Responses to Human Rights Abuses in Iran
1. Following a series of protests in European capital cities, on Sunday afternoon 9th February 2014, the International Organization to Preserve Human Rights in Iran held another protest by the Brandenburg Gate in the city of Berlin. The participants of this protest had masks of Mir-Hossein-Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi and Zahra Rahnavard on their faces, and demanded the release of political and religious prisoners in Iran. While the protest was being held, Dr Seyyed Mostafa Azmayesh, the leading member of the International Organization to Preserve Human Rights in Iran, said the following about the goals and aspirations of all participants:
2 .Fatemeh Mo’tamed-Ariya, a TV presenter, and an actress in theatre and cinema, stated the following regarding the fact that she did not have permission to work in the past four years: “During the past four years, every film or theatre directors who signed an agreement with me has failed to receive the permit to produce their contents. They were told that the permit for this project would not be issued because Ms Mo’tamed-Ariya is involved in the project.
3. During the past week, the Human Rights Defenders wrote a statement which was signed by Shirin Ebadi, the head of this organization and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate that the house arrest of Zahra Rahnavard, Mehdi Karroubi and Mir-HosseinMousavi, three leaders of the protests in 2010 is against the law.
Women’s rights
1. During the past week, Naeemeh Doost-Daar stated that: “Research shows that female circumcision is being carried out in the following six provinces of Iran: Kurdistan, West Azerbaijan, Kermanshah, Eelaam, Lorestan and Hormozgan. Female circumcision in Iran is mainly being carried out on girls who are younger than ten years of age.
Workers and vulnerable communities
1. On the 6th of January 2014, the Representative of Kaamyaab sugar mill factory workers reported the delay of 4 to 11 months in the payment of wages and uncertainty with regard to workers’ rights. The work and wage situation remains uncertain for the 150 employees and these are believed to be due to a lack of production resources in the factory.
Sentences: death, flogging, amputation, imprisonment and detention
1. According to reports, on Wednesday afternoon of the 5the of February, Marand’s intelligent ministry forces searched the house of Habibeh Madadzadeh who is the sister of two political prisoners who were recently released from prison. After completing their search, the intelligence Ministry forces used their warrant to confiscate a computer, notebooks and the photograph of a person who had died in the family.
2. Dr Sadegh Ziba Kalaam was released from prison after a complaint was made to the cultural court as well as paying 50 million Toman towards his freedom. Sadegh Zibakalam is an author and university professor. The General Prosecutor of Tehran has accused the professor of committing a crime following Mr Zibakalam’s second letter to Hosein Shariatmadari, who is a representative of Mr Khameneiy and in charge of Keyhan newspaper, with regard to the file of three thousand billion toman and the nuclear issue.
3. Furthermore, on Wednesday 5th of February, dozens of individuals accused of being thugs were arrested in the north of Tehran and shown to people in Tajrish Square. The arrests were a coordinated operation by the police and various police units and Tehran’s police chief.
4. On Wednesday 5th of February, 15 prisoners from the prison of chabahar were hanged by the justice system in Sistan and Baluchestan. Most of them were detained accused of political and security issues.
5. On Thursday 6th of February 2014, 2 people accused of murder were hanged in the city of Bandar-Abbas.
6. Abolghasem (Javad) Foladond, a political prisoner in Branch 350 of Evin Prison was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment and 74 lashes on charges of being a member of the MEK organisation and insulting the supreme leader of Iran.
7. Naeim Abbasi, the brother of Ghazi Abbasi who was unofficially announced hanged to his family, was arrested on Monday 10th of Febuary 2014. Naeim’s other brother is currently imprisoned in the Orumie Prison.
8. On Tuesday 11th of Febuary 2014, during the 22 Bahman rally, a group of reformist political activists were arrested in the city of Tehran. Reports indicate that they were 55 people holding the posters signed by the “Young Reformers”. These posters included images of Khatami, Rafsanjani and Rohani. Furthermore, it has been reported that a few foreign national were also arrested, however there is currently no further information on the reason for their arrests. It is worth mentioning that during the 22 Bahman rally, fireworks in the centre of the city resulted in 6 trees being burnt in the northwest side of Park Daneshjoo.
The rights of the followers of ethnic – prisoners of conscience in Iran
1. Emaeddin Malazi, a Baluchi, a political prisoner in the central prison of Zahedan for four years, despite heart, stomach and nerve problems has been deprived of receiving treatments.
2. The two Sunnis prisoners Hamed Ahmadi and Jamshid Dehghani, who ended their hunger strike after 75 days, are now suffering from physical problems such as bone, knee, and stomach aches and are now having eating and digesting difficulties.
3. On Sunday 9th February, the Kurdish United Front meeting was attacked by intelligence and security officers and the meeting was prevented to continue. The leading members of the Kurdish United Front while condemning the Intelligence Bureau action also announced that these actions would not stop their activities.
4. On Monday 10th Feb, 25 family members of Sunni prisoners who are sentenced to death, gathered outside of presidential palace to meet Ali Younesi. These families who mostly have travelled from the city of Sanandaj to Tehran were not able to meet Ali Younesi and have been told that he is in a meeting. It worth mentioning that nearly 40 Sunnis prisoners sentenced to death are now in Evin and Ghezelhesar Rajayi Shahr prisons.
Press and cyberspace
1. Ali Abbasi, the Chief police officer of Production and Share of information of Ilam has announced that the identification and arrest of publisher of information and teaching of homosexuality in cyberspace in province of Ilam.
Other human rights violation
1. The Head of Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, Mr. Sattari despite continuous reports of the Medical Commission on the treatment of the sick prisoner Hussein Malaki sabotages the process.
2. On Saturday 8th February, Mohammad Amin Agoushi whose wife has been in coma for the passed two months has been refused of temporary release even though according to his relative she is in the state of dying.
3. On Sunday 9th February, prison authorities imposed new illegal restrictions for several times on political prisoners.
4. Hassan Taffah, an 86 -year-old prisoner who is suffering from leukaemia, following an extended medical leave has returned to Rajie Shahr prison.
5. Mohammad Poor Shajary reportedly due to neglect of authorities to his heart problem has refused all tests on his kidney.
6. On Tuesday 11th February Mohammad Dimevar, the deputy of Iran’s elementary education departments, have announced that, 39000 students have been stopped from education this year.
7. According to the news, Mohammad Banazadeh, Amir Khezri and Saleh Kohandel, the political prisoners in ward 12 of Rajayi shahr Prison in Karaj, despite their poor physical conditions have been deprived of receiving appropriate treatments.