June 28 – July 2 2010 (Podcast)

Listen to this week’s “Weekly Rights Podcast”: “This is the “Weekly Rights Podcast” a review of major human rights issues by the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran.

It’s June and this is our second weekly podcast. Will more political prisoners face execution soon?”

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Female Political Prisoner at Risk of Imminent Execution

(28 June 2010) The Iranian Judiciary should immediately suspend all execution sentences of political prisoners and initiate a thorough and independent review of these cases, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today.

Kurdish political prisoner Zeynab Jalalian, 27, faces imminent execution, as her case has reached the final implementation stage. In addition to Jalalian, at least fifteen other Kurdish political prisoners are on the death row.

“We are appealing to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay to intervene in this case, and to do all in her power to halt Zeynab’s execution,” said Hadi Ghaemi.

Two Weeks After Babak Heshmat Saran’s Arrest, Whereabouts Unknown

In an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Babak Heshmat Saran’s mother, Elaheh Nazjoo, expressed concern about his conditions. Nazjoo said that since her son’s arrest two weeks ago, judicial authorities have not answered her inquiries about his situation and there has been no news of his whereabouts. “Babak briefly contacted us three days after his arrest but did not say where he was,” she said. Babak Heshmat Saran is son of the late Amir Hossein Heshmat Saran, Secretary General of the Iran National Unity Front who mysteriously died last year inside Gohardasht Prison in Karaj. Heshmat Saran was recently barred from continuing his education as a civil engineer.

Parvaneh Osanloo: “We are innocent. We ask anyone who can to help us.”

In an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, wife of imprisoned Iranian labor activist Mansour Osanloo, Parvaneh Osanloo, shared details of a harrowing 23 June 2010 incident involving her daughter-in-law, Zoya Samadi. Samadi was abducted and detained by security forces and beaten and abused while during interrogations. She was threatened before being released under a bridge at 10:00 p.m. at night.

Saber Abbasian: 105 Days in Detention on False Accusations, Lack of Accountability from Authorities

A source close to Mohammad Saber Abbasian told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that 105 days after being arrested, his family has not been able to secure his release by posting bail. Shiraz’s Revolutionary Prosecutor continues to hold Abbasian under temporary detention. Abbasian was detained in the Intelligence Office in Fars province (also known as Detention Center No. 100) on 9 March 2010, by an order from the Revolutionary Prosecutor. His case file has now been referred to Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Courts in Shiraz.

June 21 – 25 2010 (Podcast)

Listen to this week’s “Weekly Rights Podcast”: “This is the “Weekly Rights Podcast” a review of major human rights issues by the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. It’s June 24 and this our first weekly podcast. In Iran, the judiciary continues to arrest and intimidate the government’s critics as well as human rights defenders, while in Geneva, at the United Nations, Iran’s delegation to the Human Rights Council defended and justified the government’s human rights record…”
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Mohammad Javad Larijani Misrepresents Human Rights Council Session on National Television

During an appearance on the Islamic Republic of Iran’s state television this week, Mohammad Javad Larijani repeatedly misrepresented the events of last week’s Human Rights Council session in Geneva. Larijani’s false statements were an attempt to conceal the wide range of objections faced by the Iranian delegation during the session. In his statements, Larijani spoke of Japan’s support for Iran, when in fact, Japan was one of the signatories of the statement by 56 countries that highlighted widespread violations and objected to the situation of human rights in Iran. The statement was read despite Iran’s efforts to stop it.

Two Protesters Arrested Outside Iranian Embassy in Beijing

On the anniversary of Iranian elections, two students of human rights were arrested in Beijing outside the Iranian Embassy as they carried a sign that read: “Free Iran, say NO to theocracy.” Iranian Embassy authorities apparently could not tolerate even two protesters with the impending visit of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s to Beijing and contacted the Beijing Police to arrest the protesters.

Summonses, Notices, and Dismissals at Qazvin International University

In the past few months, students at Qazvin International University have faced an increase in sentences of expulsion, permanent deprivation from education, and other disciplinary actions. The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran has interviewed one of these students about summonses to the University’s Disciplinary Committee and the deprivation of education in the cases of at least nine students. The interviewee, who spoke to the Campaign on the condition of anonymity, also described the continuation of abuse and constant surveillance of students by security forces.

The Judiciary’s Questionable Silence about Abdolreza Tajik & Narges Mohammadi’s Arrests

Six days after the arrest of Abdolreza Tajik, a journalist and member of the Defenders of Human Rights Center (DHRC), his family has been unable to obtain information on his condition. The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran has learned that the simultaneous arrests of Narges Mohammadi and Abdolreza Tajik, both members of the DHRC, is directly related to the Iranian state television’s broadcast of a libelous program against Shirin Ebadi, head of the DHRC.