Leader of Iranian Workers Transport Union transferred to prison from hospital

Mansour Osanloo, leader of Iranian workers transport Union who had been transferred from prison to hospital for an eye operation was transferred back to prison regardless of conditions.

Iranian judiciary had refused to allow his operation after Mr. Osanloos’ arrest on 10 July 2007. It is reported that the decision was taken by the infamous Judge Hassan Zare Dehnavi, known as Hassan Haddad, security deputy to Tehrans’ prosecutor.

Mr. Ossanloos’ operation was agreed under pressure from International Human right organizations and workers Union, which had expressed concern over his conditions.

Although Mr.Ossanloos’ condition requires rest and primary necessary medical supervision, it is reported that he is transferred to Evin prison clinic, which does not support the necessary accommodations for such treatments.

Mansoor Ossanloo had been beaten up and arrested on 10 July 2007, accused of distributing provocative communicates against National Security, where as his lawyer had announced that he was only distributing written demands of his fellow workers.

Mr. Ossanloo had previously been arrested and kept in prison for 7 months, and harassed after his release. He had participated in the International Labor Union Assembly in London, defending Iranian workers rights before his arrest in Iran.

Emadeddin Baghi Interrogated without presence of attorney

Handcuffed and dresses in prison cloths Emaddedin Baghi was taken from 209 Evin Prison to be interrogated in the first Branch of the public prosecutors office, on Monday 22 October.

His acting lawyer, Mr.Youssef Molaei, witnessed the scene by coincidence as he had approached the prison to visit his client.

According to section 3 of the 14th article of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, to which the Islamic regime is also a signatory, having a lawyer present during all stages of investigations is a principal right. Mr. Baghi, however, was deprived of this essential right.

In a separate short contact with his lawyer Mr.Baghi stressed that he was ridiculed and pressurized while in section 209 Evin prison, but expressed his determination to continue his activities regarding Human right violations in Iran.

We should remind our readers that charges targeted at this human right activist and journalist has been; to have propagated against the regime, and to have revealed highly sensitive government documents under the pretext of interviewing prisoners and discussing them in meetings and congregations and also to have been writing for the Association to Protect the Rights of Prisoners.

Mr. Emadeddin Baghi, had been arrested on 14 October, while attending convocation at the first branch of the Public Prosecutors’ Office, about his activities in the Association in Defense of Freedom of Press.

According to Mr.Bagis’ daughter, he had been asked for a 50million toman bail, to which he was reluctant at first but accepted considering the circumstances. Whilst the bail was being collected by his family, they were informed that Mr. Baghi had been removed to prison, to under take the previous 1 year sentence accorded to him.

Mr. Baghi has released a letter after his arrest in which he reveals pressures put on him and his family prior to his imprisonment. According to this letter, he had been deprived of teaching in the University, refrained from all media activities and interviews and contact with the press.
In his letter he has said that during the 25 years of his activities, as a researcher he had released articles and books, which had either been barred from publication or confiscated after being published.

Petition in Support of Keyvan Rafiee

Sign the Petition
Keyvan Rafiee is a 26 years old human rights activist in Iran. He is the spokesperson for Human Rights Activists in Iran. He was also involved in publishing news about political prisoners on his weblog before his arrest.

Mr. Rafiee was arrested on July 9th 2006, near Tehran University by the Intelligence Ministry Officials. After his arrest he was transferred to Section 209 of the Evin Prison, which is under the direct control of the Ministry of Intelligence.

It could be said that the arrest of Mr. Rafiee was similar to a kidnapping, because the officers who arrested Mr. Rafiee did not have an arrest warrant and did not inform him of his charges.
Mr. Rafiee has spent more then 5 months in solitary confinement.
Keeping prisoners in solitary confinement is a brutal form of psychological torture. When in solitary confinement the prisoner is completely unaware of what is going on outside of the prison.
The prisoner is given false information and lies in order to confuse and frustrate him. Further the prisoner is not allowed to have any visitations even with his lawyer. This is a silent torture, a torture which does not bruise the body, however it is meant to destroy the persons’ spirit.
Also Mr. Rafiee was not allowed to inform his family of his arrest and whereabouts for the first three (3) months of his imprisonment.

According to Article 9, subsection 3 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Iran is a Signatory State “Anyone arrested or detained on a criminal charge shall be brought promptly before a judge or other officer authorized by law to exercise judicial power and shall be entitled to trial within a reasonable time or to release. It shall not be the general rule that persons awaiting trial shall be detained in custody, but release may be subject to guarantees to appear for trial, at any other stage of the judicial proceedings, and, should occasion arise, for execution of the judgment.”
However Keyvan Rafiee has been in pre-trial custody for almost 15 months and the prosecution has refused to deal with his case for unknown reasons.

Mr. Rafiee’s bail has been set at $56,000 dollars, however the Revolutionary Courts have not allowed Mr. Rafiee to post bail and continue his illegal incarceration.

Mr. Rafiee’s trial dates have been adjourned on six different occasions respectively on December 6th 2006, April 18th 2007, May 22nd 2007, July 29th 2007, August 5th 2007 and September 5th 2007.

Keyvan Rafiee believes that the Intelligence Ministry Officials have prevented the Revolutionary Courts from carrying out his trial, due to the lack of evidence against him.
He has stated that the Ministry of Intelligence has no evidence against him and has tried through physical and psychological torture to force him into false confessions against himself and his friends.

Further according to Article 14, subsection 3 (d)of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights an accused person has the right to: “be tried in his presence, and to defend himself in person or through legal assistance of his own choosing; to be informed, if he does not have legal assistance, of this right; and to have legal assistance assigned to him, in any case where the interests of justice so require, and without payment by him in any such case if he does not have sufficient means to pay for it”, however since his arrest Mr. Rafiee has not been able to see his defence lawyer even once.

We the undersigned are deeply concerned about the illegal and unjust arrest and imprisonment of Keyvan Rafiee and demand that Mr. Keyvan Rafiee be released immediately and unconditionally.

Sign the Petition

Read More:

http://free-keyvan.blogspot.com/

Secret hearing of a dissident reformist clergy

Hadi Ghabel, a reformist clergy, who had been arrested five weeks ago, informed his family, in a telephone contact, that he had been secretly trial twice by the special public prosecutor for clergy, which is situated in Quom, on 16 October, without the presence of an attorney.

According to his son Rohollah Ghabel , the government appointed attorney was not present because he was away.

Mr.Ghabels’ relatives believe that due to the fact that his case is considered politically sensitive, and that his charges are mainly political, his hearing was carried out without the presence of an attorney in two sessions for 3 days.

Mr.Ghabel had been arrested at his home on 12 September, by the security forces of the special Clergy Courts in Quom.
At the time of his arrest the security guards had pretended to pose religious questions but confiscated all Mr.Ghabels’ writings, computer and belongings.

State of health of an activist for the workers association deteriorated

Mahmoud Salehi, Founding member of the workers Union of Saghez (in Kurdistan of Iran) and director of the Coordinating Committee for Founding Workers Organizations, of that city, has been suffering of kidney malfunction.

Mr. Salehi was transferred to the prison clinic on 17 October 2007, but returned after several hours. He had previously been taken to a hospital called Tohid in June, but then again transferred back to his cell.

Considering that Mr. Salehi has only one functional kidney, his relatives have expressed serious concern over his state of health and have stressed that prison medical facilities does not compensate for his situation.

Release Leading Defender of Prisoners’ Rights

Human Rights Watch: (Washington, DC, October 16, 2007) – Iranian authorities should immediately release prominent human rights defender Emadeddin Baghi and drop the politically motivated charges against him, Human Rights Watch said today.

On October 14, Baghi responded to a summons to appear before an interrogator at Branch 1 of the Security Unit of the General and Revolutionary Public Prosecutor’s Office. The court charged him with “propaganda against the system” and “publishing secret government documents” for his activities as president of the Society for the Defense of Prisoners’ Rights, a nongovernmental organization that he founded in 2003.

“The Iranian government should applaud Baghi for his efforts on behalf of prisoners’ rights, not arrest him,” said Joe Stork, Middle East and North Africa deputy director at Human Rights Watch.

After Baghi’s arrest, court officials set a bail of 500 million rials (approximately US$50,000). While Baghi’s family was in the process of posting bail, Evin prison authorities arrived at the courthouse and announced that Baghi had to serve a 2003 suspended sentence. The court authorities revoked the bail, and prison officials immediately transferred Baghi back into detention.

In 2003, Judge Babayee of Branch 6 of the Revolutionary Court sentenced Baghi to a one-year suspended term for “endangering national security” and “printing lies” in his book, The Tragedy of Democracy in Iran.

In 2000, a Revolutionary Court sentenced Baghi to a three-year prison term on charges of “endangering national security” for his writings about the serial murder of dissident intellectuals in Iran in the late 1990s. He served two years of that sentence, and one year was suspended.

Baghi’s family and lawyers report that since his release in 2003, the authorities have summoned Baghi to court 23 times.

In July, Branch 6 of the Revolutionary Court sentenced Baghi, as well as his wife and daughter, to suspended three-year sentences for their work documenting and publicizing human rights violations in Iran’s court systems and prisons.

Emadeddin Baghi also founded the Society of Right to Life Guardians in 2005, an organization that aims to abolish the death penalty in Iran. His two organizations produce reports on the situation of Iranian prisoners and gather data about death penalty cases in Iran.

The Amir Kabir University Students have been Sentenced to Imprisonment

After the review of the case of the three Amir Kabir University Students for the second time, the sentences for Mr. Majid Tavakoli, Mr. Ahmad Ghasaban and Mr. Ehsan Mansouri has been announced.

Mr. Tavakoli has been sentenced to three (3) years, Mr. Ghasaban to two and a half (2.5) years and Mr. Mansouri to two (2) years imprisonment.

Mr. Mohammad Ali Dadbakhsh, the defence lawyer for Mr. Tavakoli, Mr. Ghasaban and Mr. Mansouri has stated that his clients have not accepted any of the charges laid against them, and do not accept their sentences.

Mr. Dadbakhsh has stated that he will be appealing the convictions and the sentences.

Mr. Ghasaban, Mr. Mansouri and Mr. Tavakoli were arrested in May of 2007 after the publication of certain articles in the Amir Kabir Student Paper, which insulted Islam and the Leader of the Revolution. Above named students were falsely accused of publishing these articles.

These students have denied having published these articles before their arrest and imprisonment; however after their arrest the interrogators were able to obtain false confessions from these students through brutal torture.

Mr. Tavakoli, Mr. Ghasaban and Mr. Mansouri were transferred to the public ward of the Evin Prison after spending four (4) months in solitary confinement.

Where is Ronak Safarzadeh Imprisoned?

Ms. Ronak Safarzadeh whi si one of the members of the One Million Signature Campaign demanding an end to discriminatory laws against women in the Iranian Law, was arrested seven days ago by the Intelligence Ministry Officials. Her mother Ms.

Shahnaz Ahmadi has not been able to get any news regarding her daughters arrest and whereabouts.

She has further stated that she has attended at the prosecutor’s office only to face insults.

Ms. Safarzadeh was arrested on Tuesday October 9th 2007, in the city of Sanandaj close to her home by the Intelligence Ministry Officials. According to Ms. Safarzadeh’s mother Intelligence Ministry Officials entered their home on that day and confiscated her computer, books, writings and personal belongings.

According to her friends, the day before her arrest she had attended a celebration for children organized by a group called Houraz and had handed out pamphlets regarding the one million signature campaign.

After not receiving any news from her daughter for one week Ms. Ahmadi believes that her daughter has been kidnapped by the intelligence ministry she has also stated that the prosecution office has confirmed that there is a warrant for her arrest.

Ms. Ahmadi has further stated that the prosecution office has refused to accept and take any of the medication she had brought for her daughter.

Further the prosecutors office has stated that she is not allowed to visit her daughter and have insulted and lied to her.

Ronak Safazadeh is 21 years old, and in addition to being a member of the one million signature campaign demanding an end to discriminatory law against women in the Iranian law she is also a member of Azarmehr Women’s Organization.

Sign the Petition: Free Ayatollah Boroujerdi

Sign the Petition

To: The Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon, The United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights, Louise Arbour, The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mohmoud Ahmadinejad and The Head of the Judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi.

WE THE UNDERSIGNED hereby Petition the above Honorable Dignitaries for the immediate exoneration and release of Ayatollah Sayed Hossein Kazemeyni Boroujerdi from imprisonment in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

RELEVANT FACTS: Ayatollah Sayed Hossein Kazemeyni Boroujerdi is a Shi'a Muslim cleric who supports the freedom speech and the free exercise of religion in Iran. On October 7, 2006 Ayatollah Boroujerdi was arrested along with many of his supporters who had gathered at his home. Although no crime had been committed, witnesses say that they were incarcerated and subjected to torture in section 209 of Evin Prison.

In a special clerical court, without representation by legal counsel, Ayatollah Boroujerdi was sentenced to ten years of imprisonment in exile. Ayatollah Boroujerdi was then coerced, under threat of torture, to give a statement in which he was forced to confess to acts he did not commit. This forced confession was then televised nationally in Iran in an attempt to humiliate Ayatollah Boroujerdi and others who share his belief in the free exercise of religion and freedom of speech.

Ayatollah Boroujerdi has committed no crime. He is a peaceful man who does not advocate violence nor does he threaten the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran in any way. All he has done is to advocate for the unalienable right of the individual to hold personal religious beliefs and to exercise freedom of speech. For this he has been subjected to imprisonment and torture under continuous threat of execution.

STANDARD OF LAW: Article 56 of the UN Charter requires that all member nations pledge to "take joint and separate action in cooperation with the Organization (UN) for the achievement of the purposes set forth in Article 55." Article 55 includes several paragraphs most notably here "universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion."

Article 18 Section 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, provides that:

1. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching.

Article 19, Sections 1 and 2 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights provide that:

1. Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference.

2. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.

Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights provides in pertinent part:

No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

APPLICATION OF LAW AND ARGUMENT: Ayatollah Boroujerdi has been denied his rights under each of the above referenced Articles and sections of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. He has been arrested held in confinement and tortured because of his beliefs and for expressing his views on political matters.

On September 24, 2007 Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke in the United States at Columbia University. In response to the introduction from Columbia University President Lee Bollinger, President Ahmadinejad said the following:

“I think the text read by the dear gentleman here, more than addressing me, was an insult to information and the knowledge of the audience here, present here. In a university environment we must allow people to speak their mind, to allow everyone to talk so that the truth is eventually revealed by all."

"Certainly he took more than all the time I was allocated to speak, and that's fine with me. We'll just leave that to add up with the claims of respect for freedom and the freedom of speech that's given to us in this country.”

In his words, which have been communicated to billions of people throughout the world, President Ahmadinejad expressed his belief in the freedom of speech and the right of people to “speak their mind.” Yet, within the nation of Iran people are arrested and tortured for “speaking their mind.”

Now the world is watching to see if Iran will live up to the high standard set by these words of the President Ahmadinejad. Will Iran release Ayatollah Sayed Hossein Kazemeyni Boroujerdi, who has done nothing more than exercise his right to “speak his mind,” as President Ahmadinejad said, so that “truth is eventually revealed by all.”

THE UNDERSIGNED RESPECTFULLY REQUEST: 1. That the sentence imposed upon Ayatollah Sayed Hossein Kazemeyni Boroujerdi be commuted immediately;

2. That the case of Ayatollah Sayed Hossein Kazemeyni Boroujerdi be thoroughly reviewed in a manner consistent with the provisions of the UN Charter and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;

3. That Ayatollah Sayed Hossein Kazemeyni Boroujerdi be released from prison forthwith, that the sentence against him be reversed and that all charges against him be dismissed;

4. That the Islamic Republic of Iran honor its commitment to the United Nations Charter, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the high standard of freedom of religion and speech as has been promised by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during his speech at Columbia University.

The Torture of an Iranian Teacher in the Ministry of Intelligence Prison

The life of a teacher named Farzad Kamangar who was arrested in May of 2006 for unknown reasons, and is currently in a Ministry of Intelligence Prison is in danger.

According to the Krudish Human Rights Organization in Iran Mr. Kamangar was arrested by the Intelligence Ministry 14 months ago, along with two of his friends Mr. Ali Heydariyan and Mr. Farhad Vakili in the city of Sanandaj.

Mr. Kamangar’s family was not aware of his whereabouts for four (4) months. After four months they found out that Mr. Kamangar was imprisoned in Section 209 of the Evin Prison which is under the direct control of Intelligence Ministry.

Human Rights Activists have reported that Mr. Kamangar was in Section 209 of the Evin Prison, in solitary confinement and under physical and psychological torture.

According to news from Human Rights Activists in Kurdistan of Iran he has suffered from serious burns on his left leg and arm as a result of torture, involving pouring hot water over his body, kidney problems as well as infection.

On his seventh month of imprisonment Mr. Kamangar was allowed to visit with his mother and brother. Security guards were present in the room during the visit and they were ordered to speak only in Farsi.

Mr. Khalil Bahramiyan a well known defence lawyer in Tehran has taken up Mr. Kamangar’s case; however after 14 months he has still not been able to meet with Mr. Kamangar.

In the past 14 months no charges have been laid against Mr. Kamangar and no trial date has been set. He is still in pre-trial custody. The amount of pre-trial custody is set by the Judge of the Revolutionary courts and it is possible that he may remain in pre-trial custody for another year.

The courts have not laid any formal charges against Mr. Kamangar however it is said that he will be charged with acting against national security.

Before his arrest Mr. Kamangar resided in the city of Kamyaran. He is a teacher who for the past 5 years had been teaching in small towns and villages around the city of Kamyaran.

The family of Mr. Kamangar are very much concerned about the health, well being and safety of Mr. Kamangar. They have urged international human rights organizations to follow up on Mr. Kamangar’s situation and to help save his life and to further urge the Judge dealing with his case to allow for his medical treatment.

Three Amir Kabir University Students Taken our of Solitary Confinement After Four Months Imprisonment

Ahmad Ghasaban, Ehsan Mansouri and Majid Tavakoli, three Amir Kabir University Students who had been in solitary confinement in Section 209 of the Evin Prison for the past four months were taken to the general ward for political prisoners on Tuesday October 9th 2007.

All three students were able to call their families Monday night and inform them that they would be transferred to a general ward on Tuesday.

Mr. Ghasaban, Mr. Mansouri and Mr. Tavakoli were arrested in May of 2007 after the publication of certain articles in the Amir Kabir Student Paper, which insulted Islam and the Leader of the Revolution. Above named students were falsely accused of publishing these articles.

Ahmad Gassaban, is the director of the student publication called “Sahar” and the first student nominee to take part in elections of the central committee of the AmirKabir student Association. He was arrested on 3 May 2007 , as he had approached the courts to deliver the students complaints of their University directorate, the Official news paper Keyahn and also Raja news site.

The next day, the second nominated student for the student elections , Majid Tavakoli , had to reside in court along with his other fellow students, Majid Sheikh pour and Pouyan Mahmoudian (directorates of student publications “Rivar” and “Sarkhat”). On 22 May, security forces attacked Ehsan Mansouris’ house, and while creating fear and beating up Mr. Mansouris’ family members, fired shots, arrested and confiscated his belongings.

These students have denied having published these articles before their arrest and imprisonment, however after their arrest the interrogators were able to obtain false confessions from these students through brutal torture.

After the false confessions were obtained, Mr. Ghasaban, Mr. Mansouri and Mr. Tavakoli each wrote letters from prison setting out the torture they had been subjected to in Section 209 of the Evin Prison. The families of these students also wrote a detailed letter to the head of Judiciary confirming the torture their sons had been subjected to.

The torture of these students involved the following:
A round the clock interrogation of the victims with no food or water, informing them of faked news; “ death of a close member of family “ , creating unbearable noise at all times, insulting family members ,threatening them and their families and close relatives, beating them simultaneously by 7 torturers, mixing political prisoners with ordinary criminals and killers, keeping them in cubic cells for 48 hours in which they could just stand, lashing prisoners with thick cables and rough wires to beat the flesh out, lying the victim and treading on feet and face by 7 torturers at the same time, standing on parts of the body and sitting on the waist for a long time, dicing the students between several torturers banging them to the wall, and forbidding any visit by doctors.

Five (5) out of eight (8) imprisoned Amir Kabir University students who were released earlier, wrote letters to the Judiciary and the Parliament asking for an investigation into the torture they and their friends had been subjected to. As follow up to these letters Alireza Avayi, the head of the Prosecution Office in the Province of Tehran started an investigation into the torture of these students.

According to news published by the above named three students, they have been able to visit with Mr. Avayi in Section 209 of the Evin Prison. This is the first visit of its kind, since until now only the head of Prison has entered and visited Section 209. Further, to this day no parliament member has been allowed to enter Section 209.

Although the arrest warrants for students and political activists in Iran are approved by Judge Hassan Haddad (Hassan Zareh Dahnavei) students are hopeful that the visit of Mr. Avayi with prisoners in Section 209 may lead to higher accountability of interrogators in Section 209.

Section 209 of the Evin Prison is under the direct control of Mostafa Karimi, who is one of the directors in the Ministry of Intelligence. Mr. Karimi has not answered any questions regarding the behavior of interrogators and the use of torture in Section 209 and has not been held accountable.

Mr. Karimi’s office was used to obtain televised confessions from Haleh Esfandiyari and Kian Tajbakhsh (two Iranian /American academics who were arrested and charged with trying to start a velvet revolution.)

Ali Farahbakhsh, an Imprisoned Journalist has been Released from Prison

Mr. Ali Farahbakhsh’s lawyer has stated that Mr. Farahbakhsh has been released from prison after 11 months of imprisonment, on October 11, 2007. Mr. Farahbakhs is a journalist specializing in economics.

Mr. Alireza Tabatabayi who is Mr. Farahbakhsh’s lawyer has stated that the Revolutionary Court have reduced his sentence from 36 months to 16 months and have agreed to his early release.

Mr. Farahbaksh had been arrested for his participation in a number of academic conferences in Malaise and Thailand; however the Revolutionary Courts have charged him with Spying.
Mr. Farahbakhsh is a journalist who writes for numerous reformist newspapers including Sobhe Emruz, Norouz, Yase No and Sarmaye.

Although Mr. Farahbakhsh was suffering from a serious eye problem while in prison, he had not been allowed a temporary leave from prison. Mr. Farahbaksh has spent more then 10 months of his imprisonment in Section 209 of the Evin Prison.

The Release of a Young Journalist from Evin Prison

Soheil Asafi a blogger and a journalist was released on Saturday October 6th 2007 from Evin Prison after two months of imprisonment. He was released on 100 Million Toman bail.
Soheil Asafi was arrested on August 4th 2007. On that day he was summoned to court, where he was interrogated and was taken to the Evin Prison by Intelligence Ministry Officials. Mr. Asafi was in solitary confinement for 2 months in Section 209 of the Evin Prison.

Mr. Asafi’s mother Ms. Nahid Khyrabi who is also a journalist has stated in regards to his son’s arrest and imprisonment conditions in Section 209 that the interrogators would give him false news and information and subject him to other psychological torture while he was in solitary confinement.

Adnan HasanPour and Hiwa Boutimar meet their families

8 days after being transferred from solitary confinement of Intelligence ministry, to the public section of Sanandaj prison the two political prisoners managed to meet their families.

Adnan Hassanpour had been arrested 9 months ago by the Intelligence ministry agents at home in Marivan- west of Iran. He was a member of the editorial board of the Bilangual weekly “Aso”.

He was then subjected to torture for 7 months resulting into a forced confession. Following this, a trivial court arranged by the Marivan Magistrate in April this year, condemn him to death for apostasy based on his forced confessions.

Those claimed by the mullahs in Iran to have been involved in armed resistance are labeled as apostates. It is a misunderstanding of the Shiite Islam by the government clergy in Iran.

Hiwa Boutimar was one of the founding members of the “Sabzchia” association (meaning the Green Mountain) and also a reporter of the news bulletin released by this association. He was arrested 10 months ago in his office, and was also later announced to be an apostate by the same court and condemned to death.

After receiving their charges, Adnan Hassanpour and Hiwa Boutimar were both transferred to solitary confinement in Sanandaj , were they faced more torture.

The two political prisoners’ began a hunger strike to protest their transfer.

The Judiciary and the Intelligence Ministry did not pay any attention to their 47 day hunger strike, They stopped their hunger strike after an appeal was raised by their families and some Human right organizations such as the reporters without borders, who were concerned for their well being.

Saleh Nikbakht , attorney to the two political prisoners has stressed that, charges raised against his clients do not lie under the category of apostasy.