Illegal Arrest, Prison Abuse, And Unfair Trial– Latest News on Heshmatollah Tabarzadi from His Lawyer

Four months after his arrest, political activist Heshmatollah Tabarzadi remains in solitary confinement cells of Ward 209 of Evin Prison. According to his lawyer, his initial court which met for the first time last Wednesday was supposed to be today but was postponed again. His lawyer, Nasrin Sotoudeh, told International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that her client’s interrogations have been done with “pressure, beatings, repeated and indescribable verbal insults.” Sotoudeh believes that whatever confessions are made under such circumstances are “completely illegal.” Sotoudeh also believes that her client’s arrest was illegal.

Three More Faculty Members Dismissed for Their Political Orientation

One week after the dismissal of Dr. Morteza Mardiha from his faculty post at Allameh Tabatabee University, the dismissal of two Elm-o-San’at University professors adds a new dimension to the campaign to dismiss faculty members who have different viewpoints from the government, or who have supported students during student protests. In a continuing trend to [...]

Anonymous Prisoners and the Charge of Relations with MKO

During the post-elections arrests of 2009, tens of those arrested were citizens who did not belong to any groups or political parties, or whose names were never mentioned in a social and political context. These prisoners remain in detention anonymously and their families’ efforts to learn about their circumstances have rendered fruitless. One of these individuals is a man by the name of Parviz Varmarzyari who was arrested during the Ashura Day Protests (December 27, 2009).

Imprisoned Babol student’s short furlough

On Sunday morning, Babol Prosecutor’s Office agreed to a short furlough for Mohammad Esmaeelzadeh. Student sources told International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that following repeated requests by Mohammad Esmaeelzadeh for a furlough leave to visit and spend time with his wife and newborn baby at the hospital, Babol Prosecutor’s Office has only given him four days’ leave.

Student Activist Contracts Infectious Diseases at Mashad Prison

Eftekhar Barzegarian, a student activist at Mashad Ferdowsi University who has been in prison since September 2009 is suffering from a grave illness. Student sources told International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that he is currently suffering from multiple illnesses and is repeatedly vomiting blood everyday. In continued efforts to put pressure on the imprisoned student and against doctor’s warnings, Mashad’s Vakilabad Prison Security Unit has prevented administration of medication to him and has forbidden him from sleeping on a bed.

Kouhyar Goudarzi: “I Won’t Be Released Any Time Soon,” Trial Date Unknown

Quoting the General and Revolutionary Courts of Tehran, IRNA News Agency reported on Sunday that the case file of Kouhyar Goudarzi, member of the Committee of Human Rights Reporters has been submitted to the courts along with his indictment. Mina Jafari, Goudarzi’s lawyer told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that she has not been able to have access to her client’s case information. She said that Goudarzi’s file was initially at the Evin prison court branch and she was not able to review it. In her later followups, however, it turned out that his case file had been sent to Branch 15 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court, presided by Judge Salavati, for trial scheduling.

Two Death Sentences Overturned: Reza Khademi, 12 Years, and Ayoub Porkar 20 Years

Nasrin Sotoudeh, lawyer for two prisoners, Ayoub Porkar and Reza Khademi, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that the initial court’s death sentences for her clients has been overturned, and that the two prisoners were sentenced to long prison terms instead. Porkar and Khademi had been sentenced to death by Branches 15 and 26 of Iran’s Revolutionary Courts, but Branch 36 of the Appeals Court overturned the initial court’s sentences and instead sentenced Reza Khademi to 12 years and Ayoub Porkar to 20 years in prison.

Mother of Prisoner Says Tehran Prosecutor Responsible For Her Son’s Health

In an open letter widely published in the media, Fatemeh Alvandi, mother of Mehdi Mahmoudian, declared Tehran’s Prosecutor responsible for her son’s dangerous physical condition, due to damages he sustained during his detention. Mahmoudian is a journalist, a member of the Participation Front Information Committee, and a human rights activist.

Intelligence Agents Pressure Judiciary for Harsh Sentences

(10 April 2010) The Iranian Intelligence Ministry is manipulating the judicial process by forcing the issuance of harsh and long sentences for activists regardless of the lack of credible evidence against them, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today.

The attorney for jailed political activist Heshmatollah Tabarzadi has told the Campaign that intelligence agents pressuring court officials have demanded excessive punishments, while the entire case deserves to be dismissed because of procedural violations.

American Hikers’ Lawyer: My Clients Are Not Spies

While Iran’s Minister of Intelligence announced on Thursday that definitive evidence exists that the three imprisoned American hikers were cooperating with US intelligence organizations, promising to share the evidence with the media, their lawyer told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that the only evidence in his clients’ file is their illegal border crossing, and charges of espionage are unfounded.