Arrest of Journalist Vahid Pourostad

Vahid Pourostad, an experienced Iranian journalist, was arrested at his home on Monday night on a warrant issued by the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office. Only two days before the 11 February anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, the widespread arrests of social activists and journalists now includes Pourostad. Pourostad, who has published several books, is an experienced editor in the Iranian press. One of his friends told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that Pourostad was arrested at his mother-in-law’s home. His home was later searched and his laptop computer and hand-written notes were confiscated. Arresting officers did not give his family their reasons for his arrest.

Abdolfattah Soltani: “According to law and Sharia, throwing stones or breaking windows do not constitute ‘moharebeh’”

Following the executions of two political prisons charged with heretics, “moharebeh,” International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran asked Abdolfattah Soltani, prominent Iranian attorney and member of Center for Defense of Human Rights, what types of heresy suspects should receive the death sentence according to Iranian laws?

Iranian asylum seekers in Turkey(5): “The refugees are not journalists only”!

In the series of interviews conducted by International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran with asylum seekers in countries neighboring Iran, this time we have talked to a journalist who left Iran due to difficult professional working conditions and for being in danger for his journalistic work. This journalist indicates that individuals who leave Iran have had to abandon their country under dire conditions, saying: “These people do not bring any clothing or money with them. This causes problems for them. They have to spend a lot of money on hotel accommodations while they wait for their UN interviews…This isn’t just for journalists. For example a couple have come with their two children and they have had to stay in a small town. They had gone to a religious town and the local police and residents caused some problems for them. They ran out of money. Journalists somehow manage to get some support, but things are different for other individuals.”

Mass arrests of journalist: Akbar Montajabi, Ehsan Mehrabi, Jalali Farahani, Ali Kalaee, and Somayeh Momeni in Prison

Akbar Montajabi a prominent journalist with reformist newspapers and magazines who works for the Irandokht publication was arrested by the security agents at two o’clock on Sunday morning. Montajabi previously worked for such publications as Yas-e-No, Shargh, and Etemaad Meli and also for weekly publication Shahrvand-e Emrooz as a reporter in the political section.

Student Facing Execution for Throwing Rocks

(8 February 2010) The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran today strongly condemned the prosecution of a young student activist, Mohammad Amin Valian, under the charge of Moharebeh, or “enmity against God,” which is punishable by death and called the charges “grossly disproportionate.”

At least nine other protestors have been sentenced to death in similar unfair trials and are at risk of imminent execution. Five other protestors, including Valian, were prosecuted last week and face the death penalty if convicted.

Shirin Ebadi: Politics Rule the Iranian Judiciary

The 2003 Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi, who heads Center for Human Rights Defenders in Iran, was interviewed by International Campaign for Human Rights. Regarding Iranian Judiciary’s recent actions including executions of two political dissidents and group execution sentence for several other protesters she said: “Unfortunately, the Iranian Judiciary has fallen short of justice and politics are determining its core and actions now. This is why we are now witnessing sentences which are even contradictory to Islamic Republic’s very own approved laws. In other words, the government approves laws which it refuses to obey itself. They are accusing people of heretics, moharebeh, when all they have done is to participate in street protests or sending an electronic mail. In some cases all the email contained was a piece of news. They won’t let suspects’ attorneys attend trials and appoint public defenders for suspects. These are all examples of actions which contradict The Criminal Case Review Policies and demonstrate that trials are political. When politics enters a courtroom, justice leaves that courtroom.”

Widespread arrests of activists on the threshold of the 1979 revolution anniversary

Mass arrests of social, women’s rights, and political activists during the ten days leading to Islamic Revolution’s Anniversary has continued with arrests of Maryam Ghanbari, a member of the Maydan women’s group, and Mah-Farid Mansourian, an environmental activist. Most arrests were made during midnight hours and through a blanket arrest warrant and most arrested individuals were not informed about the reasons for their arrests. Some of those arrested were told that the reason for their arrest was participation in gatherings. Mahfarid Mansourian, 55, was imprisoned for six years in the 1980′s.

Using Photographs of Protests Outside Iran to Intimidate Arriving Passengers at the Airport

Authorities at Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran have been collecting photographs of Iranians in protest gatherings outside the country. These Iranians have participated in gatherings to show solidarity with Iranians inside Iran for condemning violations of human rights in Iran. When leaving IKI Airport, some Iranian citizens have been randomly taken to rooms and after being questioned about the country and city to which they were traveling, their faces have been checked against available photographs in attempts to identify Iranians who have attended such gatherings.

Six months’ imprisonment for student activist Ashkan Zahabian

Following the court sentences of student activists in Northern Iran universities and the heavy sentence of Seyed Zia Nabavi, student activist Ashkan Zahabian’s sentence was issued. Iran’s Ministry of Information is the plaintiff in Ashkan Zahabian’s case, and Babol Revolutionary Courts have found him guilty and he has been sentenced to six months’ imprisonment on charges of “actions against national security,” “propagation against Islamic Republic regime through disruption in order and security of Islamic Republic of Iran,” “participation in illegal meetings of political and extremist activists at Noshirvani Industrial and Babol Not-for-Profit Universities,” “interviewing with foreign, anti-revolutionary networks and email contact with anti-revolutionary elements,” “inciting students and extremist activists to engage in illegal activities in Mazandaran University.”

Arrest of Nooshin Jafari and search for Saeedeh Kordi Nejad

On Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at midnight, Nooshin Jafari, a journalist with Etemad Newspaper’s Culture Section was arrested. Security forces entered and searched her home, took her personal items and computer, arrested her, and transferred her to an unknown location. Several journalists and women’s rights activists told international Campaign for Human Rights that security forces [...]