Nine Pointed Star -- One Symbol of the Baha'i Faith

Current as of 16 July 2009 (only published names; information changes daily and some arrests go undocumented)

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She was charged with attempting to create a “soft revolution”.

She was sentenced to three years in prison in January 2009 and her first appeal was denied in March 2009. A second and final appeal is awaiting decision.

The authorities arrested Eghdamdoust on 31 January 2009 in her hometown of Foman, north of Iran, to begin serving a 3-year prison sentence. Neither she nor her lawyers were informed about the results of her appeal, which was decided nearly a year ago in contravention of Iranian laws, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said.

Security agents previously arrested Eghdamdoust, along with 70 other women’s rights activists protesting in Haft Tir Square, Tehran on 12 June 2006. She spent one week in detention, refusing to post bail because she did not accept that she had broken any laws. She was later summoned to the Intelligence Offices in Tehran on 19 September 2006, and charged with “acting against national security through participating in an illegal gathering and disturbing public order” by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court on 6 June 2007. The presiding judge, Mr. Salavati, sentenced her to three-year mandatory prison term for participating in an “illegal gathering” and four-month suspended prison term and 20 lashes for disturbing public order, based on articles 610 and 618 of the Islamic Penal code.

UPDATE: (15 October 2008) Mohammad Sadiq Kaboudvand has been in prison for 15 months and has been allowed to see his family only on one occasion for twenty minutes. He was supposed to have a 15-minute visit with his family in person on 24 September 2008 but was barred from meeting with his family. The protests of his family on behalf of Kaboudvand have been met with threats and slander.

Mohammad Sadiq Kaboudvand, arrested in June 2007 and held in solitary confinement, is the founder of the Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan (HROK). He has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.Kaboudvand was kept in solitary confinement for 5 months in Evin Prison’s Sections 209 and 240. Prison guards notified superiors that he was suffering from mental and physical ailments. His condition worsened to the point that in April 2008 he suffered a stroke and was taken to a specialist for treatment.

Kaboudvand’s defense team tried to obtain the approximately $1,500 (15 million Rial) health costs incurred by his family. Nasrin Sotudeh, one of Kaboudvand’s lawyers said, “The judge in the case wasn’t ready to hear about the sufferings Kaboudvand and his family went through, not even that they weren’t able to pay his health costs. Because of this, the case has been dragging out for quite some time, coupled with the fact that the court postponed the case three times.”

Kaboudvand actively documented and reported on human rights violations in Kurdistan, from 9 April 2005 when he established the HROK, until the time of his arrest. He is charged with “acting against national security through HROK,” “widespread propaganda against the system by disseminating news,” “opposing Islamic penal laws by publicizing punishments such as stoning and executions,” and “advocating on behalf of political prisoners.”

He is reportedly still in poor health and suffering from his lengthy detention in solitary confinement.

UPDATE: (September 5, 2008) Farzad Kamangar’s death sentence was officially confirmed on 11 July 2008. Despite international pressure, Mr. Kamangar was transferred to Section 209 of Evin Prison on 27 July 2008. Section 209 is outside the jurisdiction of the National Prison System and is under the management of Intelligence Ministry agents.

Farzad Kamangar (32), a Kurdish teacher and social worker in the city of Kamyaran, is sentenced to death based on “absolutely zero evidence,” according to his lawyer.The Revolutionary Court prosecuted Kamangar on charges of membership in the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK). The court issued a death sentence for Kamangar on February 25, 2008. Khalil Bahramian, Kamangar’s lawyer, said: “Nothing in Kamangar’s judicial files and records demonstrates any links to the charges brought against him.”

Bahramian, who was present during the closed-door court hearing, described it as “lasting no more than five minutes, with the Judge issuing his sentence without any explanation and then promptly leaving the room.” He added, “I have seen absolutely zero evidence presented against Kamangar. In my forty years of legal profession, I have never witnessed such a prosecution.”

Bahramian is appealing the death sentence. He believes, given the complete lack of evidence, that the Judiciary should cancel the sentence.

Security forces detained Kamangar in July 2006, shortly after he arrived in Tehran from Kamyaran. The authorities originally investigated him in relation to two people he rode with during his trip to Tehran.

Kamangar was cleared of all charges during the investigation process. It is not clear why the prosecution decided to put him on trial on charges of membership in P.K.K., given that it has presented no evidence. Bahramian said the prosecution and death sentence are an indication of “discrimination against Kurds” within the judicial system.

Since his arrest, the authorities held Kamangar in various prisons in Kermanshah, Sanandaj, and Tehran. In a letter written in Sanandaj prison in October 2007, Kamangar detailed his torture and ill-treatment. During visits by his family and lawyer, he also exhibited signs of torture.

UPDATE: (15 October 2008) Mansour Osanloo was suddenly taken to Rajayi Prison after being held in Evin Prison, where he has been suffering from eye and heart ailments, conditions that required care from specialized doctors. After being held for months, Osanloo was taken for treatment on 21 September 2008 to Labafinejad Hospital while in hand and foot cuffs. His wife, Parvaneh Osanloo, said that only after entering the hospital were his foot cuffs removed, before which he was unable to walk. After his operation Mansour was not seen by a doctor and his eyes swelled and became infected. Also, two of his arteries are clogged. After medical treatment for only two hours, Mansour was taken back to Rajayi Prison despite the protests of his doctors. The conditions in Rajayi prison are unsuitable for a prisoner in Mansour’s ill-health. The air is smoky, the atmosphere is tense, and the prison is far from any medical treatment facility. At every moment Mansour’s life is in danger.

Mansour Osanloo, arrested on July 10, 2007, is a leading trade-union activist who has been imprisoned several times during the past three years. Osanloo is a founding member of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, an independent union that has been campaigning vigorously for workers rights.

Osanloo is currently held in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison. Agents of the Intelligence Ministry detained and held Osanloo in Evin prison twice before: from September 7, 2005 to August 9, 2006 and from November19 to December 19, 2007.

As a leading member of the labor movement in Iran, Osanloo campaigned for government recognition of the right to form independent unions. He and his colleagues held a founding meeting to establish independent unions on May 9, 2005. Members of the government-controlled Islamic Workers Council attacked the gathering and Osanloo suffered serious injuries including knife wounds, necessitating stitches in his neck and tongue.. Security forces present during the meeting did not intervene.

Osanloo and his coworkers continued to pursue trade-union organizing activities despite the attack on their founding meeting. Security forces arrested several members of the union, including Osanloo on September 7, 2005. Although the Judiciary released all other detainees on December 25, 2005, Osanloo remained under detention. He was eventually released after posting bail in amount of 150 million Toman ($165,000) on August 9, 2006. During his detention, he was held in solitary confinement for three months and 23 days.

Osanloo’s freedom did not last long as he continued to promote trade union activities. He was re-arrested on November 19, 2006, as he was leading a workers delegation to visit the Ministry of Labor in East Tehran to discuss the dismissal of trade-union activists from their jobs. The Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office demanded another 30 million Toman($33,000) in bail before releasing Osanloo on December 19, 2006.

On February 24, 2007, Osanloo was summoned to the Revolutionary Court and charged with “attempts to jeopardize national security,” and “propaganda against the state.” In May, the court sentenced Osanloo to five years in prison; his lawyers filed an appeal. Plaincloths security forces kidnapped Osanloo on a street near his home in Tehran on July 10, 2007. For four days, the authorities refused to confirm that Osanloo was in detention. For the first seventy days, Osanloo was deprived of family visits. The 36^th Branch of Tehran Court of Appeal confirmed Osanloo’s sentence in October 2007.

Osanloo suffers from serious eye-related ailments. His family had been requesting a medical leave so Osanloo can undergo eye surgery. On January 26, 2008, the authorities finally allowed Osanloo to undergo eye surgery. However as he was transferred to a hospital outside the prison, he was kept under guard. After the surgery his doctors told his lawyer, Parviz Khorshid, that Osanloo needs at least five weeks of medical care. However, prison guards took Osanloo back to Evin prison only a few days after his surgery. Osanloo’s family and his lawyers have expressed serious concerns regarding his health and safety.

UPDATE: (9 October 2008) On 6 September 2008, Ronak Safazadeh was sentenced to 9 months in prison and a $208 (2 million Rial) fine by the Public Court of Piranshar. The court charged her with illegally exiting the border and using satellite equipment. No sentence has been issued by the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Sanandaj related to Ronak’s primary case.

UPDATE: (2 October 2008) According to Ronak Safazadeh’s lawyer, Mohammad Sharif, her file was completed on 27 April 2008 and is referred to the First Branch of the Islamic Court of Sanandaj for processing. Ronak is charged with “taking up arms against the state,” [Moharebeh], brought by the Sanandaj prosecutor’s office. While awaiting sentencing Ronak is being kept in the Central Prison of Sanandaj. On two occasions, because the prosecutor claims there is evidence of Ronak acting against national security, her lawyer requested the court to be delayed to bring witnesses in the presence of Ronak and her lawyer.

Ronak has suffered from severe digestive infections while in prison, which have been ignored by prison officials. Her condition escalated until 25 July 2008, when she was taken to a hospital in Sanandaj to receive treatment for her infections.

On 13 August, Ronak was taken to the Fourth Magistrate’s Branch of Sanandaj where she was officially charged with “propaganda against national security” for leaking news about prison conditions to the outside world

Ronak Safazadeh (21), arrested on October 9, 2007, is a women’s rights activist in Sanadaj, capital of the western province of Kurdistan. She is a member of the local women’s organization, Azarmehr Association of Kurdish Women. Ronak actively campaigned for women’s rights by disseminating information and collecting signatures on behalf of the One Million Signature Campaign. The One Million Signature Campaign is a nationwide effort to remove discrimination against women from Iranian laws.

On October 9, 2007, agents of the Intelligence Ministry arrested Ronak outside her house in Sanandaj, as she walked on her way to work. They searched her house and confiscated Ronak’s computer, books and literature related to the One Million Signature Campaign.

The day before her arrest, Ronak participated in a celebration of Children’s Day in which she collected signatures for the One Million Signature Campaign. A month later, Intelligence Ministry officials also arrested Ronak’s friend and co-campaigner, Hana Abdi ,on November 4, 2007. Despite persistent attempts by Ronak’s family to visit her and to learn of the reason for her arrest, the authorities have not disclosed any information about her case.

For nearly four months, Ronak was held and interrogated in Intelligence Ministry headquarters. On January 25, 2008, Mohammad Sharif, Hana’s lawyer, told the Iranian Student News Agency that Hana had been transferred to Sanandaj’s Central Prison. The authorities have not allowed Ronak’s family to visit her.

More than 600 women’s rights defenders have signed a petition protesting Ronak’s arrest and calling for her immediate release.

According to Ghabel’s son, Ruhollah Ghabel, who was quoted by the Iranian Students News Agency, Hadi Ghabel was placed in custody after responding to a telephone summons from the Special Court of Clergy in Qom. He was subsequently transferred to Langroud Prison in Qom.

The Special Court for the Clergy is charged with investigating other clerics for alleged crimes. It has routinely prosecuted clerics who challenge official interpretations of religion. The Court’s persecution and prosecution of religious scholars, based solely on their beliefs and opinions, constitutes a form of modern inquisition.

Ghabel was sentenced to one year imprisonment for “acting against national security,” 10 months for “propaganda against state,” 15 months for “disturbing public opinion,” 100 days for “aspersion of the clergy,” and a financial fine of 5 million Rials ($550) for insulting the authorities. He was also defrocked.

Security forces detained Ghabel in August 2007 and held him without charge for 56 days. A preliminary court presided by Judge Bahrami issued his sentence, which he appealed. The appeals court, presided by Judges Tabatabai, Rahbarpour, and Raji, confirmed Ghabel’s conviction on all charges. However the court’s decision was not unanimous as Judge Raji did not sign the sentencing document.