Inmate’s Letter Exposes Inhumane Conditions and Secret Executions in Mashad Prison

(8 April 2011) The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran called on the Iranian Judiciary to halt mass executions and inhumane conditions in Vakilabad Prison in Mashad, which an inmate detailed in a recent letter to the head of the Judiciary.

The Iranian Judiciary has done nothing to address the horrific situation at Valikabad despite international concerns culminating in a report by the United Nations Secretary General released on 14 March 2011.

“Vakilabad is a hell on earth, where inmates are subjected to sardine-like overcrowding, health threats, humiliations, and mass executions,” said Hadi Ghaemi, spokesperson for the Campaign.

Imprisoned Teacher Denied In-Person Visitation Rights

Zolaikha Biyabani, mother of Mohammad Davari, an imprisoned teacher and editor of Saham News, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that her efforts for in-person visits with her son remain futile. “It’s been four days since I returned from Tehran. I went for an in-person visit which wasn’t allowed. I had already applied a few times in the past but they wouldn’t agree. They said, ‘we won’t allow it.’ I told them – ‘Look I am a lonely woman coming from a far away town. It’s been three months since I saw my son. Let us see each other for new year [Nowruz] holiday.’ They said no. Then, they took my phone number. They said, when it’s [the right] time, we will call you to come. So I went and saw my son in the booth,” she told the Campaign.

Report of UN Secretary General on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran at the Human Rights Council in Geneva

Report of the UN Secretary General – September 2010 Download PDF of this report United Nations General Assembly Human Rights Council, Sixteenth session 28 March 2011 Document A/HRC/16/75 Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General Interim report of the [...]

Lawyer Dismissed From Faculty Position for Human Rights Work After 25 Years of Teaching

Mohammad Sharif, a lawyer and professor of law at Allameh Tabatabaee University, was dismissed from his faculty position this week. He spoke with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran about the potential reasons for his dismissal. “I think working on human rights cases was the reason for my dismissal, because there was no other incident to cause this. Though I’ve represented numerous individual rights and public freedom cases, I have always tried to remain within the framework of laws I did not believe in, and I never left that framework. I have been a law-abiding lawyer. I seldom gave interviews, and to the extent possible, I avoided talking to foreign media so that I could continue my services,” he told he Campaign.

No Visits, Phone Calls, or Information Says Wife of Political Prisoner

In an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Narges Mohammadi, the wife of author and political activist Taghi Rahmani expressed concern about her husband’s conditions. “Taghi called home on 28 March. During the one-minute phone call, he greeted me and asked how we were. He said ‘they won’t let me talk’ and said goodbye. For the past several Thursdays, I have been going to Evin Prison to see whether I can visit him, but it has not been possible. We have no news of him, and I’d like to express both my concern and my objection about this situation. I have no news of Taghi’s detention conditions, nor about his case’s judicial process, because we have no contact with each other,” Mohammadi told the Campaign.

110 Months in Prison Based on Forced Confessions for Activists in Babol

A local source in the city of Babol told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that the Revolutionary Court in Babol issued sentences totaling 110 months in prison for ten individuals previously active in Mir Hossein Mousavi’s election campaign. According to the source, Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court, with Judge Bagherian presiding, issued sentences for Alireza Shahiri Tabarestani (Head of Mousavi’s Headquarters in Babol), Ali Akbar Soroush (former Head of the Education and Development Office in Babol), Seyed Ahmad Miri (former Governor of the towns of Ramsar and Babolsar), Aria Aram Nejad (arts activist and musician), Alireza Falahati (Secretary of the Youth Branch of the Participation Front and head of the ’88 Campaign in Babol), Mohammad Reza Karbalai Aghamaleki, Mohamad Masoumian, and Mostafa Ebrahim Tabar (three Mousavi campaign activists in Babol).

Maz Jobrani Sends Birthday Message to Bahareh Hedayat

Iranian American comedian Maz Jobrani, best known for the Axis of Evil Comedy Tour, sent a birthday message to imprisoned student activist to Bahareh Hedayat. Jobrani told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that he hopes Hedayat is released soon.

Government Challenges UN Resolution As Rights Violations Continue

(1 April 2011) The Islamic Republic of Iran’s denunciation of a landmark United Nations Human Rights Council vote to appoint a human rights monitor, and leading politicians’ threats to deny the investigator access to the country, demonstrate the lack of cooperation with the international community supporting the resolution, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today.

“Iran is proving its critics’ points with its reaction, and by rejecting an offer to help bring its policies and practices in line with its legal human rights obligations, Iran is acting against the interests of its people,” said Aaron Rhodes, a spokesperson for the Campaign.

Campaign for the Release of Imprisoned Student Activist Bahareh Hedayat

A group of student, women, and human rights activists have formed a campaign in support of student activist Bahareh Hedayat, who is currently serving a nine and a half year prison sentence at Evin Prison. The group is calling on the Iranian government to release her immediately. The individuals who formed campaign have stated that their goal is “to bring the attention of student bodies, world statesmen, and human rights organizations” to the special circumstances of this political prisoner, which according to the campaign, “has been imprisoned because of her courageous criticisms.”

Increasing Pressure Placed on Political Prisoners

In recent months, Iranian judicial authorities have imposed numerous limitations on some political prisoners’ phone call use, family visitation rights, and prison leave. Ali Tabarzadi, son of imprisoned political activist Heshmatollah Tabarzadi, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran of the plight of these prisoners. “It’s been 70 days since my father’s phone [...]