Sunday, February 18, 2018

NEWS))))))

In a Conference called “Iran Uprising and the Role of Women” in Paris, France on February 17, Maryam Rajavi the president elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, hailed the great women of Iran who stood up against the tyranny and the brutality of fundamentalist Iranian regime. Maryam Rajavi accompanied by lawmakers, dignitaries and women rights activists from France, Britain, Germany, USA, Italy, Spain, Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Syria and a dozen other countries in the Conference. Mrs. Rajavi said the International Women’s Day is a day to be proud of, celebrate and admire because the women of Iran have taken major strides at the forefront of the fight against fundamentalism, the enemy of Women the world over. She said hail to the Women of Syria who have hoisted the banner of hope in the midst of the ruins of a country with 10 million homeless and 500 thousand victims. Maryam Rajavi added: 'The clerical regime’s leaders confess that the main ring inciting the uprisings are made up of women. And I would like to add that the main ring for regime change in Iran are also women. 'Women have not taken to the streets to demand anything from but to annihilate the clerical regime. Women have not risen up to demand only their own freedom but to liberate the whole nation.

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The political prisoner Atena Daemi in an audio message from the Quarantine ward of Qarchak Prison in Varamin said: “I ended my hunger strike today, February 15, to stay alive and remain as a thorn in the eyes of my enemies.”
In another part of her audio message, she says, “I end my hunger strike so that my pen will continue to target your hearts. And I tell you, ‘Don’t tire yourselves because I will never back down from my positions. I will never apologize for the crime I have not committed, because as a human being I am entitled to freedom of speech, opinion and protest, and no one should deprive me of my rights. Atena Daemi also noted the critical conditions of Golrokh Iraee who is still on hunger strike. She said in part, “On Tuesday, February 13, Golrokh switched her dry hunger strike back to wet due to her deteriorating conditions. Now, she is taking only water, sugar and salt. She is not well. I will continue to support her with all my existence and together, we are going to insist that the principle of the separation of prisoners’ categories must be upheld.”
Atena revealed in her audio message that after arresting her mother and sister on Tuesday, February 13, Evin Prison officials had beat them up with batons and electric shockers. After a few hours, they demanded them to convince Atena to stop sending declarations out of the prison. When her mother and sister refused to accept this demand, they told them to sign papers pledging that Atena will not send out any more declarations.
Atena and Golrokh started their hunger strike on Feb. 3 when political prisoners  Arash Sadeghi(Golrokh's husband) and Soheil Arabi showed thier solidarity and joined their hunger strike. The Iranian resistance on Feb. 13 called on all human and women rights activists urging them to take urgent action to save Atena and Golrokh's lives.
Another revelation in Ms. Daemi’s message was that the head of the staff of the Women’s Ward in Evin had told the Prosecutor in front of the ward’s prisoners, that they had not complained from Atena Daemi and Golrokh Iraee and that they should not blame her staff for the prisoners’ transfer to Qarchak.
At the same time, the letter signed by prisoners of the Women’s Ward of Evin refuted another false claim by Haj Moradi, the Prosecutor, that they had demanded the transfer of their two fellow inmates.
According to Atena Daemi in this audio message, officials of Evin Prison had declared that “if Atena and Golrokh sign a pledge and apologize, we will transfer them back to Evin in an hour.” Ms. Daemi responded, “I will never apologize for the crime I have not committed.”
In her message, she reiterated, “Be aware that I do not want to commit suicide, and I do not have any desire to die. To the last drop of my existence I will stand up to these insatiable (power)-hungry people. And whatever happens to me or Golrokh, it is none but murder.”
In this message, Atena Daemi urged all human rights activists and international organizations to “pay more attention” to the situations of Golrokh Iraee and Soheil Arabi who are still on hunger strike, and “do not spare any effort to save their lives.”

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Civil rights activist Kobra Khalandi was taken to Mahabad Prison, in Iranian Kurdistan, on February 12, to start serving her prison term. Ms. Khalandi had been sentenced to 75 days of prison by the Sharia Court of Mahabad for participating in a demonstration on September 4, 2017, in protest to the arbitrary killing of two Kurdish porters directly shot by border security forces. The civil rights activist was arrested along with a number of other Kurds on September 10, and was temporarily released on bail bond of 50 million toumans.

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Kurdish political prisoner Zeinab Jalalian’s father said that he has not been able to visit his daughter for over two months. Mr. Ali Jalalian expressed concern about health and eye conditions of her imprisoned daughter Zeinab who's in prison since 2008. She is presently incarcerated in the Prison of Khoy, a city in Eastern Azerbaijan Province.
He said, “The last time I met Zeinab, her eye conditions were terrible. Her vision was practically impaired. She needs to be operated on in a hospital outside prison. But she has not been allowed to do so, so far. We have requested prison officials several time to let her have a leave. They demanded documents (to be deposited with prison authorities). We prepared the documents they needed, but still, they did not let her leave. While all prisoners are using leaves, but Zeinab has been deprived of even medial leave for 11 years. The situation is very difficult. Her young days are being spent in prison and her health is in danger.” Mr. Jalalian added that in addition to vision impairment, Zeinab also suffers from gastrointestinal problems. “She has been in pain for several years, but no one pays any attention to her,” he said.

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According to state-run ISNA Feb. 14, there are 150,000 illiterate women in Khuzistan which is 65 per cent of the total number of illiterates in this southwestern oil-rich province in Iran. Moussa Sheikh, deputy director for literacy at the Department of Education, said there are 230,000 illiterates between 10 to 49 years of age in Khuzistan, 35 per cent of whom or 80,000, are men and 65 per cent 150,000 are women. According to a recent survey, there are 1.7 million women in Iran between 10 and 49 years who are absolutely illiterate. Iran ranks 120th in the world with a total of 9.5 million illiterates in the country.

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According to NCRI 10 prisoners were hanged on Feb. 14, 2018 in Gohardasht Karaj Prison. The three prisoners were transferred back to prison after witnessing the executions of their cell mates, while they were not able to speak.