Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Weekly Digest Wednesday 28 April 2010

Weekly Digest Wednesday 28 April 2010
Message from student.information.center@gmail.com:

Student Information Center (SIC)

Newsletter Issue 201 - Wednesday April 28th, 2010

FUTURE PLANS
--Efforts focused at increasing non-violent civil disobedience in the society.
--Allah o Akbar during the nights
--Writing slogans on the walls and bills
--Being out in the streets on Thursdays
--Attending Labor's Day Demonstration

NEWS
--BBC: Deputy commander of Tehran police said that the police intends to "focus" on major non-governmental organizations. Tehran police's spokesperson said: "The concern is that police surveillance is not enough on some of the public organizations and some administrative bodies are not run in an organized manner and need supervision".

--Voice of Freedom: Freedom of the Press Award for this year was awarded to Iranian journalists who are currently under pressure from their government. Maziar Bahari, the Newsweek reporter who was recently freed from an Iranian jail accepted the award on behalf of his colleagues.

--Sahaam News: Mehdi Karroubi continues his visits to the families of activists detained in prisons in Iran. He states that he aims to pursue their cause and put pressure on the government for their release.

--Radio Farda: Ayatollah Sanei, Shiite authority in Qom, continues to voice his criticism of the Iranian regime. In a recent statement, he said that the imprisonment and harassment of critics of the regime wont solve the countries problems. He has been one of the few clerics who showed a strong reaction to the government's behavior after the presidential elections. He has said "Unfortunately today some use Islam for their own personal gains and instead of serving Islam, they are using Islam to serve them",

--Radio Farda: In a letter to UN Secretary General, Shirin Ebadi has asked that the Islamic Republic of Iran's application for membership to Human Rights Council be rejected. In this letter, Mrs. Ebadi highlighted the many human rights abuses done by the Iranian regime, especially towards minorities, women and children.

--International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran: Aaron Rhodes, a spokesman for the campaign announced that 5 more persons have been sentenced to death based on their political activity. These individuals are a husband and a wife, along with their son as well as two family members. They have been accused of sending images and videos to Mujaahedeen-e-Khalgh, who are known to many as a terrorist organization. The spokesman for this campaign informs that the evidence used against the accused is incomplete and unjust. The name of these individuals are: Motahareh Bahrami, Mohsen Daneshpour Moghaddam (husband and wife), Ahmad Daneshpour (their son) and Hadi Ghaemi and Reyhaneh Haj Ebrahimi.

--JARAS: The committee for Protection of Journalists has condemned the phone threads made against Maziar Bahari (Newsweek magazine reporter). In a statement released on April 19th, they urged the Iranian government to put a stop to its acts of intimidation.

NEWS OF THE ARRESTED
--JARAS: Kiarash Kamrani, Omid Yavari, Arash Ghasemi, Abolfazl Ghassemi and Azra-Sadat Ghazi Mirseyed, five detainees who were arrested during the elections protests, were sentenced to prison. A kurdish citizen (from the city of Sanandaj) by the name of Habibolah Golparipoor has been sentenced to death.

--Radio Zamaneh: Some union members belonging to the Teachers Union Council have started a hunger strike to protest the illegal detainment and execution of fellow teachers. They urge other to join them in solidarity for the upcoming Teacher's day.

--Radio Zamaneh: Human Rights Commitee has reported that Monireh Rabii who was arrested during the unrests has been sentenced to 5 years in prison. She has been accused of creating "war" against the regime. It is also thought that she is arrested because of her family members belong to the Mujahedeen-e-khalgh organization.

--Freedom Call: Mohammad Hossein Agassi, the lawyer of Amir Reza Arefi has reported that there is a possibility that his client's death sentence might be reduced.

--JARAS: Following the lead of many political prisoners in Evin who started a political fasting. Many of their families also started the fasting outside the prison to show solidarity with their arrested family members.

--Radio Farda: Ten Iranian poets and writers wrote a letter demanding the freedom of Masoud Baastaani, the detained journalist.

--BBC: A group of Iranian political prisoners in Evin prison wrote a letter to religious leaders and complained about the behavior of the judicial officials and the lack of justice. They explained the abuse and the mistreatment. They also complained against the sham public trials and forced confessions that are used during these trials.

--Kalameh: Mohamad NouriZad the documentary maker who was arrested 120 days ago for writing letters which criticized the regime and the judiciary system has written a new letter from prison where he has shared some of his recent concerns.

--Kalameh: lawyer, Mohammad Mostafaei, the lawyer of a gourp of arrested activists wrote a letter to the head of judiciary last week criticizing a number of prisons rights abuses and lawless behaviors.

--Kalameh: Majid Tavakoli Polytechnic Student activist whose arrest started the veil campaign) was transfered to a new section of Evin prison after spending 125 days in solitary confinement. While his sentence had been handed down ( 8 years in prison, 5 years of no political activity and a 5 year travel ban), he was illegally held in solitary confinement and his prisoner rights were denied.

--JARAS: Peyman Aref, a journalist and a law student at Tehran University who was arrested last June was temporarily released from prison until further decision is reached for his case. Dorsa Sobhani who was arrested a few months ago was also released.

--Rahana: Mitra Aali, biomedical engineering graduate student at Sharif University, who was arrested last month by the ministry of education has been conditionally released on bail.

--Radio Farda: Committee for Human Rights announced three-year imprisonment sentence for Hussein Baastaaninejad, Mehrdad Varshouiy and Faramarz Abdolahnejad. Fouad Shams, student activist from Tehran University has been sentenced to 6 months in jail. Keyvan Samimi, journalist and human rights activist, has been sentenced to 6 years imprisonment for "disturbing public opinion and acting against national security".

--Kalameh: Kobra Zaghehdoost was confirmed to have been arrested nine months ago during vigil for the victims of post-elections protests.






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Weekly Digest Wednesday 28 April 2010

Weekly Digest Wednesday 28 April 2010
Message from student.information.center@gmail.com:

Student Information Center (SIC)

Newsletter Issue 201 - Wednesday April 28th, 2010

FUTURE PLANS
--Efforts focused at increasing non-violent civil disobedience in the society.
--Allah o Akbar during the nights
--Writing slogans on the walls and bills
--Being out in the streets on Thursdays
--Attending Labor's Day Demonstration

NEWS
--BBC: Deputy commander of Tehran police said that the police intends to "focus" on major non-governmental organizations. Tehran police's spokesperson said: "The concern is that police surveillance is not enough on some of the public organizations and some administrative bodies are not run in an organized manner and need supervision".

--Voice of Freedom: Freedom of the Press Award for this year was awarded to Iranian journalists who are currently under pressure from their government. Maziar Bahari, the Newsweek reporter who was recently freed from an Iranian jail accepted the award on behalf of his colleagues.

--Sahaam News: Mehdi Karroubi continues his visits to the families of activists detained in prisons in Iran. He states that he aims to pursue their cause and put pressure on the government for their release.

--Radio Farda: Ayatollah Sanei, Shiite authority in Qom, continues to voice his criticism of the Iranian regime. In a recent statement, he said that the imprisonment and harassment of critics of the regime wont solve the countries problems. He has been one of the few clerics who showed a strong reaction to the government's behavior after the presidential elections. He has said "Unfortunately today some use Islam for their own personal gains and instead of serving Islam, they are using Islam to serve them",

--Radio Farda: In a letter to UN Secretary General, Shirin Ebadi has asked that the Islamic Republic of Iran's application for membership to Human Rights Council be rejected. In this letter, Mrs. Ebadi highlighted the many human rights abuses done by the Iranian regime, especially towards minorities, women and children.

--International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran: Aaron Rhodes, a spokesman for the campaign announced that 5 more persons have been sentenced to death based on their political activity. These individuals are a husband and a wife, along with their son as well as two family members. They have been accused of sending images and videos to Mujaahedeen-e-Khalgh, who are known to many as a terrorist organization. The spokesman for this campaign informs that the evidence used against the accused is incomplete and unjust. The name of these individuals are: Motahareh Bahrami, Mohsen Daneshpour Moghaddam (husband and wife), Ahmad Daneshpour (their son) and Hadi Ghaemi and Reyhaneh Haj Ebrahimi.

--JARAS: The committee for Protection of Journalists has condemned the phone threads made against Maziar Bahari (Newsweek magazine reporter). In a statement released on April 19th, they urged the Iranian government to put a stop to its acts of intimidation.

NEWS OF THE ARRESTED
--JARAS: Kiarash Kamrani, Omid Yavari, Arash Ghasemi, Abolfazl Ghassemi and Azra-Sadat Ghazi Mirseyed, five detainees who were arrested during the elections protests, were sentenced to prison. A kurdish citizen (from the city of Sanandaj) by the name of Habibolah Golparipoor has been sentenced to death.

--Radio Zamaneh: Some union members belonging to the Teachers Union Council have started a hunger strike to protest the illegal detainment and execution of fellow teachers. They urge other to join them in solidarity for the upcoming Teacher's day.

--Radio Zamaneh: Human Rights Commitee has reported that Monireh Rabii who was arrested during the unrests has been sentenced to 5 years in prison. She has been accused of creating "war" against the regime. It is also thought that she is arrested because of her family members belong to the Mujahedeen-e-khalgh organization.

--Freedom Call: Mohammad Hossein Agassi, the lawyer of Amir Reza Arefi has reported that there is a possibility that his client's death sentence might be reduced.

--JARAS: Following the lead of many political prisoners in Evin who started a political fasting. Many of their families also started the fasting outside the prison to show solidarity with their arrested family members.

--Radio Farda: Ten Iranian poets and writers wrote a letter demanding the freedom of Masoud Baastaani, the detained journalist.

--BBC: A group of Iranian political prisoners in Evin prison wrote a letter to religious leaders and complained about the behavior of the judicial officials and the lack of justice. They explained the abuse and the mistreatment. They also complained against the sham public trials and forced confessions that are used during these trials.

--Kalameh: Mohamad NouriZad the documentary maker who was arrested 120 days ago for writing letters which criticized the regime and the judiciary system has written a new letter from prison where he has shared some of his recent concerns.

--Kalameh: lawyer, Mohammad Mostafaei, the lawyer of a gourp of arrested activists wrote a letter to the head of judiciary last week criticizing a number of prisons rights abuses and lawless behaviors.

--Kalameh: Majid Tavakoli Polytechnic Student activist whose arrest started the veil campaign) was transfered to a new section of Evin prison after spending 125 days in solitary confinement. While his sentence had been handed down ( 8 years in prison, 5 years of no political activity and a 5 year travel ban), he was illegally held in solitary confinement and his prisoner rights were denied.

--JARAS: Peyman Aref, a journalist and a law student at Tehran University who was arrested last June was temporarily released from prison until further decision is reached for his case. Dorsa Sobhani who was arrested a few months ago was also released.

--Rahana: Mitra Aali, biomedical engineering graduate student at Sharif University, who was arrested last month by the ministry of education has been conditionally released on bail.

--Radio Farda: Committee for Human Rights announced three-year imprisonment sentence for Hussein Baastaaninejad, Mehrdad Varshouiy and Faramarz Abdolahnejad. Fouad Shams, student activist from Tehran University has been sentenced to 6 months in jail. Keyvan Samimi, journalist and human rights activist, has been sentenced to 6 years imprisonment for "disturbing public opinion and acting against national security".

--Kalameh: Kobra Zaghehdoost was confirmed to have been arrested nine months ago during vigil for the victims of post-elections protests.






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Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Weekly Digest Monday 19th April 2010

Weekly Digest Monday 19 April 2010
Message from student.information.center@gmail.com:

Student Information Center (SIC)

Newsletter Issue 198 - Monday April 19th, 2010

FUTURE PLANS
-- Efforts focused at increasing non-violent civil disobedience in the society.
-- Allah o Akbar during the nights
-- Writing slogans on the walls and bills
-- Being out in the streets on Thursdays

NEWS
--Kalameh: Mir Hossein Mousavi addressed a group of students yesterday. He explained that under the current situation and ban on freedom of press, followers of the Green movement have to take other measures to communicate with each other. He added that he was astounded by the high unemployment rate and the severe dependence of teh ocuntry on oil money. He finished by saying that Iran is a culturally diverse country where 70 million cultured Iranians could live together despite different ideologies.

--JRS: It is reported that Khamenei has suggested that many religious figures in Qom meet with Ahmadinejrad in a move to validate his presidency in the eyes of the people. While some senior clerics complied, many refused these guidelines directly issued by the supreme leader and went as far as saying that meeting with Ahmadinejad would be ungodly.

--BBC: Mohamad Khatemi, former Iranian president and an avid supporter of the green movement was prevented from leaving the country. He was on his way to a anti-nuclear weapons meeting in Japan when he was barred from traveling outside the country. Following this event prime ministers of Canada and Sweden wrote letters to Ahmadinejad expressing their dissatisfaction with the situation. Hamid Rasai, a parliamentary representative who is a supporter of Ahmadinejrad has reported that 150 members of the parliament, including himslef had asked Ahmadinejad to issue a travel ban for Mr. Mousavi, Mr. Khatami and Mr. Karroubi, or as he called them, the "leaders of crisis".

--BBC: The Malaysian oil company Petronas, has declared that it stopped selling gas to Iran as of March 2010. While they did not give any specific reasons, it is speculated that this was in order to not perturb relations with the USA.

--JRS: It is reported that the Revolutionary Guard has taken control of the Jahad building on the main street near one of Tehran's main universities. This building typically belongs to the ministry of agriculture. But it is hypothesized that the Guard was interested in this building because of its location near the University for surveillance. The height of the building also allows for crown control and monitoring.

--JRS: The head of Cannes Film Festival has declared Jafar Panahi to be their special guest at the festival. Mr. Panahi, a renowned Iranian director is still in prison in Iran.

--BBC: Tehran governor had previously said in a interview that the major protests seen immediately after the elections had a permit from the government. In a new interview last week, he denied the that this permit was issued.

--Radio Farda: The office of Ahmadinejad has declared that he wrote another letter to Mr. Obama last week where he has told him that the US should learn how to fight terrorism from Iran. This is the second letter sent by Ahmadinejad that has received no response.

--BBC: Karim Mohammad Beigi, Mustafa's father, the 27 years old man who died during the Ashura protests, has said that his son died in injustice and that he has not yet recieved any explanations for his death. He asked human rights watch groups to carry on his message and let the world know of these injustices so that his son's death was not in vain.

--Radio Farda: On Wednesday,International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran called for an immediate stop to of the "special court" that has been assembled in Evin Prison. This court works outside the juridicial system where many of the accused do not have access to a defense. This court shows the extent of the Revolutionary Guards reach wthin the judiciary system.

--BBC: American Institute of Research about censorship (CRC) announced the distribution of a special Internet Proxy Iran called "Haystack" which allows users in Iran to bypass government filters and have full access to the internet (http://www.haystacknetwork.com).

UNIVERSITY NEWS
--JRS: Seyed Ali Asghar Beheshti Shirazi (cousin Ali Beheshti, consultant to Mir Hossein Mousavi) who was a University professor, has officially been banned from the Science and Technology University.

--JRS: a group of Allameh Tabatabai University students staged a protest when one senior adviser to Ahmadinejad visited their campus. They protested his presence by singing songs and shouting slogans.

NEWS OF THE ARRESTED
--BBC: Mohamad Nourizad, journalist and Iranian filmmaker, was sentenced to 3 and half years in prison and 50 lashes. He was accused of speaking against the state and insulting government officials. HE was arrested after posting a critique of the supreme leader on his personal blog. He subsequently spent 4 months in jail, where 70 days were in solitary confinement.

--Kalameh: A group of political prisoners in Evin sent a letter to UN Secretary-General. They asked him to visit them in Evin prison during his trip to Iran. In order to truly appreciate their dire condition, they asked him to visit them and interview them in private.

--Saham News: Mehdi Karroubi visited the family of Ahmad Zaydabadi today who was arrested during the unrest. During this meeting the family described Zaydabadi's condition as very bad where is is in a prison cell with convicted murderers and drug traffickers. After spending 35 days in solitary confinement (with 17 of those days being a hunger strike), He was sentenced to six years in prison, 5 years exile in Gonabad, and a lifelong ban on any political activity, written or oral. Mr. Mousavi and his wife also visited the family of Mr. Zaydabadi to show their support.

--JRS: One JRS reporter who was recently released from prison reports on a large number of detainees in Evin who are in prison while awaiting trial or unclear as to what will happen to them. The list of these names was made available through SIC last week.

--Rahana: Two members of the human rights committee were summoned to Evin prison for security investigation last week. This is while the detention of two other activists were confirmed last week after a month of questioning by their families.

--Rahana: Issa Saharkhiz was acquitted of charges of publishing lies and propaganda against the government.

--Green Voice: Majid Tavakoli, student activist was sentenced in a lower court where he was not allowed to have a lawyer. He was sentenced to 8 years in prison, followed by a 5 year ban on political activity as well as a five year travel bad. His lawyer is still trying to arrange a situation where his sentence would be reconsidered and he could defend Mr. Tavakoli.

--Green Voice: Heshmatollah Tabarzadi, political activist and magazine director was arrested in late December. According to his lawyer, his situation is deplorable and after 4 months of his detention, he is still in solitary confinement.

--Reporters of the Committee for Human Rights: Mohammad Ghaznavian, women's and children's rights activist who was released on a heavy bail, was returned to prison only 9 days after paying his bail.

--Rahana: Yaser Yousefzadeh, chief of Mousavi's campaign in the city of Babolsar has been arrested for over a month. It is reported that his physical and mental condition is very bad at this point in time.

RECOMMENDATIONS AND WARNINGS
According to Mr. Sazegara's videos:
-According to the new law approved by parliament, Assembly of Experts, the Expediency Council, the Guardian Council and Supreme National Security Council may independently practice passing new laws. This new law makes sit easier to directly turn the supreme leaders desires into law, effectively eliminating the democratic process of law making.
- He also highlighted 4 resistance strategies: 1. exposing the oppressors. 2. street protests. 3. non-participation in government organized events and 4. strikes.






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Monday, April 12, 2010

Weekly Digest Monday 12th April, 2010

Student Information Center (SIC)

Newsletter Issue 195 - Monday April 12th, 2010



FUTURE PLANS

-- Efforts focused at increasing non-violent civil disobedience in the society.
-- Allah o Akbar during the nights
-- Writing slogans on the walls and bills
-- Being out in the streets on Thursdays

NEWS
--Radio Farda: "ILNA" News Agency has reported that factory workers in Qazvin province were told that most factories would be closed down in the new (Iranian) year. They were given their last pay check and told not to return to work after the new years holidays. According to reports, due to economic policies of the government of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, many factories and manufacturing units in Iran have been bankrupt and closed. This in turn increased the unemployment rate in Iran. 

--Radio Farda: Abbas Jaafari Dowlatabadi, the Public Prosecutor of Tehran, on Saturday announced that a request to remove the bad on certain newspapers and publications, has been declined. This is especially concerning the reformist newspaper "Etemaad'. 

--BBC: Mr. Mousavi met with members of the political group "Islamic Revolution Mojahedin Organization" on Thursday, April 8th. Here he stated that the current political problems run much deeper than street protests. He explained that all the problems mentioned by the legitimacy and credibility of the Iranian political system is being eroded and therefore, the rulers have been forced to maintain their hardware forces (military and police).

--Deutsche Welle: There is increased security and economic pressure on Iranian syndicate workers. Union members were summoned to the authorities and risk arrest and suspension of employment. At least 7 union workers have their files under investigation. 

--Green Path: Zahra Rahnavard, wife of Mr. Mousavi, released a statement stating that there are 7 types of individuals currently arrested. These include anonymous prisoners, women prisoners, political activists and celebrities, advocates and human rights activists, ethnic nationalities and minorities, journalists, artists and media members as well as individuals arrested in hostage-type situations. She has asked for the immediate release of all these groups of prisoners. 

--Kalameh: about 150 fabric factory workers staged a protest in the northern city of Ardabil because of unpaid wages. 

NEWS OF THE ARRESTED
--Radio Farda: Association for the Defence of Azerbaijani Political Prisoners in Iran writes that civic activists and a journalist, in in the city of Ardebil, are on the 11th day of their hunger strike. They reported to be in unhealthy physical conditions and their families are concerned for their well-being. These prisoners include Behrooz Alizadeh and Vedud Saadat (civic activists), and Rahim Gholami, a journalist.

--BBC: Mohsen Safaei Farahani, a member of the Central Council of Iran Participation Front (reformist party) who was arrested after last years' unrest has been sentenced to 5 years in prison. His charges include "acting against national security, propaganda against the state, insulting the authorities and disturbing public opinion". 
Ali Tajnia, another member of this party has also been convicted under similar circumstances. His sentence however was reduced from 6 years in prison and 74 lashes to 1 year in prison.

--Kalameh: Mehdi Mahmoudian, the journalist who was arrested last summer for whistle-blowing on the terrible conditions at the Kahrizak detention center is currently in Evin prison with a severe and untreated infection. He has told his mother on the phone that he is close to losing the function of one of his kidneys because of the infection and that if this negligence towards his health condition continues he will soon start a hunger strike.

--Radio Farda: Mahdieh Golroo, student activist and defendent of the right to education has been sentenced to over 2 years in prison. Due to a lack of access to a lawyer, she defended her self in court. She was arrested along side with her husband last year after protesting. She was also an active member of Mr. Karroubi's Committee on Civil Rights Citizenship. 

--Radio Farda: Mr.Baghi's wife reports that her husband, a human rights activist and journalist who has been imprisoned, has said that he is being held for 2 months without any certificate of detention. He adds that he is held in a small cell without any facilities and that his treatment is "blatant torture". d

--Radio Farda: It is reported that Mr. Mousavi's presidential campaign manager has been arrested in the city of Babolsar.

--JRS: It is reported that Amirreza (peyman) Arefi (who has been sentenced to death) and Heshmatollah Tabarzadi (secretary General Front democratic Iran) were finally moved from their solitary confinement to a public part of Evin prison. 

--RAhana: Ahmad Karimi who had earlier been accused of collaborating with monarchist groups had his death sentence reduced to 15 years in prison. 

--Radio Farda: Baha'i international community says that the third trial session for seven imprisoned leader of the Baha'i community in Iran are scheduled to be held in Tehran on April 23.

--Radio Farda: Jafar Panahi [Iranian director] is reported to have finaly met with his wife in prison. He had apparently lost some weight and had been moved to a smaller cell where he does not feel comfortable.

--JRS: Maryam Zia child activist was released last week after 3 months of detention. She had also defended herself in prison and went on a 13 day hunger strike. After feeling physically very ill, she was taken to the hospital upon her release. 

--JRS: Seyed Massoud Lavasani, a journalist who was arrested for almost 6 months was released on a 500000$ bail. His sentence of 8 years might be reduced to 4 years in his new hearing. 

RECOMMENDATIONS AND WARNINGS
Mr. Sazegara discussed the following in his video:
He said that semi-official reports show that 15000 people have been arrested since the unrest and 5000 people are still in prison. He mentioned several scenes of unrest at factories around the country including the bus terminal workers of zagros who stages a protest because of unpaid wages but were beaten by security. 
He also highlights that in the recent uprising in kyrgyzistan, the army stayed back and did not back any sides. He added that if the army in Iran could be run down, events in Iran would gain speed as well.







Attached: Weekly Digest Monday 12th April, 2010
Message from student.information.center@gmail.com:
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