Shadow of Extra-Judicial Executions Looms Large Over Dissidents

(31 January 2010) Sixteen defendants currently facing a “show trial” in Tehran have been selected to intimidate specific groups of dissidents and pave the way for applying the charge of Mohareb, or “enemy of God,” to large numbers of dissidents and protestors, charges that can lead to their execution, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today. Five of the sixteen defendants prosecuted in the post-Ashura trials of 30 January face the death penalty, having been charged with that crime.

“After the extra-judicial massacre of thousands of political prisoners in 1988, large scale executions of dissidents again loom before Iranians and the world community, this time after transparently political show trials,” said Hadi Ghaemi, the Campaign’s spokesperson.

Unprecedented Remarks by Ayatollah Jannati for More Protester Execution

High ranking religious cleric Ayatollah Jannati, during his Friday prayer sermon on 29 January, addressed Sadegh Larijani, Head of the Judiciary of Iran, saying: “My brother. I know you well and I know you accepted your responsibilities with a good heart, intending to serve. You were seriously interested in continuing your education and you didn’t want to cut down on your studies. However, you came and you have an anti-oppression, revolutionary, and allegiance attitude. So, for God’s satisfaction, just as you executed those two individuals, thank you, stand like a man.”

Pressure on Tahkim-e Vahdat or Systematic Limitation of Civil Organizations?

Several student activists from Dafter-e Tahkim-e Vahdat (DTV) have told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that over the past several weeks, security forces have warned them that this popular student organization must stop its activities, otherwise its active members would be arrested and imprisoned to face heavy sentences.

Trials of Thirty-Seven Ashura Day Protesters

Tehran’s Prosecutor has announced that the cases of thirty-seven Ashura Day detainees, whose initial investigations are now complete, have been forwarded to Islamic Revolutionary Courts, bearing separate indictments. The Iranian Student News Agency (ISNA) quoted the website of the General and Revolutionary Courts of Tehran to say that the suspects are being charged as ‘heretics’ (moharebeh) and with ‘Corruption on Earth,’ (mofsed fel-arz). The rest of the suspects’ charges are ‘congregation and mutiny against national security,’ ‘propaganda against the state,’ and ‘intent to disrupt national security through incitement of people to riots and anarchy.’

Members of Committee of Human Rights Reporters Under Pressure to Make Forced Confessions

Different sources told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran today that the arrested members of the Committee of Human Rights Reporters are under pressure to deliver forced confessions about the Committee’s affiliation with the Mojahedin Khalq Organization (MKO). Judicial authorities are trying to connect CHRR with opposition groups outside Iran in order to make serious charges against this independent civil organization. Previously, during a meeting with Shiva Nazarahari’s family, Tehran Prosecutor said that CHRR is “associated with MKO.”

Sudden and Unannounced Execution of Two Political Prisoners (audio interview with attorney)

Nasrin Sotoudeh, attorney of Arash Rahmani Pour, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran: “Arash’s father spoke to me on the telephone today and he had not been informed of the execution. This shows that not only was the execution carried out in secrecy, but not even the families were informed. The law necessitates the Judiciary to inform the family of a defendant and to allow for due judicial and legal processes to take place in the presence of the defendant and his attorney. All of this was foregone in my client’s case and we heard about this in the media after the fact.”

Pace of Political Executions Accelerating

(28 January 2010) The execution of two men charged with crimes in connection with alleged membership in illegal anti-government organizations, and the announcement of death sentences for nine other persons arrested for protest activities, are part of a growing wave of political executions in the Islamic Republic, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today.

Mohammad Reza Ali Zamani (37) and Arash Rahmani Pour (19) were executed on 28 January. According to his indictment, Zamani’s conviction for the capital crime of Mohareb, or “taking up arms against God,”

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Six Years Imprisonment for Jahanbakhsh Khanjani

Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabaee, Jahanbakhsh Khanjani’s attorney, told the Iranian Student’s News Agency on Wednesday: “According to the verdict issued by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Courts, Mr. Khanjani has been sentenced to one year of imprisonment on charges of ‘propaganda against the state,’ and five years of imprisonment on charges of ‘congregation and mutiny for actions against national security.’ He said that he will file for an appeal within the legal time limits.”

Dismissal of a University Professor for Political Reasons

Dr. Abbas Kazemi, a Communications professor at Tehran University’s Department of Social Sciences, was dismissed from his position because he had participated in the funeral procession of prominent dissident cleric, Grand Ayatollah Seyed Ali Montazeri.