Illegal Summons of a Gonabadi Nematollahi Guru to Intelligence Office

Khajeh Garashi “Vafa Ali,” a guru from the Gonabadi Nematollahi order, was recently summoned by the Lar Township Information Office. In an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Davood Montazeri, Garashi’s lawyer described how the Gonabadi guru was summoned. “In this letter, there are no charges and no reasons for the summons. We don’t even know whether those forces were really from the Intelligence Office or not. This method of summoning is completely illegal,” Montazeri said.

Issa Saharkhiz’s Lawyers Object to His Court Appearance in Handcuffs

In an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, the attorney of prominent Iranian journalist Issa Saharkhiz’s expressed outrage over Saharkhiz’s appearance in court with handcuffs and shackles. “Such treatment is most inappropriate for a prominent journalist such as Mr. Saharkhiz who has a bright and clear background in all his numerous social services,” said Nasrin Sotoudeh. Saharkhiz’s lawyers also objected to his closed trial.

Lawyer Says No Evidence To Support Harsh Sentence For Student

Student activist Zia Nabavi’s lawyer, Nasrin Sotoudeh, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that despite her client’s denial of relations with the Mojahedin-E Khalgh Organization (MEK) and a lack of evidence in this regard, the appeals court upheld his ten-year imprisonment and Nabavi was ordered to be exiled to the southern city of Eezeh to begin his sentence.

Massoumeh Yavari’s Lawyer: “I hope my client is acquitted”

Mohammad Seifzadeh, the lawyer who represents Massoumeh Yavari, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that he hopes his client is acquitted of her charges. Seifzadeh, a founding member of the Defenders of Human Rights Center, said that he has appealed the lower court’s decision and the case is currently in Branch 36 of the Appeals Court.

“When He Spoke of Being ‘Violated,’ He Was Very Upset And Angry”

Last Thursday, sister of journalist Abdolreza Tajik met with him for the first time after his arrest on June 12. In an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran about the meeting, she said that her brother was very upset and angry when he told her that he had been “violated” in prison. Parvin Tajik told the Campaign that her brother was unable to explain what he meant by “violated” during the meeting which took place through a telephone booth in the presence of prison officials. “I implore the Prosecutor to hear Abdolreza’s cry for justice, and to oblige his request to meet with him and his lawyer in prison to hear him,” said Parvin Tajik. She said that her efforts to follow up on her brother’s case over the past ten days have been fruitless.

Shiva Nazarahari’s Life and Her Ten-Month “Temporary Detention”

In an extensive and heartfelt interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Shiva Nazar Ahari’s mother, Shahrzad Kariman, shared memories, anecdotes, and information about her daughter and her life. Shiva Nazar Ahari is a human rights activist who has been at Evin Prison for the past ten months. She was arrested twice over the past year, the first time the day after the 12 June 2009 presidential election. Mrs. Kariman says Nazar Ahari’s blank arrest warrant was dated a whole week before the election. She added that Nazar Ahari has never done anything against the law and that she and her husband have fully supported their daughter’s human rights work.

July 22 – July 28 2010 (Podcast)

In this week’s ‘Weekly Rights Podcast’: terrorists attack a Shiite prayer session in mosque in the Sistan and Baluchistan province; medical conditions in prison for Mohammad Sadiq Kaboudvand and Mehdi Arabshahi continue to be grim; and the lawyer of Sakineh Ashtiani, Mohammad Mostafaee, and journalist Issa Saharkhiz are summoned to appear in court.

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Lawyer Summoned to Evin Prison Courts — Aftershocks of the Stoning Story?

Mohammad Mostafaee, an Iranian lawyer who represents many political and human rights cases in Iran, was summoned to the security branch of Evin Prison Courts. “I was in my office when a court clerk served me the summons to appear before the Second Branch of Shahid Moghaddas Courts inside Evin Prison within three days. This is the security branch,” Mostafaee told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. Asked whether he knew the reason for his summons to the security courts he said, “I have not committed any crimes to be summoned by that branch.”

“Release My Father For Medical Treatment,” Asks Kaboudvand’s Daughter

Tonya Kaboudvand, daughter of Kurdish human rights activists Mohammad Sadiq Kaboudvand, spoke with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran about her last visit with her father in Evin Prison. “I couldn’t recognize my father during my last visit with him. Since my previous visit with him two weeks ago, he had lost more than 20 pounds. His face frightened me. He had aged and appeared sick. He spoke with difficulty and told us about his constant dizziness and the pain in the back of his head. He had problems with his vision and he had a nervous tick,” she said.

Student Activist Hospitalized for Heart Condition After Three Months in Prison

Mehdi Arabshahi, the Secretary of the Daftar Tahkim Vahdat Organization, was transferred to Shahid Lavasani Hospital this afternoon due to heart complications. A close relative of Arabshahi told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that he suffered a severe heart attack while under temporary detention at Evin Prison. The heart attack was due to pressure during interrogations and solitary confinement. Arabshahi, 30 years of age, did not have any history of heart disease before.