NEWS))))))

5 political prisoners are under pressure for writing to UN’s special rapporteur on Human rights in Iran

According to Harana political prisoners in solitary confinement: Behrooz Javid Tehrani  who’s been in prison since the student uprising in 1999, Saleh Koahndel, Farzad Maddadzadeh, Mohamad Ali Mansouri and Afshin Baymani are under interrogations from the Intelligence ministry for writing to Ahmad Shahid, UN’s special rapporteur on human rights in Iran. Harana added that Baymani is on hunger strike ever since his transfer to the solitary confinement. 

Construction of five new prisons this year in Iran

According to Edalat on July 25, as the widespread arrests and repression by the dictatorship of the Iranian regime continues,  Pasdar Kowsari, vice-president of the security commission in the reactionary parliament (Iranian parliament), has announced construction of five new prisons in Tehran and other cities in the current year. A few days ago, Ismaili, head of the prisons and torture chambers, acknowledged the pitiable condition of health and Cholera outbreak, and over Populated prisons. He said that the number of prisoners is three times the current capacity of prisons.

More than 346000 related satellite equipment were confiscated in Iran

According to state media Mehr news agency, Hossein Ghassem Loui said that more than 130,000 satellite dishes, more than 2000 receivers, more than 2000 switchers and 5000 different satellite equipments were confiscated and 20 importers and installers were arrested. He warned those who import or sell satellite equipments and asked the people to cooperate with the authorities.

Official Child Labourers More Than 600,000 in Iran

 According to a report by Mehr News Agency, official statistics show that there are 380,000 children between the ages of 10 and 14 working throughout the year in Iran. Additionally, there are about 360,000 children working seasonally. Poverty, poor economy, insufficient economic growth and improper distribution of wealth are believed to be the main reasons causing such disturbing social phenomenon as child labour. In addition to the fact that various occupations requiring hard manual labour harm children psychologically and physically, since laws prohibit employers from hiring minors for such occupations, children are not protected by labour regulations or given any social benefits. While the official child labour statistics are published, there are thousands of children who work in black markets illegally.

NEWS))))))

Six of the Iranian regime’s troops killed in clashes with Kurd rebels

According to Associated France Press July 23 a senior officer of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards was among six soldiers killed in clashes with Kurdish rebels on the border with Iraq, Fars news agency reported on Friday. 'General Assemi of the Qom branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps was killed along with five clashes with PJAK (Party of Free Life of Kurdistan) in the Sardasht area. The Iranian troops launched a major offensive on Saturday against PJAK rebels operating out of rear-bases in neighboring Iraq. On Tuesday, the autonomous regional government in Iraqi Kurdistan demanded Iran respect the border after a Guards commander said Iranian forces had taken 'full control' of three PJAK camps inside Iraq. Iranian forces have repeatedly shelled border districts of Iraq’s Kurdish region, targeting PJAK bases.

The Iranian regime sentences 6 prisoners of conscience to death

Human rights activists in Iran reported on July 20 that the 28th branch of the Tehran Revolutionary Court headed by Judge Mohammad Moqiseh  sentenced six Kurd religious activists to death on charges of ‘terrorist measures’ and ‘being members of Salafi [religious Sunni] groups’. According to the Kurdistan Human Rights Watch, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced Behnam Rahimi, Asghar Rahimi, Yavar Rahimi, Mokhtar Rahimi, Bahman Rahimi and Mardan Maleki who are between the ages of 28 to 30 to death. This report says that these people were arrested two years ago in Sanandaj and were then transferred to Evin Prison. They were transferred to Rajayi Shahr Prison in Karaj  after a few months in Evin. Currently about 15 Kurd prisoners are on death row. 

 

Henchmen of clerical dictatorship exert excessive pressure on female political prisoners

Human rights website Edalat reported on July 20th that by transferring a number of female political prisoners from the Qarchek Prison in the city of Varameen to the infamous Evin Prison, this prison has become overcrowded even more. This occurs at a time when due to lack of sanitary and health measures as well as other pressures and inhumane treatment by the regime, most of the female political prisoners are suffering from various diseases, which have reached, in some cases, to very dangerous levels. Additionally, for some times now, the henchmen of the mullahs’ regime have denied any visits for the female political prisoners and have cut off their access to phone, Edalat reported.

NEWS))))))

The Iranian regime starts sexual segregation in universities

The sexual segregation plan that has been planned by the government and has obligated universities to carry it out is being openly carried out in Alameh University in a humiliating way. According to this plan the girls and boys will go to university on different days and the name of university professors have been put in black and grey lists to limit their communications with students of the opposite sex.

Iranian regime arrested 12 young men and women in mixed party in Qazvin

According to Human Rights Activists in Iran, on the night of July 8, security forces entered a private mixed party in the Haft Sangan Township in Qazvin and arrested 12 young people. According to reports, the forces arrested seven boys and five girls and took them to the police station. Two of the girls were released that night after signing a pledge but the others were taken to a detention center. 

Iranian regime sentences Dervishes to prison and flogging for protesting

Four Neimatollahi Dervishes were sentenced to prison terms and flogging by the first branch of the Sarvestan Public Court in Fars Province. According to reports, 11 months after a strike by Neimatollahi Dervishes  outside of the Sarvestan Governor’s Office, four Dervishes identified as Farzad Darvish  Sarvestani, Mohammad-Ali Sadi, Mohammad-Jalal Nikbakht Sarvestani and Hojjatollah Saiedi were sentenced to six months of prison and 40 lashes on charges of ‘disrupting public order’.

Girls forced to wear ‘chador’ in Bushehr’s schools

According to Bona State-run media July 13, the head of the Bushehr Educational Department said that the plan to carry out the Islamic covering and chador (head to toe covering for women) will be carried out from September 23 in the new academic year in 39 specific junior high and high schools in this province. He said that this plan would be implemented in all schools in the Bushehr province. “Students can enroll for the new school year from June 22 and since the Moral Charter was announced to schools, the students’ parents have to sign a pledge, otherwise they will not be able to enroll their children”. 

Iranian regime carries out new wave of arrests of Baha’is

In the ongoing measures carried out against Baha’is by the security apparatus, more than 10 people in Isfahan and Yakan in Birjand were arrested. According to Human Rights Activists in Iran,  July 14, on the eve of Tuesday July 12, agents of the Intelligence Agency in Isfahan went to the home of Navid Parvini during a religious ceremony called the ‘Feast’ and after searching his home and seizing his computer, books and religious booklets, arrested Navid and his wife Negar Sobhanian. Keivan Dehqani, Farshid Badakhsh and a number of other Baha’is (about 12 people) in the ceremony were also arrested and taken to an unknown location.

NEWS))))))

Azmayesh Factory workers stage protest gathering

Over 180 workers of the Azmayesh Factory in the city of Marvdasht in Shiraz Province located in central Iran staged a protest gathering last week. An eyewitness of this gathering said according to the factory’s annual schedule, the management of the company was to relieve the workers for a two week vacation on July 6th and close the factory. However, the workers staged a protest gathering saying how can we go on vacation when we haven’t received our paychecks for the past 6 months.

Bazaar on Strike in Javanroud

HARANA News Agency reported; all the merchants and shopkeepers in the Kurdish city of Javanroud in Kermanshah Province are on strike after a well-known local store owner was abducted and murdered. According to Human Rights Activists News Agency, Abdullah Visi was abducted by unidentified individuals on Wednesday, July 6, 2011, around 3:00pm while he was heading home after work. On the same day, this merchant’s jewelry store was also robbed by unknown individuals. Abdullah Visi was well known and respected for his charitable and benevolent donations in the city of Javanroud. For three days following his abduction, Abdullah Visi’s family didn’t know his whereabouts and had absolutely no news of him. On Friday, July 6, 2011, Abdullah Visi’s body was found in Kachal-Ava region near the city of Javanroud. Abdullah Visi’s funeral was held this morning at 9:30am while thousands of people from Javanroud and the outlining areas gathered in the city mosque for the procession to the cemetery. The attendees demanded that Javanroud officials take immediate action to investigate this crime.

Iranian regime planning new plots against political prisoners

Harana Report indicates the Iranian regime’s henchmen are planning new conspiracies against various political prisoners in Karaj’s Gohardasht Prison (west of Tehran) to impose further pressure against them and to file new cases against these prisoners to increase their prison terms. Based on other reports, the life of political prisoner Hossein Ronaghi is in danger after losing one of his kidneys under torture. He was convicted to 15 years behind bars for writing an article in his weblog and is now currently in critical conditions. The Iranian regime’s henchmen refuse to provide medical care or any kind of medication for him.

UK, U.S. and Canada step up travel curbs on Iran government

Reuters reported Jul 8, 2011 that Britain, the United States and Canada are increasing travel curbs on members of the Iranian government over Iran`s disputed nuclear program, Britain`s Foreign Office said in a statement. ’The UK is working closely with its partners to prevent a wide range of individuals connected with Iran`s nuclear enrichment and weaponization programs from entering our countries,’ Foreign Secretary William Hague said. ’These include scientists, engineers and those procuring components,’ he added. Hague said the measures were being coordinated with partners such as the United States and Canada.

NEWS))))))

Yosef Nadarkhani’s Death Penalty for Apostasy

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Yosef Nadarkhani has been charged with apostasy at the age of nineteen for converting to Christianity. Iranian judicial authorities also state that Yosef Nadarkhani has preached Christianity for years. Yosef Nadarkhani has been locked up in Rasht Prison since October 12, 2009. If the death penalty is carried out, it will be the first official hanging for apostasy and conversion to Christianity in the last twenty years. On December 3, 1990, Pastor Hussein Soudmand was hanged in Mashhad Prison for refusing to give up his Christian faith. Pastor Soudmand is the only priest who has been officially executed by the Islamic Judiciary Branch for apostasy and conversion to Christianity.

Political Prisoner Kourosh Kuhkan Might Lose His Leg

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Kourosh Kuhkan’s knee is severely infected such that if he doesn’t receive immediate medical attention, he might lose his leg entirely. The Iranian intelligence agents injured Kourosh Kuhkan’s knee during interrogations. After 17 months following this injury and repeated requests from him and his family, Kourosh Kuhkan was transferred to Taleghani Hospital to undergo a surgery after which he was locked up in Evin Prison again without any medical care or access to health care facilities. Kourosh Kuhkan was tried at the Revolutionary Court, Branch 26, and sentenced by Judge Peerabasi to three years and six months in prison and 74 lashes.

Political Prisoner Farah Vazehan in Urgent Need of Medical Treatment

Farah Vazehan, who is currently serving a 17 year prison sentence, is suffering from a tumour in her feet. Her physical well being is in grave danger and she is unable to perform mundane, daily tasks. Farah Vazehan was arrested on December 29, 2009 at her home in Tehran. Her arrest took place two days after the Ashura uprising and mass protests by citizens against the election results in Iran. She was transferred to solitary confinement at Evin’s ward 209. On August 4th, 2010, Vazehan was sentenced to death after eight months of temporary detention. The ruling was rendered by Judge Salavati of the Revolutionary Court’s 15th branch and Vazehan was charged with “participating in street protests”, “being a Mohareb -enemy of God- as a result of “collaboration with the Mojahedin Khalgh (MKO)” According to the Human Rights House of Iran (RAHAHA) despite suffering from an internal infection and her dire physical condition, her medical needs have been neglected to date. Vazehan’s family have requested that the prosecutor’s office grant her furlough from prison in order to receive medical treatment, but have not yet received a response to their request.