Channel 4 News: “Iranian basiji tells of jail ordeal”

Channel 4 News- “A former member of the Iranian basij militia tells Channel 4 News that he was jailed and mistreated for refusing to assault opposition protesters. “There was a table. I stood on that table for some hours with my hands tied and a rope around my neck. They came a few times and said they’d come to execute me now, or in an hour.”

“You have no idea what we are experiencing in Western Iran”

In a letter to the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, a journalist from Kermanshah has pointed to instances of violations of human rights in the Province, requesting better news coverage of the arrests of political activists, journalists, and students. The Campaign would like to thank this journalist for his letter. Documentation of cases of human rights violations is a main area of responsibility for the Campaign. We hope to develop closer ties with civil society activists and members of the press in order to provide better coverage and reflections of human rights violations as mentioned by the citizen who has written to us. Small parts of this letter have been omitted to conceal identities of individuals, but the omissions do not detract from the essence of the letter. Here is the letter:

Despite the trial session: Morteza Semyari’s continued detention in solitary confinement

Morteza Semyari, Central Council member of the Office to Foster Unity (Daftar-e Tahkim Vahdat), continues to remain imprisoned in solitary confinement in Ward 240 of Evin prison. One of the student activists of the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said, “While the Social Secretary of the Office to Foster Unity (Daftar-e Tahkim Vahdat) is still in solitary confinement, even though his trial has already started, and even while his last defense has been prepared. His incarceration in solitary confinement is solely for the purpose of applying pressure to make him give in to the illegal demands of the interrogators and torturers.

Iran’s Shameful Performance Stuns the UN Human Rights Council

(17 February 2010) As the review of Iran’s human rights record under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process concluded at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, the Iranian government demonstrated its utter lack of respect for internationally accepted norms by simultaneously accepting and rejecting recommendations of UN members with regard to addressing the critical situation of human rights in Iran, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today.

“This was a moment of truth, when the world could see the Iranian government’s deceitful attitude toward international human rights norms,” said Aaron Rhodes, a spokesman for the Campaign.

Barbara lochbihler’s Message to Iranians in Geneva, Human Rights summit

Torture of Karroubi’s son: the role of plainclothes men in abuse and mistreatment of detainees

Following the February 11th arrest of Ali Karroubi, 37, the objecting presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi’s son, and his subsequent torture inside the Amir-al-Momenin Mosque in Tehran by plainclothes Basijis, the subject of abuse and mistreatment of detainees has once again come to light. After the Iranian elections, when plainclothes and Basiji officers arrested many protesters and transferred them to Basij bases and mosques, beating and abusing them, government authorities refused to accept the responsibility for such actions. Mehdi Karroubi himself has repeatedly reported public complaints about rapes and sexual abuse, beatings and abuse of detainees, demanding high ranking government officials such as Head of the Judiciary and Speaker of the Parliament to review those complaints. Upon Mehdi Karroubi’s insistence, the three-person committee established by the Judiciary and an investigation commission inside the Iranian Parliament denied charges of abuse and dismissed the complaints.

Slideshow: The UPR of the IRI, Geneva, February 15, 2010

Analysts and human rights activists react to statements by Head of Iranian Human Rights Delegation at the UN

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Moments after Head of Iranian Human Rights Delegation, Mohammad Javad Larijani, finished delivering his statements, Dr. Abdolkarim Lahiji, vice president of the International Federation of Human Rights Leagues, told the Campaign that he is stunned by Larijani’s words.

UN Review Affirms Need for More Pressure to Improve Human Rights

(15 February 2010) Iran’s rejectionist initial response to recommendations by members of the international community to address grave human rights abuses during the UN’s Universal Period Review clearly demonstrates the need for a special session of the Human Rights Council and a special envoy dealing with these abuses, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today.

“The Iranian government has turned the 1979 Revolution to a revolution against the human rights of its own citizens, and an attempt to turn back progress on human rights on the global scene,” said Hadi Ghaemi, spokesperson for the Campaign.

Online direct broadcasting of the review of human rights conditions in Iran

International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran: On Monday, February 15th, between 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM Tehran time, the three-hour review of human rights conditions in Iran in the UN’s UPR (Universal period Review)will be directly broadcast via Internet.

In this meeting, representatives of the member countries of the Human Rights Council and other UN members will challenge the government of Iran about its systematic and widespread violations of human rights in Iran. The Iranian people, who are deprived of direct participation in this meeting, would be able to directly monitor the proceedings via live virtual viewing.