Hold Ahmadinejad Accountable for Iran’s Human Rights Crisis During UN Visit

(14 September 2011) Member states of the United Nations as well as the international media should focus on the ongoing human rights crisis in Iran as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrives in New York to attend the 66th session of the UN General Assembly, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today.

The Campaign specifically called on Ban Ki-Moon, the U.N. General Secretary, and all diplomatic representatives of member states who will meet Ahmadinejad during his visit, to express serious concerns about the grave human rights situation in Iran and to demand an immediate end to widespread violations …

Talabani Intervened for Hikers’ Release, While Judiciary Denies the News

The Iranian Judiciary has simultaneously announced that “the two US citizens accused of espionage have not been released and their lawyer’s request for bail orders and their release is under consideration.” According to Mehr News Agency, quoting the Iranian Judiciary’s Public Relations and Protocol Office, news about the release of the two Americans charged with espionage has been denied. The Iranian Judiciary has further said that any information dissemination about this issue will be done by the Judiciary and statements made by other sources are not valid.

Abdolfattah Soltani Arrested; Home and Offices Illegally Raided

On 10 September, Abdolfattah Soltani, human rights lawyer and a founding member of the Defenders of Human Rights Center was arrested. Soltani’s wife, Massoumeh Dehghan, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that security forces also illegally entered his offices, and confiscated several of his personal and family documents. “Four men went to [...]

Weekly Rights Podcast 36

In this week’s Weekly Rights Podcast: protesters clash with security forces in the Azerbaijan region of Iran; jailed student activist Ashkan Zahabian embarks on a hunger strike to protest his conditions in prison; four literary and cultural figures are released on bail from prisons in Kermanshah; Behnam Ganji Khaibari, student and friend of human rights activist Kouhyar Goudarzi, commits suicide after his release from prison; authorities ban reformist magazine Shahrvand-e Emrooz and publication Roozegar Daily; Internet security experts warn of possible security threats to Google sites; and over 60 members of Majzooban-e Noor, a website reporting on news of Gonabadi Ddervishes, are detained by security forces.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Interview with Dervishes’ Spokesperson: Clashes and Widespread Arrests of Gonabadi Dervishes

Following a violent confrontation between plainclothes forces and Gonabadi Dervishes in Kavar town of Fars Province in which shots were fired, the directors of Majzooban-e Noor, a website that reported on the group’s news, were arrested. The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran spoke with Seyed Mostafa Azmayesh, the International Spokesperson for Gonabadi Nematollahi [...]

Dervishes Seriously Injured, One Dead, Mosque Under Survillance, Says Spokesperson

Following a violent confrontation of plainclothes forces with Gonabadi Dervishes in Kavar town of Fars Province which led to shots being fired and arrests of the principles of Majzooban-e Noor, a website that reported on the religious group’s news, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran was able to talk with Seyed Mostafa Azmayesh, the International Spokesperson for Gonabadi Nematollahi Dervishes and International Relations Director of The International Organisation to Protect Human Rights in Iran.

Imprisoned Actor’s Family Awaits His Release After Pardon

On Saturday, 3 September, several Iranian websites reported the release of Iranian stage and screen actor, Ramin Parchami. However, he remains at Evin Prison’s Ward 350. His wife, Shokouh Jiroodi, told the Campaign that Parchami’s pardon letter was signed by the judge, and he is therefore is expected to be released any moment.

Political Prisoner’s Friend Commits Suicide After Release

Confirming news of Behnam Ganji Khaibari’s suicide, a friend of his spoke with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran about the 22-year-old student who was arrested on 31 July, along with human rights activist Kouhyar Goudarzi, and was later released on 8 August. He told the Campaign that “Behnam Ganji did not have any political or student activities in his the past and was merely arrested for his friendship with Kouhyar Goudarzi.”

Reformist Weekly Banned for Publishing Image of Ahmadinejad

A source close to Shahrvand-e Emrooz Weekly told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that the publication has been banned. According to a letter the publication’s management has received, the reason for the ban is cited as Article 6 of the Iranian Press Law.

The source told the Campaign that “apparently publishing an image on the cover of the weekly was the reason for its ban.” According to the source, in the referenced issue, there is a collage containing a picture of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the cover. According to one of the items in Article 6 of the Press Law, “publishing libel against officials, institutions, organizations and individuals in the country or insulting legal or real persons who are lawfully respected, even by means of pictures or caricatures” is not permitted.

Student Activist in Solitary Confinement on Hunger Strike

To protest his conditions inside Babol’s Matikola Prison, imprisoned student activist Ashkan Zahabian embarked on a hunger strike on 31 August. Zahabian’s father, Hassan Zahabian, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that prison staff moved his son to solitary confinement after he began his hunger strike, even though, according to other prisoners, he was in a coma. Zahabian has had stomach bleeding since two weeks ago, and prison authorities have refused his requests for treatment outside prison. The prisoner’s father also said that Zahabian’s mother will start a hunger strike in solidarity with her son.