A Weekly Report on Human Rights Violations in Iran from June 10th to June 17th, 2012
Last week, representatives of 10,000 workers submitted an open letter to the office of Abdolreza Sheikholeslami, the Minister of Labor and Welfare, to protest the poor economic conditions in Iran.

This letter also criticized an amendment to the Labor Code, plan to target subsidies, inflation, payment conditions, health insurance and retirement. The signatories of the letter described the plan to target subsidies as subsidies cuts and wrote that even though high prices are a result of this plan, “the average income of workers in the [year] 1390, and during this current year, decreased when compared to the period before the first phase of this plan was implemented.” They also noted that as a result of Value Added Tax, in practice, five percent of the daily income of workers under the poverty line is given to the government. (1) Also Behrooz Moradi, manager of the Targeted Subsidies Organization, announced that the subsidy of bread which was 5,000 Tomans monthly will increase by another 3,000 Tomans. (2) In general, the prices of groceries have increased in Tehran and only the price of eggs has declined. (3) However, the continual increase in prices has resulted in a financial loss for stores. (4) The son of Isa Saharkhiz announced that judicial authorities are blocking the release of this imprisoned journalist and political activist who has lost 70 percent of the functions of his kidneys and has fully served his term of imprisonment. (5) This weekly report from the Iran Human Rights Voice describes the dozens of more human rights violations in Iran.
Statements
Amnesty International has called for a halt in the implementation of the death sentence for five ideological Arab prisoners following their transfer from the public ward of Karoon prison in Ahwaz. The transfer was made in order to prepare for their execution. (6) Last week PEN International released a statement condemning the imprisonment of Manijeh Najm Araqi and Fariborz Ra’isdana. The organization requested that individuals write letters to Ayatollah Khamenei, Sadegh Larijani and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and ask for the release of these prisoners. (7) On June 12th, World Day against Child Labor, the Iranian Teachers’ Guild Association released a statement. (8) Also the Children’s Rights Organization released a statement for World Day against Child Labor. (9) During the annual meeting of the International Labor Organization, Amnesty International released a statement asking for the immediate and unconditional release of all labor activists. (10)
Guilds
According to HRANA last week on Wednesday June 13th, a number of taxi drivers in Sanandaj gathered in front of the city council to protest the high price of car parts and stagnation in the price of fares. (11) Last week the commander of the Intelligence and Security police in Lorestan announced that 90 guild units in this province have been shut down. (12) According to Human Rights Activists in Iran, on Thursday morning June 14th, hundreds of police forces shut down restaurants and coffeehouses in Bande Orumieh Park for providing hookahs and confiscated them. (13) Since Saturday morning June 16th, drivers of cement containers in Tehran started a new round of strikes and asked for a solution to their problems and an increase in fares. (14)
Religious Minorities
According to Daneshjoo Online, 130 days after five newly converted Christians were detained by security and plainclothes forces in Shiraz; the condition these people are in is unclear. (15) HRANA reports that Adel Fana’ian, a Baha’i citizen based in Semnan, was sent to Semnan Central prison following a warrant for his arrest. (16) According to the website of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, on May 27th the blind production company “Pouya Navar” and lens factory “Farzan Lens” were shut down by the Public Places Organization based on an order from the Intelligence Office of this city. (17) Seven Baha’i citizens in the province Semnan were summoned to the Intelligence Office of this city and were interrogated. (18) A Baha’i citizen from Semnan called Afrasiab Sobhani appeared before the Revolutionary Court for propaganda against the regime and membership in the Baha’i community. (19)
Ethnic Minorities
According to Mukrian news agency, Rasoul Teymouri, a university professor in Oshnavieh, was sentenced to a year of suspended imprisonment for three years by the revolutionary court of the city. (20) Three citizens from Mahabad called Yaghub Khezri, Omid Ghaderi Aghdam and Jamal Ghadernejad were summoned by the Intelligence office of Mahabad on June 12th. They were arrested at this office the following day. (21) On Tuesday June 12th, forces in several groups from Sanandaj city attacked vendors on Ferdousi Street and confiscated their goods and belongings, even the scales which children use as a summer job. (22) The temporary Friday Prayer Imam of Sanandaj announced that he considers Kurdish folk dances against Shari’a law. (23) According to HRANA, a social network user in Kurdistan was arrested by the Internet Police for blasphemy. (24)
Culture, Communications and the Press
According to the student website Daneshjoo Online, Alireza Rajai, a well-known National-Religious activist, journalist and political analyst, was sentenced to four years of additional imprisonment by the Revolutionary Court. (25) Also according to HRANA, the commander of the Internet Police in Hamedan Province reported of the arrest of a blogger for blasphemy on the internet. (26)
University and Students
According to Iran Khabar news agency, there is no news available as to the whereabouts of a Kurdish student who had been summoned to the Intelligence Office by phone on June 15th. (27) According to Daneshjoo News website, a number of current and former student activists in Iran condemned the detention of students from Isfahan University and asked for an end to the interferences of non-university organizations at universities. (28) Also according to this website, the Oil School at Ahwaz University was the scene of strikes, gatherings and beatings of students following a protest by students concerning a lack of responsiveness by officials. (29) According to Daneshjoo Online, the intelligence forces in Qazvin went to Pejman Sharif’s father’s home to arrest this university student of industry on June 14th. (30) HRANA reports that student activist Omid Reza’I was sentenced to two years of Tazir imprisonment for propaganda against the regime and insulting the Supreme Leader. (31)
Civil Rights
According to Iran Khabar news agency, at noon Wednesday June 13th, police attacked the homes of people in Velenjak, Zaferanieh and Sarollah Street on the corner of Sasan Boulevard to confiscate satellite television receivers. (32) Also according to this news website, the constant increase in prices is causing a financial loss for stores. (33) According to this website, agents checked the identification cards of men and women to make sure they are married. (34) Political activist and Pan-Iranist party member Omid Dehdarzadeh was summoned to the Intelligence Office of Ahwaz by phone on June 11th and was later arrested. (35) According to the Human Rights Activists in Iran, Amir Zargarnejad, a leftist political activist in Tabriz, was arrested by plain clothes agents on June 9th and told his family by phone that he was being detained in the Tabriz Intelligence Office. (36)
Labor
According to Mukrian News Agency, a parliamentary representative of Kermanshah announced that nearly 80 percent of industrial units in the province have been closed. (37) Also according to this website, following the sixth Public Gathering of Labor Coordination Committees in a home in Karaj, the police attacked the home, arrested dozens of labor activists and sent them to Rajaishahr prison. (38) According to Iran Kargar, 424 workers from Marliksan factory in Qazvin lost their jobs. (39) According to this labor website, hundreds of chicken and fish stores in Shahrekord are on strike due to numerous problems. (40) According to HRANA, Iran Tire Factory announced to its workers that if problems continue it will terminate the contracts of contracted workers. (41) On Wednesday June 13th, a number of workers at the Communications Company of Western Azerbaijan gathered in front of the governor’s office to protest bad working conditions and lack of health insurance. (42) Also, due to ongoing financial problems, Techno Pokht Factory of Rafsanjan cutback 70 workers with 10 to 25 years of experience. (43)
Women
Last week, the deputy of the police commander reported that a female cinema actress was arrested for insufficient hijab in Milad Tower. (44) According to HRANA, the longest serving female prisoner, who has been imprisoned for 19 years and is awaiting a final verdict, will be tried on July 10th in Shahre Rey. (45)
Sentences
According to Mukrian, Rasoul Teymouri, a university professor in Oshnavieh, was sentenced to a year of imprisonment suspended for three years by the Revolutionary Court of the city. (46) According to Daneshjoo Online, Alireza Rajai, a well-known National-Religious activist, journalist and political analyst, was sentenced to four additional years of imprisonment by the Revolutionary Court. (47) According to HRANA, Amir Sheybanizadeh, a citizen from Mashhad, was sentenced to six and five years of imprisonment, a five million Tomans fine and was exiled to Abehayat prison in Kerman. (48) Also, the appeals court sentenced Sajedeh Kianoush to a year of suspended imprisonment. (49) Abdolfattah Soltani, an attorney and well-known human rights activist, was sentenced to 13 years of imprisonment by the Revolutionary Court of Tehran. (50) The 36th branch of appeals court approved a ten year prison sentence to be served in exile for Sedigheh Moradi, a political prisoner in the women’s ward of Evin prison. (51) According to HRANA, three political activists from Eastern Azerbaijan province called Ebrahim Farajzadeh, Reza Abri, Ali Hossein Tahamtan were sentenced from six months to one year of imprisonment and their arrest warrants were issued. (52) Alireza Raygani, a 30-year old citizen based in Mianeh was sentenced to nine months and one day of Tazir imprisonment and a two million Tomans fine. (53) According to HRANA, student activist Omid Rezaei was sentenced to two years of Tazir imprisonment for insulting the Supreme Leader and propaganda against the regime. (54)
Prison and Prisoners
According to Iran Khabar news agency, political prisoner Mohsen Javadi Afzali is suffering from a serious ear infection due to lack of medical care. (55) There is no information available about five Arab prisoners on death row who were taken out of the public ward of Ahwaz prison on June 9th and sent to an undisclosed location. (56) Daneshjoo News website reports that Narges Mohammadi’s face was bruised during her visit session. (57) Human Rights Activists in Iran report that Farshad Ghorbanpour, Saeid Matinpour,Saeid Jalalifar, Javad Alikhani and Arash Seghr are on a hunger strike and in solitary confinement in the 240 ward of Evin prison. (58) Reza Sharifi Boukani, a political prisoner in hall 12 of Rajaishahr prison in Karaj, who had been sent to solitary confinement for 10 days on May 29th, has been banned from visitations for three weeks by the Disciplinary Committee of the prison. (59) According to this website, Masha’allah Haeri, a political prisoner in hall 12 of Rahaishahr prison in Karaj, was urgently transferred to Rajai hospital in Karaj once again but was sent back to prison without receiving necessary treatment. (60) Reza Joshan, who should have been released on June 11th, has not been released and a decision was made to send him to Damghan to serve three months of exile by mid-June. (61) Imprisoned journalist Bahman Ahmadi Amou’I was transferred to solitary confinement in ward 209 of Evin prison following a memorial ceremony for Hoda Saber in ward 350. He was beaten up and transferred to Rajaishahr prison with his hands cuffed, feet shackled and blindfolded. He was insulted by guards in the quarantine section of the prison and all his clothes had been taken off. (62)
Executions
According to the website Iran Kargar, Tehran authorities transferred six prisoners from Ghezelhesar prison to solitary confinement in Evin prison. (63) HRANA reports that the Revolutionary Court of Isfahan announced that an individual accused of smuggling morphine was hanged in the Isfahan prison yard. (64) Three people who had been sentenced to death as a result of four cases by the Tehran Penal Court will be hanged next week. (65) According to HRANA, Penal Court judges in Tehran province approved the death penalty for a young man convicted of raping a female university student. (66) Two convicts in the murder case of Abpakhsh [of Bushehr] were hanged in public on Monday. (67)

source: Ihrv ( Iran Human Rights Voice )