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Angels Of Iran: For Kurdistan: The Soraya Fallah Story

“For Kurdistan: The Soraya Fallah Story,” from the Angels of Iran series, profiles Iranian-Kurdish human rights activist and researcher Soraya Fallah and her daughter Cklara Moradian. Soraya was imprisoned four times and tortured so severely that she miscarried in solitary confinement. As her daughter Cklara says in the video, “My parents are my heroes. They are incredibly resilient…. Very few people have gone through as much as they have and have come out of it so strong and so passionate.”

Campaign’s Weekly Cartoon: Welcome, Mr. Rapporteur

As Mohammad Davari’s Conditions Deteriorate in Prison, Furlough Continues to be Denied

Judicial authorities have imposed an exorbitant bail on Mohammad Davari, whose conditions continue to worsen in prison. In an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Bijan Davari, Mohammad Davari’s brother, said his physical and psychological condition is seriously deteriorating.

Raising Their Voices: New Video of Iranian Views on the Military Option

(11 April 2012) Today the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran released a short video and accompanying letter-writing campaign featuring the viewpoints of eight prominent Iranians on the domestic consequences of a potential attack on Iran. These views are drawn from a 38-page report, Raising Their Voices: Iranian Civil Society Reflections on the Military Option, based on interviews with 35 leading and influential Iranian civil society activists, lawyers, intellectuals, and artistic and cultural figures, all of whom live in Iran.

Podcast 48: Underground Rock in Iran with Arash Sobhani, Pooya Hosseini, and Arash Farazman

For most of us, listening to any music that we want is just a way of life. But in Iran, musicians face censorship and Iranians cannot listen to anything they want. In this week’s Weekly Rights Podcast, we talk to Arash Sobhani of Kiosk and Pooya Hosseini and Arash Farazman of Free Keys about the burgeoning underground rock culture in Iran. They talk about the difficulties they faced while trying to create their music in Iran. For this and to hear a sample of Iranian underground rock, don’t miss this great podcast!

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Student Activist Payman Aref Released

Imprisoned student Payman Aref, who has been on a wet hunger strike since 21 March, has not been released from prison despite his recent hospitalization.
Aref’s wife, Samira Jamshidi, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that he is on hunger strike in protest of his illegal detention. “He was arrested illegally and now his release is illegally refused,” she said.

Revolutionary Court Unqualified to Review Case, Says Mohammad Seifzadeh

“Mr. Seifzadeh will not appear at this court session again for the same reason as before–he does not recognize the Revolutionary Court as qualified to review this case. He believes he should be tried in the Tehran Province Criminal Court, in the presence of a jury qualified to review press and political charges. As in the past, he will not participate and he has asked me as his lawyer to submit the bill he has written prior to the time the court convenes and not to participate in the proceedings,” Fatemeh Golzar told the Campaign.

Nasrin Sotoudeh Denied Furlough, Telephone Contact

Prominent human rights defender Nasrin Sotoudeh was deprived of furlough and telephone contact with her family during the Persian New Year, her husband Reza Khandan told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran in an interview. “Unfortunately, after two years of imprisonment, her leave was denied and she and the other women in her ward were not even allowed to make telephone calls to their families during the holidays. Some male political prisoners were allowed to spend Nowruz near their families, but none of the female political prisoners were allowed even hourly leave during these special days. We did not hear from Ms. Sotoudeh from 19 through 29 March. Ten days after Nowruz, they finally allowed visitation, and the kids and I were able to see her,” said Khandan.

Despite Posting Bail, Former Tehran Mayor Remains in Security Ward

74-year-old political prisoner and former mayor of Tehran Mohammad Tavassoli continues to be held in prison despite his deteriorating physical condition and posting bail, said Mehdi Nourbakhsh in an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. Dr. Mehdi Nourbakhsh, a close relative of the political prisoner, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that Tavassoli’s family wrote a letter to the Head of the Judiciary and Intelligence Minister requesting his release during the Persian New Year holiday (March 21-April 2).

Imprisoned Journalist Beaten During Interrogation

Imprisoned journalist Ehsan Houshmand, who suffers from serious ear pain as a result of beatings he received during his interrogation, is currently being threatened with his wife’s arrest if he publicizes information about his case and condition, his wife told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran in an interview.
“In his last contact which took place on 25 March, Ehsan was under more intense pressure than he had been previously and he was regularly told to relay specific sentences to us, to the point that I felt that the goal of this call was not to wish a happy new year, but rather to tell us that he is under pressure in prison for our interviews outside. Pointing out that I was aware his interrogator was hearing my voice, I said that we have no other recourse but to inform [the press] about his situation, so that perhaps we can hear news from him in prison. I said that under the circumstances, these interviews are inevitable,” Nahid Kouhshekaf, Houshmand’s wife, told the Campaign.