to rescue me. I want to stay alive...

Three Babaiis arrested in Yemen in danger of extradition to Iran

2008-08-28T06:55:00.000-07:00

Three Bahaii businessmen , Ziyaollah Pour Ahmari, Keyvan Qadri and Behruz Rohanim , who were citizens of Yemen since 25 years ago were arrested by Yemeni authorities on suspicions of "atheism".

Their houses were searched on August 20th and their computers, CDs pictures and papers were confiscated. According to the International Society of Bahaiis, an Iraqi Bahaii was also arrested who was sent to Iraq. There is a danger of extradition of the three Iranian Bahaiis to Iran, where Bahaiis are persecuted severely. They are not allowed to work or study and their houses are set on fir systematically. Six Bahaiis were arrested in Iran in May on charges of acting against the national security.(source)

more on Bahaii persecution in Iran (source) (source)

Five more executions in Tehran

2008-08-28T06:48:00.000-07:00

According to the daily "Etemad Melli" newspaper, seven men whose "Qesas" (eye for an eye) sentence was approved by the higher authorities, were transferred to Evin Prison and five of them were executed. by hanging. Their names and ages has not been announced yet.(source)

Another juvenile execution by the Islamic Republic of Iran

2008-08-27T06:54:00.000-07:00

Behnam Zarei, was executed by hanging on Tuesday Ausgust 26th in Isfahan Prison, one day after the European Union denounced the execution of another juvinile, Reza Hejazi (source-en) (source-farsi)

Neither his family nor his lawyer were present at the time of his execution.

Behnam Zarei was born in 1989. He allegedly committed murder in a fight over a pigeon, when he was 15. He was in prison for four years before being executed.

Behnam was executed a few hours after his lawyer was told that the sentence has been suspended.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has escalated the number of executions of political prisoners and the youth, as a scare tactic. Right now at least 132 youngsters are awaiting their death in the prisons in Iran.

The negotiations with Iran and accepting the human Rights abuse in Iran as a "cultural norm" by the western governments has emboldened Iran in its actions and has resulted in many more cases of human Rights abuse.

The least the Western governments can do, is to make observation of the basic human rights by Iran, a pre-condition for any negotiations or trade contracts, the way the treated the apartheid regime of South Aftrica.

Please talk to your representatives and law-makers and ask them not to stay silent. Ask them to denounce the human Rights abuse in Iran and stop any talks with Iran.

The extent of human Rights abuse in Iran is beyond imagination.

Behnam Zarei's father: Don't kill my son!

Behnam Zarei is to be executed now that he is 18!

Eight more executions in Iran. 13 in one day!

2008-08-20T23:47:00.000-07:00

The Iranian government announced execution of six men in Birjand , East of Iran and two men in Karaj.
According to France Press, at least 172 people have been executed in Iran in 2008.

STOP EXECUTIONS IN IRAN!

Please call your local amnesty international, red cross, local representative, anyone, ....and ask them to force the Iranian government to stop killing people.

Five more executions

2008-08-20T07:39:00.000-07:00

Five men were executed in Iran today, according to France Press. One of them Reza Hejazi was only 20-years old and was executed for a crime he had allegedly committed at the age 15.
Amnesty International condemned Reza Hejazi's hanging in Iran.
Innocent man executed in a hurry.
It is reported that in Isfahan prison a woman admitted to false accusations of rape. But the judge did not accept her plea and the accused man was executed half an hour later!

Two juveniles have been sentenced to death in Shiraz and Mahabad. Amir and Karim have allegedly committed crimes at 16 and 17 years of age. Right now 140 juveniles are awaiting execution in Iran.(source)

Iran increases the number of executions

2008-08-19T19:18:00.000-07:00

The Iranian government announced the execution of Yaghub Mehrnahad, Baluchi activist on August 4th in Zahedan prison. It is not known if he was executed or killed under torture. Yaghub was 28 and had 3 children. This is her daughter holding his father's picture in her hand. Mehrnahad was the director of a youth group in Sistan and Baluchestan and wrote about the life of Baluchi people in his blog.
He was arrested after asking questions to the officials in a Q&A meeting. He was tortured , was accused of having relations with anti-government groups and was sentenced to death.
The sentence was denounced by many human rights group. The government arrested Yaghub's 16-year old brother ( Ebrahim Mehrnahad) to suppress the protests.
Ebrahim is still in Zahedan prison.

Right now six Kurdish activists are in the death row. Among them Mr. Farzad Kamangar, a teacher, who has been accused of relations with the Kurdish group PKK. Such accusations which often cannot be proven, are used as a means to approve a death penalty.

Education International Prtition to save Farzad Kamangar's life.
Save Farzad Kamangar appeal

Do something: You can contact Amnesty International, the Red Cross and your local Human Rights group and ask them to save Ebrahim Mehrnahad, Farzad Kamangar and to force the Iranian government to STOP the executions..

Three women awaiting execution in Iran.

2008-03-07T02:15:00.000-08:00

According to Etemad newspaper, the execution order for three women in Evin prison, tehran has been sent for imminent action. (link)
The first woman "Shahrbanu" (50) is convicted of murdering her husband. She denies the charges and states that her depressed husband committed suicide. No evidence of violence has been found that could lead to a murder case. However, Shahrbanu will be executed on the wish of the husband's family. Shahrbanu has three children who now live in an orphanage.

"Akram" , 35 and mother of a child, has confessed to killing her 65-year old husband with the aid of another man. The husband's family are willing to forfeit the execution if Akram's family gives them back a piece of land. Akram's family have not accepted the deal!

"Soheila", 28 has killed her 5-day old infant. She said she had to live as a prostitute and did not want her child to have a life like that.

These women can be executed any minute.

Education in Mother tongue is forbidden for Minorities in Iran

2008-02-17T13:17:00.000-08:00

Iranian Minorities’ Human Right Organisation (IMHRO)

Ref.IMHRO.05, 2008-02-18

In the world which respect for indigenous people and ethnic minorities daily increasing, in Iran education in mother tongue or first language is still forbidden and pressure on cultural activist are increased in recent years.
Yasser 6 year’s old, Kurdish minority talking with IMHRO through his dad said he can not understand his teacher at all.” In home we talk Kurdish in school we have to talk Farsi”

In Iran minorities should only thought in Farsi or Persian language. As a result many children soon leave the school and illiteracy among the minorities is very high. Various study proved that mother tongue is one of the key factors in speed of learning in children.[link]
Mansur, 10 years old a Baluchi from Zahedan told IMHRO that he recently left the school as he did not have progress for last few years as result of not understanding the teacher’s language, which it was in Farsi.

Effect of banning mother tongue hits whole literature and art and music of minorities in Iran . Many pieces of Arts may never be able to replace because of disconnection and lack of ability to record that particular art.

Various human right activist and organisation related To Iranian minorities, (which in total making more that %50 of Iranian population and no longer a minority but are majority) calling the banning of education in mother tongue in Iran a “Cultural Holocaust”
They claim that “Indeed you do not need to kill the people to stop their culture, not allowing them to practice it much the less is same and it is very damaging”
Yasamin 9 years old in republic of Azerbaijan, originally Turks in north west of Iran, told IMHRO that since she moved with family to republic of Azerbaijan and they study in Turkish language in their school, she feel she got more progress than when she was in Iran and had to talk and thought only in Farsi.
Folklore culture if it is not practiced may die. Definition of language is not only communication, it is also identity.
Rasoul an Ahwazi Arab originally from city of Abadan told IMHRO since he moved to UAE, he have less pressure in understanding the lessons in school. “In Iran I had a headache after each lesson and not understanding them at all”

Today is world mother language and this year named by UN year of language to emphasis of importance of languages. Many cultural activists who demand a right of study in mother tongue persecuted in Iran .

We ask international community to pay attention to this huge pain of silencing of millions of people in Iran and call on Iranian government to release millions of people from monopoly of study only in Farsi or Persian language.

Iranian police kills 4-year old boy

2008-02-17T13:07:00.000-08:00

According to the Fars News Agency the Iranian police killed a 4-year old boy after shooting to a car (pictured). The police stated that the car was reported stolen. However, they were made fully aware of the presence of a 4-year old child in the car.
Last week Tehran's chief of police said that the guns given to the policeofficers are there to be used and they are not for showing off.

Two more human rights activists arrested.

2008-02-17T12:53:00.000-08:00

Rahele Asgarizade and Nasim khosravi (pictured) were arrested while gathering signatures around a street theater staged about women's rights in Iran.(link)
They were taken to a judge, while handcuffed who asked them what they think is wrong with the rights of women in Iran. They were then transferred to the Evin prison.(link)
Rahele and Nasim are members of a campaign called "one million signatures" who tries to gather enough signatures from women to improve the current laws on women's right in Iran. Although the activities are all peaceful and legitimate, up to now at least 43 activists have been arrested and imprisoned. This is what human rights and democracy means in Iran.

Behnam Zarei's father: Don't kill my son!

2008-02-11T14:16:00.000-08:00

Ayatollah Sharudi, head of Iran's judiciary system, has signed the execution order for the 18-year old Behnam Zarei. He has ordered the "Disputes comission" , to talk to the parents of the Mehrdad, who was killed by Behnam, when Behnam was 15 years old.
Mehrdad's parents want Behnam "dead" and if that's what they want, Behnamwill be executed at the age of 18.
Behnam was a good student and had no criminal record prior to his fight with Mehrdad. when Mehrdad produced a knife, Behnam threw his mini-ax at him. The ax hit Mehrdad and killed him.

Call someone. Call Amnesty International, Human Rights watch, your government officials and ask them to stop this madness. Iran is the only country in the world that officially keeps child offenders in prison and kills them when they are 18. Please helpBehnam.

A TV actor shot to death by the Iranian police in Yasuj.

2008-02-11T11:37:00.000-08:00

According to radiofarda, Ata Keshavarz, (pictured) a TV actor in Kohkiluye-Boyrahmed province in Iran, was shot to death by the Iranian police. Apparently Keshavarz had been arrested two years ago after engaging in a fight in which a police was injured. He was released on bail after the policeman recovered from his injuries, but refused to go back to jail.
On February 6th, Keshavarz's residence was surrounded by tens of policemen who threw tear gas and shot tens of bullets, which resulted in Keshavarz's death.
The Iranian police has resorted to more violent actions recently, shooting random people as "thugs". Just in Sistan-Baluchestan, the clashes between people and the Iranian police has increased by 156%. Ahmadreza Radan , head of Tehran's police thanked the police members for using their weapons. Radan said :"Any police member who carries a gun has the right to use it. We don't give them the weapons just for show."

It is a shame that the world remains silent when the Iranian government butchers innocent people. If this is not genocide, what is? The least you can do is to pick up the phone and call someone in your city or country and voice your concern about the increasing and systematic abuse of human rights in Iran.

Death sentence for a Baluch human rights activist

2008-02-09T23:59:00.000-08:00

Yaghub Mehrnahad, the director of " Sedaye Edalat" youth association, has been given the death penalty by the Sistan and Baluchestan judiciary system, one of his lawyers confirmed. Yaghub was arrested in May 2007 after the fifth annual gathering of " Youth who ask and officials who answer". Some officials were present in that gathering. However, several were arrested, among them Yaghub and his 16-year old brother Ebrahim.

Ebrahim was released after 70 days and now after 10 months, Yaghub has been given the death sentence. Yaghub has three children: (Abubakr , 5, Omar, 3.5 and Asiye 7 months). Asiyeh was born two months after her father's arrest. Yaghub's family has been able to visit him only 4 times during the 10 months of his arrest. In their last visit, they noticed that Yaghub had lost weight ( about 15 kg), could not balance himself and was in very poor physical and mental conditions.

Yaghub's unusual sentence has initiated the worry that the government might want to cover the sever torture and destroy the evidence by executing Yaghub. Just last month a Kurdish student was declared dead while in custody and his body was buried without his family's knowledge. In Zahedan, a 17-year old Saeed Ghanbar Zehi was executed in prison to destroy the irreversible signs of the severe torture. Five youth were crippled by mutilating their right arm and left legs in Zahedan. (link)

It is up to us to stop these inhumane sentences. Just call someone in your district, city or country and voice your concern about the severe abuse of human rights in Iran.

Behnam Zarei is to be executed now that he is 18!

2008-02-06T11:26:00.000-08:00

On a Thursday afternoon Behnam Zare (pictured)came home after helping his father in the field. He started playing with his pigeons. One the pigeons flew away to a soccer field where another boy was playing. The boy throws a stone to the pigeon. Behnam protests. The boy reaches to produce a knife, Behnam throws a small ax a him. The ax hits the boy and Behnam was arrested for murder at 16 (link).

Now Behnam is 18 and his execution is due. According to Iran's Shariaa laws, the boys parents have the right to Behnam's life. Unless they forego their revenge right ( Qesas), Behnam will be executed. All the preliminary steps are taken but the exact execution date has not been given yet. Behnam's family live in constant fear of losing their son. This is how justice works in Iran

see also this link for more actions: http://www.juvenileexecutions.com/

Talk to your legislatures. Start a motion to throw Iran out of the United Nations. Iran does not deserve to be among civilized societies with these barbaric and anti-human laws.

Nine juveniles in the death row in Iran....

2008-02-06T11:20:00.000-08:00

Iran keeps the juveniles in prison until they are 18 and executes them as their 18th birthday present.

9 juveniles awaiting execution in Rejayi-Shahr prison in Iran are(link):
1-Massoud Kafishir
2-Saeed Jazi
3-Hossein Toranj
4-Mehdi Azimi
5-Hamed Pourheydari
6-Mostada Naghdi
7-Benjamin Rassuli
8-Behruz Shojaii
9-Morteza Feyzi

Two sisters to be stoned to death for having met with men in their house.

2008-02-05T11:46:00.000-08:00

Two sisters 27 and 28 were sentenced to death by stoning to death. Zohreh Kabiri and Azar Kabiri were arrested last year after Zohre's husband produced a videotape that showed his wife with another man in the house. Apparently the tape does not show any sexual contact between the two. Zohreh and Azar Kabiri were convicted last year and were sentenced to jail and 99 lashes. After the sentences, they were kept in jail and now have been condemned twice for the same crime.

Zohreh Kabiri is a mother. Nader Abbassi, the husband told Radiofarda that it was not his intention for his wife to be killed. He just wanted her to be scared. Abbassi said they did not even live together and he visited his wife and child occasionally. He says things are now out of hand and he is very sorry to have given that tape to the judges. He says he does not know how to explain this to his child and wants the judiciary system to forgive his wife and her sister.

Both sisters are now in Rejayi-Shahr prison awaiting a horrific torture to death by stoning. If you are reading this, the least you can do is to pick up the phone and call your legislature and ask them to issue an statement against these barbaric sentences. Please do something!

22-year old boy to be executed for drinking alcohol

2008-02-05T11:33:00.000-08:00

Iranian judge "Jalil Jalili" , from the 72nd district in Tehran, sentenced Mohsen, a 22-year old man to death! Mohsen's crime is to drink alcohol for the 4th time! Jalili the prosecutor told ISNA that according to Iran's Shariaa law, if a person drinks alcohol two times, he can be executed after the third time. Mohsen had been arrested and flogged three times before for alcohol consumption and is now to be executed.(link)

Until the world stays silent towards these barbaric sentences, the Iranian government will kill more people , Iranian or foreigner, every day.
Throw Iran out of the United Nations!

A man to be stoned to death in Sari, Iran.

2008-02-01T17:08:00.001-08:00

According to Radiofarda Mr. Abdullah Farivar Moghadam (pictured), 49, father of two and a music teacher is awaiting a horrible death by being stoned to death. His sister has been informed that the sentence has been approved and will be carried out once the written order is received.

Mr. Farivar is accused of having extra-marital sex. However, his family state that his relationship was not illegal. According to Iran's Islamic laws, a man can have "temporary marriage". Mr. Farivar's wife has said that she was aware of her husband's second marriage and that there are documents to prove the relationship was legal.. Mr. Farivar's family suspect this can be a revenge by the girl's father.
Mr. Farivar's sister told radiofarda that with the current wave of snow and cold in Iran, it took the family 48 hours to reach Qom. But they were told that Mr. Shahroodi, the head of Iran's judiciary system is not working for the next two months!

Please help this man by calling the authorities in your city and country. E-mail this to your firiends.You can make a difference by increasing the international pressure on the Iranian government. Act now to save a life!

2008-01-29T13:09:00.000-08:00

HELP!

28 to be executed in Evin prison tomorrow!

According to the Human Rights Activists in Iran, 28 prisoners were transferred from Rejayi-Shar prison to Evin to be executed tomorrow. Some executions will be in public! Four of the prisoners are: Halat Mohammad AbediniSar (26) Mohsen Gholami (30) Abbas Kahani ( 30) Faraz Ebrahimi (25)

Please call the amnesty international, the Human Rights Commissioner of the United Nations ( +41 22 917 9000)and other human rights organizations. Please stop the madness of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Don't let them mass murder the Iranian people.

Iranian Student dies under torture in Sanandaj prison.

2008-01-17T10:28:00.000-08:00

According to "Iran Press News", last night Ebrahim Lotfollahi, a Student in Payam Noor University, Sanandaj , was killed under torture in the Sanandaj intelligence bureau.

Ebrahim Lotfollahi had been arrested after taking an exam about 10 days ago. Ebrahim's family were allowed to visit him last Wednesday, but afterwards they were not allowed visitation and no reason was given for his arrest. The main interrogator is "Mehdi Molavali" with the nickname "Hatefi".

The city is in shock after this news and police members wearing civilian clothes control all the movements in the city.
Last week the Iranian police executed a Turkish citizen on a stretcher, while bleeding and his two legs were cut off. There is no limits for brutality in Iran and unfortunately no one cares! Ask you local media why there is no coverage of human rights abuse in Iran?

Lohrasbi, Saran, Baimani and Javid Tehrani, beaten by the guards, Lohrasbi taken to solitary confinement

2008-01-15T00:34:00.000-08:00

A statement by the political prisoners in Gohardasht Prison (Rejayi Shahr- Karaj), released by the human Rights Activists of Iran, states ,that Mehrdad Lohrasbi (pictured) was beaten and taken to solitary confinement , one day after starting a hunger strike.The political prisoners are concerned about Mr. Lohrasbi's health. He has been ill as a result of maltreatment in prison and is kept in a cell with no heating system in sub-zero winter temperatures.

The guards attacked the political prisoners in the same ward with Mr Lohrasbi . As a result Amir Hossein Saran., Behrooz Javid Tehrani (pictured) and Afshin Baimani were seriously injured. The political prisoners are asking for help from all human rights activists and organizations.

Turkish citizen, a PJAK member, executed in Iran.

2008-01-12T14:12:00.000-08:00

According to the organization to defend the human rights in Kurdistan, a member of "Party for a free life in Kurdistan (PJAK) was executed in Khoy prison in Iran recently. Hassan Hikmet Demir was a Turkish citizen and a Kurdish activist. He had run away from prison and had frost damage to both his legs as a result of exposure to severe cold before his arrest by the Iranian Intelligence Ministry. He was interrogated and tortured and was denied medical access and rest and as a result, both his legs were amputated.
Hassan Hikmet Demir was denied contact with his family and did not have a lawyer. He was executed last week in Khoy prison by hanging.
read the statement by PJAK here.
read the statement by Amnesty International here.

This shocking photo was released today, showing that Hassan Hikmet Demir was executed on a stretcher and while he was bleeding.