Violation of Human Rights in Iran during a Week 20 January 2013

At a Glance

Violation of Human Rights in Iran during a Week

20 January 2013

International Condemnation of Violation of Human Rights in Iran

 

EUROPEA1 U1IO1                                                                        Brussels, 11 January 2013

A 11/13

Statement by the spokesperson of EU High Representative Catherine

Ashton on the imminent execution of Zanyar Moradi and Loghman

Moradi

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/134652.pdf

The spokesperson of Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission, issued the following statement today:

The High Representative is concerned by reports that the execution of Zanyar Moradi and Loghman Moradi, members of the Kurdish Komalah Party, who were sentenced to death on charges of murder, is imminent. She is worried by claims that the two individuals confessed under torture and she appeals for clemency.

This seems to point to a disturbing consistency in the extensive use of capital punishment, as confirmed by the high number of executions carried out in Iran throughout 2012.

The EU holds a strong, principled position against the death penalty. It calls on Iran, as it does on all states which insist on maintaining capital punishment, to halt all pending executions and to introduce a moratorium on the death penalty.

Iran – Musicians’ arrest (January 11, 2013)

http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files/iran-301/events-2790/article/iran-musicians-arrest-11-01-13
France deplores the arrest of five members of a music group deemed illegal by the Iranian authorities.
This arrest comes at a time of growing repression of the arts community in Iran.
We call on the Iranian authorities to end the repeated hindrances to the work of Iranian artists and guarantee full respect for freedom of expression, in accordance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran subscribed.

Execution

PUBLIC STATEMENT

17 January 2013                                                                    AI Index: MDE 13/003/2013

Iran: Death row prisoners must not be executed
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/MDE13/003/2013/en/ea9bc64b-818a-42ea-bc70-0c1a28d04650/mde130032013en.html
Amnesty International is alarmed by recent reports indicating that the implementation of the death sentences of three prisoners – two from Iran’s Kurdish minority, Zaniar Moradi and Loghman Moradi, and one who is a member of Iran’s Azerbaijani minority who is also a follower of the Ahl-e Haq faith, Yunes Aghayan – may be imminent. The organization is calling on the Iranian authorities to halt their executions and to overturn their death sentences. They must be granted re-trials in proceedings which comply with international standards, and without recourse to the death penalty.
Amnesty International is also deeply concerned that these three men have alleged that they were tortured or otherwise ill-treated in detention in order to force them to “confess” and were sentenced to death after unfair trials. Where individuals face the ultimate penalty of execution, it is all the more important that their trials adhere scrupulously to international fair trial standards.
Amnesty International urges the Iranian government to impose a moratorium on all executions, and to ratify promptly and without reservation the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Effective measures should be put in place to ensure that no one held in Iran is tortured or otherwise ill-treated and that anyone suspected of torture or other ill-treatment is prosecuted and brought to trial in fair proceedings, without recourse to the death penalty.
Zaniar and Loghman Moradi
Zaniar (or Zanyar) Moradi and Loghman (or Loqman) Moradi are currently held in Raja’i Shahr Prison, northwest of Tehran. They were arrested, respectively, on 1 August 2009 and 17 October 2009 in Marivan, Kordestan province, north-eastern Iran. They were held without charge by the Ministry of Intelligence for the first nine months of their detention in various detention centres -during which time they are reported to have had no access to a lawyer - before being transferred to Section 209 of Tehran’s Evin Prison which is also under the control of the Ministry of Intelligence.
On 12 November 2010, before their trial, Zaniar Moradi and Loghman Moradi were featured in a programme called “Iran Today, Komalah Terrorist Organization” aired by Press TV, a news network owned by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), in which they purportedly “confessed” to the 4 July 2009 murder in Marivan of the son of a senior cleric, the Imam who leads the Friday prayers there. The alleged “confessions” which were reportedly video-taped during their pre-trial detention were broadcast along with scenes showing Loghman Moradi at the Imam’s house confessing to the murder of the Imam’s son. The broadcasting of such “confessions” prior to trial is a violation of the presumption of innocence, and a breach of their right to a fair trial.
They were sentenced on 22 December 2010 to hanging in public by Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court after being convicted of “enmity against God” (moharebeh), and the murder of the son. They were also convicted of participating in armed activities with Komala, a banned Iranian Kurdish opposition group. They had very limited access to a lawyer in their court hearing which reportedly lasted only a few minutes.
One week after their court hearing Zaniar Moradi and Loghman Moradi were transferred to Raja’i Shahr Prison where they wrote an open letter retracting their purported “confessions” and stating that during their interrogation during pre-trial detention they were forced to “confess” to the allegations of murder after being tortured. According to this letter they were repeatedly tortured during their interrogations including by beatings, including on the sexual organs, sleep deprivation, and threats of sexual assault, including rape. Zaniar Moradi in this letter wrote: “I did not confess to any of the charges until they threatened me with rape. They brought a bottle and said that I had to confess otherwise they would make me sit on the bottle.”
In January 2012, the Supreme Court upheld the sentences. Later that month, an order for the implementation of the sentence was sent to the relevant office of the Judiciary in Tehran.
Under Iranian law, the punishment for murder is termed qesas-e nafs, or ‘retribution’, by which a convicted murder may be executed in retaliation for the death caused. Blood relatives of a murder victim are entitled under Iranian law to either demand the execution of the convicted individual or to pardon them, usually in exchange for compensation known as “blood money”. The regulations governing executions require the presence of the victim’s blood relatives in order to carry out the sentence.
In early January 2013, news suggesting that the execution of Zaniar Moradi and Loghman Moradi may be imminent began circulating on the internet. Amnesty International received information indicating that the Imam whose son was killed and the Prosecutor of Kordestan may have travelled to Tehran, raising concerns that plans were underway for the imminent implementation of the two men’s death sentences.
Yunes Aghayan

Yunes Aghayan was transferred from Mahabad Prison, in West Azerbaijan Province, north-west Iran on 26 December 2012 to solitary confinement in Oroumieh Prison prompting concerns his death sentences may be about to be carried out. Death row prisoners are generally transferred to solitary confinement shortly before their executions take place. Yunes Aghayan started a “dry” hunger strike (refusing water as well as food) on the same day. As he is held incommunicado, it is not known whether he remains on hunger strike.

Yunes Aghayan was arrested in around November 2004, following at least two clashes in September 2004 between members of a group of Ahl-e Haq followers and police. The group had refused to take down religious slogans at the entrance to their cattle farm in Uch Tepe, West Azerbaijan Province. During the clashes, five Ahl-e Haq followers and at least three members of the security forces were killed. Yunes Aghayan’s family has firmly denied his involvement in the 2004 clashes, insisting that he was a worker in the cattle farm. Yunes Ahayan has stated that during his pre-trial detention he was subjected to torture and other ill-treatment. This allegation is not known to have been investigated.
Yunes Aghayan and four others were tried before Branch 2 of the Mahabad Revolutionary Court. In January 2005, Yunes Aghayan and Mehdi Qasemzadeh were sentenced to death for “enmity against God” (moharebeh). Their sentences were upheld by the Supreme Court in April 2005. Mehdi Qasemzadeh was executed around 28 February 2009. The three others - Sehend Ali Mohammadi, Bakhshali Mohammadi, and Ebadollah Qasemzadeh - were also initially sentenced to death, but their death sentences were overturned by the Supreme Court in September 2007. In 2009 they were reported to be serving 13-year prison sentences in internal exile in Yazd Province, central Iran.�
Background
In 2012, the Iranian authorities are believed to have executed over 500 people, including over 180 executions that have not been officially announced. The majority of those executed were convicted of drug trafficking.
Members of the Kurdish minority live mainly in the west and north-west of the country, in the province of Kordestan and neighbouring provinces bordering Kurdish areas of Turkey and Iraq. At the time of writing over 20 Kurdish prisoners are believed to be on death row in connection with their alleged membership of and activities for proscribed Kurdish organizations. At least seven Kurds were executed on 26 December 2012 in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj near Tehran on charges of “membership in Salafist groups" and "participation in terrorist acts, including the assassination of a Friday prayer Imam in Sanandaj in 2009".
The Ahl-e Haq are followers of a religion sharing aspects of Islam’s tenets founded in the 14th century, who live mainly in Iraq and western Iran. Most members are Kurdish, with smaller numbers from other ethnic minorities including Azerbaijanis.
While Article 3(14) of the Iranian Constitution guarantees equality to minorities in Iran, members of Iran’s religious and ethnic minorities face widespread religious, economic and cultural discrimination in laws and practice, as well as in their interactions with the judicial system. The Ahl-e Haq faith is not recognized under Iranian law and its rituals are prohibited. Under Article 13 of Iran’s Constitution, only three religious minorities – Zoroastrians, Jews and Christians – are entitled to practise their faith. The Ahl-e Haq are also banned from discussing their faith with the media.
Prolonged detention without charge facilitates torture or other ill-treatment and is in contravention of fair trial standards. Iranian law prevents suspects from having access to a lawyer until charges are formally brought, which can take months.
Under Article 38 of the Iranian Constitution and Article 9 of the Law on Respect for Legitimate Freedoms and Safeguarding Citizens’ Rights, all forms of torture for the purpose of obtaining “confessions” are prohibited. Iran’s Penal Code also provides for the punishment of officials who torture citizens in order to obtain “confessions”. However, despite these legal and constitutional guarantees regarding the inadmissibility of testimony, oath, or confession taken under duress, forced “confessions” are sometimes broadcast on television even before the trial has concluded and are generally accepted as evidence in Iranian courts. Such broadcasts violate Iran’s fair trial obligations under Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which it is a state party. They also violate Iranian law, including Article 37 of the Constitution, Article 2 of the 2004 Law on Respect for Legitimate Freedoms and Safeguarding Citizens’ Rights and Note One to Article 188 of Iran’s Criminal Code of Procedure which criminalizes the publishing of the name and identity of a convict in the media before a final sentence has been passed.

 

Iran executes alleged juvenile offender

18 January 2013

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/iran-executes-alleged-juvenile-offender-2013-01-18

“Ali Naderi’s execution shows Iran’s deplorable disregard for international standards on the death penalty.”

Ann Harrison, Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa Deputy Programme Director

Fri, 18/01/2013

The execution in Iran this week of a 21-year-old man for a crime he allegedly committed while apparently still a juvenile shows a deplorable disregard for international law, Amnesty International said.

According to state-run media agency Mehr, Ali (Kianoush) Naderi was executed in Raja’i Shahr Prison in Karaj, north-west of Tehran on Wednesday.

He had been sentenced to death for his alleged role in the murder more than four years ago - when he was apparently still only 17 years old - of an elderly woman during the course of a burglary.

Those under the age of 18 at the time of their alleged offence are considered to be children under international law and their execution is strictly prohibited

Two other youths involved in the robbery received 15 years’ imprisonment each for theft convictions.

“Ali Naderi’s execution shows Iran’s deplorable disregard for international standards on the death penalty,” said Ann Harrison, Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme.

“Iran is one of the very few countries in the world where executions of juvenile offenders are still carried out, in contravention of its international human rights obligations.

“The Iranian authorities must immediately end the use of the death penalty against juvenile offenders.”

Of the more than 500 people known to have been executed in Iran in 2012, at least one of them was an alleged juvenile offender, who was executed in public in March.

Despite this, the age of criminal responsibility in Iran is still “maturity”, meaning nine lunar years for girls and 15 lunar years for boys.

A state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) since 1975, Iran ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1994. The Committee on the Rights of the Child which oversees the CRC has stated that Iran’s reservation that it would not implement articles contrary to Islamic law “raises concern as to its compatibility with the object and purpose” of the treaty.

Proposed amendments to Iran’s Penal Code, which have not yet come into force, would end the use of the death penalty against juvenile offenders for some crimes such as drug trafficking, but not for murder.

In his most recent report in September 2012, Ahmed Shaheed, the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran called on the Iranian authorities to abolish capital punishment in juvenile cases.

In March 2013, Iran’s human rights record will be discussed by the UN’s Human Rights Council. Its continuing high rate of executions and the practice of executing juveniles for murder are two reasons why Iran’s human rights record remains a matter of international concern.

 

Arab Iranian activists' death sentences approved

http://www.ifex.org/iran/2013/01/14/death_penalty_for_activists/

 (ANHRI/IFEX) - 14 January 2013 - The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) denounces the Iranian authorities' decision to ratify the death sentences of five Ahwazi activists [Arab Iranian] accused of “enmity against God and the prophet and undermining the regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran”.

Judge Faragallah Ga'am Maghami of Iran's Supreme Court ratified the activists' sentences on 9 January 2013 on charges of spawning mischief, stirring up propaganda against the Islamic Republic, and threatening national security. They were charged for resisting the authorities' restrictions on Arab Iranians' right to use their original language, Arabic, freely and to establish peaceful organisations.

Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and National Security arrested Hashim Shabani Nejad, a blogger and teacher of Arabic literature, Hadi Rachedi, a chemistry teacher, Mohammad Ali Amuri Nejad, a blogger, Jaber Al-Bushoke and his brother Mokhtar Al-Bushoke in the spring of 2011. They were tortured into making false confessions and despite the doubts surrounding those confessions, the activists were still sentenced to death.

According to ANHRI, the practices used by the Iranian regime against Ahwazi citizens go against the Iranian Constitution, which provides under Article 15 that "the official language and script of Iran, the lingua franca of its people, is Persian. Official documents, correspondence, and texts, as well as text-books, must be in this language and script. However, the use of regional and tribal languages in the press and mass media, as well as for teaching of their literature in schools, is allowed in addition to Persian."

Article 16 of the Constitution states that "since the language of the Qur'an and Islamic texts and teachings is Arabic, and since Persian literature is thoroughly permeated by this language, it must be taught after elementary level, in all classes of secondary school and in all areas of study."

Article 26 stipulates that "the formation of parties, societies, political or professional associations, as well as religious societies, whether Islamic or pertaining to one of the recognized religious minorities, is permitted provided they do not violate the principles of independence, freedom, national unity, the criteria of Islam, or the basis of the Islamic Republic. No one may be prevented from participating in the aforementioned groups, or be compelled to participate in them."

ANHRI calls on the Iranian authorities to revoke the death sentences and to release the activists. The organisation also calls for an open discussion to be established with Arab Iranians in order to find out what their demands are and to reach an agreement with them accordingly.

 

Iran must immediately revoke the death sentences of prisoners of conscience

Last Update 15 January 2013

http://www.fidh.org/Iran-must-immediately-revoke-the-12723

Karim Lahidji, vice president of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and president of the Iranian League for the Defence of Human Rights (LDDHI), said today:

“The Iranian authorities regularly impose the death penalty for all forms of dissent. The ethnic communities, and in particular the Iranian Arabs, Kurds and Baluchis, are regularly targeted for demanding their rights, and occasionally members of these communities and their family members fall victim to the vengeance of authorities. The authorities also regularly ignore the strict ban under international law on execution of children. The Iranian government must immediately revoke the death sentences of activists from ethnic communities as well as all prisoners of conscience and join the accelerating worldwide trend to abolish the death penalty."

The Iranian authorities are threatening prisoners of conscience from the Iranian ethnic minorities, notably the Kurds and Arabs, with a new wave of executions.

The spectre of death is threatening two young Kurdish men: Zanyar Moradi and Loqman Moradi. These two men were sentenced to death for allegedly murdering the son of a local cleric based on confessions that were coerced. The judge admitted their coerced pre-trial confessions despite their denials in court. Furthermore, in keeping up with their unethical and illegal methods, the authorities televised the confessions on Press TV, the extra-territorial TV channel of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Special Rapporteur for the situation of human rights in Iran, Dr Ahmed Shaheed, noted in his report in September 2012: “According to reliable sources, both men [Zanyar and Loqman Moradi] vehemently denied the charges, but were forced to confess as a result of severe beatings and threats of rape and arrest of family members… Reliable sources reported that both men were forced to rehearse answers to questions they were asked during the televised interview.” [1] According to the families of the two men, orders have been issued for implementation of their death sentences.

In addition, the Supreme Court has reportedly upheld the death sentences of five Iranian Arab prisoners of conscience, who were arrested in February 2011 and sentenced on ambiguous charges such as moharebeh (fighting against God) and corruption on earth: Mohammad Ali Ammorynejad (engineer, blogger and former teacher), Hadi Rashedi (high school teacher), Hashem Sha’baninejad (poet and teacher), Jaber al-Boushaka, and Mokhtar al-Boushaka. The latter two are brothers.

Background Information

The Iranian authorities have repeatedly executed cultural, religious and political activists in areas populated by ethnic communities.

In May 2011, at least eight members of the Arab community were executed in Ahvaz, provincial capital of the Khuzestan province. One of them, Hashem Hamidi, was believed to be 16 years old at the time; three of them were hanged in public. The secret execution of four Arab political prisoners, including three brothers, in Ahvaz in June 2012 [2] sparked widespread local protests. “In a video plea to the Special Rapporteur, all four defendants denied the charges and maintained that they were tortured for the purpose of soliciting confessions.” [3]

Ten ‘Salafist’ Kurdish prisoners, who were charged with involvement in assassination of a cleric, were tried in July 2011 and sentenced to death. Six of them were executed in late December 2012. The fate of the other four is unknown. Also, in recent years, a number of Kurdish, Arab and Baluch minority activists have been victims of extrajudicial killings and others have died in custody possibly as a result of torture.

Currently, more than 40 prisoners of conscience and political prisoners are known to be on death row. These include four more members of the Arab community who were convicted of moharebeh and other vague charges, 15-20 Kurdish and several Baluch people, some persons accused of contacts with opposition groups abroad, and a few web and programming experts. The real total number may be much higher as the Iranian authorities do not provide the information regarding the death sentences imposed and carried out, in particular on prisoners of conscience and political prisoners.

Thousands of prisoners are believed to be on death row in Iran. In December 2009, head of the Prisons Organisations estimated that there were 4,000 death-row inmates, but the authorities do not consider qesas (retaliatory death) sentence as part of this count. In late October 2012, Mr. Mehdi Mahmoudian, a journalist who is serving a five-year prison sentence in Rajaishahr prison for exposing police atrocities in illegal detention centres, reported that there were 1,117 death-row inmates, including 734 sentenced to qesas, in that prison alone that does not even hold drug-related convicts. Most victims of the death penalty in Iran are charged with drugs-related offences. However, the Iranian law denies the death-row drug-related convicts the right to appeal.

There are about 20 categories of offences punishable by death under the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and it is regularly imposed for charges related to drugs, religion, consensual sex between adults of different sexes or same sex, alcohol, and vague offences such as moharebeh and corruption on earth. In the first week of January, two people were even sentenced to death for using knives to extort money from other persons, which has no legal basis.

The trials, and in particular in political cases, often fail to satisfy the legal standards under Iran’s own highly flawed justice system, where confessions extracted under torture, and frequently televised, are admitted in court. Under these circumstances, they also fail to meet the standards of fair trial and guarantees of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a State party.

 

IRAN: Two prisoners to be hanged on Wednesday, one in public

Tuesday, 15 January 2013

http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/human-rights/12691-iran-two-prisoners-to-be-hanged-on-wednesday-one-in-public

NCRI – The Iranian regime’s judiciary in eastern city of Mashhad said in statement on Tuesday that two prisoners are scheduled to be hanged in cities of Mashhad and Sabzevar in eastern Iran.  The statement reiterated that the hanging in Sabzevar will take place in public.
The website of Iranian regime’s judiciary in Khorasn Razavi province, in which the cities are located, said that the in city of Mashhad the hanging will take place in the city’s central prison.
Mashahd is the second largest city in Iran with population of almost 3 million and Sabzevar has a population of over 200,000.
Persian Source: http://sabzevarema.com/show_news.php?c=4060
http://sabzevarema.com/show_news.php?c=4072

 

A Prisoner Hanged in Shahr-e Kord, Iran

Tuesday, 15 January 2013

http://www.en-hrana.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=787:1&catid=15:execution&Itemid=10

HRANA News Agency – a prisoner convicted of rape was hanged in Shahr-e Kord Central Prison.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), quoted from IRIB News, local judiciary authority in Shahr-e Kord informed a prisoner convicted of raping a 21 male citizen was hanged on Sunday, January 13, 2013.

Ahmad Bahrami said: “the person who was hanged and his friends kidnapped a 21 years old boy and raped him while video tapped it by mobile.”

“Pardon and Forgiving Committee rejected the pardon requests for them two times. one of them was sentenced to death and others 100 lashes in public.” He added.

There have been hanged 6 prisoners convicted of rape since the first of this year (Persian calendar) in Chahar Mahal-o Bakhtiari Province.
Persian Source: http://www.azadinews.ir/article.asp?id=20347

 

Four Prisoners Executed In Iran Today: A Juvenile Offender Among Those Executed According To Unofficial Source

http://iranhr.net/spip.php?article2680

Iran Human Rights, January 16, 2013: Four prisoners were hanged in two different Iranian prisons reported the official Iranian media today.
Two of the prisoners were hanged in the Rajai Shahr prison of Karaj (west of Tehran). According to the state run Iranian news agency Mehr, one of the prisoners was a "young boy" who was convicted of murdering an old woman in 2008. The other prisoner was a "young man" convicted of murdering a man in 2007, said the report. Age and names of none of the prisoners were mentioned in the report.
According to the website of the "human rights and democracy activists in Iran" (HRDAI) the boy who was convicted of murdering the old woman was Kianoosh Naderi born in 1991. He was a minor at the time of committing the alleged offence said the group. Iran Human Rights (IHR) is investigating this case further.
Two prisoners executed in north-eastern Iran: One of them hanged in public
According to the state run Iranian news agency Aftab, two prisoners were hanged in north-eastern province of Khorasan early this morning January 16. According to the report one of the prisoners was hanged publicly in the town of Sabzevar while the other prisoner was hanged in the prison of Mashhad. Both the prisoners were convicted of rape and age and name of none of them were mentioned in the report.
Persian Source:  http://www.mehrnews.com/fa/newsdetail.aspx?NewsID=1792752

 

A Kurdish political prisoner from Salmas has been sentenced to death

Tuesday, 15 January 2013

http://www.en-hrana.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=786:1&catid=14:ethnic-minorities&Itemid=9

HRANA News Agency –  The execution verdict of Reza Mollazadeh, Kurdish political prisoner from Salmas has been confirmed by supreme court and the confirmation of the execution verdict by the supreme court, makes him in danger of execution.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Reza Mollazadeh 25 year old, the son of Ahmad Mollazadeh from Ashnak village belongs to Salmas city has been arrested lately summer of 2011 when he was entering to Paveh by Iranian revolutionary guards and been transferred to one of the Iranian revolutionary guards' detention center in Kermanshah. 

Since his detention despite the following up of his father through Iranian Intelligence and security sections, his family could not find out about his situation until last week that Reza Mollazadeh called his family from Evin prison and informed them about his execution verdict in accusation of PJAK membership.

Meanwhile, his father, Ahmad Mollazadeh has been summoned to Salmas intelligence office many times and been interrogated and threatened. During the interrogations his father has been threatened that if he will follow up his son's situation anymore, it will have bad consequences for him.

 

URGENT: Three Prisoners Scheduled To Be Hanged Publicly In Southern Tehran Tomorrow

http://iranhr.net/spip.php?article2681

Iran Human Rights, January 16, 2013: According to reliable sources In Iran, three prisoners are scheduled to be hanged in public in Pakdasht (25 kilometers south of Tehran).

One of the prisoners has reportedly slit his wrist to avoid being executed tomorrow. He was taken with the other prisoners for execution tomorrow. Two of the prisoners are from Rajai Shahr Prison while the third prisoner is from Varamin Prison.
Earlier today six people were hanged in three different cities in Iran. One of the prisoners was hanged in public (above picture). One of the prisoners, who was executed in Rajai Shahr Prison today, was a possible juvenile offender.

 

Mohammad Ali Amoori, prisoner who sentenced to death, deprived to meet his lawyer

Friday, 18 January 2013

http://www.en-hrana.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=798:1&catid=12:prisoners&Itemid=12

HRANA News Agency– Karoun prison officials on Monday, January 14th, refused Mohammad Ali Amoori's meeting with his lawyer.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), while Dr. Ehsan Mo'azedi was going to meet his client Mohammad Ali Amoori, the prison officials prevented the meeting.

Branch 32 of supreme court under the administration of judge Reza Farajollahi and the other judges including Qaem Maqami and Lotfi, informed the death verdict of Mohammad Ali Amoorinezhad, Hadi Rashedi, Hashem Sha'baninezhad, Mokhtar Alboshokeh and Yabar Alboshokeh to their lawyers.

Banning their visit is considered by the prison officials without any reason and until now nobody is responder to the prisoners objection.

Engineer Mohammad Ali Amoori, born on 1978 is a weblogger and graduated of natural resources - fisheries and aquaculture from Esfahan industrial university, also one of the founders of Alterath student magazine which was publishing in Esfahan industrial university. He was also teacher in Rashir's high-schools.

 

Two men hanged in public in Pakdasht

Friday, 18 January 2013

http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/human-rights/12703-photo-iran-18-jan-2013-two-men-hanged-in-public-in-pakdasht

NCRI – The Iranian regime’s henchmen hanged two prisoners on Friday in the center of city of Pakdasht, 25 kilometers south of Tehran with population of almost 150,000, state-run news agency ISNA reported.
In the year 2012 at least 62 persons were hanged in public in cities across Iran.
The Iranian regime’s henchmen in city of Sabzevar also hanged a man in public on Wednesday (January 16, 2013). On the same day another prisoner was lashed in public in Sabzevar.

Persian Source: http://www.mashreghnews.ir/fa/news/186893/%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%AF%D9%88-%D9%86%D9%81%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D9%85%D8%AA%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%88%D8%B2%DB%8C%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%B9%D9%86%D9%81-%D8%AA%D8%B5%D8%A7%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%B1

 

Public Hangings in Pakdasht (Yesterday) and Urmia (Today)- Two Men Are Scheduled To Be Hanged Publicly In Tehran Tomorrow

http://iranhr.net/spip.php?article2685

Iran Human Rights, January 19, 2013: Two men were publicly hanged in Pakdasht (South of Tehran) yesterday morning reported the official Iranian media today.
The men were identified as "Siyavash" (27) and "Mahmood" (28) and were convicted of rape, said the state run Fars news agency.
Iran Human Rights (IHR) had warned about the scheduled public hanging of Siyavash and Mahmood (from Rajai Shahr prison) and a third man (from Varamin prison) in Pakdasht on Thursday. According to our reports Siyavash had slit his wrist to avoid being executed. We have no news of the third man who was scheduled to be executed in Pakdasht.
Public hanging in Urmia:
A young man identified as Hamed (23) was publicly hanged in the city of Urmia (north-western Iran) early this morning. According to the state run ISNA news agency the prisoner was convicted of murdering another young man.
Two men scheduled to be hanged publicly in Tehran tomorrow:
According to the state run Fars news agency, two prisoners are scheduled to be executed in public in Tehran tomorrow morning Sunday January 20. The men were arrested 35 days ago and convicted of "Moharebeh" and "Corruption on earth" for forcefully (using a knife) stealing from a man about 50 days ago. The footage of the stealing episode was spread on the YouTube.
Last week another man was hanged publicly in a football stadium in Sabzevar (northeastern Iran)and the flogging sentences of four men were carried out publicly in Sabzevar and Akman (near Semnan).

Persian Source: http://orumiyeh.isna.ir/Default.aspx?NSID=5&SSLID=46&NID=8235

Vahid Asghari’s Death Sentence Was Confirmed/ Case Sent back to the Supreme Court Again

Sunday, 20 January 2013

http://www.en-hrana.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=804:1&catid=12:prisoners&Itemid=12

HRANA News Agency– The death sentence of Vahid Asghari which was rejected by the branch six of Supreme Court was confirmed again by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court and referred to the Supreme Court.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Vahid Asghari is an Iranian blogger and an information technology student who was sentenced to death by the Islamic Republic's government in 2012. In spite of many problems in his case and lack of his presence in the court, Judge Salavati confirmed his verdict again unlawfully and sent back his case to the Supreme Court.

Studying in India, Asghari was arrested in 2008 at Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport and hold in custody since. He was sentenced by Abdolqassem Salavati, president of the 15th chamber of the Revolutionary court for allegedly hosting a pornography network.

Asghari has also been accused of spying in collaboration with blogger Hossein Derakshan, and wrote that he was forced under torture to state that Hossein was an agent of the CIA.

 

Iran hangs 2 over machete attack posted on YouTube

Published January 20, 2013, Associated Press

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/01/20/iran-hangs-2-for-attack-posted-on-youtube/

TEHRAN, Iran –  Iran state radio says two men have been hanged publicly after posting a video on YouTube showing them robbing and assaulting a man with a machete on a Tehran street.
The execution was carried out Sunday after officials called for a speedy investigation and trial because of public outrage. The video emerged in early December and was later shown on state TV.
The two men, both 24, were convicted of "waging war against God," a broad charge that can cover actions ranging from anti-state organizing to violent assaults.
The semiofficial ISNA news agency says nearly 300 people witnessed the hangings.
ISNA said two accomplices received sentences that included 10 years in prison and 74 lashes each.

Photo’s Source: http://www.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=13911030001122

Torture

 

Iran: The horrible killing of a student under torture

Tuesday, 15 January 2013

http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/ncri-statements/human-rights

• MOIS agents: Because he had insulted the "leader”, he was physically punished.
• The regime tries to portray this terrible crime as suicide
NCRI - The clerical regime in a horrible crime against humanity, murdered Keramatallah Za’reian, 27 year old student at Tehran University under torture. He is the third prisoner following Sattar Beheshti and Jamil Soweidi who has been killed under torture in a month and its news has been leaked out. Many political prisoners are annihilated in torture chambers and safe houses but their news story never leaks out.
Keramatallah Za’reian, who was arrested three times before because of his political activities and was always wanted, disappeared on December 25. Then the executioners, who killed him under torture, placed his body in the bathtub of his home in Tehran’s Nezamabad district and in order to remove torture signs, placed Za’reian’s corpse in the bathtub and left hot water running. His body was disintegrated due to infections and was in pieces, terribly deformed. Henchmen informed his family on December 29 that due to an incident that has happened for Keramtallah, they were asked to go from Jahrom to Tehran. The mullahs’ Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) agents have told his family that because he had insulted “the leader”, he was physically punished.
Keramatallah Za’reian started his protest activities from the onset of his admission to the School of Fine Arts of Tehran University in 2003. He was arrested for the first time in 2006. On December 7, 2009 he was arrested for the second time, was transferred to Kahrizak death camp, went under cruel torture and then was transferred to Evin prison. After his release, he was always under pressure and prosecution, and was expelled from the university. He was arrested for the third time in February 2011 and was placed under brutal torture.
The Iranian resistance urges the international community and relevant international bodies to condemn this savage crime and calls on the UN Security Council to establish an international mission to investigate the situation of political prisoners particularly the murder of prisoners under torture, and calls for the referral of unabated and systematic human rights violations in Iran to the Security Council, and adoption of strong and binding actions to stop this criminal and inhumane trend.

Arbitrary Arrests

 

Iran: Imminent arbitrary detention of Ms. Mansoureh Behkish

Last Update 18 January 2013

http://www.fidh.org/Imminent-arbitrary-detention-of-Ms-12771

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in the Iran.

New information:

The Observatory has been informed by the Iranian League for the Defence of Human Rights (LDDHI) about the summoning of Ms. Mansoureh Behkish, a supporter of the “Mothers of Park Laleh” (the “Mourning Mothers” of Iran)[1], also known for fighting against the death penalty, to serve a prison sentence.

According to the information received, Ms. Mansoureh Behkish has been summoned by the Shahid Moqaddas Sentences Implementation Bureau to report herself to Evin prison in Tehran by January 29, 2013 at the latest where she will serve her sentence to six months in prison for “spreading propaganda against the system” (see background information).

The Observatory is deeply concerned about the summoning of Ms. Behkish, as it is arbitrary and clearly aims at sanctioning her legitimate human rights activities. The Observatory therefore calls upon the Iranian authorities to refrain from detaining Ms. Behkish as well as to immediately and unconditionally release all human rights defenders presently detained in Iran, and more generally to put an end to all forms of harassment against them.

Background information:

On June 12, 2011, Ms. Mansoureh Behkish was arrested by a group of security agents in a street of Tehran. She was released on bail on July 9, 2011.

Ms. Behkish had also been subjected to interrogations and arbitrary detentions in the past as a result of her human rights activities. She had previously been arrested on August 29, 2008, December 5, 2009 and then on January 9, 2010 together with more than 30 women supporters of the “Mothers of Park Laleh”. On March 17, 2010, she was prevented from travelling to Italy to visit her children and her passport was confiscated. She was then banned from travelling abroad. The authorities further harassed her by preventing her son from studying to become a pilot and her expulsion from work in 2009. Ms. Behkish lost five brothers and sister as well as her brother-in-law during the executions and prison massacres that took place in the 1980s and has consistently come under great pressure not to visit their graves or otherwise commemorate them.

On December 25, 2011, Ms. Behkish was sentenced to four years and six months of imprisonment by Branch 15 of the Islamic Revolution Court: four years on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security through the establishment of the Mourning Mothers” and six months on charges of “spreading propaganda against the system”.

On July 5, 2012, the Appeals Court decided to combine the two parts of her sentence and sentenced her to four years of imprisonment, including three years and six months suspended for a period of five years. This means she will have to serve those 3.5 years in addition to any new sentence, if convicted on similar charges over the next five years.

The Observatory recalls that Ms. Behkish takes care of her 90-year old mother, one of the original Mourning Mothers.

Actions requested:

Please write to the Iranian authorities and ask them to:

i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Ms. Mansoureh Behkish, as well as of all human rights defenders in Iran;

ii. Refrain from detaining Ms. Mansoureh Behkish as her sentence is arbitrary since it only aims at sanctioning her human rights activities;

iii. Put an end to any kind of harassment - including at the judicial level - against all human rights defenders in Iran and release them all;

iv. Conform in any circumstances with the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted on December 9, 1998 by the United Nations General Assembly, in particular its article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually or in association with others, to promote the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”, and its article 12.2 which provides that “the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration”;

v. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by Iran.
……

 

Student activist, resident of Tabriz has been detained

Tuesday 15 January 2013

http://www.en-hrana.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=784:1&catid=16:miscellaneous&Itemid=2
HRANA News Agency – Amir Chamani, student of master degree in sociology faculty of Tabriz private university, has been detained by the security forces.
According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Amir Chamani, student activist, at 04:00 PM of Sunday 13th of January has been arrested by the security forces at his home.
He was going through Interrogation sessions in intelligence office of Tabriz and then by giving a bail of 50 million tomans freed; In July 5th of 2012 accused to "Insulting to the leader and founder of Islamic republic" by judge Hamlbar in Branch 1 of Tabriz court and sentenced to 6 month in prison, At the same time has been accused to "Propaganda against the regime" and sentenced to 100 days imprisonment.
In addition, on Sunday morning he got a verdict of 40 lashes in accusation of "Insulting to president".
Likely he has been arrested because of enforcement of his imprisonment and been transferred to Tabriz prison, but there is no news of his contact with his family.

 

The lawyer, Manizheh Bohlouli arrested

Thursday, 17 January 2013

http://www.en-hrana.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=792:1&catid=16:miscellaneous&Itemid=2

HRANA News Agency – Manizheh Bohlouli, The lawyer at justice department has been arrested without enough evidence and reason; and transferred to prison by the 4th branch of prosecutors in Miyaneh.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), This lawyer called her family from Miyaneh prison and informed them that she is in detention, and Also the assistant prosecutor of 4th branch has granted a bail of 5 million tomans for her.

Her family went to the prosecutors office and asked for her freedom with the bail in hand but unfortunately they faced the assistant prosecutor's refusal.

Five months ago in a case that Manizheh Bohlouli was lawyer, prosecutor himself with the investigator entered to her office and confiscated some of the evidences and her dossiers.

Manizheh Bohlouli formed a complaint in court judges against Mr. Bagheri the head of Miyaneh court, Hossein Moharrami the attorney general of Miyaneh court and Soltani the head of the 102nd branch of criminal court of Miyaneh court; But in addition of not being successful in complaint, judicial officials formed bogus case about her and arrested her illegally.

A Kurd from Mahabad detained and there is no news about his situation

Sunday, 20 January 2013

http://www.en-hrana.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=802:1&catid=14:ethnic-minorities&Itemid=9

HRANA News Agency –  It is more than two weeks that there is no news about a Kurd who has summoned and then detained by Etela'at agents of Mahabad.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Hamid Zoudi who is a Kurd from Mahabad and has been detained by Etela'at forces since two weeks ago, did not contact his family until now.

Meanwhile despite of his family haunt to Etela'at and the other security sections of Mahabad, they were not able to find out anything about his situation.

According to the same report, security officials mentioned that he is in accusations of cooperating with one of the Kurdish parties.

Charges against him and the ignorance of security sections, increased the worries for his family.

Prisoners of Conscience

 

Iran: Detained Earthquake Volunteer Relief Workers Sentenced to More Than 18 Yrs

Tuesday, 15 January 2013

http://www.en-hrana.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=788:1&catid=17:others&Itemid=2

HRANA News Agency – 20 relief workers were sentenced to 18 years and three months in prison totally, in Tabriz Revolutionary Court.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), A group of volunteer relief workers who were arrested at an independent relief camp following last summer's earthquake in northwest Azerbaijan have been sentenced to verdicts by Judge Hamlbar, ranging from six months to two years and six months.

Seyed Hussein Ronaghi Maleki: two years, Behrouz Alavi: two years and three months, Hamidreza Mosabebian: two years and six months, Vahed Kholoosi: two years, Bahram Shojai'i: two years, Farid Rohani, Seyed Hassan Ronaghi Maleki, Shayan Vahdati, Masoud Vafa Bakhsh, Houman Taheri, Sepehr Sahebian, Daniyal Hassani, Ali Mohammadi, Morteza Esmailpor, Mohammad Arjmandi Rad, Mohammad Eslamil Salmanpour, Mohammad Amin Salehi, Mohsen Same'i, Milad Panahipour and Amir Ronasi: six months for each.
A deadly earthquake in northwest Iran in August left hundreds dead and thosands homeless prompting volunteer relieft efforts by activists and ordinary citizens around the country.

The detained relief workers were arrested at an independent relief camp in Sarand when government security insisted on taking control of all relief efforts.

The court has found the relief workers guilty of "collaboration in assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security."

The judiciary had accused the relief workers of "trying to distribute expired food", but the relief workers have stressed there is no evidence that any expired food had been in the camp and they have denied all the charges brought against them.

 

Critical condition of Hadi Rashedi in Karoun prison of Ahwaz

Friday, 18 January

http://www.en-hrana.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=796:1&catid=12:prisoners&Itemid=12

HRANA News Agency– Hadi Rashedi from Ramshir, teacher of education department who is sentenced to death in accusation of enmity against God, has been deprived of his rights of healthcare and his sickness treatments.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Hadi Rashedi the son of Mir Hamzeh from and resident of Ramshir, is suffering from heart disease and acute liver problem.

When he was detained in the horrible detention center of Etela'at, his hip (Pelvis) has broken by the interrogators under the severe tortures.

Prison officials refused to transfer him to the hospital and told him that you do not deserve treatment.

Hadi Rashedi who has been arrested by Ahwaz Etela'at on February 28th of 2011, been accused to enmity against God, Propaganda against Islamic Republic and acting against national security and sentenced to death with Hashem Sha'bani Nezhad, Seyyed Mokhtar Alboshokeh, Seyyed Yaber Alboshokeh and Mohammad Ali Amoori Nezhad by branch 2 of revolutionary court of Ahwaz by judge Seyyed Mohammad Bagher Mousavi.

Last week the judges Reza Farajollahi, Qaem Maqami and Lotfi confirmed the death verdict of these 5 prisoners in branch 32 of supreme court.

Freedom of Expression

Mourning Mothers spokesperson to serve six-month jail term

Published on Thursday 17 January 2013

http://en.rsf.org/iran-mourning-mothers-spokesperson-to-17-01-2013,43924.html

Reporters Without Borders is deeply concerned to learn that Mansoureh Behkish, a netizen and founder of the Mourning Mothers movement, has been told to report to the sentence application court at Tehran’s Evin prison on 29 January to begin serving a six-month jail sentence.

“We urge the authorities not to jail Behkish,” Reporters Without Borders said. “The way she has been hounded for years is typical of the constant harassment received by the relatives of executed prisoners when they refuse to comply with the regime’s desire to maintain a veil of silence over these cases.

“Their only crime is to keep demanding truth and justice for those who were hanged or disappeared in mass graves. It is outrageous that men and women such as Behkish who dare to provide information about these cases are being convicted and jailed on charges of anti-government propaganda.”

The mouthpiece of Mourning Mothers, an alliance of mothers and other relatives of prisoners who have been executed from the 1980s onwards, Behkish has repeatedly been harassed and detained.

She and 33 other members of Mourning Mothers were arrested while demonstrating in Tehran’s Laleh Park on 9 January 2010. Banned from leaving the country when freed on 17 March 2011, she was arrested again in Tehran on 12 June 2011 and spent a month in Section 209 of Evin prison.

A Tehran revolutionary court sentenced her to four and a half years in prison in December 2011. On appeal, her sentence was reduced to six months in prison on the anti-government propaganda charge and a suspended sentence of three and a half years in prison for “activities threatening national security.”

Bekhish also belongs to “Mothers of Khavaran,” a movement named after the south Tehran cemetery used as common grave for political prisoners who were executed en masse in 1988.

Bekhish posts articles on various websites about these groups, their ceremonies and the harassment to which they are subjected. Six of her close relatives (four brothers, a sister and a brother-in-law) were executed during the 1980s. She has a gravely ill mother who she has to look after on her own.

With 28 journalists and 20 netizens currently detained, Iran is one of the world’s five biggest prisons for media personnel.