Monday, November 16, 2015 1:33:48 PM
Iran’s Human Rights at all levels continue to be deficient; while the international community remains silent.
Although
the allegedly moderate President Hassan Rouhani has pledged more
freedom in Iran, the country has seen no significant improvements in
human rights and Iran remains one of the biggest jailers in the world of
journalists, bloggers, social media and civil rights activists. The
arbitrary arrests have reached the threshold of insanity and the rate of
hundreds of executions will be the highest number of death penalty
applications in the world by the end of this year.
Arrests and summons
Mammusta Taha Karimi,
a Sunni preacher in the city of Mahabad, was arrested along with his
students by Iran’s security forces, HRANA said. These 12 Sunni citizens
are detained in Ghareh Bolagh Village of Mahabad, according to the news.
Previously, Mr. Karimi was allegedly arrested in 2012 and had been for
about 17 months in Rajai Shahr prison.
Fatemeh Mosana,
a former prisoner in 80s, was arrested by security forces in October
2015. Formerly, Iran’s Intelligence Service officials had detained Miss
Mosana along with her husband on January 29, 2013. They were released
from the notorious Evin prison in January of 2014.
Morteza Nematollahi,
a Shiite cleric, was arrested by Iranian officials after being summoned
by the Special Clerical Court on October 18, 2015. Previously, Seyed
Hussein Shirazi, the son of Ayatollah Seyed Sadegh Shirazi, was summoned
to the Special Clerical Court to avoid any criticism of the regime of
Iran in his annual speech of missionaries’ gathering.
Several
civil rights activists including Shahin Mahinfar, Mohammad Noorizad,
and Nasrin Sotoodeh along with her husband Reza Khandan were arrested
for hours on the eve of the mourning for the death of Sattar Beheshti on
October 29, 2015. They were kept in one of the maximum security
buildings of Robat Karim County, located 27 km southest of Tehran. Also,
reports indicated that officials banned Heshmatollah Tabarzadi, an
Iranian democratic activist, to join the official mourning. The arrests
had been conducted without any court warrant. Sattar Beheshti was an
Iranian blogger who died in early November 2012 several days after being
arrested by the Iranian Cyber Police unit for criticizing the
government of the Islamic Republic on Facebook.
The
civil rights activist Shapoor Reshnow’s arrest, who was arrested by
security officials after an attack at his house on September 16, was
extended, according to HRANA. His wife had a miscarriage as a result of
fear and anxiety in the attack.
Ali Faezpoor,
who was arrested in front of his house on October 3, 2015 was
transferred to Ward 12 of Tabriz prison. Second branch of the Islamic
Revolutionary Court of Tabriz ordered his arrest for vague charges of
“propaganda against the regime of Iran,” according to the news. The
labor activist has been frequently summoned and arrested by Iran’s
security officials.
A
couple, Amin Ihavand and his wife Mozhgan Abbas Bashi, were arrested in
front of Bu-Ali Sina University in the city of Hamedan on October 21,
2015. The “Soofi Jam Kahneh” blog which allegedly belonged to them was
banned by officials after the arrest. Another Yarsanism member Jahangir
Salimi was summoned by Intelligence Service office in Kermanshah on
October 21, 2015. He was arrested and kept in jail for several months
last year.
Mahtab Mohammadi,
an Iranian Cristian Convert from Tehran, was arrested and taken to an
unknown location by security officials in October. Previously, her
mother and her sister were summoned to the Intelligence Service office.
Mohammad Mahdavifar,
a poet from Kashan city, was summoned by the court on vague charges of
“composing poetry” named Alefba (Alphabet). Branch 105 of the Criminal
Court accused him of “disturbing public opinion”, “insulting the
officials” and “propaganda against the regime of Iran”. He was a
volunteer soldier as a member of the Basij Resistance Force in Iraq-Iran
war in the 80s.
Alireza Shariat Panahi,
a former political prisoner, was arrested by security forces and taken
to an unknown location in October. He had been in prison for supporting
the MEK in the 80s.
Two
former political prisoners Mahmood Azimi and his wife Fatemeh Ziaei,
56, were arrested by security forces in October. Miss. Ziaei had been in
prison for five years in the 80s. She was also arrested for vague
charges of “traveling to Iraq during the Iraq-Iran war” on January 21,
2009, and kept in prison for about two years. She suffers from MS
(Multiple Sclerosis).
Ehsan Mazandarani,
the Cheif Executive of Farhikhtegan newspaper, was arrested by security
forces on November 2, 2015. Officials had seized his personal
belongings, his relatives said. He, a former student of News College and
former Etemad journalist, was previously detained on Febrebury 20, 2013
and released on bail from Evin prison after 19 days.
Isa Saharkhiz,
an Iranian journalist and political activist, was arrested by IRGC
officials during an attack at his house on November 2, 2015. He has been
allegedly accused of vague charges of “propaganda against the regime of
Iran”, “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran” and “assembly and
collusion against the regime”, his son Mehdi Saharkhiz confirmed to a
rights group. Officials have seized his personal belongings and taken
him to an unknown location. Previously, he was reportedly released in
2013.
Two other journalists, Afarin Chitsaz and Saman Safazaei, were also arrested on November 2, 2015.
Hadi Heydari,
an Iranian cartoonist and journalist, was arrested by security forces
in a raid on his workplace Shahrvand Newspaper office on November 16,
2015.
Alireza Varasteh,
was arrested by Iran’s security forces in a peaceful protest to support
political prisoners on November 9, 2015. Officials attacked and
detained Mr. Varasteh, 23, while he was posting a banner on which was
written “Stop Execution of Iranian Youth” on it. He was formerly fired
from Tehran University Teacher Training.
Abbas Asgarizadeh,
political activist, was arrested by Intelligence Service officials in
an attack at his house in November. Officials transferred Mr.
Asgarizadeh, 74, to Ward 7 at the Evin prison. He, who has relatives in
the MEK , had been reportedly jailed by officials in the 80s.
Saeed Soltani,
was arrested by Intelligence Service officials in an attack at his work
place and taken to detention in Alamdar Jolfa (Hadishahr) in East
Azerbaijan Province on November 11, 2015. Also, Iran’s security
officials apprehended another civil rights activist Maghsood Basirpoor
in his work place in the city of Malekan of East Azerbaijan, rights
groups said. They were reportedly released after being interrogated.
Previously, Mr. Soltani was arrested for alleged activities named
“ethnic activities” and taken to the Intelligence Service chambers in
2006.
Four
civil rights activists Alireza Ameri, the blogger Javad Sayahi, Farid
Khaziri and Ali Zargan were detained by Iran’s security force
plainclothes and taken to an unknow location after the peaceful
demonstration in front of Evin prison on October 10, 2015.
Mohammad Karimi,
the civil rights activist and a member of Iran’s National Front, was
arrested by security forces nearby his house and taken to jail on
October 6, 2015. He, one of the participants in protests in front of
Dena Company office, has been reportedly transferred to the public ward
of Evin prison. Officials had entered his house without any prior notice
and seized his personal belongings under the court warrant.
Molavi Aminollah Dahmardeh,
son of Shams al-Din, was arrested by Intelligence Service officials in
Zabol city of Sistan and Baluchistan Province on October 6, 2015. He,
religious activist and Cheif of the Religious Sciences School, has been
transferred to Special Clerical Court in the city of Mashhad. Officials
have seized his personal belongings in an attack at his house, Baluch
Activists Campaign declared.
Iran’s
Intelligence Service indicated that at least ten individuals alleged to
be members of terrorist groups were arrested in the provinces of
Golestan, Mazandaran, Tehran and Sistan and Baluchistan, according to
the governmental news agencies. The Intelligence Service Minister Seyed
Mahmood Alavi said during a press conference on November 10, 2015 that
we succeed in arresting ten persons in the provinces of Golestan,
Mazandaran, Tehran and Sistan and Baluchistan, more than 20 people from
terrorist groups crossed the borders of Iraq and Syria into Iran, 14
persons in an attack of a terrorist group in Safi Abad of Dezful.
Hussein Ali-Mohammadi Alvar,
who was arrested eight months ago, is kept in the ward amongst
criminals in Tabriz prison. He suffers from eyesight disorder. Hussein
was formerly detained along with another civil rights activist Seyed
Taha Kermani on November 4, 2013, and they were released on bail after
spending six months in prison. Branch three of the Islamic Revolutionary
Court in Tabriz had convicted them to ten years in prison for vague
charges of “blasphemy” and “firing on public properties”.
The
blogger Mohammad-Reza Poorshajari, from Mashhad city, was transferred
to Yazd city to serve his remain punishment as “life in exile” when his
prison term ended on October 31, 2015, his daughter Mitra Poorshajari
said. He, 54, who was arrested by security forces in Urmia in March
2015, was sentenced to a year in prison and life exile by the Islamic
Revolutionary Court of Karaj. Previously, Mr. Poorshajari had been in
Central Karaj prison for four years.
Korosh Zaeim,
an Iranian political activist and a member of the Central Council of
Iran’s National Front, was summoned by Intelligence Service officials on
November 4, 2015. He was allegedly sentenced to a year in prison by
Branch 15 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court chaired by Judge Salavati.
Esmaeil (Zartosht) Ahmadi Ragheb,
an Iranian civil rights activist, has been called by Branch 1 of the
Islamic Revolutionary Court of Shahriar County for his alleged charges,
he wrote on his Facebook account. He must be presented for vague charges
of “propaganda against the regime” on November 22, 2015.
Seyed Mansoor Mousavi,
an Iranian teacher, was summoned by Branch 15 of the Islamic
Revolutionary Court in November. He, a journalist, member of the
Cultural Council of the Islamic Iran and co-founder of the Education
Experts Community, had been arrested by officials on September 17, 2015,
and kept in Ward 2-A Sepah of Evin chaired by IRGC for 20 days.
Meysam Mehrani, an Iranian journalist, was called by Branch 1 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Karaj on November 14, 2015.
At
least 126 citizens including civil and ethnic rights activists, poets,
writers and intellectuals have been reportedly apprehended by Iran’s
security forces in the provinces of West and East Azerbaijan, Ardabil
and Tehran during the middle of November. Officials had allegedly
attacked with tear gas pistols, batons and electric shockers and
detained the citizens while angered citizens gathered peacefully against
the “anti-ethnic” regime policy on governmental TV shows. The citizens
had protested against un-ending discrimination on ethnic minorities.
As
in the past, dozens of Baha’i citizens have been oppressed and
persecuted by the regime for their faith, rights groups said. Recently,
the oppression of Baha’i people has been increased as has been ongoing
during all the past years. So many Baha'i citizens have been dismissed,
included a ten-year-old schoolchild, from universities and schools due
to their faith. In the past few days again many Baha'i citizens have
been arrested in several cities of Iran. Accordingly, Iran’s
Intelligence Service officials arrested at least 16 Baha’i citizens in
the cities of Tehran, Isfahan and Mashhad on November 15, 2015.
The names of detainees are as follows:
Tehran: Sahba Fanoosh, Negar Bagheri, Nava Monjazeb, Yavar Haghighat, Navid Aghdasi and Helia Moshtagh.
Isfahan: Keyvan Nik-Aeen, Parvin Nik-Aeen, Yeganeh Agahi, Matin Janamian, Sahab Rouhani and Navid Hemat.
Mashhad: Sanaz Eshaghi, Nika Pakzadan, Farzaneh Daneshgari and Naghmeh Zabihian.
According to the news, Matin Janamian and Sahab Rouhani were allegedly released on November 15, 2015.
Another
Baha'i citizen Nakisa Hajipur was arrested by security forces in an
attack at her house and taken her to an unknown location on November 15,
2015, Baha’i news agency said.
Iran's
security forces reportedly arrested 14 Christian converts citizens in a
raid on a house church gathering in Varamin and Tehran on November 1.
The attack took place during the Sunday service, Ramin Rad, co-founder
of Voice of Christian of Iran, told BCR Group. He added that thirteen of
those in attendance were taken in prison by Iran’s Intelligence Service
officials, and their current location is unknown. The names of the
detainees are: Zari Shah Khasti (Poorkaveh), Simmin, Bahram, Amin,
Leyla, Zahra, Mehdi and Farzaneh, Shayan, Sara, Nazanin, Elnaz and
Mohammad Shah Khasti.
Dozens
of Baluch citizens were arrested by security forces in recent months
for vague charges in Sistan and Baluchistan Province, Baluch Activists
Campaign stated. Accordingly, IRGC officials arrested General Manager of
the Alien and Foreign Immigrants of Iranshahr city, ISNA stated. He was
accused to receive illegal toll as bribe by licening for foreigners.
Islamic
Republic of Iran Broadcasting removed names and pictures of two young
actresses Pegah Ahangarani and Baran Kowsari from TV advertising.
Judicial sentence
Shahram
Ahmadi, 30, a Sunni prisoner of conscience who was arrested on November
29, 2009, was finally sentenced to death by the Appeal Court. The
verdict was submitted to his lawyer on October 25, 2015, and referred to
Iran’s Supreme Court, BCR Group has learned.
He
was sentanced to capital punishment for the vague charges “Moharebeh”,
“acting against national security” and “propaganda against the regime of
Iran” at Branch 28 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court chaired by Judge
Mogheyseh on October 12, 2012 [He was tried in a so-called court in 5
minutes]. He, from Sanandaj city, was held in solitary confinement for
33 months in ward 350 of Evin prison in Tehran, before being transferred
to Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj. Shahram had been also kept in the
prisons of Sanandaj and Zanjan since the arrest. His younger brother,
Bahram Ahmadi, was executed in Ghezel Hesar prison along with five other
Sunni preachers on 27 December 2012.
Mr.
Shahram Ahmadi, a Sunni prisoner, suffers from kidney infections. He
has entered into his seventh prison term on April 25, 2015. However, his
activities were reportedly linked to cultural-religious affairs such as
preaching in public places such as mosques and universities,
participating in religious (Sunni) meetings, distributing religious
books and CDs, religious holiday’s prayer, funding religious ceremonies
and training in seminary courses.
Solmaz Ikdar,
an Iranian journalist, was sentenced to three years in prison for vague
charges of “insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran” and “propaganda
against the regime” in the Islamic Revolutionary Court chaired by Judge
Mogheyseh. Miss. Ikdar was arrested when she decided to travel for
education at the airport on June 11, 2015. She was transferred to the
infamous Gharchak prison for women in Varamin when she failed to pay the
bail (200 million Tomans=66,000 $) and had been there for one night.
The Iranian journalist, who has worked for several newspapers, was
previously fired from a university and sentenced to six months suspended
sentence for vague charges of “propaganda against the regime of Iran”
in 2008.
Siavash Alikhani,
an activist close to Erfan-E-Halgheh (deviated Halqeh Cult), sentenced
to two years suspended sentence on the charges of “propaganda against
the regime” and “obtaining illegal property” in Shahrekord city. He was
arrested by IRGC officials in March and released on the bail after
having days in the solitary confinement. Officials had seized his
personal belongings such as cell phone, laptop, books and his
handwritings in the attack at his house.
Rahim (Saeed) Jafari,
an Iranian civil rights activist from Gonbad Kavoos city, has received a
prison sentence along with a fine by Branch 1 of the Islamic
Revolutionary Court according to Campaign to Defend Political and Civil
Rights Prisoners in Iran. The court sentenced Mr. Jafari, 23, for vague
charges of "propaganda against the regime” and “insulting the Supreme
Leader of Iran”. Furthermore, he is to be tried in yet another trial at
the public criminal branch court for charges of “insulting President
Hassan Rouhani” and “spreading false news on the internet” on January
15, 2016.
Execution
Three men and a woman were executed in Central Tabriz prison on November 12, 2015.
A
prisoner identified as A.S was executed by hanging for alleged charges
of “rape” and “murder” on November 9, 2015. He was 30 and hanged in
public in the city of Khoy in West Azerbaijan of Iran, Haraz News
stated.
Four
prisoners named Kambiz Shahbazi, Iraj Tizmaghz, Mehdi Aflaki and Siroos
Cheshmeh were hanged for alleged charges of drug-related crimes in
Central Karaj prison on November 8, 2015
Three inmates were hanged for rape in Baft County of Kerman Province on November 10, 2015.
Two
prisoners identified as Mohammad Barani, 39, and Mokhtar Khoojmali, 33,
were hanged for alleged charges of “possessing drugs” in Central Gorgan
prison in November.
Barekat
Malek Raeisi, son of Mohammad, was hanged for drug-related crimes in
Isfahan prison in November. He, from Minan village of Sarbaz County in
Sistan and Baluchestan Province, had been in jail since 2008.
Two
prisoners Ghorban Golmohammadi and Hassan Javadi were hanged in Rajai
Shahr prison on November 4, 2015. They were executed for “murder” as
“retaliation punishment” under Iran’s Islamic Penal Code (Qisas).
Two unknown prisoners were hanged in public for rape in Ali-Abad Katool of Golestan Province in November.
Three
prisoners Ali Baz Khosrawi, Mostafa Khosrawi and Ali Baz Noorian were
hanged in Adel Abad prison on October 6, 2015. They were sentenced to
death penalty for murder as retaliation punishment by the court.
Three prisoners were executed for murder by hanging in Rajai Shahr prison on October 7, 2015.
Mehdi Changzan, 25, was hanged for murder in Bandar Abbas prison on October 8, 2015.
Three
inmates were hanged for drug-related crimes in Central Rasht prison in
October. Iran’s judicial officials sentenced them to death for
possessing drugs in the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Rasht.
Mohsen
Tima was executed by hanging for murder in Bandar Abbas prison on
October 11, 2015. He, from Shamil in Bandar Abbas city, had been in jail
since 2000.
Three
prisoners were hanged in public in the county of Kazerun of Fars
Province, according to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting.
Officials sentenced them to death and called them as Mofsed fil-Arz (the
word for capital crimes “or the person guilty of them” in the Islamic
Republic of Iran known as “spreading corruption” in English), for
murder, kidnapping, bank robbery, armed conflict, wickedness and
disturbing urban safety in the neighbouring areas.
Two prisoners hanged for drug-related crimes (possessing drugs) in Central Ardebil prison in October.
An unknown prisoner hanged for murder in Adel Abad prison on October 4, 2015.
Mohammad-Reza Fiooji, 27, son of Koochak-Ali from Kahnooj County, was executed in Bandar Abbas prison on September 27, 2015.
Six prisoners, from Sistan and Baluchistan, were hanged in Yazd prison on September 23, 2015.
Not
astonishingly, Hassan Rouhani defended the execution of hundreds for
drug offenses in an interview with the Italian daily Corriere Della
Sera;
Corriere
Della Sera: Iran has the highest per capita capital execution rate in
the world, including public executions. Do you think the death penalty
is an effective way to counter crime?
Rouhani:
«Punishment should work as a deterrent. We can discuss about the
effectiveness of executions, as well as of arrests and even fines. But
in every country the criminal code is related to the domestic rules,
many countries retain the capital punishment, other countries don’t. In
Iran, most executions refer to illicit drugs trafficking, due to our
long and porous border shared with our Afghan neighbor. If we abolished
the death penalty we would enhance their drug trafficking up to the
European countries and that would be dangerous for you».
In
this regard, The Boroujerdi Civil Rights Group calls on western
governments to put the dead penalty on the top of the agenda in their
political-economic relations with the regime of Iran.
Death
Korosh Bakhshandeh, the outstanding labor activist, lost his life due to a heart attack in his birthplace Sanandaj city on November 5, 2015.
According
to the Campaign to Defend Civil and Political Prisoners, the labor
activist, a member of the Coordinating Committee for Creation of Labor
Organizations and the member of the executive board of the Committee to
Defence Labor Activists in Mahabad, had undergone an operation because
of his heart failure in Rajai Hospital in Tehran.
Mr.
Bakhshandeh was arrested by Iran’s security forces on March 7, 2015, in
Sanandaj, and released on bail of 100 million Tomans (33,000 $) on May
6, 2015.
Finally, he was
accused of “membership in Komoleh (Communist Party of Iran)”, “attending
in the protests against the regime of Iran” and “membership of the
Coordinating Committee for Creation of Labor Organizations” on October
20, 2015. Branch 1 of the Sanandaj Islamic Revolutionary Court sentenced
him to two years in prison, the campaign learned. The verdict was
reduced to three months and a day in prison due to his “illness and
aging” according to the Article 38 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code.
Arman Payeh,
42, who has been in Zahedan prison since 1999, died due to lack of
medical treatment on October 29, 2015. He, a former colonel of the Law
Enforcement Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran, had suffered from a
sever inflammation in his liver since last year. Mr. Payeh was allegedly
arrested on the charges of “relationship with oppositiom groups”,
rights groups have learned.
Yadollah Amiri,
who had been reportedly kept in Central Zahedan Prison, died as a
result of suicide on November 3, 2015. He, 36, committed suicide due to
“excruciating life” in the prison. Officials arrested him for drug
smuggling and sentenced Mr. Amiri to life-time imprisonment in the
Islamic Revolutionary Court.
An
Ahwazi Arab teenager has been killed and dozens of people injured on
Monday in clashes with Iranian security forces in Ahwaz City,
neighborhood of Al-nahda. The violence was a reaction to Iranian forces'
decision to restrict Ahwazis from selling Ahwazi traditional and local
cuisine, which is based on seafood as well as the Falafel sandwich,
which brought many tourists from inside and outside to the Ahwaz city.
On November 9, Ali Jalali, a 17-year-old Ahwazi, died from his wounds
after he was shot dead by Iranian forces after he clashed with them
while trying to prevent them from confiscating his stall. Iranian forces
for years have been targeting the source of income of Ahwazis by
confiscating their businesses and arresting them.
Alireza Rezaei,
a young Afghan citizen, lost his life in Chaldoran County of West
Azerbaijan in October. He was allegedly beaten by Iran’s Law Enforcement
Forces in a border police station.
Korosh Rouhi,
a Baha’i citizen from Shiraz, was fatally stabbed to death in his
residential garage in Fazilat avenue of Shiraz last week, according to
the Baha’i news agency.
An
Afghan citizen Abdul-Hagh Arab was arrested and severely tortured by
Intelligence Division of Iran’s National Police Forces in Nik Shahr
County of Sistan and Baluchistan Province on October 14, 2015. He was
called to pay an illegal toll as a bribe as Baluch Activists Campaign
confirmed by his
testimony.
The
report is provided as a service to the news media and human rights
organizations. All details have been verified by human rights activists
and reliable sources that are unidentified for security purposes.
Statistics are current as of the above date.
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