At a
Glance
Violation of Human
Rights in Iran
3 February 2013
International Condemnation of
Violation of Human Rights in Iran
EUROPEA0 U0IO0 Brussels
A 43/13
Statement by
EU High Representative Catherine Ashton on the confirmed death sentences and
potentially imminent executions of five Ahwazi Arab men in Iran
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/135061.pdf
The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs
and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission issued the following
statement today:
"It was with great concern that I learned that an Iranian High
Court has upheld the death sentences against Ahwazi Arab activists Mohammad Ali
Amouri, Hashem Sha’bani Amouri, Hadi Rashidi, Sayed Jaber Alboshoka and his
brother Sayed Mokhtar Alboshoka. Reports that the executions of these men are
imminent are very worrying, and I urge the Iranian authorities to commute the sentences.
I am concerned by reports that these men did not receive fair
trials, and were forced to confess. I would like to remind the Iranian authorities
of their obligations under international law, in particular regarding the
protection of the civil and political rights of members of ethnic minorities.
In line with the EU's strong and principled position on the death
penalty, I reiterate my call on Iran
Iran
http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files/iran-301/events-2790/article/iran-arrest-of-journalists-23-01Like the pressure exerted on journalists’ friends and families, these arrests constitute an unacceptable violation of the fundamental rights of Iranian citizens to enjoy free and objective information.
Foreign Office condemns co-ordinated arrest of
journalists in Iran
Published: 29 January
2013
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-office-condemns-co-ordinated-arrest-of-journalists-in-iranForeign Office Minister Alistair Burt condemns multiple arrests of journalists in
Iranian security forces arrested more than a dozen journalists on 26, 27 and 28 January. Official Iranian media have reported that the journalists were arrested for “co-operation with western media.” The arrests were co-ordinated, with reports that five publications in
Reacting to reports of the arrests, which have taken place as
I am deeply concerned by reports that a large number of journalists have been arrested in
I have repeatedly expressed concerns about the Iranian regime’s treatment of journalists and independent media. And the
EUROPEA0 U0IO0 Brussels
A 50/13
Statement by
the spokesperson of EU High Representative
Catherine
Ashton on the arrest of journalists in Iran
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/135125.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 of a recent
wave of arrests of journalists and news editors in Iran London
have been harassed and that defamatory material about these journalists is
circulating in Iran Iran
The right to freedom of expression, including the right of any
individual to seek, receive and share information, is an internationally
enshrined fundamental human right, which Iran itself has freely signed up to
respect and protect.
The High Representative calls upon the Iranian authorities to thoroughly
investigate these cases and clarify the charges that have been brought against
the journalists.”
U.S.
condemns sentencing of American pastor in Iran
By Sarah N. Lynch | Reuters – Sun, Jan 27, 2013
http://news.yahoo.com/u-condemns-sentencing-american-pastor-iran-012339247.html
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department on Sunday condemned an
Iranian court for sentencing an Iranian-American Christian pastor to eight
years in prison.
The State Department
said it had confirmed reports of Saeed
Abedini's sentencing with the family's attorney and called for his
release."We condemn
Hollaway said Abedini's attorney had only one day to present his defense and the department was deeply concerned about the fairness and transparency of his trial.
The
It said Abedini, a 32-year-old father of two, became a
He was ordained a minister in 2008 through the American Evangelistic Association and had been traveling back and forth freely between the
The ACLJ, which is representing Abedini's U.S.-based wife and children, said the pastor had been beaten and tortured during his time in prison, raising questions about his medical condition.
It said Abedini and his attorney were only allowed to attend one day of his trial, which started on January 21.
"This is a real travesty - a mockery of justice," said ACLJ's Executive Director Jordan Sekulow. "From the very beginning, Iranian authorities have lied about all aspects of this case, even releasing rumors of his expected release.
In a statement, Naghmeh Abedini said she is "devastated" for her husband and her family - a six-year-old daughter and a four-year-old son.
"We must now pursue every effort, turn every rock, and not stop until Saeed is safely on American soil," she added.
Execution
An accused to murder
hanged
Monday,
28 January 2013
http://www.en-hrana.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=825:1&catid=15:execution&Itemid=10
HRANA News Agency– Last Thursday a prisoner who accused to
murder has been hanged in Ilam prison's yard.According to the report of
The public relations director of Ilam court claimed that the death verdict of this guy issued in Ilam criminal court.
"This man has been sentenced to death by Ilam criminal court on charge of murder", Ali Kamali Rad said.
He continued, "The death verdict confirmed by the supreme court, then by the permission of the judiciary directorate and presence of the slain's family and judicial officials, the verdict enforced in Ilam prison's yard."
Discussing the violation of legal cases in this report:
Article 3 of the universal declaration of human rights: Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
Paragraph 1 of Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Every human being has the inherent right to life. This right shall be protected by law. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life.
Paragraph 2 of Article 1 of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty: Each State Party shall take all necessary measures to abolish the death penalty within its jurisdiction.
One prisoner was
hanged in northwestern Iran
http://iranhr.net/spip.php?article2703The prisoner who was not identified by name was convicted of selling 890 grams of crack. He was also sentenced to pay 3 million rials for being a drug addict, said the report.
13 Prisoners Hanged in
Iran
Tuesday,
29 January 2013
http://www.en-hrana.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=829:1&catid=15:execution&Itemid=10
HRANA News Agency – 13 prisoners hanged in the past few
days in different prisons across According to the reports by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Early this morning, five Balouch prisoners: Nazar Shahbakhsh-son of Allah Dad, Ne'matollah Shahbakhsh- son of Assad, Abdollah Shahbakhsh-son of Vali Mohammad, Abdorrahman SHahbakhsh-son of Youcef and Saleh Noti Zehi were executed in Kerman. They had been arrested five years ago. There is no information about their charges.
Six prisoners convicted of drug trafficking were hanged in
Masoud Ali Moradi,30 years old, hanged in Rajaie Shahr prison of
The other prisoner who has been hanged on January 28th of 2013, is unknown and his name was not released yet. He was accused of addiction and selling 890 grams of Crack and sentenced to three hundred thousand tomans fine for his addiction and to death because of the drug trafficking by branch 1 of Miyaneh revolutionary court.
According to the report of statistics section of human rights activists of
Persian Sources: http://www.kermandadgostari.ir/Default.aspx?tabid=2626&articleType=ArticleView&articleId=45459
http://farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=13911112000310
Situation of sentenced
to death Kurdish prisoner is uncertain
Wednesday,
30 January 2013
http://www.en-hrana.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=830:1&catid=15:execution&Itemid=10
HRANA News Agency – The dossier of Sherko Ma'arefi,
political prisoner in Saqqez prison who has been sentenced to death, is still
at forgiveness and pardon committee in Sanandaj without any respond.According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Sherko Ma'arefi the political prisoner in Saqqez prison who has sentenced to death by revolutionary court, is in danger of execution while he is waiting for the respond of forgiveness and pardon committee in Sanandaj to his dossier.
This political prisoner from Baneh who is 30 years old, has arrested on September 30th of 2008 and has been sentenced to death by first branch Saqqez revolutionary court on charge of enmity against God.
After he appealed his verdict, branch 4 of the appealed of the province confirmed the verdict. one year later, in October of 2009 the supreme court confirmed the death verdict and since that time Sherko Ma'arefi is in danger of the execution enforcement.
Then his dossier sent to the provincial forgiveness and pardon committee and this committee refused to respond to Ma'arefi's family till now.
Also Sherko Ma'arefi did hunger strike in protest to his uncertain situation in March of 2012 and informed the court and prison officials through a letter.
Torture
Fingers of a prisoner
amputated in Sari prison
Sunday,
27 January 2013
http://www.en-hrana.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=824:1&catid=12:prisoners&Itemid=12
HRANA News Agency - The fingers of a prisoner who is
charged to robbery, amputated.According to a report by
"This robber had done many robberies and his dossier includes many criminal records, then the amputation verdict confirmed and enforced due a lawful process", Asadollah Ja'fari said.
"Amputation verdict of the four finger of this robber enforced in the Sari prison's yard", General attorney of Mazandaran said.
General attorney of Mazandaran about the enforcement of this amputation verdict claimed that this kind of verdict and it's enforcement is a public demand.
Discussing the violation of legal cases in this report:
International covenant on civil and political rights, Article 7: No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. In particular, no one shall be subjected without his free consent to medical or scientific experimentation.
Arbitrary Arrests
Family of deceased
member of Iranian resistance arrested for intending to hold a private memorial
Friday,
01 February 2013
http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/human-rights/12772-family-of-deceased-member-of-iranian-resistance-arrested-for-intending-to-hold-a-private-memorial
Hassan sadeghi, the son of late Gholamhossein Sadeghi who
passed away last week, was arrested along with his wife and 17 year old son,
for planning to hold a private memorial at their house for his deceased father.
Gholamhossein Sadeghi who passed away last week, was a
prominent merchant in The MOIS agents returned the next day arresting the only other remaining member of the family, the 17 year old Nima Sadeghi who was taken to an unknown location. They also confiscated and sealed the house on the order of the Judiciary in order to prevent a ceremony being held in memory of the late Sadeghi who was a known member of MEK.
Mr Sadeghi died of heart attack two weeks after a major, and much delayed, operation. Before being transferred to
His son Hassan Sadeghi 49 is a former political prisoner who was arrested at the age of 17 in 1981 and imprisoned for 7 years for his activities in relation to the Iranian resistance. His wife Fatemeh Mothana 45 was also a political prisoner, who was arrested at the age of 13 along with her family in 1981 and spent 3 years in the Iranian government prisons.
Activists arrested in
Marivan
Fri, 02/01/2013
http://www.radiozamaneh.com/english/content/activists-arrested-marivan
Six Iranian-Kurdish civil activists have been arrested by
Islamic Republic security forces in The International Campaign for Human Rights in
The detainees have been identified as Khaled Ahmadi, Zana Moini, Saman Mahmoudi, Davoud Ghasimi and Mohammad Kohnehposhi.
Local sources have informed the Campaign that the detainees have been taken to an unknown location and their families have not been informed of the charges against them.
The homes of the detainees have been raided and their personal items, including computers and documents, have been confiscated by the authorities.
In the meantime, student activists Shaho Mahmoudi and Dana Lenjabadi were summoned to the Intelligence office for questioning.
In recent months, a number of activists who belong to the Democratic Student Union have been arrested. The union was established seven years ago by a number of Kurdish student activists, and many students have been banned from continuing their education because of their membership in this group.
Freedom of Expression
Supreme Leader Ali
Khamenei steps up war on journalists
Published
on Monday 28 January 2013
http://en.rsf.org/iran-supreme-leader-ali-khamenei-steps-28-01-2013,43960.html
In a renewed crackdown on the news media in the
capital, plain-clothes intelligence ministry officials yesterday searched the
headquarters of four daily newspapers – Etemad, Arman, Shargh
and Bahar – and the weekly Aseman and, without giving any
explanation, arrested at least 10 journalists.
Two other journalists were arrested the day
before. Arrest warrants have been issued for other journalists.
“The constant persecution of journalists keeps
on intensifying by the day,” Reporters Without Borders secretary-general
Christophe Deloire said. “Iran
Reporters Without Borders calls for the
immediate and unconditional release of all journalists currently detained in Iran
According to the information obtained by
Reporters Without Borders, at least 12 journalists were arrested during the
weekend. The ten arrested yesterday were Sasan Aghai, Nasrin
Takhayori, Javad Daliri and Emily Amrai
of Etemad; Motahreh Shafie, Nargus Jodaki
and Saba Azarpik of Arman; Porya Alami
and Pejman Mousavi of Shargh; and Akbar
Montajabi of Aseman.
The two journalists arrested the day before were
Milad Fadai Asl of the news agency ILNA and Soliman
Mohammadi of Bahar. Both were arrested at their place of work.
All 12 were transferred to unknown detention centres after searches of their
homes and confiscation of personal effects.
Other journalists have been sent summonses to
present themselves to revolutionary courts during the days to come.
Since the start of January, a number of
journalists have been summoned for questioning by Revolutionary Guards or
intelligence ministry officials. During these interrogations, they have been
questioned above all about the next presidential election and the candidate or
candidates they intend to support.
They were also asked for their opinion on
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s latest speech, on 28 December, in which he
berated government opponents. “Stop saying we must organize free elections,” he
said. “Since the start of the Islamic Republic, the elections have always been
free.”
Prosecutor-general Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi
said threateningly during a news conference on 21 January: “Reliable
information has reached me that certain journalists in Iran
Iran
28 January
2013
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/iran-must-release-journalists-detained-newspaper-office-raids-2013-01-28
Twelve journalists were
arrested in Iran
“This latest example of locking-up Iran
Ann Harrison, Deputy Director of Amnesty
International’s Middle East and North Africa
Programme
Mon,
28/01/2013
The journalists are reportedly accused of cooperating with "anti-revolutionary" Persian-language media organizations outside
"This latest example of locking-up
"All journalists who are imprisoned in
The latest to be arrested – Keyvan Mehrgan, formerly of the newspaper Shargh, and Hossein Taghchi – were reportedly arrested today.
Security forces stormed the offices of several Tehran-based publications at the weekend, according to Iranian media. Ten journalists were arrested in five simultaneous raids on Sunday, while two were reportedly arrested on Saturday.
Security agents reportedly searched and videotaped the premises. They also searched some of the journalists' homes. Some had phones and press permits confiscated.
The arrests reportedly took place after warrants were issued by the Court of Media and Culture.
The journalists arrested on Sunday have been transferred to an unknown location while the two detained on Saturday were reportedly taken to Evin Prison.
The latest series of arrests follows the return to jail of Mohammad Sadiq Kaboudvand, who was sent back to Evin Prison on Friday after being released on furlough for medical treatment in December 2012.
Kaboudvand, who is in poor health, is serving a 10-and-a-half-year sentence imposed for his journalism and human rights work. It was the first time he has been allowed furlough since his arrest in 2007.
Journalists in
However, last week Prosecutor General Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei seemed to forewarn of the sweep, saying at a 21 January press conference: "Tomorrow, if any of these individuals is arrested for a criminal act, you…will scream and yell, whereas unbeknown to you that individual was the mouthpiece of the enemy.”
He also said that, according to “reliable sources”, several Iranian journalists in the country were working with westerners and "anti-revolutionaries".
The publications targeted over the weekend are Bahar, Shargh, Arman, Etemad, Aseman Weekly and the Iranian Labour News Agency. The pro-government Tabnak news website has also been suspended.
"It appears that the journalists targeted are victims of the government's paranoia about what they claim is a ‘soft revolution’ orchestrated by Western governments," said
"Sadly, this is nothing new. Many media workers face constant harassment and intimidation by the authorities, who react ruthlessly to the slightest whiff of criticism."
Dozens of journalists have been harassed, detained and imprisoned in recent years and detainees' families have also been harassed or temporarily detained.
Many of those arrested solely because of their peaceful professional activities before and after the disputed June 2009 election remain in prison, often held in poor conditions.
“The welcome news last week that four imprisoned journalists had been granted temporary release should not have been used as an excuse to fill their places with yet more journalists,” said
“All journalists held solely for their legitimate work must be released immediately and unconditionally as they are prisoners of conscience.”
Background
The names of those arrested on Sunday and Monday are: Akbar Montajebi (Aseman Weekly), Emily Amraei (Bahar newspaper), Motahareh Shafie and Narges Joudaki (Arman newspaper), Pouria Alemi and Pejman Mousavi (Shargh newspaper), Sassan Aghaei, Javad Deliri and Nasrin Takhiri (Etemad newspaper), Saba Azarpeik, Keyvan Mehrgan, (Shargh), and Hossein Taghchi.
Milad Fadai Asl, the political editor of Iranian Labour News Agency and Soleyman Mohammadi, a reporter from the reformist Bahar newspaper, were reportedly arrested by security forces on Saturday night and taken to
Sassan Aghaei has been previously arrested a number of times, including in 2002 when he was arrested in connection with holding an illegal gathering marking the anniversary of 1999 student demonstrations which were brutally repressed by security forces. Milad Fadai Asl was arrested in December 2009 and sentenced to a one-year prison sentence after conviction of “spreading propaganda against the system”.
Shargh newspaper has been banned several times in the past, including for nearly three years between August 2007 and April 2010. It was banned again for three months in September 2012 after publishing a cartoon some officials deemed offensive to veterans of the Iran-Iraq war.
Iran
http://www.cpj.org/2013/01/iran-arrests-journalists-in-largest-crackdown-sinc.phpSecurity officers raided the offices of reformist publications Bahar, Shargh, Arman, Etemad, and Aseman Weekly and arrested several journalists, according to news reports. At least one journalist was arrested at his home on Sunday, the reports said. It is unclear if any of the journalists have been formally charged.
Local news accounts reported that the journalists in custody included Milad Fadai Asl, editor of Iran Labour News Agency (ILNA); Shargh reporters Pouria Alemi and Pejman Mousavi; Shargh editor Kayvan Mehregan; Soleiman Mohammadi, editor of Bahar; Emily Amraee, reporter for Bahar; Etemad reporters Sassan Aghaee and Nasrin Takhiri; Javad Deliri, editor-in-chief of Etemad; Akbar Montajebi, editor-in-chief of Aseman Weekly; Hossein Yaghchi, a member of Aseman Weekly's editorial board; Arman reporters Motahareh Shafiee, Narges Joudaki, and Saba Azarpeik.
Authorities have also issued arrest warrants for at least three other journalists. Sadra Mohaghegh, a reporter for Shargh; Reihaneh Tabatabei, a reporter for Bahar; and Ehsan Mazandarani, a reporter for Etemad were told by their colleagues that security officers had asked for them during the raids on the offices, according to local news reports. One of the journalists has chosen to go into hiding to escape arrest, according to CPJ sources.
The semi-official Fars News Agency reported that the journalists were arrested for cooperating with "anti-revolutionary media." The mass arrests follow a statement made to reporters by Gholamhossein Moseni Ejei,
CPJ believes the arrests are consistent with attacks against reformist news outlets in 2009 that weakened what was once a vibrant media in the country. Conservative authorities and their allies in the government are aiming to weaken reformist candidates and their supporters ahead of the Iranian presidential elections in June.
"With this wave of arrests, the authorities appear to be attempting to pre-emptively silence independent news coverage ahead of the presidential election in June," said Sherif Mansour, CPJ's Middle East and
13 journalists still
held in “Black Sunday” crackdown, others summoned
Published
on Tuesday 29 January 2013
http://en.rsf.org/iran-13-journalists-still-held-in-black-29-01-2013,43984.html
Reporters Without Borders has learned that two
other journalists
were arrested yesterday after being summoned to Tehran
But Motahareh Shafie, one of
the ten arrested on “Black Sunday” (27 January), was released yesterday, so the
number currently in detention now stands at 13. Other journalists in Tehran
The two arrested yesterday were Kivan
Mehregan, who writes for various reformist newspapers, and Hossein
Yaghchi, who works for the weekly Aseman and the monthly Tajrobeh.
According to Agence France-Presse, the
journalists were all arrested “under a warrant issued by the judicial
authority.” AFP’s Tehran
According to the information obtained by
Reporters Without Borders, the journalists were arrested by the intelligence
ministry “in order to verify whether or not they work for news media based
abroad.” They are currently being held in isolation cells in Evin prison’s
Section 209, which the intelligence ministry controls.
“Accusing journalists of collaborating with
groups opposed to the ‘Islamic Revolution’ is not new,” Reporters Without
Borders said. “This charge is often used against Iranian journalists and
intellectuals in order to silence them.”
Culture and Islamic Guidance minister Mohammad
Hosseini said on 27 January: “These journalists were not arrested because of
their journalistic activities. It seems that they were arrested on charges
linked to security, not for violating the regulations governing the media.”
CPJ alarmed by Iran
http://www.cpj.org/2013/01/cpj-alarmed-by-irans-escalating-anti-press-actions.php
"Iranian officials today confirmed speculations that the government is seeking to preempt independent media coverage ahead of the elections, and expand a crackdown on journalists," said Sherif Mansour, CPJ's Middle East and
CPJ confirmed the arrest today of Ali Dehghan, the economics editor of pro-reform newspaper Bahar, raising the number of journalists arrested during the past week to 15. In keeping with the ministry's statement, local sources have also indicated to CPJ that there are additional arrest warrants pending against journalists. CPJ ranks
Iran
30 January
2013
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/iran-cracks-down-journalists-despite-international-outcry-2013-01-30The Iranian authorities must release journalists arrested in the past three days and accused of cooperating with "anti-revolutionary" Persian-language media organizations outside
The organization believes further waves of arrests are planned. Underpinning this fear is today’s arrest of Bahar Newspaper Economics Editor, Ali Dehghan.
A statement attributed to Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence declares: “The investigation will be continued until the last individual linked to this network is arrested and the propaganda of the foreign media and so-called human rights organizations and the statements… no longer have influence on the strong will of the soldiers of Emam e-Zaman [Ministry of Intelligence officials].”
“Today’s statement by Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence is intended to intimidate Iranian journalists who have contact with non-government sources,” said Drewery Dyke, Amnesty International’s Iran researcher.
“In light of the filming carried out by state officials at the home of at least one of those detained and Iran’s track record of parading detainees before cameras to ‘confess’ to crimes they patently did not commit, we fear the authorities are preparing to film and broadcast ‘confessions’ of those detained in order to secure future convictions. They should think twice before repeating such a kind of grotesque theatre.”
Amnesty International urgently calls on
One of world’s biggest
prisons for journalists 34 years after Khomeini’s return
Published
on Friday 1 February 2013
http://en.rsf.org/iran-one-of-world-s-biggest-prisons-for-01-02-2013,44006.html
Reporters Without Borders learned today of the
arrests of three more journalists, bringing to 16 the number detained in a
renewed crackdown on media personnel in Tehran
In all, a total of 42 journalists and 20
netizens are now detained in Iran
The two latest detainees are Rihaneh
Tabtabai, a journalist with the daily Bahar, who was arrested
yesterday, and Ali Dehghan, Bahar’s business editor, who was
arrested the day before.
The third newly-reported arrest is that of Fatemeh
Sagharchi of the news website Jamaran, who was detained on 26
January “in connection with the current crackdown on journalists,” her lawyer,
Mahmoud Alizadeh, said. Like Tabtabai and Dehghan, she was arrested by
plain-clothes intelligence officers.
In a statement on 29 January, the intelligence
ministry accused the journalists of belonging to “a media network linked to the
West, created by the BBC and managed in cooperation with several western
governments.”
The statement added that more journalists “could
be arrested or summoned in the coming days as the investigation proceeds, or
that some detainees could be released.”
“Thirty-four years to the day after the Islamic
Republic’s founder, Ayatollah Rooholah Khomeini, returned from
France and contrary to his promises to respect fundamental freedoms, Iran is
one of the world’s biggest prisons for news providers, with a total of 62
journalists and netizens detained,” Reporters Without Borders secretary-general
Christophe Deloire said.
“Khomeini’s successor as Supreme Leader, Ali
Khamenei, has stepped up the war against journalists and the demonization of
the foreign press and new media. Iranian journalists and intellectuals have for
34 years been branded as spies in the pay of western governments, charges never
proved in a fair trial as that does not exist in Iran. The justice system is
just a tool controlled by the Supreme Leader, who appoints its chief and uses
it to crush hopes for more freedom.
“This new wave of arrests is sending a very
clear signal to those journalists who do not content themselves with repeating
the regime’s propaganda. The authorities are making it clear that, in advance
of next June’s elections, they are preparing to suppress any attempt by the
media to cover any protests that might arise and the crackdown on protests.”
It is ironic now to listen to what Ayatolloh
Khomeini said on his arrival in Iran on 1 February 1979 (12 Bahman, in the
Iranian calendar). He said: “The people are sovereign and master of their fate,
and their choice must be respected. But by what right do those who voted
determine the fate and future of subsequent generations, 50 years later. The
fate of each generation is in its hands.”
More information about “Black
Sunday” and freedom of information in Iran
List of journalists arrested since 26
January:
26 January
- Milad Fadai Asl (news agency ILNA)
- Soliman Mohammadi (newspaper Bahar)
- Fatemeh Sagharchi (news website Jamaran)
27 January (“Black Sunday”)
- Sasan Aghai (newspaper Etemad)
- Nasrin Takhayori (newspaper Etemad)
- Javad Daliri (newspaper Etemad)
- Emily Amrai (newspaper Arman)
- Nargus Jodaki (newspaper Arman)
- Porya Alami (newspaper Shargh)
- Pejman Mousavi (newspaper Bahar)
- Akbar Montajabi (weekly Aseman)
28 January
- Kivan Mehregan (freelancer for various reformist newspapers)
- Hossein Yaghchi (weekly Aseman)
30 January
- Ali Dehghan (newspaper Bahar)
31 January
- Rihaneh Tabtabai (newspaper Bahar)
Detained
journalists colluded with West: Iran
30 January 2013 -
20H09
http://www.france24.com/en/20130130-detained-journalists-colluded-with-west-iran
AFP - More than a dozen
arrested Iranian journalists have been caught cooperating with a
"Western-linked network" ahead of a presidential election in June,
the intelligence ministry said on Wednesday.Reports emerged this week that 14 journalists close to the marginalised reformists have been detained for alleged links to foreign Persian media, sparking an international outcry.
The intelligence ministry said in a statement carried by media on Wednesday that more arrests could follow.
The journalists belonged to "one of the biggest media networks" linked to the West, the statement said, adding that the charges against them are "completely solid and documented." It did not elaborate.
Their network, it said, was established by the BBC and operates "in cooperation with several Western governments."
The ministry said their goal was to "exploit what they learned during the sedition period" after the 2009 presidential election, which
The election, which returned President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power despite reformist opposition candidates alleging fraud, triggered protests which were met by a bloody regime crackdown.
On Wednesday, the intelligence ministry said the journalists had been under surveillance for months, and were found using "unique tools and methods to transmit news and receive directions" from abroad.
It is possible more journalists will be "arrested or summoned in the coming days as investigations continue, or that some detainees are released, since they were probably unaware of links to abroad," the statement added.
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International criticised the arrests, urging
"The arrests appear to be part of an escalating campaign of repression to silence journalists and bloggers before the presidential election scheduled for June 14," HRW said.
Amnesty called the arrests "a result of draconian restrictions on reporting which violate the right to freedom of expression and must be relaxed."
But the intelligence ministry dismissed such calls.
"It is certain that the will of ministry agents in carrying out their current task will be undeterred by the fuss created by the (Western) media, and that of their so-called human rights organisations," it said.
Those detained work for various reformist outlets such as Shargh, Arman, Bahar and Etemad newspapers, the Aseman weekly, as well as the ILNA news agency.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 45 journalists were in Iranian prisons at the start of December 2012.
Minorities’ Rights
Iran
January 27, 2013
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/iran-sentences-us-christian-eight-years-group-173325385.html
A Tehran court
on Sunday sentenced an Iranian-American pastor to eight years in prison over
his role in underground churches in the Islamic nation, a US
Saeed Abedini, a naturalized The Washington-based conservative legal advocacy group said Abedini and his lawyer were only allowed to attend one day of the trial, which began on January 21. There was no immediate confirmation of the verdict in
"I am devastated for my husband and my family. We must now pursue every effort, turn every rock, and not stop until Saeed is safely on American soil," Naghmeh, his wife and mother of their two children, said in a statement.
She described as "psychological torture" an account from
Jordan Sekulow, executive director of the
"
Abedini's supporters said that he led underground churches in the early 2000s when such activity was largely tolerated during the reform-minded presidency of Mohammad Khatami.
After he resettled in the
Naghmeh Abedini said that her husband complied with the 2009 agreement and had returned to
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland on Friday reiterated US concerns over the fairness of the trial.
"We condemn
Labour’s Rights
ITF raises sacked drivers case with
28 January 2013
http://www.itfglobal.org/news-online/index.cfm/newsdetail/8422
The ITF today raised the case of three sacked Vahed Syndicate bus drivers directly with the Iranian government.
ITF general secretary David Cockroft called
for the men’s reinstatement in letters to the country’s president and labour
minister, after being alerted to their dismissals by the ITF-affiliated union’s
vice chair, Ebrahim Madadi.
The three drivers are Hasan Saiedi, Naser Mohramzadeh and
Vahid Feraydouni. All are active union members and have been dismissed after
campaigning for higher wages. The sackings are clearly directly linked to their
union activities.David Cockroft promised Vahed Syndicate vice chair Ebrahim Madadi that the ITF would: ‘continue to support the board of directors of the Vahed Syndicate, the first ITF affiliate in
He also acknowledged the decision of the union’s executive board to discharge Mansour Osanloo from the position of the union’s chair, stating 'we recognise the right of the board of directors as the elected governing body of the syndicate to take this decision, which we fully respect.’
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