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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