University Campus Violently Attacked

(25 February 2009) Government forces violently attacked hundreds of protesting students at Amir Kabir University in Tehran and arrested dozens of students on 23 February 2009, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today.

The Campaign expressed its serious concerns for the health of the detainees and fears that they may be subjected to torture and ill-treatment. It called on the Iranian government to immediately release all Amir Kabir students and to end its persecution and prosecution of students.

The students were protesting the burial of “unknown martyrs” from the Iran-Iraq war on their campus.

Petition for the Release of Alieh Eghdamdoust

Fill out the form below to send an appeal to Head of the Judiciary Ayatollah Shahroudi for the release of imprisoned women’s rights activist Alieh Eghdamdoust (sample letter posted after jump): * Name (First, Last) * Email * Verify by typing code Script by Dagon Design —————————————————————————————————– Your Excellency, I am writing to express my [...]

Lives of Four Students on Hunger Strike Are at Risk

(21 February 2009) The lives of four Amirkabir University students, Majid Tavakoli, Hossein Torkashvand, Esmaiel Salmanpour and Kourosh Daneshyar, who went on hunger strike to protest their arbitrary detention, are at risk. The students should be released immediately and unconditionally, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today.

The four students are among a group of around twenty people arrested on 5 February 2009, at a ceremony to honor Mehdi Bazargan, the first Iranian prime minister after the revolution of 1979.

Two Women Labor Activists Flogged; Their Crime: Celebrating May Day

(20 February 2009) Two Iranian women labor activists, convicted for participating in May Day celebrations, have been punished by flogging, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran reported today.

According to local sources, on 18 February, Sussan Razani and Shiva Kheirabadi were flogged inside the central prison in Sanandaj, Kurdistan. Razani was flogged 70 lashes and Kheirabadi received 15 lashes.

“These inhumane and barbaric floggings demonstrate an utter disregard for the rights of Iranian citizens,” said Hadi Ghaemi, the Campaign’s spokesperson.

Baha’i Community in Peril

(17 February 2009) Attacks on the Baha’i community in Iran have reached alarming levels, including semi-official calls for its “utter destruction,” the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today. The Campaign called on the Iranian government to immediately cease its increasingly violent threats against the members of the Baha’i Faith, and to release members of the Baha’i Faith who are being held without charge. The Campaign also called on the international community to strongly condemn the Iranian government’s escalating persecution of the Baha’i religious minority.

The government has intensified its attacks on the members of the Baha’i Faith during the past year. There are currently at least 30 Baha’is in detention throughout the country.

End Prosecution of Student for Exercising Freedom of Speech

(14 February 2009) The Iranian Judiciary should end its multiple prosecutions of Ali Nikounesbati solely for his writings and speeches, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today.

Nikounesbati graduated from Mofid University in Qom two months ago. He was the spokesperson for the Office to Foster Unity, a nation-wide students union. He has been arrested twice and five cases have been filed against him since 2007.

Nikounesbati’s latest trial will be held on 15 February 2009, at Branch 15 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court.

Two Followers of Ayatollah Boroujerdi Detained Incommunicado

(12 February 2009) Iranian authorities should immediately release Maryam Ghasemi and Zahra Abdollahvand, two followers of Ayatollah Boroujerdi who were arrested by order of the Special Court for Clergy in Tehran on 28 January 2009, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today.

Relatives of the detainees informed the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that Ghasemi (32), Abdollahvand (31), each of whom is a mother of two, and Zahra Sharifi went to the Special Court for Clergy in Tehran along with other followers of Ayatollah Boroujerdi on 28 January 2009.

Four Journalists Sentenced to Prison, Floggings

(10 February 2009) The sentencing of four Tehran bloggers by Iran’s Judiciary Court on February 3, 2009, to prison terms, fines and flogging, despite the head of the judiciary’s admission that they had been coerced into confessing, violates their right to a fair trial, Human Rights Watch and the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today. The four said shortly after their arrest in 2004 that they had been tortured during interrogation, but there has been no public investigation into these allegations despite a high-level promise to do so.

Alieh Eghdamdoust

Alieh Eghdamdoust is a women’s rights activist involved in the One Million Signatures Campaign. She was arrested on 31 January 2009 in her hometown of Foman, Iran to begin serving her three-year prison sentence.

Aziz Samandari

was arrested the morning of 14 January 2009 in his home in Tehran by Intelligence Ministry officials. He is being held incommunicado in Evin Prison.