Discrimination against Kurdish Iranians unchecked and on the rise

Amnesty International:
30 July 2008

Iran’s government is failing in its duty to prevent discrimination and human rights abuses against its Kurdish citizens, according to a new Amnesty International report.

The organization fears that the repression of Kurdish Iranians, particularly human rights defenders, is intensifying, according to the report Iran: Human rights abuses against the Kurdish minority.

The report also says that women face a double challenge to their human rights, both as members of a marginalised ethnic minority and as women in a predominantly patriarchal society.

Around 12 million Kurds live in Iran making up 15 percent of the population. Expression of Kurdish culture, such as dress and music, is generally respected and the Kurdish language is used in some broadcasts and publications.

However the Kurdish minority continues to suffer deep-rooted discrimination. Kurds in Iran have their social, political and cultural rights repressed along with their economic aspirations.

Parents are banned from registering their babies with certain Kurdish names and religious minorities that are mainly or partially Kurdish are targeted by measures designed to stigmatize and isolate them.

Discriminated against in their access to employment and adequate housing, the economic neglect of Kurdish regions has resulted in an entrenched poverty which has further marginalized Kurds.

Kurdish human rights defenders, including community activists and journalists, face arbitrary arrest, ill-treatment and prosecution when they protest against the government’s failure to observe international human rights standards.

When they link their human rights work to their Kurdish identity they risk further violations of their rights. Some, including women’s rights activists, become prisoners of conscience. Others suffer torture, grossly unfair trials before Revolutionary Courts and the death penalty.

Ethnic Kurds Farzad Kamangar, Ali Heydariyan and Farhad Vakili were sentenced to death in February 2008 after conviction of “moharebeh” (enmity against God), following a grossly flawed process that fell far short of international standards for a fair trial.

This is a charge levelled against those accused of taking up arms against the state, apparently in connection with their alleged membership of the armed group, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which carries out attacks in Turkey. Ali Heydariyan and Farhad Vakili were also sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment, apparently for forging documents. Under Iranian law, they must serve their prison sentences before being executed.

In May this year Mohammad Sadiq Kabudvand was sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran. The sentence apparently comprises 10 years’ imprisonment for “acting against state security by establishing the Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan (HROK)” and one year’s imprisonment for “propaganda against the system”.

The verdict followed a closed trial session. Amnesty International considers Mohammad Sadiq Kabudvand to be a prisoner of conscience, held solely on account of the peaceful exercise of his rights to freedom of expression and association during his work as chair of the HROK and his activities as a journalist. Such rights are expressly recognized in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Iran is a state party.

“Iran’s constitution provides for equality of all Iranians before the law. But, as our report shows, this is not the reality for Kurds in Iran,” said Malcolm Smart, director of the Middle East and North Africa programme of Amnesty International.

“The Iranian government has not taken sufficient steps to eliminate discrimination, or to end the cycle of violence against women and punish those responsible.”

Although women and girls form the backbone of economic activity in the Kurdish areas, strict social codes are used to deny their human rights.

Such codes make it difficult for government officials to investigate inequalities in girls’ education, early and forced marriages, and domestic violence against Kurdish girls and women - and the severe consequences of some of these abuses, including “honour killings” and suicide. “Kurdish women are victims of violence on a daily basis and face discrimination from state officials, groups or individuals, including family members.” Malcolm Smart said.

Return to prison for writing a slogan on the walls

Mehrdad Lahrasbi, former student activist who Participated in the 1999 student protest, and released after undergoing 9 years of prison term, has again been sent to prison.

Mr.Lahrasbi was taken from Evin prison to the revolution court, to be informed of his "charges', he was later transferred to solitary confinement of 240 ward of Evin Prison.

His "charges "include; writing anti government slogans on the wall.

In 1999, Mr.Lahrasbi and five other student activists who had participated in the student protest had been sentenced to death. His sentence had been reduced to 15 years. During the period of his detention, he had been tortured and under went much psychological pressure:

The coroner at the Prosecutors' office had acknowledged his physical loss. In return, prison officials had transferred him to the public ward with ordinary prisons, to increase pressure and enforce confessions.

Bherooz Javid Tehrani charged once again!

Political prisoner, Behrooz Javid Tehrani, a former student activist who has been facing prison for 7 years in various sequences since 1999 has again been sentenced to an additional 3 years .

He is charged with having contact with opposition groups outside of Iran.

This so called "court order" was sentenced to Mr. Tehrani on 19 July 2008, while undergoing other sentences in the Rajaii-shahr prison of Karaj (west of Tehran).

The (so called) judiciary process of Mr.Tehrani has been devoid of any rights: he was sentenced without having a lawyer and his trial was confidential.

In May 2005, he was arrested at home by Intelligence agents and subjected to violent physical and mental torture. According to his later revelations, the coroner of the public prosecutor had identified and testified to obvious marks of torture on his body.

In 2005 Mr.Tehrani was sentenced to four years imprisonment for being a member of the Iran Democratic Front.

His activities go back to 18 Tir (July 1999) during the famous student demonstration in Tehran for which he had received an 8 eight year sentence, but was released after undergoing 4 four years of detention in Rajaii-Shahr prison.

Family of Human right activist writes to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

Mohammad Sedigh Kaboodvand's family has written a letter, to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and other humanitarian Organizations, in a desperate attempt to save his life from the a medically deteriorating situation in his detention centre.

In this letter it is reiterated that Mr. Kaboodvand has been arrested for at least seven months. He has been kept in solitary confinement and undergone inhuman interrogations and physical harassment while in custody, which has lead to his health deteriorating. so far he has experienced problematic heart failure, kidney and blood problems.

It is quoted as saying that Mr.Kaboodvands wife and child have been threatened to be arrested by the Intelligence Ministry of Iran.

Part of this letter reads: "The revolution court has recently charged Mr. Kaboodvand for his activities defending Human Rights in the Islamic Republic and has sentenced him to 11 years imprisonment. This (so called) court order had been passed on to Mr.Kaboodvand by his interrogator prior to the Courts' official order release. Kaboodvand is the editor in chief of the "People's Message" weekly and for this also he has received another 6 months prison sentence along with a 5 year prohibition of work as journalist and Editor of People's Message weekly. Parallel to this, there has been another file opened in his case which relates to a book on women's rights and is (currently) under investigation."

Another other part of this letter reads; "Kaboodvand is a noble journalist, with immense humanitarian beliefs and obligations and a conscience mind.

Mr.Kaboodvand , began his activities 15 years ago during the realm of raising Human Rights awareness and individual conscience on Democratic rights within peaceful frameworks.

He was arrested on 30 June 2007 and charged with "founding the offices of Defending Human Rights in Kurdistan" and engaging in acts of threat against the Islamic Republic.

A copy of this letter has been sent to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights , Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

Mohammad Hashemi and Bahare Hedayat in 209 of Evin prison

Both Bahare Hedayat and Mohammad Hashemi are student activists of Office for Student Solidarity (daftare tahkim vahdat) , who were arrested by the Intelligence Ministry agents on 13 July 2008 and are now in 209 section of the notorious Evin prison.

According to reports from their families the two victims have been informed of their so called charges as "endangering National security", by the first branch prosecutor, judge Matin Rasekh , on 14 July.

The state news agency "IRNA", quoting judiciary officials, claimed that Bahare Hedayat and Mihammad Hashemi , had been alleged to have affiliations with opposition groups abroad. The Office for Student Solidarity, in defense of its two members has categorically denied charges made by government controlled media as an attempt to take revenge on the student movement.

In the current moth at least 20 students have been illegally arrested. In Mashad a group of students who had improvised a committee to examine arbitrary arrests of students, have themselves been victim to illegal arrests and were arrested. Five of the detainees have been released so far.

Execution of three Human Right activists ordered

The Iranian High Court announced the death penalty of a teacher and Human right activist , Farhad Kamangar , and two political activists- Farhad Vakili and Ali Heidarian- who are of Kurdish origins.

Apparently the Head of the Judiciary, Shahroodi has personally released the order.

The three human right activists had been arrested during a trip to Tehran in August of 2006.

The 36th so called revolutionary court, had previously sentenced Mr.Kamangar , after 19 months detention, to death for being a member of the PKK (Kurdish Workers Party).

Alireza Jamshidi spokesman of the Judiciary had announced on 27 May 2007, that Mr.Kamangar had been charged for membership in a terrorist organization, and with holding explosives.

After his sentence was delivered, Mr. Kamangar in a letter smuggled out, revealed that he had been tortured physically and mentally in the Intelligence Ministry detention centre. He had been tied to a bed and tortured and threatened to be raped.

Human right activists have already announced that Mr. Kamangar had been transferred twice to the prison clinic because of severe conditions resulting from torture.

Prior to this, Khalil Bahramian, and Mr. Kamangars' attorney had announced that they believe Mr.Kamangars' case is only a result of prejudice on Kurdish nationalists. He had rejected all accusations against his client.

Mr. Khalil Bahramian had also declared that his client had no knowledge whatsoever of explosives mentioned to have been found in his car. He had asserted that the aforementioned explosives had been implanted in his car in Tehran.

Teachers of Kamyaran province had collected a petition in support of the release of their colleague Farzad Kamangar. In their petition they had born witness to the fact that Mr.Kamangar had always been a law abiding citizen, and demanded the death sentence be annulled.

Farzad Kamangar has been a teacher in the Kamyaran province art college in Kurdistan. He was a member of the teachers' association, the environmentalists of Asak (meaning deer) . He was also a known writer in the monthly "Royan" of the Ministry of Education

Mahboobeh Karami on Hunger strike

Mahboobeh Karami , a member of the 1 million petition project, which denounced sexual apartheid under the current regime in Iran, n a telephone call to her family, announced that she and 9 other women inmates have begun a hunger strike.

The reasons for their hunger strike was explained to be : deprivation of food, incommunicado and reluctance to be allowed any contact to protest their deteriorating conditions in their prison cells, and also the fact that no legal reason for their detention had been provided.

The ten women age between 17 to 70 years, have not been allowed a meeting with the prosecutor to enquire the reasons of their detention.

According to the Iranian Women's Movement site, Mr. Babaii, attorney to Ms.Karami approached the so called revolutionary court on July 6, to obtain given legal reasons for her detention, but in vain.

Mrs. Sedighe Masaebi, Mahboobeh Karamis' mother, 63 years old, has suffered deteriorating strokes because of her daughters' detention. In every approach for clarifications from the so called officials of the courts, she has been humiliated and has not been directed as to the reasons for her daughters' detention.

Ms. Karami , was harassed , beaten and arrested on 13 June , as she was travelling in a public bus, by "plain clothed agents" of the government.(A term used for trained special forces recruited by the Intelligence Ministry).

This bus was apparently passing along the gathered protest against deteriorating economic situation and poverty, in which around a 1000 people had participated. Practically all the passengers of the bus were beaten up. It is reported that at least 200 participants had been arrested that day by the security agents.

Transfer of an arrested activist to solitary confinement

Vida Dehganian , 30, a civil right activist, who was arrested on 13 June in front of the Melat park in a congregation, has been transferred to Evin prison.

Friends of Ms. Deghan , have said that she was transferred to the section after she had invoked a clash with security guards in the "women's section" of Evin prison on 23 June. The new section is under the Intelligence Ministry jurisdiction and it seems this move was aimed to put more pressure on Ms. Dehganian .

Vida Dehganian is a member of the Pan Iranian opposition party, which is considered illegal in Iran.

After the protest demonstration of people in Tehran on 13 June, which was against inflation and corruption of government Authorities, the Judiciary's spokesman, announced that 200 people had been arrested in that demonstration .

On 13 June at least 230 people were arrested in Mashad and their where-abouts is not clear. At least 5 students of Ferdowsi University of Mahshad had been amongst those arrested.

Amnesty International has released an appeal, expressing concern over the well being of Ms. Mahboobe Karami , an activist of the 1 million petition who had been in the same parkas those protesting and as consequence had been arrested.

11 years sentence for supporting Human Rights

Mohammad Sedigh Kaboodvand , a journalist , has been sentenced to 11 years imprisonment, by the 5th Branch of the so called revolution Court , on charges of founding an organization to promote Human Rights.

"The lawyers to this case are protesting to the surprising sentence "said Mrs. Nasrin Sotudeh who is one of the attorneys to the case.

Mrs. Sotudeh insists, sentencing her client to 11 years imprisonment only for printing his thoughts, is in violation of the International Covenant of civil and political rights and Human rights.

Mr.Kaboodvand was called to the Court on 1 July 2007 in Tehran and was immediately arrested. He has been in prison since. He has been ill during this period and has suffered a stroke.

Prior to this Mr.Kaboodvand had been imprisoned for 6 months because of printing an article in the Payam newspaper .

Student arrested for visiting a relative in PMOI camp

Houd Yazerlou , 21, has been arrested after visiting his aunt in the Mojahedin Camp (called Ashraf in Iraq) after returning to Iran.

Numerous activists in Iran have released a statement protesting to Yazerlous' arbitrary arrest on 24 May 2008.

The statement reiterates concern over Mr.Yazerlous well being, saying "despite Mr.Majid Zarghamis' claim (prosecutor of the 2nd Security Branch of the so called revolutionary courts) that Mr.Yazerlou is in 209 Evin prison, there is no news of his real where-a bouts since his family's request to see him has continuously been refused and turned down.

Houd Yazerlou and his mother Nazila Dashti had visited Iraq 3 months ago to meet his aunt, who is a member of the People's Mojahedin organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) in Ashraf Camp.

According to Houd's Mother, Mrs. Dashti, they were both arrested after return. Mrs Dashti spent 21 days in prison, while her son was 16 days in prison. They were bailed out, each paying 200 Million and 100 million Tomans .

Nazilla Dashti adds that on 24 May, they were called informally through the person who had provided their bail to the Court for further inquiry, but Houd Yazerlou was arrested and taken way since.

Mrs. Dashti explained her ordeal while under "investigation":
"On our entering the building, we were harassed and humiliated and degraded continuously by the person who was to question us. He prevented my son from sitting down and kept him standing all through. He asked him: Are you in touch with other families of the Monafeghin? ( A term used to deface the Mojahedin in public by the Government authorities)

My child, who is not familiar with these terms and their intentions, simply answered "No sir, I know no Monafeghin".

The person who had by this time become extremely angry replied "What then?" , and my son replied : " They are Mojahedin ". This was enough to blow the top off that person. While throwing the paper and pen to my son, he said in a threatening tone "I will show you what I Mean …"

Nazila Dashti says Houd Yazerlou was sent to prison immediately after his so called interview and nothing has been heard so far of his where-abouts.

Nazilla Dashti and her husband Hani Yazerlou are former political prisoners and activists. Fariba and houd , sister and brother to Mrs.Dashti are amongst the victims of the great massacre of the political prisoners in 1988.

A woman activist sentenced to 5 years prison

21 year old Hana Abdi, former student of PayamNoor University of Bijar , and member of women's association of AzarMerh in Kurdistan (west of Iran) has been sentenced a 5 year prison term in a remote town on the Iranian frontiers.

According to Mr.Sharif , her attorney, the so called revolutionary court has charged her with assisting a crime which was to be a threat against National Security.

The attorney has rejected the charges and reiterated that Hana Abdi's activities have not been in any way related to violence and creating terror amongst people and therefore are irrelevant.

Ana was arrested in October 2007 in Sanandaj0 west of Iran along with her colleague Ronak Safar Zadeh, by the Iranian security agents. It is reported that both activists are undergoing sever pressure and torture to confess against themselves and their friends.

Although the government has related activities of both gender apartheid activists to external political parties, but their families insist that they are and have been independent and have no relation with any political party apposing the government.

School boy condemned 6 months imprisonment for insulting the Leader

Moham Reza Avazpoor, a schoolboy has been charged with insulting the Leader and sentenced to 6 months imprisonment by the 118th branch of the penal Court.

Prior to this Mohamad Reza was sentenced to 5months prison in the 118th Branch of Tabriz Court presided by Niakar, on charges of being a member of a political group whose aim was to destabilize the State.

The first time he was charged with writing a slogan; "I am a Turk" on the walls, in the same court to 4 months detention on 31 of September 2007.

He had testified to have been tortured violently during detention. Inhuman punishment such as such as being hung upside down for 24 hours on end from the feet while being interrogated, and prevented from eating food or using the toilet were practiced on him.

Political prisoner's life at risk

Human Right activists in Iran have warned of Arjang Davoodi's health, a political prisoner, who has been on hunger strike in Rajaei Shahr prison, in the West of Iran.

Mrs Nazanin Davoodi, has attested to this fact, after she had visited her husband in prison on 16 June.

She reported that her husband had been brought for a visit on a wheel chair and could hardly speak. She insisted that her husband's physical condition is critical and that he needs to be looked after before it was too late.

After he began his hunger strike, Mr.Davoodi released a letter in which he described that prison officials had refused any treatment for his bleeding gum and deteriorating physical conditions.

Mr. Davoodin was arrested in 2003 under the charges of propagating against the system and endangering national security by founding an illegal political group. He was subsequently sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.

Prior to this, the State Prison Organization had defied its own regulation in "the separation of cases", and had transferred Mr. Davoodi to a prison in BandarAbbas amongst convicts.

This is a method used by the Ministry to crush the political prisoner's resistance.

Iranian authorities approved death of Teacher

Death sentence of a Kurdish dissident teacher, Farzad Kamangar has been approved by Iranian authorities.

Alireza Jamshidi spokesman of the Judiciary announced on 27 May 2007, that Mr.Kamangar has been charged for membership in a terrorist organization, and with holding explosives.

According to Jamshidi, Farzad Kamangar, Ali Heydarian, Farhad Vakili have been announced to be "moharebs"(rebels against God) and sentenced to death.

The three human right activists had been arrested during a trip to Tehran in August of 2006.

The 36^th so called revolutionary court, sentenced Mr.Kamangar , after 19 months detention, to death for being a member of the PKK (Kurdish Workers Party).

After his sentence was delivered, Mr. Kamangar in a letter smuggled out, revealed that he had been tortured physically and mentally in the Intelligence Ministry detention centre. He had been tied to a bed and tortured and threatened to be raped.

Human right activists have already announced that Mr. Kamangar has been transferred twice to the prison clinic because of severe conditions resulting from torture.

Prior to this, Khalil Bahramian, and Mr. Kamangars' attorney had announced that they believe Mr.Kamangars' case is only a result of prejudice on Kurdish nationalists. He had rejected all accusations against his client.

Mr. Khalil Bahramian had also declared that his client has no knowledge whatsoever of explosives mentioned to have been found in his car. He had asserted that the aforementioned explosives had been implanted in his car in Tehran.

Teachers of Kamyaran province have collected a petition in support of the release of their colleague Farzad Kamangar. In their petition they have born witness to the fact that Mr.Kamangar has always been a law abiding citizen, and demanded the death sentence be annulled.

Farzad Kamangar has been a teacher in the Kamyaran province art college in Kurdistan. He was a member of the teachers' association, the environmentalists of Asak (meaning deer) . He was also a known writer in the monthly "Royan" of the Ministry of Education.

A Kurdish student is charged for supporting opposition party

Yasser Goli a Kurdish student, who was arrested in front of his University, in October 2007 in Sanandaj by the Intelligence Ministry agents, was trialed by the so called evolutionary court of Sanandaj.

Mr. Nemat Ahmadi, attorney to Yasser Goli who was present at the trial, said his client has been charged with attempting against national security by supporting the PJAK (Kurdish armed group opposed to Tehran, situated in military camps of the mountainous region between Turkey and Iran.)

According to Mr.Ahmadi, Yasser Goli has denied all the charges against him in the court.

Mr.Goli is the former General Secretary of the Democratic Union of Kurdish Students.

He was dined his scholarship by direct orders of the Intelligence Ministry.

Heshmatollah Tabarzadi is released

A journalist and director of a political organization critical of the Islamic Republic – the Democratic front of Iran- Mr.Heshmatollah Tabarzadi has been released after finishing seven years prison sentence from Evin prison on May 25 .

The democratic United Students' Front – a member of the Democratic Front, has announced that Mr.Tabarzadi had announced that officials had given no official reasons his detention.

It is reported that Mr.Tabarzadi has been told that his other sentence by the court which is 10 years of deprivation of social rights, would start on his release.

Mr.Tabarzadi, director of the confiscated Payam Daneshjoo publication, who had been repeatedly arrested in the past, was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment in July of 2003.

The 26^th so called revolutionary court had sentenced Mr.Tabarzadi to 10 years prison, for founding the Democratic Front, two years for insulting the Spiritual Leader, one year for propagating against the State, one year for disturbing public opinion, and an extra 10 years punishment of social deprivation.

The appeal court shortened the sentence to 7 years on the whole.

Political prisoner double trialed for "insulting Islamic scared s"

Hamidreza Mohammadi, who has been sentenced to 6 years imprisonment by the 13^th Branch of the so called revolutionary courts on 20 June 2006 , is sentenced to another 5 years.

His second court was held to prosecute him on charges of "insulting Islamic sacreds" for an extra 5 year imprisonment.

Mr.Mohammadi was charged to have stamped the word "Invalidated", on all pages of the 7 editions of the Koran and having sent them to Islamic institutes.

Prior to this, Mr.Mohammadi had been charged with membership in a group called the Iranian kingship association for 6 years imprisonment.

Mr. Mohammadi declares that he has been charged and sentenced twice for one case, without the presence of a lawyer.

In the begging of his arrest he had spent 6 months in the 209 section and then was transferred to the public ward of Evin prison. Government agents had arrested his family at the time of his arrest.

Mr.Mohammadi has committed suicide twice, not withstanding psychological and physical pressures in 209.

Death of a political prisoner in Western Iran

A Kurdish political activist, Kaveh Azizpour has dies in a hospital in west Iran, after undergoing a double operation, on 16 May 2008. He was reported top have been severely tortured in a so called detention centre.

His relatives have reported that Mr.Azizpour had more than a dozen heart attacks while being interrogated by the Intelligence Ministry agents, and had been unconscious in the hospital for 20 days.

Assad Azizpour , the victims brother has reported that the last operation was carried on his brothers brain because of an attack in which he went into a coma. Evidently Mr.Azizpour was dragged out of hospital by the Ministry agents immediately 48 hours after the operation, while ignoring the medical staff's warnings about Mr.Azizpours situation, only to be interrogated once again.

Assad Azizpour insisted that, the doctors had made it clear to the authorities that any transfer of Kaveh Azizpour , before his 2 month period of rehabilitation, would be fatal for him.

Mr.Aizizpours charges are said to be: collaboration with a Kurdish dissident group.

Prior to this, 25 year old Kaveh, had been arrested in January 2006, in connection with dissident Kurdish groups, by the Mahabad Intelligence Offices and had been imprisoned.

In January 2006, the Organization in defense of Human Rights in Kurdistan, had announced that Kaveh Azizpour and his brother, Assad Azizpour had been arrested in a clash between habitants of the "Daryass" village in Mahabad and government forces, West of Iran.

In January 2008, a Law faculty student; Ebrahim Lotfollahi, had been killed mysteriously while in custody of the Intelligence Ministry agents in Western Iran. In a postmortem, it was reported that Mr.Lotfollahi's skull had been crushed and his nose broken.

Six Bahá'í leaders arrested in Iran

Six Bahá'í leaders in Iran were arrested and taken to the notorious Evin prison yesterday in a sweep that is ominously similar to episodes in the 1980s when scores of Iranian Bahá'í leaders were summarily rounded up and killed. It seems the six are held in the notorious Evin 209 section and are undergoing interrogations.

The International Bahaii press agency announced that The six men and women, all members of the national-level group that helped see to the minimum needs of Bahá'ís in Iran, were in their homes Wednesday morning when government intelligence agents entered and spent up to five hours searching each home, before taking them away.

The seventh member of the national coordinating group was arrested in early March in Mashhad after being summoned by the Ministry of Intelligence office there on an ostensibly trivial matter.

Ms.Bani Dugal, the principal representative of the Bahá'í International Community to the United Nations. condemned the detention of the Bahaiis and has said that their only crime is practicing the Bahá'í Faith.

"Especially disturbing is how this latest sweep recalls the wholesale arrest or abduction of the members of two national Iranian Bahá'í governing councils in the early 1980s -- which led to the disappearance or execution of 17 individuals," she said.

"The early morning raids on the homes of these prominent Bahá'ís were well coordinated, and it is clear they represent a high-level effort to strike again at the Bahá'ís and to intimidate the Iranian Bahá'í community at large," said Ms. Dugal.

Arrested yesterday were: Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Mr. Vahid Tizfahm. All live in Tehran. Mrs. Kamalabadi, Mr. Khanjani, and Mr. Tavakkoli have been previously arrested and then released after periods ranging from five days to four months.

Arrested in Mashhad on 5 March 2008 was Mrs. Mahvash Sabet, who also resides in Tehran. Mrs. Sabet was summoned to Mashhad by the Ministry of Intelligence, ostensibly on the grounds that she was required to answer questions related to the burial of an individual in the Bahá'í cemetery in that city.

On 21 August 1980, all nine members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Iran were abducted and disappeared without a trace. It is certain that they were killed.

The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Iran was reconstituted soon after that but was again ravaged by the execution of eight of its members on 27 December 1981.

The International Bahaii press agency announced that a number of members of local Bahá'í governing councils, known as local Spiritual Assemblies, were also arrested and executed in the early 1980s, before an international outcry forced the government to slow its execution of Bahá'ís. Since 1979, more than 200 Bahá'ís have been killed or executed in Iran, although none have been executed since 1998.

In 1983, the government outlawed all formal Bahá'í administrative institutions and the Iranian Bahá'í community responded by disbanding its National Spiritual Assembly, which is an elected governing council, along with some 400 local level elected governing councils. Bahá'ís throughout Iran also suspended nearly all of their regular organizational activity.

Escalating mistreatment of political prisoners

14 May , Rajaii shahr prison near Karaj: Reports coming from political prisoners in that prison suggest that , Ali Heydarian, affiliated with a dissident Kurdish group has been fatally wounded by security guards of the prison.

The 30^th branch of the so called revolutionary court has in an arbitrary court ruling charged Mr. Heydarian of co-operating with the Kurdish labor party (PKK).

He was refrained from using the prison clinic, but after a protest displayed by other prisoners insisting on his devastating physical condition, he was moved to the local health office of the prison and looked at.

Prior to this, there were reports of abuse committed by one official of RajaiiShahr prison called "Torabi", who had harassed, threatened and insulted Mr.Heydarian and Farzad Kamangar. Both of which have been sentenced to Death by the so called revolutionary court.

It must be highlighted that, political prisoners are intentionally being kept and mixed with criminals in Rajaii Shahr, in order to crush their resistance.

Dangerous criminals are used as proxies by prison officials to carry out certain missions in the wards. They are mostly used to harass, beat-up and threaten political prisoners.

Prior to this, a number of prisoners had revealed in a letter smuggled out of prison, that they fear their death and have no security in RajaiiShahr prison of Karaj.

Saiid Shah Ghale who is affiliated with the People's Mojahedin organization of Iran (PMOI) has been transferred to a prison in Southern Iran.

Prior to this, two other political prisoners with similar background, Hashem Shahinnia and Amirkhizi have been transferred to BandarAbas and GoharDasht (RajaiiShahr) prisons.

Political prisoners believe that transferring prisoners to specific locations such as RajaiiShahr or the Southern provincial prisons, is a tactic used by the Intelligence Ministry to maximize pressure on the mentioned prisoners.

A critic and writer detained in 209

Reports suggest that, Ahmad Daneshpazir, a government critic and writer, who was arrested on 11 February at his house, has been detained in the notorious 209 section of Evin prison.

He was allowed only one visit with his family, in which he informed them that his interrogation had been finished and his case had been conveyed to the so called court.

His charges are not clear, but it seems that they may be related to several articles written under a fictitious name "Alef Bigharar" and printed on his behalf.

Following Mr.Daneshpazir's arrest, Intelligent Ministry agents also arrested his son Damoon Daneshpazir, and transferred him to solitary confinement of 209 sections. Damoon bailed out after 8 days of solitary confinement. The so called court had charged him with propagating against the State.

Unjust trail for three Kurdish students

Three Kurdish students; Sabah Nassiri, Hedayat Ghazali and Yasser Gholi, have been detained and are facing torture and interrogation.

Two of these students: Sabah Nassir and Hedayat Ghazali have been held illegally for the past eleven months.

They were transferred mysteriously from the 209 section of Evin prison to the so called court, in which they underwent a summary trial without the presence of a lawyer. They have apparently been held, interrogated and trialed in relation to activities of a student news bulletin called "Rozhameh", No detail of their trial is available.

Prior to the new developments, Sabah Nassiri, Hedayat Ghazali had both asked to be trialed officially in an open court with their attorney present.

The two activists had been arrested eleven months prior to this and were charged with delivering a speech in a meeting held to support "Educating the mother tongue". They were arrested by the Intelligence Ministry and held in Sanandaj intelligence detention centre, west of Iran, and eventually, transferred to 209 section of Tehran.

Sabah Nassiri is the head director of "Rozhameh" in Tehran University, and Hedayat Ghazali is a member of the editorial board of the news bulletin.

At the same time another court in Sanandaj, has announced a destined trial of Yasser Goli to be held in the western city of Iran, on charges of threatening National security, and that Yassers' mother is to be tailed along her son.

Mrs.Goli has been, herself a civil right activist on women's' issues. She had been arrested on a different occasion by the Ministry, but had managed to bail out.

Student arrested in 1999 unrest, freed

After 8 years and nine months detention, Mehrdad Lohrasbi , who was arrested in 1999 has been released.

Mr.Lohrasbi, was arrested in relation to the 1999 student unrest and sent to "Tohid" and the notorious "209" section of Evin prison. There he was subjected to brutal torture.

The 6^th branch of the so called revolution court, charged him with threatening National security and propagating against the State, and sentenced him to death by hanging.

Later, an appeal court revised his prison sentence along with others arrested during the same unrest, to long prison sentences.

Mr Lohrasbi, was only allowed to under go medical treatment twice during his detention.
He had been transferred from Evin prison to Rajaei shahr, under the supervision of the Intelligence Ministry.

Prison sentence of Amirkabir University students confirmed

Prosecutor of the 44^th Branch of the appeals court, Mr.Saedi, confirmed prison sentence of the Three disputed Amir Kabir Students; Majid Tavakoli, Ahmad Ghassaban, and Ehsan Mansouri.

The 6^th Branch of the so called revolution court sentenced the three students each, three, two and two years prison sentences respectively. The given verdict is non-appeal able.

It is reported that the Appeal court has disputed the charges under the pressure of the Iranian Intelligence Ministry and the General Prosecutors office of Tehran.

Prior to this, the Public court had violated the 6^th branch courts' verdict, which had acquitted the three students and ordered their release on bail.

It is evident that the public court had been influence by the Intelligence ministry, specifically the personal persistence of deputy General prosecutor "Hadad",(Known by the prisoners as the butcher of political prisoners).

The three students have been in prison since February 2007.

They have been under constant torture and pressure of the Intelligence Ministry to provide fake interviews and accept their charges.

At the beginning they faced charges of insulting "sacred values" of the Islamic Republic, by printing leaflets with insulting images of the religious leader. They denied the charges categorically, saying the publications had been faked.

The public Court had acquitted the students of all charges, namely: Insulting sacred religious values, insulting kins to all Moslems (a term usually associated with relatives of the prophet , in this case, the country's appointed religious leader), insulting the people of Ghom city, Insulting hejabed women, young believers, insulting the Presidency of the state and other officials including the science and technology Minister, and officials of Amirkabir University.

Political Prisoner transferred to solitary confinement

Arjang Davoudi, a political prisoner detained in the public section 3 of Evin prison , has been transferred to solitary confinement of the section known as "2-ALef"(2-A) ,on 14 April , for no specific reason.

Section "2-Alef" is supervised under the Security division of the RGC. Prison cells in this section are known to measure 1.5meters wide, and 2.5 meters long, and contradict International standards.

Arjang, was called to the court a day before his transfer and was interrogated.

Mr.Davoudi was arrested in 2003 by the security agents. The 26^th branch of the so called revolution Court, charged him for conspiracy against national security and propagating against the Islamic Republic. He was then transferred from his Home town Tehran to the southern city of Bandar Abass.

Kin of 1988 mass murdered victims arrested

Elham Yaghoubi, who has lost two of her family members in the state mass murder of more than 5000 political prisoners in 1988, has been arrested.

Ms.Yaghoubi , has been arrested on 5 April by the Intelligence Ministry agents, and accused of participating in a ceremony held in the victims' memory.

She was kept in the detention centre of the 13th district police of Tehran , then transferred to the isolated unit of the notorious Evin prison, and has been there since.

Sources close to Ms.Yaghoubi have reported that her arrest was personally ordered by "Rahmati", who has been her interrogator. They have stressed that prior to here arrest, "Rahmati" had been threatening her through telephone calls
.
Ms.Yaghoubi had been arrested last year too, after a similar ceremony had been held, and spent three weeks in solitary confinement in the notorious Evin prison after which she was released on bail.

She was trialed by the 1st branch of the so called revolutionary court and sentenced to 6 months imprisonment.

It is reported that Ms.Yaghoubi and others arrested after her, had been tortured physically and mentally, because of their participation in this ceremony. She was charged of threatening national security.

Ms Yaghoubi is 30 years old and has lost two of her uncles (supporters of PMOI) in the massacre, when they were killed by a firing squad 20 years ago.

In November 2007, Amnesty International, condemned harassment and arrest of families of political prisoners and stated that those executions have been a crime against Humanity.

A policial activist sentenced 8 years imprisonment

The so called revolutionary Court sentenced Abbas Khorsandi, General Secretary of the "Democratic Party of Iran", and a critic of the tyranny in Iran, to 8 years imprisonment. Mr.Khorsandi was arrested last year at his home in Firouzkooh.

The court has charged him of founding a political dissident group and hence threatening the States security.

Mr. Khorsandi had been arrested along with five other activists last September. Sepideh Pouraghaii, Ghassem Shirzadian, Mansour Faraji, Bahram Rasekhifar, and Meisam Roudaki, have been released on bail.

Precedent to this Mr.Khalil Bahramian, attorney to the case, has declared that he has been deprived of his clients' dossier.

Mr.Khorsandi had been kept in the notorious Evin prison 209 section for one month prior to his recent arrest.

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."