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Iran: Clashes with repressive security forces in West Azerbaijan Province

According to reports, the residents of Ghole Rahsheh village near Sradasht  in West Azerbaijan Province (northwestern Iran) clashed with repressive State Security Force units in protest to the murder of one resident. One of the SSF agents on September 21st shot and killed Ahmad Satari on suspicion of having illegal goods. Protesting this crime, the villagers closed the village road and clashed with the SSF forces that intended to open the blockade, leading to the destruction of one SSF vehicle.

A mixed party was raided on Thursday night, and a young life ended

According to reports the Khorasan Police raided a mixed party and arrested 4 boys and 4 girls. One of the Girls for unknown reason fell off the balcony and died on impact. The police claims that the young women was attempting to escape arrest by jumping off the building. Iranian regime under the Isalmic law forbids mixed sex gatherings and imposes heavy sex segregation in Iranian schools, universities and other public places.

UN Experts Condemn Hanging of 17-year-old Alireza MollaSoltani

Four United Nations experts condemned the public execution by hanging of a 17-year-old AlirezaMolla Soltani. “We are outraged at the execution practice in Iran despite the international community’s and our repeated calls for a moratorium,” said the experts recalling that three juveniles have been executed in public so far this year in the country, according to reliable information. The UN Special Rapporteurs on Iran, on summary executions, on independence of the judiciary and on torture stressed, that “any judgment imposing the death penalty upon juveniles below the age of 18, and their execution, are incompatible with Iran’s international obligations.” In 2011 alone, over 200 people have been executed in Iran, the majority of whom were charged with drug-related offenses. It is widely accepted that the death penalty is an extreme punishment, and exception to the right to life, and that it may only be imposed for the most serious crimes. “We, however, regret that execution is common practice for people charged with drug-related offenses, which do not amount to the most serious crimes.” In most cases brought to the Special Rapporteurs’ attention, there have been concerns regarding fair trial safeguards and access to a lawyer and families. “We reiterate this clear message to the Government of Iran,” said the human rights experts, “to immediately implement a moratorium on the death penalty particularly in drug-related and juvenile cases.”

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UNHCR moves to protect Iranian refugees in Iraq

The UN. High commissioner for Human rights has recently received a significant number of individual requests for the determination of refugee status from residents in what it called Camp New Iraq or Camp Ashraf. Camp residents who have submitted requests are accordingly now formally asylum seekers under international law whose claims require adjudication. International law requires that they must be able to benefit from basic protection of their security and well-being. This includes protection against any expulsion or return to the frontiers of territories where their lives or freedom would be threatened (the non-refoulement principle).

UNHCR has requested the Government of Iraq to consider extending the deadline for the closure of the Camp and to provide the necessary facilities so that these requests for refugee status can be heard in a timely and proper manner. There is no formal requirement for individuals to disassociate themselves from the PMOI/MEK in order to apply for refugee status. Each individual case will be judged on its merits and in accordance with international law. The Iranian refugees in Camp Ashraf were attacked by the Iraqi forces on April 8, 2011 killing more than 30 people and injuring hundreds.

Baha’i student expelled from University

According to Harana, Ava Tavakoli, a student of Hormozgan University and a Baha’i resident of Bandar-Abbas has been expelled because of her faith after 4 semesters.

Khodadad Rashidi hanged in Urumieh for Moharebeh

 According to a report by Mukrian News Agency, Khodadad Rashidi was arrested five years ago, charged with the crime of Enmity with God (Moharebeh) and sentenced to death which was carried out yesterday Sept. 17. 

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According to a report by HRANA on August 24, a group of 30 activists regarding the Lake Urumieh were arrested by the regime’s Intelligence and security forces. Currently, fifteen individuals who were amongst those detained have been tried without being presented by counsel and sentenced to 2 years and 4 months in prison with 2 years of this prison term suspended. Fifteen others are still in a legal state of limbo. According to reports some of the detainee activists are on hunger strike.

Lake Urumieh has lost half of its water thus far. In some parts of the lake, water has receded as much as 10 Kilometers. It has been estimated that Lake Urumieh will dry out completely in three years if the current trend continues. 

Five Christians Sentenced to Prison

Last week, five Iranian Christians were sentenced to a total of 5 years in prison despite the fact that they were exonerated of all charges by a lower court. They were retried because the prosecutor had objected to the initial verdicts.

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Khamenei acknowledges velayat-e faqih’s loss of clout, fear of regional uprisings, attempts to export fundamentalism to the region

According to National Council Resistance of Iran’s statement on Sept. 8^th the remarks of the Iranian regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in his meeting on Thursday, September 8, with members of the mullahs’ Assembly of Experts was a display of the Velayat-e Faqih’s (supreme clerical rule) loss of clout and the regime’s fragile state on one hand and the mullahs’ fear of uprisings in the region as well as Khamenei’s futile attempt to take advantage of them.  Khamenei said: “Absolute clerical rule is a flexible concept of rule … which can rectify or amend a path wherever necessary.” He warned: “One must be wary of a dangerous misunderstanding of this concept by mixing flexibility with deviation and short-comings in the face of foreign pressures.” In an unprecedented acknowledgement, Khamenei described the concept of Velayat-e Faqih is Khomeini’s creation in the history of Islam, adding: “The establishment of a regime on the basis of Islamic jurisprudence was unprecedented prior to the Imam [Khomeini].

Referring to the downfall of the regimes in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, and Yemen, he said: “This is a great danger that regimes come to power in these countries based on Western models in the name of democracy” and “These nations’ religious elite must take over control of these nations’ affairs.” He added: “Here the [mullahs’ regime] can help these countries by introducing religious rule of people. Religious rule of people, which is our grand Imam’s innovation, can be a model for all these countries…This is our responsibility and must be carried so that the enemies of these nations are not able to use the void that has been created. This emptiness must be filled with Islam.” He admitted: “Sunni jurisprudence - whether the Shafi’i jurisprudence in Egypt or the Malikis in certain countries in that region, or the Hanaffis in certain countries” do not agree with the concept of Velayat-e Faqih.

Protests and Clashes in Azadi Stadium in Tehran

According to Freedom Messenger, young people turned a football match between “Isteghlal” and “Tractor Sazi” of Tabriz into a protest against the clerical regime. This protest was in response to the heroic uprising of the people of Tabriz and Uremia protesting against the repressive and destructive policies of the ruling religious fascism in Uremia. The clerical regime’s repressive forces had started checking vehicles coming from Azerbaijan to participate in this event from early morning hours, not permitting them to enter Tehran. Despite the controls close to one hundred thousand people in the stadium chanted anti regime slogans protesting against the government.

In addition thousands of people who could not get in the stadium started to protest outside the stadium, several of whom were wounded as a result of the suppressive forces attack and many more arrested. Protests started at 6pm with crowds chanting “The Uremia Lake is dying and the Parliament is helping its demise”. The suppressive forces fearing the spread of the demonstration, stopped many fans of the “Tractor Sazi” team from entering the stadium. This led to clashes between people and the suppressive forces at 6:15pm. Hundreds of people in Tabriz unexpectedly took to the streets and protested chanting slogans.

Iran: 14 executions and mass arrests

According to the Iranian regime’s state media, in the first eight months of 2011 alone, 206 prisoners have been executed. At the same time, at least 228 people have been secretly executed. Simultaneous with arbitrary executions, the regime has started mass arrests in various regions of the country. Based on Asr Iran website, In recent days in Kurdistan alone, 769 people have been arrested under the pretext of social security enhancement project.

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Thousands demonstrate in Tabriz and Urumieh in all-out uprisings

Thousands took to the streets in an all-out uprising Iranian northwestern city of Urumieh on Saturday, clashing with suppressive State Security Force units and chanting anti-government slogans. Various reports indicate up to 20,000 people took part in these demonstrations protesting the Iranian regime’s failure to halt the gradual disappearance of a vast salt lake that is crucial to the region’s economy. Clashes and hit-and-run skirmishes began at 12 noon and continued until hours into the night. Beginning outside the city’s governorate office, the enraged protesters managed to surround the building and thus expanded their demonstration to various districts and squares around the city. In Tabriz, a demonstration that began at 6 in the afternoon in the city Bazaar spread to local streets and continued to the main square with crowds numbering at over 4,000. The SSF units attacked the protesters by firing tear gas while the demonstrators remained steadfast by throwing stones. The protesters also chanted anti-government slogans during their confrontation with the regime’s forces. These demonstrations took place in support of Urumieh’s Bazaar merchants who had called for protests against the mullahs’ regime. According to Associated France Press, one of the largest salt lakes in the world and classified as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, Lake Orumiyeh has lost more than half of its surface over the last two decades due to drought and the damming of rivers feeding it. The lake could be dried out in the next two to four years and lead to apocalyptic consequences if no urgent action is taken, according to local officials and environmental experts. The lake’s disappearance would leave behind 10 billion tons of salt and jeopardise the lives of millions of people as well as the local agriculture. The mullha’s Majlis (parliament) refused in mid-August to fast-track a rescue plan presented by local lawmakers to save the lake, which is situated between East and West Azarbaijan provinces in the northwest. The refusal provoked Orumiyeh residents to demonstrate on August 27, only to be repressed by force.

Mullahs’ security forces attack Dervish communities in Fars Province

The Iranian regime’s State Security Force units and Special Anti-Riot Unit forces viciously attacked the Gonabadi dervish communities in the town of Kavar in Fars Province. The security forces fired tear gas and live rounds at the innocent civilians, resulting in a number of injuries. The attacking forces also raided a number of the dervishes’ stores and set them ablaze.

Mullahs’ increase pressure on political prisoner Hossein Ronaqi

The public prosecutor stationed in Tehran’s Evin Prison summoned political prisoner Hossein Ronaqi Malaki on Tuesday, August 30th to announce his sentencing issued by the regime’s “revolutionary” court. Ronaghi received a sentencing of 15 years of imprisonment issued by the Tehran Province Appeals Court and was asked to sign the writ announced to him. It is believed that this political prisoner has refused to sign the writ and public prosecutors have threatened to increase the pressure on him.

Baha’i Citizen Masoud Mahmoudi Detained

The security forces have arrested a Baha’I citizen, Masoud Mahmoudi and have transferred him to an unknown location. According to the Human Rights House of Iran, there are no reports as to the reason for his arrest or his whereabouts. Currently, several Baha’i citizens are serving their prison sentences in the Province of Khorasan.