The international campaign, supported by Shirin Ebadi, will take place in April-May 2012. FIDH expresses its solidarity to all Iranian students, especially those who are still detained and those who will peacefully take part to the campaign inside Iran.

Background:

Different reports of the uprisings after the 2009 elections in Iran suggest the death of many university students at the hands of security forces. A portion of these students such as Neda Agha Soltan, Mohammad Mokhtari, Sane’e Jaleh were shot and killed in the streets during peaceful rallies. Some were killed in jails under torture, like Mohsen Roohol Amini, Mohammad Kamrani and Amir Javadyfar, and some during the militia attacks in universities.

Today, at least 29 students remain in prison, including Majid Tavakoli and Bahareh Hedayat, two symbols of the Iranian student movement. Bahareh is the 2012 laureate of the Edelstam Prize. Thousands more have been subject to all sorts of persecution, including arrests, judicial harassment, disciplinary measures, etc.

The list of the 29 students who are still detained:

1-Bahareh Hedayat

Tehran’s University of Economic Sciences graduate and member of Central Council of Office for Strengthening Unity, was arrested on December 31st 2009, at her house. In April of 2009, branch 28 of the revolutionary court headed by judge Moghiseh, sentenced Bahareh Hedayat to seven and a half years of prison on the charges of “conspiracy against the regime”, “insulting the supreme leader”, “insulting the president and propaganda against the regime”. combined with her previous sentence of 2 years of suspended imprisonment for “Acting Against National Security” by assembling on June 12th 2006, She was sentenced to nine and a half years of imprisonment.In July of 2010 this sentence was confirmed by the 54th branch of the revolutionary court in Tehran. She was sentenced to six more months of prison with Mahdieh Golrou and Majid Tavakoli on the count of “Propaganda against The Regime” on a separate trial. Previous to this, security forces had arrested her many times.This active member of women’s movement, was first arrested on June 12th 2006, on International Women’s Day ceremony. She was later on arrested on July 9th 2007 with other members of Central Council of OCU, after starting a strike in front of AmirKabir University.She was arrested for the third time on July 12th 2008 and spent a month in solitary confinement. She was also arrested in 2009 just in time for Persian’s new year for taking part in family members of political prisoners’ peaceful assembly in front of Evin prison. Bahareh was returned to prison on September 5th 2011, after taking a leave due to medical reasons.

2-Zia Nabavi

Zia Nabavi- Chemical Engineering graduate of Noushirvani University of Babol, was arrested by Ministry of Intelligence officers on June 15th 2009. Having achieved one of the highest ranks in entrance exam 2008 to Master of Arts in Sociology. But Zia Nabavi, ACRE’s spokesman ( The Advocacy Council for The Right to Education), was deprived of continuing his education. On January 22nd 2010, branch 26th of revolutionary court, headed by judge PirAbbasi, sentenced him to fifteen years of prison (10 years of imprisonment in exile in Eezeh city located in very small and cold town of Khuzestan province) and 74 lashes. This sentence was reduced in branch 54 of the supreme court to 10 years of imprisonment.

3-Majid Dorri

The banned student Allameh Tabatabaii University was arrested on July 2009 in Qazvin city. He is member of the The Advocacy Council for The Right to Education and was sentenced to 11 years prison by Judge Pir Abbasi, branch 26 of revolutionary court on December 2009. His accusations were “waging the war against God”, “activities against national security and disturbing the public order”. The sentence was reduced to 6.5 years prison in exile. He is currently in exile located in Behbehan prison (small and warm city in South of Iran) and deprived from the right to leave prison.

Majid Tavakoli, the shipbuilding engineer student of Amir Kabir University of Tehran was arrested for the third time on December 7 of 2009. He is former central council member of the Amirkabir University student’s association, he got arrested after having speech among students on occasion of Student National Day. While he was trying to come out of the university, was beaten brutally by security forces. On January 2009 he was sentenced to 8 years prison, five years ban from all political activities as well as five years ban from exiting country. His accusations were “assembly and conspiracy against regime”, “propaganda against regime”, “insulting supreme leader”, “insulting president”. He also in another court on headed of Moghiseh Judge was sentenced to six more prison in accusation of “propaganda against regime: by publishing letter from prison on occasion of Student Day. He was arrested two times previously. First time on April 2007 in case of student newsletters fabrication which he spent 15 months in prison. He also on Fabruary 2008 was arrested in anniversary ceremony of Bazargan in front of Hosseiniyeh Ershad and spent 115 days in solitary confinement. Majid Tavakoli is currently in Rajaii Shahr prison (located in Karaj city close to Tehran) and deprived from right to leave from the first day of arrest. He does not have also telephone communication with outside.

5-Kouhyar Goudarzi

Kouhyar Goudarzi, human rights activist and student of sharif university of technology, was arrested in in 2009 on his way to Qom to attend Ayatollah Montazeri’s funeral, and was sentenced to a year in prison. He spent his sentence inside Evin and Rajaee Shahr Prisons and was released. He was arrested again on July 31st.

6-Ali-Akbar Mohammadzadeh

Ali-Akbar Mohammadzadeh, the head of the Islamic Association of Sanati-Sharif University. He was arrested on 15 February 2011, a day after an anti-government protest in Tehran. He has spent 54 days of his imprisonment in solitary confinement. He is steel being held in Evin prison.

7-Ali Malihi

Ali Malihi, student of Tehran azad university and journalist of reformist publications, has been detained since 9 February 2010. Branch 28 of Tehran Revolutionary Court presided over by judge Moghiseh ruled out its verdict for Ali Malihi. The court has sentenced Ali Malihi to 4 years in prison on charges of acting against national security, and paying $100 monetary fine on charge of insulting the President.

8-Hassan Asadi Zeidabadi

Hassan Asadi Zeidabadi is the central council member of the Graduate Alumni Organization (Advar Tahkime Vahdat). He firstly got arrested on November 2009 and released after 40 days detention on bail on December of the same year. He was arrested again on August 2010 in front of his home and sentenced to five years prison along $100 dollars fine by branch 28 of Revolutionary Court under Moghiseh judge authorization. The sentence was exactly upheld. As chief of Human Rights committee of organization he was accused to “conspiracy and assembly to disturbing public order,” “propaganda against regime”, “insulting president”, “participation in illegal Marches”. He is currently serving his time in Evin prison.

9-Mahdie Golrou

Mehdieh Golrou is a member of the Council for Defense of Education Rights and was also arrested in December of 2009. She was sentenced to two years and four months in prison for “propaganda against the regime as well as assembly and collusion to disrupt national security.” Earlier suspended sentence of one year imprisonment for similar charges has also been added to her most recent sentence.

10-Hamed Omidi

Hamed Omidi, Allameh Tabatabai University student at education technology, was arrested on February 2010. he was arrested because of participation in Kurdish student demonstration at Tehran University and manifestation against Ehsan Fattahian execution. Judge Moghiseh sentenced him to three years prison by relying on article 610 of Islamic punishment law. His attorney told the accusations as “assembly and conspiracy against national security”. The Judge also announced he deserve to receive the most heaviest punishment of the article so besides three years prison, sentenced him to be expelled from university and banned from all kinds of university and education degrees. According to the latest report he is serving his time at ward 209 of Evin Prison.

11-Saiid Jalalifar

Physics student of Zanjan University who was banned from education arrested on August 2011 after going to Evin Prison for sentence implementation. He was arrested previously on December 2009 and spent approximately 4 months in detention without charges. He got temporarily released on bail 100 Million To mans on March 2009 from Evin Prison. He has been active on child and human rights field. His accusations were “propaganda against regime” and “assembly and conspiracy against national security”. Saiid Jalaliafar was expelled after activities for the case of sexual harassment by vice president of Zanjan University. He was condemned and sentenced to three years prison by Revolutionary Court of Tehran, headed of Jadge Moghiseh. He is currently in 350 ward of Evin Prison.

12-Mehdi Khodaii

He was former director of Islamic student association of Share Ray Azad University. On March of 2009 was arrested by Revolutionary Guard forces (Sepah Pasdaran). He was in solitary confinement of ward 2 Alef Evin Prison to have confession against himself many months and finally on October 2010 was sentenced to three years prison By Judge Moghiseh (28 branch of Revolutionary Court). The sentence was confirmed. He was also sentenced to four years prison by Judge Salavati (branch 15 of Revolutionary Court) in accusations of “activities against national security by organizing student assemblies and propaganda against regime”. The sentence was confirmed as well. Eventually he has seven years prison. He is serving his time in Evin prison without right to use the leave.

13-Milad Karimi

Milad Karimi has been jailed recently serving 6 months prison sentence. He was arrested by security agents in the city of Sanandaj on September 4th 2011 and released then. Milad Karimi is the deputy secretary of Democratic Union of Kurdish Students and Secretary General of the Student Union at the Azad University.

14-Babak Dashab

The Western Philosophy student in bachelor from Tabriz University. He is currently the Master student in Shahid Beheshti University and was arrested on February 2009. According to the agencies, he was sentenced to six years prison by branch 15 of Revolutionary Court, headed Judge Salavati. His accusations were “assembly and conspiracy against national security” and “propaganda against regime”. The sentence was reduced to five years in branch 54 of court. Also some opposition groups report 2/3 of his sentenced was forgiven on occasion of Fetr Eiid (Muslim weekend after Ramadan). Babak Dashab came on a break July 2011 and is serving times in Ward 350 Evin Prison.

15-Hamed Rouhi Nejad

The philosophy student of Shahid Beheshti University, was arrested on April 2009. He was condemned in public court after June 2009 election. Branch 28 of Revolutionary court headed by Judge Moghiseh sentenced him to death penalty in accusation of “communication with one of the opposition groups called Anjoman Padeshahi”(one of the monarchist groups). The sentenced has been reduced to 10 years prison in exile. Also one of the member of Roohani nejad family told that the Public Court of Tehran has sentenced him to one year more prison as well as fine because of illegal exiting of Iran. So he eventually was sentenced to 11 years prison in exile.

16-Hossein Ronaghi Malaki

Hossein Ronaghi Maleki, the computer student of Azad University of Arak, was arrested along his brother in his parent home in Malekan (small city of Tabriz) on December of 2009. Hossein Ronaghi Maleki, blogger, was transferred to 2 Alef ward of Evin Prison. He was under pressure to confess in front of camera for public show. He is member of Iran Proxy as an anti-filtering group who has tried to combat against censorship on the Internet. He also is well known by name of Babak Khoramdin among bloggers. The branch 26 of Revolutionary Court headed by Judge Pir Abbasi sentenced him to 15 years prison on October 2010 in accusation of “membership on Iran Proxy network”, “insulting the supreme leader and president by blogging”. The branch 54 has precisely confirmed the sentence. He is serving the second year in ward 350 of Evin Prison while suffering the kidney disease. His father

17-Shahin Zeinali

Shahin Zeinali, the customs management student of Economic Sciences faculty, was arrested in Karaj and transferred to the security ward of Evin Prison. He was supposed to appear at Evin Prison on January 10th 2011 but he was arrested earlier. Zeinali was detained on last year’s Ashura and sentenced to 2 years and 3 months in prison for acting against national security and membership in the Pan-Iranist party.

18-Arash Sadeghi

Arash Sadeghi, a political activist and student was sentenced to six years in prison and seventy-four lashings. Arash Sadeghi attended Alameh Tabatabai University where he was a member of the Participation Front. He was sentenced by the 26th branch of the Revolutionary Court for charges of spreading anti-government propaganda and colluding against the government. It is important to note that Arash Sadeghi had previously been sentenced to three years in prison as a result of the events of the 18th of Tir anniversary. The current sentence pertains to his arrest during the Ashura protests. Arash Sadeghi is a philosophy student and worked on the campaign of Mir Hussein Mousavi during last year’s presidential elections. It is reported that during the break for new years, Arash Sadeghi told his friends he was severely beaten in prison. As a result he suffered two injuries to his right shoulder.

19-Javad Alikhani

Javd Alikhani, PhD student of veterinary medicine in Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz- Khuzestan, was first arrested in fall 2007, and released on bail 11 months later. He was tried by the Revolutionary Court in the fall of 2008, and sentenced to 5 years in prison. His jail term was reduced to 3 years on appeal.

20-Omid Kokabi

Omid Kokabi, a postgraduate student of nuclear physics at Texas University in the US, was arrested in February 2011 on his way back to the United States after visiting his family in Iran during the Christmas break. He was charged with assembly and collusion against national security – charges that he terms “astounding” and says make no sense. He is detained at Evin prison in Tehran, where he was held in solitary confinement for 36 days.

21-Habibollah Latifi

Habibollah Latifi, who was a law student at Azad University in Ilam, was arrested in October 2007 and sentenced to death in July 2008 after being convicted of moharebeh (‘enmity against God’), a vaguely defined ‘crime’ for which the penalty is death. He is steel being held in jail.

Shabnam Madadzadeh – Former political secretary of Tarbiat Moalem’s Islamic Student association, was arrested on February 20th 2008, along side of her brother, Farzad Madadzadeh. On February 20th 2009, She was sentenced to five years of prison and exile to Rajai Shahr prison, by 28th branch of revolutionary court, headed by judge Moghiseh on the charges of ” waging war against God and acting against national security”. This verdict was confirmed by the supreme court on 1st of January 2008. Shabnam Madadzadeh was transferred to Gharchak prison located in Varamin (small city in 35 Km of Tehran) with several female political prisoners. This transfer was resulted in wide protests by Human Rights organizations and political activists which led to their transferal back to Evin prison. Shabnam Madadzadeh, deprived of her education, is currently serving her time at Evin prison.

23-Atefeh Nabavi

Atefeh Nabavi, MA banned student , was arrested on June 15th 2009 with her cousin Zia Nabavi. The student activist’s trial was held in November of 2009, in branch 12 of the revolutionary court, headed by judge Ghomi.In her trial she was acquitted of the charge of ” having relations with MEK ” but was sentenced to 4 years of prison on charges of “conspiracy against the regime” and “propaganda against the regime”. According to her lawyer, Nasrin Sotoudeh, The most important reason behind her sentencing was Atefeh’s participation in June 15th’s March. This sentence was reduced later on to three years of imprisonment in the supreme court. Atefeh Nabavi is serving her time in female ward of Evin prison, without benefiting from her right to leave and her right to have phone calls.

24-Fereshteh Shirazi

Fereshteh Shirazi, Industrial management student and a member of the one million signature campaign, in the northern city of Amol was arrested on September 4 2011, following a summons to the local office of the Ministry of Intelligence in the city of Amol. She is being held in relation to charges brought against her two years ago for her women’s rights activities and her writings. She is being held in the women’s ward in Amol prison, with dangerous criminals. She is banned from visits and is not allowed phone privileges.

25-Afshin Shahbazi

Afshin Shahbazi was arrested on January 23, 2012. He has been arrested repeatedly by intelligence ministry. Before he was arrested while he returned from ceremony of the anniversary of the martyrs of Sulduz and protest in support of Urmiya Lake. He is an active member of promotion of facility of south Azerbaijan and student of agricultural engineering of Tabriz university he was teaching Turkish.

Ethnic activist was arrested on January 24, 2012 by intelligence ministry. He is graduated in electronic engineering from university of Zanjan and is studding economy at university of Tabriz. He was teaching mythology and Turkish

27-Mehrdad Karami

Mehrdad Karami, Student activist from Tabriz University, was arrested on December 24 by security forces on the way to university. His arrest was accompanied by serious violence against him.

28-Ali Jamali

Ali Jamali is Payam Nour University’s student and dead of the political unit of the Office for Consolidating Unity. He was arrested at his work on Sep 10, 2010. He had furlough on March 20, 2011 and released temporarily on bail for Nowrouz. He is in Evin 350 section. His sentence reduced by Appeals to 2 years.

29-Mohammad Ahadi

Mohammad Ahadi was arrested by security service on January 24 2012 without the permission of court. There is no information that where he is held. He is graduated as a agriculture engineer from university of Tabriz. Prior to this he had arrested many times for his activities. Because of his recent arrest he could not attend the entrance exam of masters.
Source: FIDH