What Was My Husband’s Crime Other Than Expressing His Opinion?

Following remarks by Head of the Judiciary Sadegh Larijani, who recently stated, “those who were arrested post-elections and are currently in prison, have committed criminal acts,” Mahsa Amrabadi, wife of imprisoned journalist Massoud Bastani, has challenged Larijani contesting the claim that journalists are criminals despite only expressing their opinions and criticizing the Iranian authorities.

Amrabadi’s letter to Larijani was published at a time when Amrabadi, herself a journalist, has been summoned to appear in court on 14 October 2010. Amrabadi was initially arrested in the first days of post-election events, serving one month in Evin prison.

Weekly Rights Podcast 13

In this week’s ‘Weekly Rights Podcast’: Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Shirin Ebadi speaks out over the recent decision by Nokia Siemens to halt sales of monitoring centers and restrict its business with Iran; journalist Issa Saharkhiz is suing Nokia Siemens in a US Court while dealing with an uncertain sentence; following the Campaign’s ‘Men of Violence’ report, President Obama signs an Executive Order targeting eight Iranian officials and the Campaign urges other governments to follow suit; prisoner of conscience Heshmatollah Tabarzadi is sentenced to nine years in prison and 74 lashes; Reza Khandan, husband of imprisoned human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, says he hasn’t heard from his wife for 17 days; Jinous Sobhani, a former secretary at the Defenders of Human Rights Center and member of the Baha’i Faith, was sentenced to 2 years in prison; the court date for the two American hikers remaining in Evin prison has been set for 6 November; and the Campaign recognized the excellent work of the Committee to Protect Journalists.

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Court Defense of Heshmatollah Tabarzadi

“During my interrogation, I was under duress and torture. As I point out in the enclosed defense bill, I was informed of my charges in an illegal manner. My arrest and the location where I was detained were both illegal. I was in a solitary cell for 40 days inside Ward 40 of Evin prison, and I spent two months inside Ward 209. I also spent 24 days at Kachouei Prison and presently I have been exiled to Rajaee Shahr Prison for more than three months.”

Release Unjustly Imprisoned Student Leaders

(6 October 2010) The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran today called for the immediate release of five jailed leaders of the student alumni group Advar Tahkim Vahdat, and for an investigation by both Iranian and UN authorities, recently mandated to focus on the Freedom of Association, into their detention, trials, and torture and ill-treatment in prison.

The five imprisoned leaders of the group, one of the most respected civil society organizations in Iran, include Ahmad Zeidabadi, Abdollah Momeni, and Ali Malihi, as well as Ali Jamali and Hassan Asadi Zeidabadi. The recent arrests of the latter two leaders are seen as an effort to disable Advar in order to quell student activities as the academic year begins.

Intelligence Agents Influence Nine Year Sentence for Heshmatollah Tabarzadi

Following the sentencing of prisoner of conscience Heshmatollah Tabarzadi to nine years in prison, his son told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that his father’s sentencing has taken place under the influence of intelligence and security organizations and it is illegal. According to Hossein Tabarzadi, his father has been formally served with his sentence, but his three attorneys have not yet received the ruling. He criticized the Judiciary’s lack of independence during the interview.

Shirin Ebadi: “Nokia Siemens’ Action a Major Accomplishment for Iranians and for People Of The World”

Following publication of a press release by Nokia Siemens Networks about the company’s halting all its activities in the area of monitoring technology with Iran, Shirin Ebadi who has had an active role in the negotiations with the company told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that the Company’s action is a major accomplishment for Iranian people and people of the world.

“I Think They Have Demands Of Her Which She Does Not Wish To Grant,” Says Sotoudeh’s Husband

Nasrin Sotoudeh, the imprisoned Iranian human rights lawyer, has not contacted her family in the past seventeen days. Her husband, Reza Khandan, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that he is worried that his wife might be under pressure in prison to give in to the demands of her interrogators. He also said that he believes his wife might be on a hunger strike. Close relatives of Ms. Sotoudeh told the Campaign that she’s been asked to drop legal representation of the Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi, but so far she has not succumbed to these demands.

With Trial Scheduled, Lawyer Says Almost Sure No Acquittal for Americans

Massoud Shafiee, lawyer for the three imprisoned Americans told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that he does not expect his clients to be acquitted. Shafiee said that he initially thought that Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer would be released on bail in the same manner as Sarah Shourd. But having been informed of the court date, he no longer sees it as a possibility.

Plainclothes Forces Harass Families of Iran-Iraq War Heroes

On 22 September 2010, on the anniversary of the start of the Iran-Iraq war, the families of martyrs Hamid Bakeri, Mehdi Bakeri, and Mohammad Ibrahim Hammett were attacked by plainclothes forces while trying to visit the home of Mir Hossein Mousavi. The day finally ended in a climactic brawl in front of Mehdi Karroubi’s house with Fatemeh Amirani, the wife of Hamid Bakeri, and Mohammad Ibrahim Hammett’s wife chanting “Death to the Dictator” and “Ya Hossein, Mir Hossein”, and being me with beatings, pepper spray, even threats of death by live-bullets, and detention.

Ahmad Zeidabadi Wins the “Golden Pen Of Freedom” in Prison

The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) has awarded its annual Golden Pen of Freedom to Ahmad Zeidabadi, a well-known Iranian journalist and prisoner of conscience, according to the Association’s announcement on its website.