Woman on the Verge of Death by Stones
Iran TV chief visit to the Netherlands cancelled
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News bulletin of the Iranian Progressive Youth
01-07-2010
Human Rights Watch to Iran: Stop Imminent Execution of Kurdish Dissident Zeynab Jalalian Source: RAHANA July 1, 2010
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eynad Jalalian may be in imminent danger of execution. Her precise status is unknown because authorities have held her incommunicado and prevented her from retaining a lawyer. Khalil Bahramian, a lawyer who represented Farzad Kamangar, one of four Kurdish dissidents executed without warning in May, explained that his efforts to represent Jalalian have been rebuffed by the government and that he is not certain where she is being held. Some media reports say she may be in Section 209 of Evin Prison, administered by the Intelligence Ministry. According to RAHANA, Joe Stork The Middle East Director of Human Rights Watch said: “It is absolutely inconceivable that a
woman who has been in detention for more than a year and is in danger of imminent execution has still not been granted access to a lawyer. Facing death, she is denied even her most basic rights.” Iran is in violation of both its own constitution and international law in denying Jalalian a lawyer, Human Rights Watch said. Iran’s Supreme Court confirmed Jalalian’s death sentence in November 2009. The government charged Jalalian with the crime of moharebeh, or “enmity against God,” in connection with her alleged membership in the outlawed Free Life Party of Kurdistan, or PJAK. The party is widely regarded by analysts to be an Iranian affiliate of the banned Turkish Kurdish Workers’ Party, or PKK. In May 2010, Human Rights
Watch called for a moratorium on all executions and noted that Jalalian was among 17 Kurdish dissidents awaiting execution. The 16 other Kurds facing execution are: Rostam Arkia, Hossein Khezri, Anvar Rostami, Mohammad Amin Abdolahi, Ghader Mohammadzadeh, Habibollah Latifi, Sherko Moarefi, Mostafa Salimi, Hassan Tali, Iraj Mohammadi, Rashid Akhkandi, Mohammad Amin Agoushi, Ahmad Pouladkhani, Sayed Sami Hosseini, Sayed Jamal Mohammadi, and Aziz Mohammadzadeh.
Detained Iranian student activists suffering ill health in prison Source: Radio Zamaneh July 3, 2010
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ia Nabavi and Majid Tavakoli, two detained Iranian student activist are reportedly in grave health condition according to latest reports about Evin Prison in Tehran. Daneshjoo news reports that Zia Nabavi, spokesman for the Council of Defense of Education Rights, is suffering from severe health problems in prison. The family of this detainee have been denied visitation privileges with their kin. The report goes on to say: “In recent days the appeals court judge has told the family not to make efforts to raise the bail
money for Nabavi. If they pursue their efforts, his bail will be raised from $500, 000 to $80,000.” Nabavi has spent 98 days of his one year arrest in solitary confinement so far. According to Daneshjoo news he was under pressure during his interrogation time to confess to ties with the dissident group, People’s Mojahedin of Iran Organization. Majid Tavakoli, another detained student activist is also reportedly suffering from grave health complications in Evin Prison. His brother reports that the prison infirmary has told him that
he requires special medical care which is beyond the scope of the prison facilities. Tavakoli’s brother adds: “It is over a week that Majid Tavakoli is getting nosebleeds along with heavy coughing and headaches every night.” Majid Dori is another member of Council of Defense of Education Rights who was arrested last year in Qazvin and has been in Evin Prison since. Last December he was sentenced to 11 years in prison by the Revolutionary Court which was then reduced to 6 years in the appeals court.
Iran TV chief visit to the Netherlands cancelled Source: Radio Zamaneh July 3, 2010
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NOS has not responded to Radio Zamaneh’s requests for an interview but a NOS spokesperson has told NRC newspaper that this visit was organized as a learning process in the field of “independent news delivery.” NRC daily contends that NOS has cancelled the Iranian visit in fear of the parliament’ reaction and the objections of Iranian community in the Netherlands. The Netherlands is home to 30 thousand Iranian immigrants many of whom left Iran in the late 1980s following the social and political unrest in Iran.
role in the violent repression of the Iranian emancipatory movement. IRIB-next to the security and the Revolutionary Guard- is one of the main pillars of the dogmatic regime in Iran, charged with conducting propaganda. State broadcaster IRIB has the exclusive right to broadcast TV images; however, not only all images are selected unilaterally but also they focus specifically on perceptions in favour of the state apparatus. Moreover, IRIB co-created appalling show trials.
he invitation extended to the head of Iran’s national television network to visit Dutch TV network was cancelled amidst widespread protests by Iranian immigrants and reaction of Dutch parliament and media. Ezatollah Zarghami and a panel from Seda Iranian Progressive Youth (IPY) va Sima Iranian television netconsiders this visit of the IRIB delPress release work were invited to visit NOS NOS welcomes terrorists! egation absolutely unacceptable and NPO Dutch networks. particularly knowing that the NOS Radio Zamaneh, which was in- On Monday July 5th a delegation and NPO are fully aware of the formed of this invitation by a of IRIB-Islamic Republic of Iran role of IRIB in suppressing demoDutch source who did not wish Broadcasting, headed by IRIB cratic movements in Iran. to be identified, immediately re- president, “Seyyed Ezzatollah leased the news on Tuesday, June Zarghami”*, will visit the Dutch IPY believes that this event con29. The invitation which was ex- public broadcasting company flicts with the policy of the Dutch tended for July 5, 2010 was ar- NOS / NPO in Hilversum. They government in supporting demoranged by the Dutch national tel- will be welcomed by NOS direc- cratic movements in Iran. Even evision network and the Islamic tor Jan de Jong and NPO chair- outside the diplomatic policy, this Republic in The Hague in semi- man Henk Hagoort. This visit action is morally unacceptable. secret fashion and consisted of a was organized by the Iranian em- NOS and NPO are well aware tour of the media facilities of the bassy in The Hague and through that this delegation will gain the the channels of EBU, European knowledge of the Dutch broadnetwork in Hilversum. Broadcasting Union, which IRIB casting almost inevitably which will be abused by a propaganda Once the news was disseminated, is an associate member. machine that has attracted jourIranian and Dutch human rights activist protested the invitation IRIB and Seyyed Ezzatollah nalistic and social responsibility. and began organizing a demon- Zargham have played a promistration for Monday July 5 which nent role in the suppression of the IPY calls from NOS and NPO is now cancelled since Ezatollah opposition around the disputed to still refrain from receiving the Zarghami’s visit has been can- elections of June 2009. IRIB has delegation. We also demand the celled. Iranian Progressive Youth a number of previous admissions various factions of the parliament Association issued a statement broadcast of dissidents and hu- in this connection to request an this week saying: “Seda va Sima of man rights defenders where tor- emergency debate and the relthe Islamic Republic had a major ture or harsh interrogation tech- evant Minister to ask about the role in covering up the suppres- niques preceded. IRIB has also concerns surrounding this call. sion of protesters following the consistently refused to give air- IPY will organize a demonstration recent presidential elections and time to any dissident voice. The against the visit of the delegation also matters concerning the arrest head of IRIB is appointed by the from Iran on Monday, June 5, and torture of protesters…the Is- Supreme Leader of the Islamic 2010 at 10:00 in the Media Park in lamic Republic television network Republic of who had the greatest Hilversum. has refused to give air time to protesters and its director has been *On July 4, 2009, he told the press that the videos of Neda Agha Soltan’s appointed by the Supreme leader death during the 2009 Iranian election protests were all fake and were prowho has had the largest role in the duced by BBC and CNN. http://www.iranuk88.com/article.php?id=39219 violent suppression of people…”
UN sets up an agency to promote equality for women Source: Press Trust of India July 4, 2010
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nited Nations, Jul 3 (PTI) After intense negotiations stretching four years, the UN General Assembly has approved setting up of a single entity within the world body to promote equality for women at its plenary session chaired by Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur. The establishment of this new composite UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, which is to be known as ‘UN Women’, brings together as many as four women-related agencies of the world body.
More than 900 thousand underage Iranian children are married Source: RAHANA June 30, 2010
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AHANA: Mohammad Bnyazadh children’s rights activists announced: more than 900,000 underage married children live in Iran. According to ILNA, while stating these children’s husbands are of variety added, marrying underage children is against the standards of International Children Rights. He added: IN one hand the law does not allow an 11 year ld to vote due to their inability to judge correctly, on the other hand, the age limit for marriage in considered bettwen ages of 9 to 13 by the same book of law. Member of Cultural Center/ center of support for child labor added: child’s age at the time of voting is set in accordance with international standards and for entering the field of work, 15 to 18 year old children can work and their rights
are ignored. Bonyazadeh states, unfortunately, little girls in our country that are married off at such young age instead of having time to be child, play around, do sports and get educated must position duties of a wife and a sexual partner and take care of a household. While these children are also expected to carry children, their lives are put in serious danger and risks caused by child birth.
Teacher’s Union Activist, Mokhtar Asadi, Detained Source: RAHANA June 29, 2010
The move, which meets a longstanding demand, came last night after four years of intense and difficult political negotiations. “The newest member of the UN family has been born,” Secretary General, Ban Kimoon, told the Assembly after it passed the resolution establishing the new UN entity. “This is truly a watershed day,” he declared.
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he authorities searched Asadi’s house following his detainment and confiscated his computer.According to the Mokrian News Agency, there has been no information as to his condition, location and the alleged charges. Asadi had been sentenced to exile in the past due to his activities in the union.
50 Baha’i Houses Demolished In Iran Source: Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty June 29, 2010
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ome 50 houses owned by members of Iran’s Baha’i religious minority have been demolished in a village northeast of Tehran, RFE/RL’s Radio Farda reports. The incident took place on June 26 in Ivel, not far from the city of Sari in Mazandaran Province. Radio Farda spoke on June 27 to Baha’i Natoly Derakhshan, who witnessed the destruction of the homes. He told the station that the houses were first set on fire and later demolished by four bulldozers. “We informed the governor’s office that they were destroying our houses, but they did nothing to prevent it,” Derakhshan said. The incident is not the first time that homes of Baha’is have been demolished in Iran. Baha’i cemeteries have also been razed, most recently in a May 29 incident in the northeastern city of Mashhad. Derakhshan said Baha’is had not been living full-time in the homes that were destroyed. They were forced out of the houses in Ivel in 1983. “The Baha’is were then told that they had to convert to Islam,” Derakhshan told Radio Farda. “They were beaten with spades and pick axes and kicked out of their homes.” Since then, according to Derakhshan, Baha’is have had to obtain annual authorization from the Justice Department to go to their houses in the village during harvest time. “The [provincial] governor’s deputy told us ‘a governor is like a doctor to a society.’ If he thinks there is a tumor harmful to society, he should remove it,” Derakhshan said. “Are Baha’i farmers the harmful tumors to Iranian society?” The Baha’i faith began in Iran in the 19th century, and currently has an estimated 5 million followers worldwide. While Baha’is regard their faith as within the tradition of Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad, Iran’s Shi’ite government regards Baha’ism as Islamic heresy. There are some 300,000 Baha’is living in Iran, a community that human rights groups say has faced serious repression under the Islamic republic. WATCH: YouTube video of the Baha’i homes being attacked in Ivel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxFgxuOHVRE&feature=player_embedded
Osanloo Family Face Increasing Pressures Source: Rooz Online June 29, 2010
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nly a week after the brutal attack and arrest of Zoya Samadi, Mansour Osanloo’s daughter-in-law, the youngest son of this well-known labor activist was also summoned to branch 1027 of the Revolutionary Court today. In an interview with Rooz Online, Parvaneh Osanloo, Mansour Osanloo’s wife, commented on this recent event and said, “My son was arrested on June 23, 2009 and was later released after 18 days in prison. His case was cleared at the time, so I have no idea why he was summoned again.” In reference to her son’s case, Mrs. Osanloo stated, “Unlike the previous days, on the 23rd of June 2009, the streets were rather calm. My son had gone out to buy a pair
of shoes when they arrested him along with a number of others. He was released 18 days later and endured much physical and psychological distress. At the time, I accompanied my son to court and took his medical records with me. I informed them that my son was under medical care due to a recent and serious operation on his skull. I explained that he is unable to leave the house and as such has had no contact with anyone. They asked him a number of questions and closed his case file.” Mrs. Osanloo added, “Yesterday they called again and summoned my son to branch 1027 for the same case. I have no idea why. Mr. Osanloo has been imprisoned for four years now and they still put
his family under such pressure. The incident with my daughterin-law occurred just this week and now this, all to put even more pressure on Mr. Osanloo. When I talked to my husband yesterday on the phone, I did not mention our son’s situation. I am waiting to find out more today before I say anything to him.” In reference to her daughter-in-law’s physical and psychological condition, Mrs. Osanloo said: “Psychologically, she is very weak right now. She cannot move her right arm. Zoya is currently under medical care. At the moment, we spend most of our time visiting the offices of different doctors.” Mrs. Osanloo who had previously referred to taking legal action regarding her daughter-inlaw’s recent incident, confirmed today that she has contacted the Judiciary and asked that they look into this incident immediately.
TAKE ACTION | Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani on the Verge of Death by Stones Source: Rooz Online June 28, 2010
In Iran, women and men are sentenced to death by stoning for committing adultery
REQUEST FOR PARDON TURNED DOWN: SAKINEH ON THE VERGE OF DEATH BY STONES Another woman is on the verge of death by “stones” or, in more familiar terms, is awaiting news to confirm or abolish death by stoning. Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani was interrogated in 2006 for the murder of her husband. In the interrogation session, Sakineh confessed to committing adultery with Nasser and Seyyed Ali, the two men responsible for her late husband’s murder. In May 2006, branch 101 of the Criminal Court of Oskoo in the province of Eastern Azerbaijan (in northwestern Iran) sentenced Sakineh to 99 lashes for committing adultery. After serving her sentence, she was released. Four months later, branch 6 of the Criminal Court of Azerbaijan sentenced her to death by stoning for adultery while married. In the past few years, Sakineh has requested a pardon twice. Her requests were turned down by the Amnesty and Pardon Commission of Azerbaijan. Last week, the news of the possible stoning of Sakineh was published on news sites and, once again, it drew public attention to the punishment of death by stone. Currently, the case of this young woman is in the Executions office in Tabriz (the capital of the province of Eastern Azerbaijan), and her stoning sentence can be carried out any moment- the same way the sentence of death by stoning for Mr. Jafar Kiani [in the summer of 2007 in a village in the province of Qazvin] was carried out, to the public’s astonishment and disbelief. http://missionfreeiran.wordpress.com/2010/06/26/sakine-children-2/ http://persian2english.com/?p=12213
Shirin Alam Holi’s Plea for Zeynab Jalalian Dear Mr. Minister Hope you are doing well, My name was Shirin, I just had 28 years of age; I was born and raised in Iran. I had a dream; I have a dream to enter University and study law to become someone who defends the rights of women, children and other minorities in my country…however, I will never see that dream come true... Dear Mr. Minister, I am ‘the’ Shirin who was executed on 9th May 2010, early in the morning in Evin Prison in the heart of Iran. I am the girl whose dreams will never come true anymore, I am the girl whose rights were violated and whose thoughts were desecrated… Dear Mr. Minister I even was not given the permission to say goodbye to my mother before being hanged…Mr. Minister, I beseech you to take a moment, just and just a moment…to think about your rights, think about your freedom and the same time your responsibilities… Dear Mr. Minister I have many brothers and sisters still hanging on the list to be executed…my dreams are dispersed, though they still have a chance to enjoy the life that is theirs…you know that you and your colleagues in the parliament not only have the power but also the responsibility to defend my violated rights… you and your colleagues do have the means to save the lives that are hanging there on the list of execution. Dear Mr. Minister, Among many of my brothers and sisters who are waiting on the list of execution, Zeynab Jalalian, another girl like me whose death sentence for “Enmity against God” was confirmed by Iran’s Supreme Court in November 2009, is now at risk of imminent execution. Dear Mr. Minister My chances were taken away from me; I plead you to make a change on this day in the memory of all the ones whose rights were taken away from them and in support of the ones who still have a chance… Dear Mr. Minister, for you it is a decision to make and it is a flip of a pen to take action…you and your colleagues are the ones who can make that change… Dear Mr. Minister time is running out, bodies are being tortured and souls are being torn apart…tomorrow is late, take an action today, take an action now… Truly yours Shirin Alam Holi Executed 9th May 2010
This plea-in this format-for ending execution in Iran is an initiative by Iranian Progressive Youth demanding action from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the relevant Human Rights parties to force the government of Islamic Republic of Iran to end execution of all prisoners of conscience in general and execution of Zeynab Jalalian in particular.
Iranian Progressive Youth www.iranpy.net contact@iranpy.net