Blog/Latest News

Rassoul Badaghi’s Five-Year Prison Sentence for Participating in Protests

Rassoul Badaghi, a Member of the Board of Directors of the Iranian Teachers’ Association, has been sentenced to six years in prison and a five years’ ban on partisan activities. Badaghi is also a member of the Unity Council for Democracy and Human Rights in Iran. His lawyer, Massoud Shafie told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that his client has been sentenced at Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Courts with Judge Salavati presiding.

An Additional Prison Sentence; Mansour Osanloo’s Wife Pleads to International Bodies for His Release

The prominent labor activist, Mansour Osanloo’s prison sentence has been extended while he remains in prison serving an earlier sentence. In an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, his wife, Parvaneh Osanloo, expressed outrage at her husband’s increased prison term and asked international organizations to pursue his freedom. Last week, Osanloo was transferred to court to be tried on the charge of “propagating against the regime,” and was sentenced to one year in prison. He is currently serving a five year prison term.

Shiva Nazar Ahari’s Lawyer Concerned About Her Verdict on the Charge of Moharebeh

Shiva Nazar Ahari’s lawyer, Mohammad Sharif, has expressed concern about his client’s upcoming trial considering the heavy charge of moharebeh (enmity with God) in her case. “Shiva Nazar Ahari’s case is being reviewed in the same branch that reviewed Badrolssadat Mofidi’s case. I believe the ruling in Ms. Mofidi’s case to be illegal and therefore am seriously concerned about the court’s potential ruling, considering the fact that my client’s initial charge is moharebeh,” he told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran.

The Mosque at Evin Prison’s Ward 350 Closed for the Month of Ramadan

An informed source told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that following the recall of some prisoners who were on furlough, the authorities of Ward 350 closed down the ward mosque during the month of Ramadan. The informed source told the Campaign that the security officials did this to put pressure on political prisoners. He added that there is no news of the fate of the prisoners in solitary confinement.

Weekly Rights Podcast 8

In this week’s ‘Weekly Rights Podcast’: Mohammad Mostafaie, lawyer for Sakineh Ashtiani, flees Iran and is granted asylum in Norway; the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) is acting as an arm of the Intelligence Ministry to prosecute prisoners; leaders of the Baha’i Faith in Iran are each sentenced to 20 years in prison sparking an international outcry; American hiker Sarah Shourd continues to be denied medical treatment resulting in an urgent appeal from the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture to Iranian authorities.

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“47 Baha’is Currently In Prison”

Following the sentencing of seven Baha’i leaders in Iran, Diane Ala’i, the representative of the Baha’i International Community told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that currently 47 members of the Baha’i Faith are inside Iranian prisons. According to Ala’i, the Baha’is are not facing moharebeh (enmity with God) charges. Their charges are “acting against national security,” “participating in illegal groups,” and “propagating the Baha’i Faith.”

“No Legal Reasoning for the Verdict”, says Journalist’s Attorney

Branch 26 of Iran’s Revolutionary Courts has sentenced journalist Badrolssadat Mofidi to six years in prison and five years’ deprivation of press activities. Mofidi is Secretary General of the Iranian Journalists Association. Mohammad Sharif, Mofidi’s lawyer, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that the sentence was extremely unexpected, as he had anticipated his client’s acquittal. Sharif told the Campaign that the trial session resembled an interrogation session. “I read the sentence in disbelief. I didn’t even know how to inform my client of the news,” he said.

Hoda Saber — Blindfolded in Solitary for 14 Days

Hoda Saber, a prisoner of conscience in Evin Prison, had disappeared for two whole weeks before his family heard any news about him. His wife, Fahimeh Jamshidi, spoke recently with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. She said that his family met with him at Evin Prison and during the meeting, Saber expressed astonishment about his arrest. He said that during his interrogations, he was asked about the “Zahedan Project.”

Mother of Political Prisoner On Hunger Strike Talks About “Those Two Weeks”

Just before the 16-day hunger strike of prisoners at Evin Prison ended, the mother of one of the prisoners on hunger strike spoke with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. Parvin Mokhtare, whose human rights activist son, Kouhyar Goudarzi was among the prisoners on hunger strike, talked about the prisoner families’ concerns and their treatement by prison authorities “The last meeting I had with my son was two Saturdays ago…the next day Kouhyar and 16 others started their hunger strike. Three days later, the families of protesting prisoners on hunger strike and other prisoners’ families got together in front of Evin Prison. The next day we went to the courts. Last Monday, we stood in front of Evin Prison from 2 p.m. until 8:30 at night,” sad Parvin Mokhtare.

Prisoners End Hunger Strike — “We Insist On Our Demands”

Fifteen political prisoners have ended their 16-day hunger strike. They published a statement saying that they ended their hunger strike in response to messages from political and civil activists who expressed concern for their health.

In recent days, some families of prisoners told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that they had been threatened by security forces who contacted them, saying that they would be arrested if they talked to the media. During the hunger strike, a family member of a prisoner was briefly arrested.

Kaleme Website has published the letter, which according to the site, was written by prisoners on hunger strike and sent out from Evin Prison. “We continue to insist on our rightful demands which are the basic human rights of a prisoner. We promise we will continue our fight for the complete realization of the legal rights of all prisoners, which represent a part of our nation’s rights. We end our hunger strike now out of respect for the great supporter of the Green Movement, Mir Hossein Moussavi, and other prominent individuals…,” the letter states.