Iranian authorities deny releasing Workers movement activist

Mahmoud Salehi, a Union activist has finished his prison sentence, but Iranian authorities have refrained from releasing him.

Mahmoud Salehi is one of the founders of Workers Union guild of Khabaz city. He is also a member of the founder's board of the Iranians workers Syndicate. He was invited to discuss the 1st of May workers' rally with the Governor this March, but was arrested instead and transferred to Sanandaj prison.

His prison sentenced ended on 23 March this year, but he was given another 2 months of detention by the so called revolutionary court of Sanandaj (West of Iran).

According to his family, Mr. Salehi has begun a dry hunger strike, denying food and water, in protest to this unjust act. This is while he suffers acute kidney problems.

Three Human Right organizations and Workers syndicate have demanded the release of Mr. Salehi from the Islamic Republic authorities. Amnesty International, International Federation of transport workers, and the Free Confederation of Workers have expressed grave concern over Mr. Salehis health, who has began a hunger strike in protest of his continued detention. In this protest they have reiterated that "Mr. Salehi needs long term treatment to heal his kidneys".

On Sunday a group of workers from various cities in Iran, gathered in front of Sannadaj prison in protest of this illegal detention, and demanded Mr. Salehis' freedom.

human conditions affiliates of Sufism in prison

Four arrested members of "ahle hagh" ; Sahandali Mohammadi, Bakhshali Mohammadi, abadollah Ghassemzadeh and Mehdi Ghassemzadeh, are bearing intolerable situation in the central Prison of Orumieh .

These people have been arrested during an arm clash between a sect known as "Atashbeigi" and the Police, near the "ouch Tapeh" village (Suburbs of Miandoab city).
They all have been sentenced to death.

It is said that these people have been severely tortured while in detention and had no right to attorney for their so called court procession.

Clashes broke out between "ahl Hagh" and police, when one member published its beliefs in a book and began distributing it. In all these clashes the police used arms to suppress the protesters. Six members of the sec were arrested in these protests including Sefaali Shiri and Soltanali Mohammadi.

Spokesman of "Asmek", committee to defend political prisoners of Azerbaiijan, said during his prison term in Mai 2004 in Chay City of Oroumieh , he had encountered two other prisoners of "AhleHagh" who told him that they were severely tortured in detention.

One detainee affiliated with "Ahlehagh" was Mehdi Ghassemzadeh, who had been injured by a shot of the police and his leg had deep infection, but was nevertheless tortured.

The affiliates of "Ahlehagh" have declared they have been under nourished in prison and therefore have become extremely weak.

They have reported of spread of Aides, hepatitis and even tuberculoses with no sanitation or even prevention for the prisoners at the moment.

Alireza Javanbakht declared that prisoners who have been arrested for their religious beliefs have been bullied and threatened by paid thugs in prison.

("Ahle hagh" groups having pro-Sufism who believe righteously in Imam Alis' principles as the basic Islamic belief because of centuries of mis-interpretations of Islam)

10 whippings for a woman's right activist

The so called revolution Court of Iran has sentences Marzieh Mortazie Langaroodi, an activist of the gender equality movement, to six months imprisonment and 10 lashes. According to her lawyer, Faride Gheirat, the sentence has been postponed for two years so far.

Ms.Mortazie is one of 33 activists who took part in a protest in front of the Revolution Court on 3 March 2007, and who had been arrested the same day. She is the founder of the "mothers for peace".( A movement debating any use of force against the Iranian regime in the nuclear dispute)

- Six months imprisonment for a journalist

Bahman Ahmadi Amooyee was arrested while preparing a report on the womens' peaceful demonstration in HAFTE TIR Square, on 12 June. He stayed in prison for one week.

The security branch of the so called Revolution Court has accused Mr. Amooyee of endangering national security. The Court had referred to a couple of articles and statements carrying his signature, and supporting women's equal rights and their gathering on 12 June.

Details of the case of a teacher facing the gallows

Khalil Bahramian, attorney to Farzad Kamangar, the teacher who has been sentenced to death on25 February by the so called Revolution Court, has objected to the proceedings of his client's case and declared that it has no legal basis, and would probably be ruled as void of legal substance by the Higher Court.

Mr.Bahramian believes that the sentenced issued against his client has been on prejudice grounds and based on the fact that he is a Kurd.

Farzad Kamangar , is a resident of a town in the West of Iran (more Kurdish region) and is a Sunni. This fact was first mentions in Mr.Kamangar's letter, which had appeared in several Iranian sites in October 2007, in which he had stated that, when the torturers became aware of his origins and religion, they began lashing and insulting him. Things had got worse when they found a Kurdish music in his mobile and his testacles were beaten up.

The so called revolution Court has sentences Farzad Kamangar to death on charges of affiliation to PKK. His attorney argues that his client's case, according to this sentence lies outside of the Iranian jurisdiction, because the PKK is out of Iranian borders.

Mr.kamangar, has been active in defending Kurdish minority rights and women's rights.

In June 2006 he traveled to Tehran along with two other Kurd activists. It is said that traces of explosive powder and a gun were located in the house and the car they had used. Following this they were arrested.

Khalil Bahramian argues that his client has been unaware of the presence of these elements and believes that the powder has been planted on him.

The 30th Branch of the so called Revolution Court has sentenced him and his friends to death. Ali Heidarian and Farhad Vakili have also been given each a ten year sentence.

IRAN: Death sentence for yet another journalist

Yagoub Mehrnahad, journalist and director of a youth association called "Voice of Justice" (Sedaye Edalat) has been sentenced to death in a court in Sistan Baluchestan province (southeastern Iran).

The so called court held a session behind closed doors, and its decision was delivered to Mr.Mehrnahads' family on 7 February.

Apparently the "Voice of Justice"" association was a legally established entity, and had been registered in the "National Youth Organization" which is a governmental organization as an NGO engaged in promoting literacy amongst the poor and also providing fundamental aid to the poverty stricken province of Sistan Baluchestan.

Mr. Mehrnahad has also been director to "Mardom Salary" news paper in Sistan Baluchestan province.

After the last yearly "Questioner and Responsive youth" convention, which was organized 10 months ago, some members of the central committee of the" Voice of Justice" association were arrested, including Yagoub Mehrnahad. Five of the arrested were released after a while, where as Mr. Mehrnahad is still undergoing pressure after 10 months of captivity.

During this period, he spent five months in the Intelligence Ministry torture center, and later was continued to be held for another two months in the central Zahedan Prison, with no official court verdict.

Last month, a court session was held, but no verdict was released, instead Mr. Mehrnahad was transferred to the Intelligence Ministry detention torture centre once again.

A relative, who had visited Mr. Mehrnahad two months ago, had reporter apparent signs of severe physical torture and loss of weight.

The death sentenced has not been officially declared by judiciary or any other government official. His family believes the real verdict has not been the death sentence. They also believe that Yaghoub Mehrnahad, has been forced to admit to uncommitted crimes under a lot of pressure.

Iranian Intelligent services torture a dissident Clergy

Mamousta Ayoub Ganji, a clergy and tutor and also Friday prayer Imam of Geba mosque, was arrested by unknown agents on 27 January 2008, and held captive. On 8 February, at 5 am, he was dropped off by an unidentified car. He was dropped off by an unidentified car in front of the Friday prayers of Sannadaj, while he could barely stand on his feet. Witnesses say that he had been severely tortured. They transferred him to hospital.

His relatives say he is extremely weak and fragile after being tortured. His psychological situation is deteriorating at the moment he can not even distinguish his wife and children. He is heard to constantly cry out about "beatings, serum, electricity" and he keeps shouting "No no…they are coming!".

According to close relatives, he has lost considerable weight, and torture signs are apparent on his face and all over his body.

Although officials of the judiciary and Intelligence Ministry have not commented on Ayoub Ganji's arrest but it appears that his detainers have been from the Intelligence Ministry.

It is said that his arrest is due to his Friday prayer' speech which had lashed out against the Government.

Ayoub Ganji had in his Friday prayers speech condemned the death of the Law student Ebrahim Lotfaollahi while in the Intelligence Ministry detention and had described it as a crime. He had also denounced the rejection of the so called "reformist candidates" for the coming Parliament elections by the Government.

Students tortured in 209

According top reports released by the Students Committee of Human Rights Reporters, and also testimony of recently released victims, students are being violently tortured in the notorious 209 section of Evin prison.

According to these testimonies, methods used to pressure students to go through TV staged confessions against their friends, are not only physical ones but include psychological ones. After long and continuous sessions of interrogation and torture they are left with bruised personalities and zero self respect and self confidence. At intervals they are under physical attacks being punched, kicked and whipped by heavy weighed cables.

Prior to this, Behrouz Karimi Zadeh, former Tehran University student was reported by his family to have had a deep cut from his wrist to his elbow.

During the past weeks, some students have paid incredible sums to be released temporarily; the price has ranged between 53000 to 107 thousand dollars. According to some, the Intelligence ministry has used fake TV confessions to link the students' movement to outside opposition forces.

After 21 days of illegal detention of students, there is yet no news concerning their condition.Some of the other students have had their families visiting them on 5 February for the first time in Evin prison. Saiid Habibi is one of the students who is barred from any visits and is under constant torture.

Sixty students have been arrested by the Intelligence Ministry in the past 3 months and forty are still pending results in prison. They were detained while trying to commemorate the Students day in Iran.

Detention for being of the Bahaii faith

According to the spokesman of the Iranian regime judiciary on 29 January, 59 people have been arrested in Shiraz for being of Bahaii faith.

According to the Spokeman, Alireza Jamshidi, three of the arrested are sentenced to four years and 51 others have been sentenced to one year imprisonment each.

Although Mr.Jamshidi has claimed that these individuals have been charged with propagating against the Islamic Republic, sources say they are members of a children's NGO working to provide free education for poor children in Shiraz.

Islamic Republic authorities have accused this NGO of promoting the Bahaii faith.

Prior to this, Amnesty International had reported the detention of three Bahaii activists in Shiraz prison: Raha Sabet Sarvestani, Hale Rouhi and Sassan Taghavi. It is clear that these individuals had official permit for their activities and their only charge is to be of the Bahaii faith.

Pressuring arrested students for fake confessions

Some of the students, who have managed to release themselves with bail, have declared that student activists are under heavy pressure to stage fake confession against themselves and their friends.

It is reported that the interrogators of the Intelligence ministry are trying to force the students confess they are in contact with opposition groups out side Iran.

On 4 December, thirty student activists affiliated with Marxist ideas, were arrested and transferred to Evin prison. They intended to organize meetings to commemorate the student day in Iran. In the past weeks, another two students have been arrested.

It is reported that these students have been tortured. According to the family of Behrouz Karimi zadeh, a former Tehran University student, his right hand had deep scars from his wrist to his elbow. Another detainee, Peyman Piran, has had his shoulder broken.

In the past days, eight students' have paid bail and released temporarily from prison and the rest of the students are still under interrogation.

Anti riot brigade clash with political prisoners of Rajaii Shahr

Prison anti riot guards attacked unit 2 of Rajaii Shahr prison on 24 January, smashed the locked door and dragged our three political prisoners; Farhad Vakili Rad, Farzad Kamangar, and Ali Heidaryan.

The prison authority's intentions to transfer Farzad Kamangar and Farhad Vakilirad to a separate unit in that prison had brought reactions amongst their inmates.

According to reports, the prisoners resisted the order, locked their door and had asked to see the prison director to discuss the matter.

Pirayesh, deputy director of the prison had met the prisoners along with the prison guard called Zabihi and the political prisoners had asserted their demand that their inmates should not be separated under any conditions.

The prisoners had resisted for 24 hours till they were violently attacked by the guards during which Farzad Kamangar and Farhad Vakili were brutally beaten up and taken to the notorious section of Rajaii Shahr.

Farzad Kamangar is a teacher from Kamyaran, suspected to be in contact with one of the Kurdish opposition parties.

In a letter which was slipped out of prison, he had clearly reported that he had been tortured and also threatened to be raped by the Intelligence Ministry agents.

Sexual abuse is a method used by Intelligence Ministry torturers to break the prisoners' resistance while in detention.

The three activist students, still in captivity in 209 notorious Evin prison, Ahmad Ghassaban , Ehsan Mansouri and Majid Tavakoli had also revealed that they had been threatened of sexual abuse. They had been accused of publishing insulting material against Islam and higher authorities of the government m but were later acquitted of the accusations.

Prior to these incidents, another prisoner Babak Dadbaksh who has recently been transferred from Evin to Rajaii Shahr prison has also been transferred to an unknown location.

Political prisoners have recently revealed that such transfers are used to break down resistant prisoners. Some prisoners in a letter have declared their lives are in danger in these locations.

Mehrdad Lorasbi and Behrouzs Javid Tehrani are known political prisoners who have spent a long period of imprisonment in Evin prison and then had been transferred to Rajaii Shahr.

Legal attorney prevented from visiting arrested students

Saiid Habibis attorney, one of the arrested students in Iran, announced that he and Saiid's family have been prevented from visiting him in prison.

Mr. Mohammd Sharifi the legal attorney to the Habibi's family while expressing deep concern over the situation of the released students of the previous wave of arrests, declared that he had discussed the situation of his clients with the security interrogator of the prosecutors office.

In the prosecutors office he was warned that he was not to visit his clients: Saiid Habibi and Behnam DarayeeZadeh till the end of preliminary investigations.

On the other hand the prosecutors' office has maintained heavy bail for the arrested students of the recent unrests, ranging from 30 to 100 million Tomans (108000 $). Anooshe Azadbar, Ilnaz Jamshidi, Nassim Soltanbeigi, Mohsen Ghamin, Milad Omrani are among students who have been ordered bail.

Detained Student Dies Under 'Suspicious' Circumstances

Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty

By Golnaz Esfandiari

An Iranian student detained in the capital of Iran's Kurdistan Province has died in prison under circumstances described by his family and human rights activists as "suspicious," Radio Farda reported.

On January 15, nine days after Ebrahim Lotfollahi was detained in front of Payame Nur University in the provincial capital, Sanandaj, officials told his family that he had committed suicide while in prison and died of "suffocation."

It is unclear why Lotfollahi was detained in the first place.

Witnesses say he had just finished taking an exam when security officials took him away. Officials were reported as saying they wanted to give him some "explanations," but no more details were offered.

His family says the aspiring lawyer had no reason to take his own life. Ebrahim, they say, was full of "hope in life" -- an avid reader who served part-time as a social worker.

His brother, Ismail, told Radio Farda that Ebrahim was "well" when he last saw him, two days after his arrest. "He said he would be released," Ismail said. "He said he needed a few razors and some other things."

Officials said Lotfollahi has already been buried at the city's Beheshte Mohammadi Cemetery.
But Ismail Lotfollahi says family members, who were not allowed to see the body, are calling for an autopsy. "Nobody has seen the body, [but] they said he's there," Ismail said. "A few days after they buried him there, they covered the grave with concrete."

"We don't know what to do. We haven't seen his body; we don't know whether he was suffocated," he said. "They had taken him there and done everything -- we were informed about nothing."

Saman Rasulpour, a Sanandaj-based journalist and member of the Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan, said Lotfollahi's death and the conditions surrounding it are unprecedented in the region.

But he added that this case appears similar to that of another student: Zahra Bani Yaghoub, a 27-year-old who died in prison in the western city of Hamedan in October shortly she was detained by the morality police while out for a stroll with her boyfriend.

In Yaghoub's case, officials also said that she committed suicide, but her family accused the police of murdering her. They said her body was bruised and that there was blood in her ears.
Bani Yaghub's family and human rights advocates including Nobel Peace Prize-winner Shirin Ebadi have also called for an autopsy in her case. But some observers say there is little chance officials will grant it. Lotfollahi's family has insisted, however, that they will pursue the case and push for an autopsy. They say officials are responsible for the student's death in prison.

The news of Lotfollahi's death was made public only on January 17, but Rasulpour said it has already led to concern among rights advocates and civil society activists in the region.

Rasulpour told Radio Farda that his organization is supporting Lotfollahi's family in its pursuit of the truth. "We will first try to find a lawyer for this family, which is a very innocent and poor family, to pursue the case through legal channels," Rasulpour said. "This is a suspicious death for us human rights activists, and security forces were responsible for his life and they have to give answers."

The deaths in prison of Lotfollahi and Bani Yaghoub bear similarities to the 2003 unsolved death in prison of Iranian-Canadian photographer Zahra Kazemi. Kazemi had been arrested for taking pictures of families of political prisoners in front of Tehran's notorious Evin prison. A few days later, Kazemi died of a brain hemorrhage after being transferred to a hospital.

Officials first said she had died of a stroke before later saying her head had hit a hard object and led to her death. Reports suggested she had been beaten in prison and received head injuries during interrogations.

Some five years after her death, no one has been held responsible and her case was recently sent to an appeal court for further review, although her family has said it has little confidence that Iranian justice will punish those responsible.

At least 9 more students arrested

9 Student activists of the Tehrena Universities have been arrested . The nine are known to be:
- Morteza Eslahchi
-Anahita Hosseini
- Soroush Sabeti
- Mohammad Pourabdollah
- Sanaz Allahyari
- Amin Gazaei
- Soroush Dashtestani
- Bita Samimizad

Families of these students have declared that their beloved ones have not been in touch since the afternoon of 14 January and their mobile phones have been switched off. Amin GazaiiI and Soroush Dashtestani families have been approached by Intelligence Ministry agents who have searched their homes on 15 January; one day after the 9 had disappeared.

Apparently all detainees have been transferred to Evin Prison and there is no report on their conditions.

The latest arrests have raised the number of detained students after the recent demonstrations to at least 60 so far. On 4 December 30 students with leftist affiliations were arrested and taken to 209 Evin Prison.

According to student sources, Amir Mehrzad, a college student , who was arrested on charges of attempting to organize a demonstration in commemoration of the "Students Day" has been accorded a 80 million toman bail.(This amounts to 86 600 dollars) He has so far endured 45 days of solitary confinement in the 209 Evin Prison section. Mehrzad family has confirmed the news.

On 14 January, some of the families of the arrested students approached the notorious Evin prison and after several unsuccessful trials, finally met their beloved ones. The following detained students managed to see their families.

Keyvan Amiri Elyassi, Ali Salem, Nassim SoltanBeigi, Mohesen Gamin, Behrouz Karimizadeh, Ilnaz Jamshidi, Rouzbeh Safshekan, Anoushe Azadbar, Ali Kalaii.

According to information obtained during this visit, some of the detainees have been moved to mixed cells since 2 days ago, but others are still in solitary confinement.

The Intelligence Ministry has told families of Mehdi Geraylou and Sohrab Karimi that their sons are not allowed to have visits. Another student Saiid Habibi is also denies visits.

Releasing one detained student Vers reluctance to free the Amirkabir students

Ali Azizi a student activist and ex member of the central committee of Amirkabir University student union was released on 6 January of the New Year, after spending 63 days in prison.

Ali Azizi had been detained illegally after the security forces had ambushed his house. It has been reported that he was harshly beaten while being transferred to prison and later tortured.

Mr.Azizi has spent at least a month in solitary confinement after which he was transferred to another cell with 3 other inmates and was refused to have a barrister.

In conjunction to this event, despite the fact that the Judge of the public courts has ordered the release of the 3 detained Amirkabir University students, but the prison authorities have denied their release.

According to Mohamad ali Dadkhah, attorney to the imprisoned students- Ahmad Ghasaban, Majid Tavakoli and Ehsan Mansouri- prison authorities refuse to accept and carry out the official order of release.

Mr.Dadkhah has declared that he intends to meet the public court judge and later file a complaint against individuals who refuse to implement the order, as it is the most to be done.

The three students – who have been the topic of most student demonstrations recently- have been imprisoned since May 2007. They have been kept in the notorious Evin prison 209 section under the jurisdiction of the Intelligence Ministry, and have been heavily tortured to accept their charges. They were first charged with publishing matters which insult Islamic sacred values (referring to the Iranian leadership)

The three had rejected the charges and announced that the logos of the published new letters had been forged. The public court had annulled the following charges referred to these students: Insulting sacred values, Insulting the vicinity and integrity of the Moslem families, Insulting Imams of the Moslems, Insulting the citizens of Quom, Insulting women with Islamic hijab and youth obedient with Islamic principles, Insulting authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran, nsulting the President, and University authoritiesRegardless of this annulment, prison authorities have refrained from releasing the students so far.

5 Civil Rights activists tortured in detention

Families of Saeed Matinpour, writer and active human right journalist- Alireza Matin pour, Human right activist-Behrouz Saffari, Civil Right activist- Jalil Ganilou, journalist – Leila Heydari, Civil Right activist, have collectively expressed concern saying that their beloved ones are under physical and mental while in torture in detention.

The committee in defense of political prisoners of Iranian Azerbaijan, has expressed deep concerns in this relation. According to Leila Heidary's family , she and her husband have been tortured in front of one another while in prison.

The five have not received any official charges yet, but according to Alireza javanbakht, spokesman of the committee in defence of political prisoners of Iranian Azerbaijan , has explained that they are being held for acting against the States' security. They have not yet been allowed an barrister.

Mohammad reza Faghihi, who represents Saeed Matinpour, has approached the court for permission to see his client , but it was refused. According to families of the five detainees, they have been under constant torture in the detention centre of the Intelligence Ministry of " Zanjan", and the notorious Evin prison section 209. Under barbaric physical and psychological torture, they have passed out a lot of times and brought back to be yet tortured after temporary treatment in a hospital.

Saeed Matinpours' wife, Atieh Taheri has announced that her husband has been tortured to conduct TV broadcasting confessions against himself.

Saeed Matinpour was arrested along with his wife on May 25th 2007. He was a journalist at the " Yarpagh" Newspaper which was published in Azeri language.

Mr. Matinpours' arrest is believed to be for participating in a peaceful demonstration for the "International mother- tongue day" which is officially recognized by the United Nations.

The International organization in defense for the freedom of speech and press, recently condemned Iran for having imprisoned the largest number of journalists of its media in the whole Middle East. This organization declared "Many of the journalists have been scarified as a result of the crackdowns against the media by the Iranian government. They have been forced to appear in court and answer to allegations without any proof and become the elementary respondent."

Transfer of a Human rights activist from prison to Hospital

On 26 December, Emada-Aldin Baghi, director of the "Association in Support of Prisoners' Rights in Iran" was transferred from the notorious 209 section (Evin prison) to a hospital out of the prison premises, for deteriorating conditions. Sohrab Soleimani, head of "Teheran prisons" while accepting the news said Mr.baghis' general condition is not favorable but he will be returned to prison a couple of hours later.

In a telephone conversation, which was abruptly ended from prison, Mr,baghi had informed his family that his condition was not favorable. He had also added that if it were not for the least of the facilities he had found there, he would have been dead by now. Following this conversation his wife and attorney tried to visit him but were denied access.

The Baghi family has issued a statement announcing his detention as illegal, while explaining his situation thoroughly. They have stated in the statement that Mr. Baghi has been kept in prison for the past 74 days without any developments with regards to his prison conditions or his case.

Mr.Baghi has been kept in solitary confinement, and is not allowed to take air out of the cell, and is under constant physical and mental pressure.

Although, according to his attorney Saleh Nikbakhti, his detention had previously been ordered as to be a one year prison sentence, but it is said that the recent arrest was in connection to his protest against the death penalty and in defense of the prisoners rights.

The three Amirkabir University students acquitted

Majid Tavakoli, Ahmad Ghassaban, and EhsanMansouri, the three Amirkabir University students who are imprisoned on charges of publishing insulting articles to Islam, in the students chronicle , have been acquitted after 9 months of detention.

Mohammad ali Dadkhah, who represents them as their attorney announced on 19 December, that the 1043 branch of the Public court had acquitted his clients from the following charges:
- Insulting the Sainthood of Islam
- Insulting the Shiite Imams
- Insulting the religious people of the city of Quom.
- Insulting the religious leadership of the country
- Insulting religious youth and veiled women
- Insulting Officials of the State
- propagating lies against the para
- military bassidge forces of the security unit of the University

The three were charged to undergo 4 months imprisonment.

Despite the letters the three students had written, revealing they had been tortured in the infamous Evin 209 section, they were eached charged with, 3 years, 2 years and 6montyhs, and 2 years of imprisonment.

The Students were ordered to be freed through bail, but since the prosecutors' office is closed on Thursdays in Iran, they will be freed on Saturday from Evin prison.

Student commits suicide while in detention

One of the students, detained on 4 December in relation to the recent student demonstrations has apparently committed suicide and is in serious conditions. The student is unidentified but, it is known that Behrooz Karimizade , Peyman Piravan and Saiid Habibi are amongst the recent detained students and have a leftist tendency.

According to report by Freedom seeking students, the news of torture of these students in Evin Prison which is also been released by Mr.Baghi and the students attorney Nasser Zarafshan, is accredited.

The student discussed has cut his wrist and is been kept in the Revolutionary guards detention centre known as the 325 section. He has escaped death but remains in serious condition.

The Intelligence ministry of Iran has admitted arresting students who tried to participate in demonstrations on 4 December and has claimed that the students have been creating disorder and intended to topple the State illegally.

Despite the fact that the Ministry has claimed that these students had intended to enter the University premise with phony student cards, Mr. Zarafshan, their attorney has announced that his clients are all students and the University was indeed their university of study. All specifications are available to approve this, the year of their entrance, the number of tops they have passed and the period they have spent in the University, says Mr. Zarafshan.

Two woman right activists accused of endangering national security

Ronak SaffarZade and Hanna Abdi have been condemned for instigating violence against national security, while waiting for their court session in Intelligence ministry prison. They have been accused of taking part in planting bombs, in the recent attacks in Sanandaj city (in the West of Iran) and co-operating with the Free Life Party of Kurdistan (Pjak). Pjak is an organization which is carrying out armed struggle against the Iranian regime and is affiliated with the Workers Party of Kurdistan.

An official of the Iranian judiciary system told the Iranian press Agency that their arrest had nothing to do with their civil activities. According to this agency both woman activists have confessed of being trained by the Pjvak forces. Apparently they have undergone violent physical and mental torture in while in detention in the Intelligence ministry prison. They have been asked by their torturers to testify against their friends.

Families of the two detainees have denied any affiliation of their daughters with the political party.

Accusing activists to be in touch with political parties has been a known tactic used by the Intelligence Ministry to justify suppressing all dissident but peaceful activity Mariam Hosseinkhah – another woman activist evolved in collecting 1million signatures for gender equality in Iran, has also been accused by IRNA, to have been in contact with Pjak, which was rejected by her attorney Ms.Sotudeh.

Ronak Saffar zade was student in graphic design, and Hanna Abdi has been a student of psychology. They both are 2 years old.

They are members of Azarmehr association in Sanandj , which sponsored the 1 million signature campaign. Ronak was arrested on 9 October and hanna was arrested a month later, by the Intelligence ministry agents.

According to Ronak Saffarzade's mother's talks, her activities have been humanitarian. Ronak helped to provide for homeless children and women, with the small amount of money she used to get from her overtime working hours.

An unsatisfied Political activist is enduring hard pressures in the 209 lockup

The wife of the politically imprisoned Abbas Khorsandi informed the Iranian Political Prisoners Association on the 9th of December that due to the fact that her husband has put up with more than 3 months in solitary isolation cell in the infamous high security lockup of 209, and suffered hard pressures and psychological torture, his health has deteriorated.

Abbas Khorsandi was arrested on the 9th of September 2007 along with five other political activists namely; Sepideh Pouraghayi, Ghasem Shir-zadiyan, Mansour Farji, Bahram Rasekhifar and Meysam Rudaki, with whom all were acquaintances, and were all transferred to the infamous and high security 209 lockup in Evin prison.

According to Mr. Khorsandi’s wife, the intelligence agency allowed her to visit her husband only once. After visiting her husband in prison, she has been even more troubled, now that she knows for a fact that her husband is suffering from severe pressure and interrogations.

Khalil Bahramian, who is the defense lawyer for Mr. Khorsandi, has declared that the revolutionary court has denied him the right to investigate his client’s files.

It has been stated that Mr. Khorsandi has had his first interrogation with the 1st Filial of the revolutionary court, which is under the management of Mr. Matin Rasekh. Mr. Khorsandi was than accused for involvement in actions against the security of Iran amongst other false accusations.

The wife of Abbas Khorsandi also declared that after conducting a series of interviews with media abroad in connection to her husband’s imprisonment, the intelligence agency raided her house and warned her to not conduct any more interviews.

Prior to this lockup, Abbas Khorsandi was arrested the summer of 2005 and suffered one month’s imprisonment in the high security and infamous 209 lockups in Evin prison.

A Human rights activist has spent more than 200 days in solitary isolation

Atiyeh Taheri whom is the wife of Mr. Saeed Matinpour, a journalist and cultural rights activist in Azerbaijan, has declared that her husband has spent more than 200 days in Solitary isolation cell. Her husband Saeed Matinpour is being tortured until he will be ready to make a false confession against himself on national television.

Based on the testimonies of other prisoners, it has been stated that it is evidently clear that the physical condition of Saeed Matinpour had deteriorated in view of the fact that he had to endure durable pressures forced upon him.

In a letter that Mrs. Atiyeh Taheri has written, one can read; Dear god it has now been more than 200 days that my husband Saeed been confined in solitary isolation, been tortured, had insomnia, been humiliated, doesn’t see the sun, and they want him to confess to uncommitted crimes, sit in front of the camera and testify against himself, I don’t have any news about him and don’t know what they are doing to him.

Saeed Matinpour was arrested along with his wife on may 25th 2007. He was a journalist at the “Yarpach” Newspaper which was published in Azeri language.

Besides this arrestment, Mr. Matinpour, in February 2007, was arrested for the reason that he was participating in a peaceful demonstration for the “International mother’s tongue day” which is officially recognized by the United Nations.

The international organization defense for the freedom of speech and press, recently condemned Iran for imprisoning the largest amount of workers within media in the whole Middle East. This organization declared “Many of the journalists have been scarified due to the crackdowns against the media by the Iranian government. They have been forced to appear in court and answer to allegations without any proof and become the elementary respondent.

The intelligence agency has confirmed the widespread arrestment of the students

The Iranian Intelligence agency (Vezarate Etelaat) has officially confirmed the widespread arrestment of the left winged students whom on the 4th of December were planning to carry out a demonstration on the international student day.

On the statement from the Intelligence agency, the more than 28 students has been called agitators and they have been held responsible for preparing an illegal aggregation in front of the Technical University in Tehran.

Even though the Intelligence agency has claimed that the arrestees had meant to enter the University with false student id-cards, Mr. Nasser Zarafshan the Defense lawyer of the students stated that all the students were in fact students and that the location of their studies, Year of entry, Student number and even the amount of units passed by them are evidently clear.

In order to justify the widespread arrestment of the students, the intelligence agency announced that the students had books and published material that was offensive against all that is sacred.

According to Nasser Zarafshan, two of the arrestees have been released and some of the others have had telephone contact with their families, and notified them regarding their health.

Although the official persons in command have not communicated any information regarding the whereabouts of the students’ lockup, it seems that the majority of them are being held at the infamous and the high security band of 209 in the Evin Prison.

The mother of one of the arrested students, Anooshe Azadfar (whom was arrested along with her brother), has said that her son has been shunt to solitary confinement and there been ordered to make his sister cooperate with the intelligence agency.

It has been stated that all the students are being held at solitary confinement and are enduring hard pressure and interrogation. According to the law, blindfolding the suspects is strictly prohibited, yet in the 209 lockup the arrested students are forced to wear blindfolds.

Another report reveals that Ali Nikoonesbaty a student whom was arrested three weeks ago along with the security forces raids against his fathers house, has been released today Sunday the 9th of December, He is a member of the “Strengthening the solidarity” association.

With the release of Ali Nikoonesbaty and with the arrestment of more than 28 students whom were recently arrested, Ahmad ghassaban, Ehsan Mansouri, Majid Tavakoli and Ali Azizi are students whom have been arrested by the intelligence agency and are still imprisoned in Evin prison.

28 Students arrested and incarcerated in the intelligence agency’s lockup

On Tuesday the 4th of December, Security police and masked intelligence agents arrested 28 students during a demonstration against the Iranian government. Some of them are detained in solitary confinement in the notorious high security lockup of 209 and some in the small lockup of the intelligence agency in central Tehran called Tracking office (Daftare Peygiri).

The names of the arrested students, which were published by the website of the student base, are as follows. From the University of Mazandaran; Milad Moeeni, Behrang Zandi, Hamed Mohammadi, Arash Pakzad, Nader Ahsani and Hassan Moarefi.
Saeed Habibi whom was a prior member of the central council of solidarity strengthening (Shoraye markaziye daftare tahkime vahdat). From the university of Tehran; Anooshe Azadfar, Behrooz Karimizade, Mehdi Gerayloo, Rouzbeh Safshekan and Rouzbehan Amiri. From the Polytechnic University; Ali Salem and Mohsen Ghamin. From the Al’ame University; Nasim Soltanbeigi and Saeed Agham-Alikhalili.

From the Shahed University; Yasser Pirhayati. From the Industrial university of Sharif; Keyvan Amiri-Alyassi. From the Central Tehran Azad University; Ilnaz Jamshidi, Mahsa Mohabi, Ali Kallayi, Amir Mehrzad, Hadi Salaari, Farshid Farhadi Ahangaran, Amir Aghayi, Milad Omrani.

The widespread arrestment of the students begun when Security forces raided the homes of a majority of the left winged students, whom were planning to initiate a demonstration on “Students Day” inside the Tehran University. Some of the students were arrested at the student day demonstration preparation meeting at the University by the Security forces. Even though it is prohibited for the security forces to enter the university, they crossed the threshold and in a very discussable and vicious attack arrested two students inside the university, and removed them from the complex.

Even in the University of Shiraz, armed security forces brutally attacked Yunes Mirhosseini, a part of the student movement, hit him all bloody and kidnapped him. No information about the whereabouts of the detainment or the conditions of the imprisonment of Mr. Mirhosseini has been specified. However one can clearly see the connection of his arrestment and the involvement in initiating the student meeting.

Besides Nasim Soltanbeigi whom called his family, and told them that he has been arrested, the families of the other students that have been arrested have separately attended the revolutionary court to gain some information about the conditions and the grounds of the arrestments of their children.

In addition to the 28 students whom was recently arrested, so have these students; Ahmad Ghassaban, Ehsan Mansouri, Majid Tavakoli, Ali Nikoonesbaty and Ali Azizi been arrested by the intelligence agency and are detained in Evin prison.

All visits for Emaddedin Baghi is now strictly prohibited

Fatemeh Kamali the wife of Journalist Emaddedin Baghi who is also the head of Iran’s Organization for the Defense ‎of Prisoners' Rights (Anjomane Defa az Hoghooghe Zendanian) declared today that her visit to her husband in Evin prison was prevented. The security guards of the 209 security lockup which is under the management of the intelligence agency, told Mrs. Kamali that according to the decree of the revolutionary court Mr. Baghi is strictly prohibited to have any visits.

On the 14th of October Emaddedin Baghi was present at the first security branch of the state attorney’s office to respond against the allegations made against him regarding his responsibilities in the organization of “the Defense for press freedom”, but was arrested at site.

Mr. Baghi whom previously was the editor of the confiscated Jomhuriat newspaper was transferred on the 22nd of October from the security lockup of 209 to the revolutionary court for an interrogation, incidentally saw his defense lawyer Josef Molayi and there told him that in the security lockup 209, he was beneath severe pressure and disdain but unwavering about defending the human rights in Iran.

Emaddedin Baghi is imprisoned in solitary confinement and is undergoing interrogation. Mrs. Kamali said that her husband is enduring white torture in the 209 lockup. White torture a.k.a. soft torture is utilized for putting pressure on the political prisoners without resolving to physical violence in the security lockups.

Mrs. Kamali has expressed concern regarding the health condition of her husband. According to her, Emaddedin Baghi has lost a lot of weight and become rigorously frail.

The accusations made against Mr. Baghi has been said to be spreading anti-governmental propaganda and disclosing classified governmental documents in order to gain information from the detainees in the security lockups around the country.

As well as spreading these information’s during meetings, gatherings and having published these materials through the “Defense of the prisoners rights” association.

According to the defense lawyer of Mr. Baghi, none of the prisoners boast any undisclosed governmental information.

Mr. Baghi has been a defender of the right to life and has been seeking an end to the death penalty. In the year 2005 he had received the Human right prize of the French national commission on Human rights. He had previous to that spent 2 years in prison from 2000 to 2002, after which he supported freedom of speech by writing numerous articles. He then founded the Association in support of Iranian prisoners and continued his activities in support of Human rights beneath extensive suppression.

Illegal arrestment of a political disgruntled citizen

Heshmatollah Tabarzadi is a former journalist and a politically disgruntled citizen whom is against the Islamic government. Even though Khalil Bahramian whom is the defending lawyer of Mr. Tabarzadi, consider his client to have exceeded his sentence, the revolutionary court on the 11th of November opposed that proposal and once again brought him to court and imprisoned him repeatedly.

Last year the revolutionary court released Mr. Tabarzadi from prison on provisional basis. The intelligence agency than instructed him that under no circumstances was he to have any interviews with the media or to write any articles against the government. Two months ago he disregarded the previously given warnings and threats of the intelligence agency and conducted interviews with Farsi lingual media situated outside of Iran. Mr. Tabarzadi, whom is the creator of a party that is opposing the Iranian government, wrote on his personal Webb log and called upon all oppositional parties to join in solidarity and rise against the government.

Mr. Tabarzadi had declared before his arrestment that he had been receiving several phone calls from agents of the intelligence agency telling him to attend a court and giving himself up, but he had refused.

Mr. Tabarzadi has been arrested at least 7 times. The reasons behind the arrestment have been his disgruntle with the government of the Islamic republic and its leader Ayatollah Khameneyi. During 2003 the revolutionary court sentenced Tabarzadi to prison for these alleged crimes; formation and organizing of an oppositional party against the government called “Jebheye democratic Iran” and spreading propaganda in opposition to the system and offending its leader, to a 14 years long sentence behind bars. After appealing the verdict, the 7th filial of the supreme court council of Iran finally decided that Mr. Tabarzadi’s crimes were insulting to the leader and hence sentencing him 2 years for that, 5 years added on for activities concerning the security of the country and 10 years of deprivation of any societal rights. Tabarzadi than refused to attend any of the court hearings that condemned him. He declared that this was a protest against the unjust and dishonest way of conducting a trial.

The defending lawyer of Tabarzadi declared that regarding the time his client is suppose to serve, if one would be counting the days he spent previously in lockup, his sentence would have ended the previous summer. Ali, Mr. Tabarzadi’s son also condemned his father being sent to prison as an illegal act.

During a recent telephone conversation with his family Mr. Tabarzadi explained that the terms of his imprisonment were incredibly unfitting and inhumane, the quality of food is particularly low and that visits to the shower facilities were restricted to all detainees. He also mentioned that the section 350 in the Evin prison does not have a functioning heating, because of the lack of diesel fuel, they only turned on the heating a couple of hours a day.

The long time imprisonment of an unknown human rights activist in the 209 lockup

On the 9th of September the agents of the intelligence agency stormed an unknown human rights activist’s home, named Ms Sepideh Pour-aghayi and confiscated her computer, her books and also her handwritten notes, and afterwards arrested her.
The following day, her friends reported that on the same day that Sepideh was arrested, the Intelligence agency’s agents performed a raid simultaneously against five other political activists named, Abbas Khorsandi, Meysam Rudaki, Bahram Rasekhifar, Mansour Faraji and Ghasem Shirzadiyan, arresting all of them. All five are acquaintances with Sepideh.

Some of these arrestees such as Mansour Faraji were temporarily released from prison upon bail. According to Sepideh´s family, the interrogation of Sepideh seized one month ago, but she is still imprisoned in the notorious high security lockup of 209. Sepideh was detained in solitary confinement for approximately 60 days, and is now detained in a small cell for 3.

During this imprisonment in the security lockup of 209, neither Sepideh Pour-Aghayi nor her friends have been allowed to make contact with a defense attorney, not to mention the constant pressures and interrogations that they have to endure.

A Few days after the arrestment of Sepideh Pour-Aghayi, a website closely associated with the security service in Iran named “Bulletin News”, falsely published that Sepideh was a collaborator with Hale Esfandiyari (An American-Iranian progressive intellectual that was arrested by the intelligence agency in Iran).

Some times ago Sepideh´s Mother reported that her daughter made a phone call from prison to her house and told her that she was in the investigation and interrogation phase and that no allegations had been made.

Sepideh Pour-Aghayi holds a BA in English language. She used to be a reporter for the closed newspaper “Gozareshe Rooz” and for the two past years, she has been fighting for human rights and the defense of political prisoners. She volunteered in the campaign “One million signatures” for ending the discrimination against women’s rights.

The torture of an educator in the prison of the intelligence agency

Farzad Kamangar, an educator and member of the teachers union in the village of Kamyaran in the west of Iran has been tortured in the lockup of the intelligence agency.

During the summer of 2006 Farzad Kamangar along with his friends, Ali Heydarian and Farhad Vakili was arrested by the agents of the intelligence agency in the city of Sanandaj. During the four initial months the family of Mr. Kamangar was unaware of the location of his imprisonment; later it was stated that Farzad was imprisoned in the high security lockup 209.

In advance to those statements, human rights activists in the west of Iran had reported that Farzad Kamangar was held in solitary confinement in 209 security lockup and was severely exposed to both psychological and Physical abuse. Farzad has recently described on a letter that was smuggled out of prison, the torture he was exposed to. He has written in that letter, that as soon as the interrogator found out he was Kurdish he was flogged with a garden hose. He also wrote that he was dreadfully affronted because of his beliefs, and was intensely beaten.

Farzad Wrote, that he was tied down to a chair in a little confined space close to the prison clinic for 24 hours. He was not permitted to visit the lavatory nor to eat.

Farzad also wrote in his letter that following the increase of torture and pursue in the security lockup of 209 he was exposed to, and the harassment of his family, and the arrestment of a girl that he was interested in, he attempted a suicide in the security lockup 209, he threw himself down the stairs, however he did not succeed.

In security lockup 209 he was incarcerated in a very small cell where he was not permitted to go out for fresh air, neither was he allowed having any contact with his family via the telephone or meeting his defending lawyer.

Furthermore he wrote that during October 2006, even when no accusation had been made against him, he was transferred from the security lockup of 209, to the lockup of the intelligence agency in the city of Kermanshah and was incarcerated in solitary confinement measuring 1m x 1m x 0.6m. In this incarceration he was exposed to noise torture and was only allowed to leave the cell only twice in order to use the toilet. In the basement of the lockup he was tied down to a bed and he was than flogged on the back and on the feet.

Continuously Farzad wrote that he was taken to the basement of the lockup where he was stripped of his clothes and then raped. In protest to this ill treatment he hit his head against the wall several times.

No Knowledge about the state of the being of an imprisoned student

The Family of Yasser Goli, a student from the city of Sanandaj whom was arrested in the beginning of October in front of The Sanandaj Azad University, still do not have any information regarding the state of the being of their son.

According to Mr. Goli’s Brother, Yasser was only allowed to make two phone calls from prison to his family, both of them limited to only four minutes. During this calls Yasser was not allowed to mention anything relating to his detention. Yasser is suffering from heart problems.

Even though Yasser Goli was arrested by the agents of the intelligence ministry and with the orders of the mayor of Sanandaj, the court of Sanandaj has still not officially declared on what grounds he was arrested.

According to Yasser’s brother his family has been maltreated and been exposed to obscenities while at court. One month after the arrestment of Yasser, his father referred to the information section of the intelligence ministry in order to find out about Yasser’s condition, he was arrested at site and imprisoned for six days.

The court has not given permission to Mr. Saleh Nikbakht whom is legally representing Mr. Yasser Goli, to neither investigate or to access the files relating to his client; neither had he been allowed meeting his client.

Mr.Yasser Goli was the preceding chairman of the Kurdish democratic student association. According to the orders of the intelligence agency he is deprived of any further academic education.

Where about of a Womans’ right activist unclear

Hana Abdi, a 21 year old student of Sanandaj University was abducted from her grandfathers’ house by the Intelligence Ministry agents a couple of days ago and her were about is unclear, says her mother.

According to Hanas’ mother, although the Intelligence ministry has not clarified the reasons for her arbitrary arrest and the information centre of the ministry has already informed her family that Hanas’ court would start in a months’ time, it is suspected that her arrest is due to activities concerning a petition which supported womans’ rights in Iran.

Hana abdi was very much involved in teaching literacy to the poor and especially to the women in villages and used to hold celebrations for those women who overcame addiction in the ‘Azarmehr” association. The association provides the means for battered and addicted women to over ride their problems.

Hana and her friend Ronak Safar Zadeh, had set up collections to support destitute women. Ronak Safawadeh was also arrested by the Ministry on 9 October 2007, and is reported to be in a bad state of mind. She had recently called her family from prison expressing concern over her extended detention. According to her parents, Ronaks’ interrogations have finished but she has been kept in detention for unspecified reasons.

Death sentence for a journalist confirmed

Iranian High Court has conformed death sentence for a Adnan Hassanpour , journalist of Kurdish origin, who had been arrested on 17 July 2007.

Saleh Nikbakht, attorney to the accused has declared that the sentence was confirmed by the 13th branch of the Court. This is while, death sentence of Hiwa boutimar, the second Kurdish journalist, which had been previously violated is being reconsidered.

Mr.Nikbakht has declared the verdict unjust, and emphasized that he will be challenging the Courts verdict.

Although both journalist have been engaged in news publications such as the weekly “Aso”, (published in two languages , Farsi and Kurdish) and “Sabze chia” (which covers news on environment and warming), both journalists- Adnan Hassanpour and Abdolvahed Boutimar (known as Hiwa) – have been charged for infidelity, which corresponds with arm struggle in the Islamic state.

The journalists’ lawyer has categorically denied the announced charges as relevant, and has emphasized that the real charges of his clients are: espionage, disclosing Iranian military installation information to enemy, helping to escape suspects involved in explosions in Ahwaz in the South of Iran thorough western Iranian borders, and being in contact with an official of the US State Department.

Relatives to Adnan Hassanpour and Hiwa Boutimar, have said that the two journalists have been forced to accept the charges under intense torture by Intelligence Ministry agents.

Their lawyer has also underlined the fact that he has been prevented from meeting with his clients.

14 interrogation sessions for Emadeddin Baghi

Family of Emadeddin Baghi, head of the Association in support of Iranian prisoners announced that Mr.Baghi has declared having undergone 14 sessions of interrogations, and having gone through so called, legal procedures of interrogations of the courts, he would not answer to any more questions, unless in a legal court with the supervision of a defense and jury.

Mr.Baghis family, who had met him on 5th November, also announced on his behalf that he does not accept any of the so called charges brought against him and has protested to his one year prison sentence.

While he is accused of breaching information security by enclosing information with regards to prisoners and their conditions, Mr.Baghis’ family announced that he had been interrogated over press releases of his association.

Mr.Baghi was visited by his family through glass compartments supervised by prison authorities and they refused to deliver his belongings which were brought for him by his family.

According to his family, Mr.Baghi is kept in a cell along with one other inmate and is isolated, not allowed to have any writing tools, paper or news from the outside world.

We have to emphasize that Emadeddin Baghi, is the editor to the confiscated Jomhuriate paper, and head of the Association in support of Iranian prisoners. He has been a defender of the right to life and has been seeking an end to the death penalty. In the year 2005 he had received the Human right prize of the French national commission on Human rights.

He had spent 2 years in prison from 2000 to 2002, after which he supported freedom of speech by writing numerous articles. He then founded the Association in support of Iranian prisoners and continued his activities in support of Human rights under extensive suppression.

Prisoner sent to exile for being kind and helpful

Hamidreza Borhani an unknown political prisoner who is renowned for his helping hand amongst prisoners, has brought much anger to the prison authorities for his activities and exiled to Rajaeishar prison.

Mr.Borhani had been engaged in forced labor in the shops section of Evin prison, in which he helped poor prisoners and provided them facilities and money and sometimes paid their bail so that they could be released from prison.

Prison officials have announced that his charge for exile is propagating his political beliefs amongst other inmates.

The officials also have indirectly announced that he has provided bail for a former political prisoner, Mr.Khalile Shalchi, lenient to the People Mojahedin organization of Iran, which has lead to his release from prison.

Although, providing financial support for prisoners to get bail or obtain their necessary needs in prison is a humanitarian act and officially legal, but prison authorities have been angered by Mr.Borhanis’ activities in this regard.

Court hearing of a Human Right activist lasting 5 minutes

The 13th branch of the so called revolutionary court began hearing the case of Keyvane Rafiee on 4th of November.

Mr.Rafiee has been a member of a group supporting political prisoners’ rights and has spent 5 months in solitary confinement since his arrest on 9th July.

His hearing was held without the presence of his lawyer and only took 5 minutes to conclude.

The so called court announced Mr. Rafiees’ charges as, plotting against national security, taking part in anti government demonstrations and gatherings, in co operation with a political movement.

Mr. Rafiee has protested against the procedure of his so called court and has underlined that the charges are baseless and void of any legal basis.

The 13th Branch which is presided by Judge Saadat, announced that the final verdict will be announced in a weeks time.

Student arrested after her father got detained

Masoume Mansoori, student from Amir Kabir University, has been detained on 25 October while a collecting her fathers belongings from the public prosecutors’ office.

Ms. Mansoori had been arrested for ambiguous reasons previously in September.
The Mansoori family had approached the Court to inquire about the where about of Mr. Mansoori , but had been threatened to be detained.

The Iranian Intelligence Ministry had previously telephoned the Mansoori family a number of times threatening them to either stop following up Ms. Mansooris’ situation or face detention. They were also threatened not to discuss his arrest with the media.

Miss Mansoori had been called 14 days prior to her disappearance by the Ministry and was threatened not to participate in any demonstration.

Student sources have said her detention has to do with her activities in the recent demonstrations.

After Miss Mansooris’ detention, the Minsitry also called her brother and told him not to contact anyone about her arrest.

They are forced not to ask for the renowned layer Mr.Abdolfattah Soltani , to take-up Ms.Mansooris case.

Ten days have passed since the arrest of Miss Mansoori , during which she is prevented from contacting her family.

Miss Mansoori is suffering from nervous predicaments and her close relatives have expressed concern over her situation emphasizing that discontinuation of her medical treatment would have grave consequences for her.

Kurdish human rights defenders at risk

Amnesty International

Iranian Kurdish journalist and human rights defender Mohammad Sadiq Kabudvand, head of the Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan (HROK) (http://www.rmmk.net/enindex.aspx), is reportedly being ill-treated in detention. Amnesty International fears that this ill-treatment may be intended to force board members of the HROK to present themselves to security officials, thereby risking arrest and the closure of the KHRO, and is calling on the Iranian authorities to halt any such ill-treatment immediately.

Mohammad Sadiq Kabudvand has been detained since 1 July 2007 in Section 209 of Tehran’s Evin Prison. Although he is believed not to have been formally charged, in mid-July he reportedly said that he was being accused of "acting against national security," "propaganda against the system" and "cooperating with groups opposed to the system." He also complained of poor detention conditions and that whenever he was interrogated he was blindfolded and bound hand and foot, His lawyer, Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi, has not been allowed to meet with him and contact with his family has been limited.

Mohammad Sadiq Kabudvand is said to suffer from high blood pressure, a skin disorder and a kidney complaint, the nature of which is not known to Amnesty International. He reportedly needs to be able to urinate frequently and failure to do so adversely affects his kidneys. He has been told that if he wants to go to the toilet, he must seek formal permission in writing.

Under current Iranian law, no one is required to present themselves before police or other security forces without first receiving a written summons. However, Mohammad Sadiq Kabudvand has also been told that if the three board members of the HROK currently at liberty present themselves voluntarily to the Ministry of Intelligence in Sanandaj, he will be permitted to go to the toilet whenever he needs to. In response, Mohammad Sadiq Kaboudvand is believed to have insisted that the KHRO is an independent, human rights organisation and that ‘we will simply not go away and we will continue our humanitarian works.’ Amnesty International fears that if board members of the HROK present themselves for interview at the Sanandaj offices of the Ministry of Intelligence, they risk arrest and the HROK will effectively be closed.

The HROK was founded by Mohammad Sadiq Kabudvand and others in April 2005 and currently has around 100 members. The authorities have never granted the HROK’s request for official recognition as an NGO. A fourth board member, Ajlal Qavami, is in prison in Sanandaj in connection with another case relating to his work as a journalist.

The ill treatment of Mohammad Sadiq Kabudvand and the associated attempt to pressure board members of the HROK contravene international human rights standards which the Iranian authorities have committed to uphold, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The repeated harassment and imprisonment of human rights defenders by the Iranian authorities, however, calls into question their willingness to observe basic principles of respect for human dignity. The government should ensure that human rights defenders are able to carry out their important work – which has been recognised in the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders - in a climate of respect and in accordance with human rights standards.

BACKGROUND INFORMATIONKurds, who are one of Iran’s many ethnic groups, live mainly in the west and north-west of the country, in the province of Kurdistan and neighbouring provinces bordering Kurdish areas of Turkey and Iraq. For many years, Kurdish organizations such as the Kurdistan People’s Democratic Party (KDPI) and Komala carried out armed opposition to the Islamic Republic of Iran, although more recently they have abandoned armed opposition in favour of a federal solution. The Iranian authorities continue to face armed opposition mainly from the Kurdistan Independent Life Party (PJAK), which reportedly began operations in 2004. The Iranian authorities have accused foreign governments of fomenting unrest among Iran’s ethnic minorities.

Mohamad Sadiq Kabudvand was arrested on 1 July at his place of work in Tehran by security officers in plain clothes, the day the publication ban on his newspaper, Payam-e Mardom-e Kordestan (Kurdistan People’s Message), reportedly expired. He is facing a one-year prison sentence in connection with articles published in this newspaper, but his current detention does not appear to be connected with this.

To take action on behalf of Mohammad Sadiq Kabudvand, please refer to our Urgent Action http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE130812007?open&of=ENG-IRN and follow

Mother worries of imprisoned students’ state of being

Yasser Golis’ mother has expressed deep concerns over her sons’ heart situation, as she has been told by the deputy prosecutor in Sanandaj , that if Yasser dies of heart attack or even strangles himself in prison they will not accept any responsibility.
Yasser Goli , a student, had been arrested 22 days ago, in Sanandaj, west of Iran, by Intelligence Ministry agents, for unknown reasons.

Judicial Officials have told Yassers’ mother that they will keep him in prison as long as they please.

She has approached the courts a number of times to inquire about her sons’ state in vain.

Although the court has refused any contact with Yasser, his mother had seen him in court by coincidence, a couple of days ago. Apparently, Yasser was in disarray, with unfit appearance and psychological state.

Yassser Goli, former director of Democratic Students Union, had been prohibited from scholarship for his political activities.

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.