Heavy Police Presence, Clashes, and Arrests of at Least 10 People in Mashad

Eyewitnesses have told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that Basij forces had a widespread presence in Tehran and other cities such as Mashad, during a fresh wave of protests in Iran. Police and Basij forces were present everywhere, especially around university campuses, preventing peaceful gatherings. Clashes were reported between the forces and people.

Simin Behbahani’s Message For June 12 Anniversary: Reconsider Your Actions and Prevent Catastrophes

Prominent Iranian poet and women’s rights defender Simin Behbahani has sent a message to Iranian authorities. In her message, made available to the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Behbahani asked Iranian authorities to reconsider their approach to dissent and to prevent the social disaster in progress in Iran. Behbahani says that even history is embarrassed about post-election events.

Message of Prominent Poet on 12 June Anniversary to Government: Prevent Catastrophies, Reconsider Your Actions

Prominent Iranian poet and women’s rights defender Simin Behbahani has sent a message to Iranian authorities. In her message which was made available to the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Behbahani has asked the Iranian authorities to reconsider their approach and to prevent the unfolding social catastrophes in Iran. Behbahani says in her message that “even history is embarrassed to record the post-elections events.”

Ebadi’s Daughter: “Dear Agent, What Are You Searching For?”

Following the defamation of Shirin Ebadi on Iranian State TV, by coercing her husband to make disparaging remarks about her, Ebadi’s daughter, Nargess Tavassolian, published this sarcastic letter, addressed to the intelligence agents who have been a constant presence in her family life. In her letter, she writes her father informed the family months ago about being pressured to make these forced statements. She also notes that this highly edited TV program demonstrates the strength and impact of her mother’s advocacy. The text of the letter, translated by the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, follows:

Police Presence, At Least Ten Arrested in Mashad

Eye witnesses told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that Basij forces had a widespread presence in Tehran and other cities such as Mashad during a fresh wave of protests in Iran. Police and Basij forces were present all over town, especially around university campuses, preventing peaceful gatherings. Clashes were also reported.

Nobel Laureate Defamed on Iranian TV, Colleague Arrested

(11 June 2010) An Iranian state television program defamed human rights lawyer and Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi in a heavily edited program on 10 June, and an associate and spokesperson for Ebadi’s organization was detained, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran reported today.

On the very same day, the Islamic Republic agreed to a recommendation to respect the rights of human rights defenders at the conclusion of the Universal Periodic Review of Iran’s human rights practices at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

“It is emblematic of Iran’s contempt for human rights that, on the day its record was examined by the Human Rights Council, Ebadi was smeared on state TV and her associate arbitrarily detained,” said Hadi Ghaemi.

Evin’s Ward 350: Political Prisoners and Problems with Food, Medicine, and Abuse

(Blog-Report from Inside Prison)- Evin Prison’s Ward 350, or Correctional Facility 3, which houses political prisoners has turned into the most crowded corner of the prison post-elections, suffering from poor conditions and posing many hardships for its residents.

Saba Vasefi: Attempted Arrest, Accident, and Coma

In an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, a reliable source confirmed that Saba Vasefi, a young human rights and women’s movement activist is in a coma following an accident last Tuesday. According to this source, a motorcycle ran into her while she was on a day trip to Shahriar, near Tehran, to pursue a death sentence case. The accident’s impact caused Vasefi to hit her head against a hard object on the roadside.

“Release All Political Prisoners And I Will Forgive The Murderers of My Son,” Says Mother of Slain Protester Sohrab Arabi

Ameneh Khatoon (Parvin) Fahimi is the mother of Sohrab Arabi, a young protester who was murdered in the aftermath of last year’s disputed presidential elections. In an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, she said that she would forgive the blood of her son on the condition of the release of all political prisoners.

Fars News Fabricates Letter By Student Activist

In an unprecedented move, on 1 June 2010, Fars News Agency published a fabricated letter of resignation by Morteza Semyari, secretary of Cultural Commission of Daftar-e Tahkim-e Vahdat student organization. In an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, one of Semiyari’s friends said that the letter was written by Fars News Agency and Semiyari saw it for the first time on Fars’ website. According to this student activist, intelligence authorities have complete access to Fars News Agency and published the letter originally written by interrogators. Interrogators of detainees have begun efforts to prevent them from refuting contents of the letter.