Responses to Human Rights Abuses in Iran

1. On Thursday 15th May 2014, at the commemoration of the 40 Yaak martyrs, Ali Motahari said: “What does the relationship between the people and the regime most resemble? The authority is the representative of the nation, not their owner. Why did people in medieval Europe turn away from religion and God? The problem in medieval times rose from the incorrect behaviour of the Catholic Church and it was as a result of mixing religion and politics with social rights.”
2. On Tuesday 20th May 2014, Amir Hossein Chehel-Tan expressed his dissatisfaction with the state of his books and said: It has been over 9 years since I have not been permitted to publish any books. The officials have kept all four volumes of my books throughout these years and have not resolved the issue. They have not let me to write any books for the past 9 years.
3. During the past week, Ayat Mehr Ali Bigloo, a political prisoner held in Tabriz Central Prison, went through his 36th day of hunger strike, and his condition is of great concern.
4. On Wednesday 21st May 2014, Hassan Javani, an elderly and sick political prisoner held in Bandar-Abbas Prison, started a hunger strike in protest against his condition in prison.
5. A number of political prisoners held in Rajaei Sahr Prison, in a letter to Dr Noor Ali Tabandeh have sent their condolences for his son’s death.
6. On Monday 19th May 2014, the family members of Amir Hekmati, along with two American members of congress, gathered in front of the white house, and urged Obama administration for the freedom of Mr Hekmati.

Universities and academics

1. Summon sentences, reprimand and suspension of the protesting students who demanded to lift the house imprisonment of the green leaders when Saeed Jalili visited Amir Kabir Industrial University were issued.
2. According to reports Human Rights course at postgraduate level was removed from Tehran University.
3. On Sunday 18th May, Tabriz University students in protest against the speech of Saffar Harandi, the Guidance Secretary of the ninth Government in the central building of the university, Shahid Shafaie’s Hall with placards and slogan against the state-of-quo interrupted his speech.
4. Furthermore “Moj-e-no” Magazine, affiliated to the Islamic Assembly of Semnan University and the Student Journal “Ghias” which used to be published in the AmirKabir University, were banned from further publication from Wednesday 21st May 2014.

Workers and vulnerable citizen

1. Behnam Ebrahimzadeh, a labour activist is still in the section 209 of the Evin prison, after 14 days.
2. Furthermore, on 18th May the workers of the Cane and Agro industrial complex of Karoon Shooshtar, in protest against ignoring their union demands gathered in front of the social security organisation building in Tehran.
3. Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, on Monday 19 May, in a statement demanded the release of the Director and a Board member of the Free Union of Iranian workers.
4. A Council member of the PVC factory workers in the city of Semnan reported about 6 months delay in the payment of more than 85 workers in the factory. He further added that this is due to mismanagement of the paying staff of the factory.
5. On Wednesday 21st May 2014, the head councillor of the workers’ of the Dashtestan Cement factory announced that two workers were fired because of “following up the demands of the workers”.

Sentences: death, flogging, amputation, imprisonment and detention

1. According to the reports, on Saturday 17th May 2014, three prisoners accused of drug trafficking and one accused of murder were hanged in the Qazvin Prison by the order of the judiciary.
2. According to the sentences issued by Branch four of the Islamic revolutionary Court, ten prisoners accused of drug trafficking were hanged in the central prison of Kerman.
3. Furthermore, 8 prisoners sentenced to death due to murder, have been transferred to solitary confinement of the Rajayi Shahr Prison in order to be hanged.
4. On Saturday 17th May 2014, 2 prisoners by the names of Zaher Mirbalouch and Naser Berahooyi were hanged in the central prison of Zahedan.
5. Reports indicate that on Sunday 18th May 2014, Masoud Shamsnejad was sentenced to 4 months imprisonment on charges of being members of groups that are opponent to the regime.
6. On 19th May 2014, following the pre announced visit of Mr Mohammad Noorizad to Shiraz, a group of civil activists, citizens and few Gonabadi Dervishes gathered to meet this journalist in the Hafeziyeh of Shiraz, which led to the arrest of Mr Nourizad and few Dervishes.
7. Six Iranians Youths who made a clip with the song of “Pharrell Williams” on Tehran’s streets and the rooftops of their houses were arrested by the police in Tehran.
8. On Monday 19th May 2014, 5 prisoners accused of murder were executed by hanging in the area of Rajai-Shar prison in Karaj.
9. Saeid Montazer-Almahdi, deputy head of social police of Iran said that: “according to the statistics from the police centre, up to now18 thousands 81 cases of Islamic cover, hijab have been referred to court and on top of that 207 thousands 53 warnings for Islamic cover were issued.

Followers of the rights of ethnic diversity – of conscience in Iran

1. On Thursday 15th May 2014, the appeals court in Ahwaz Province sentenced four new Sunnies converts to one year in prison and compulsory participation in Shias religious ceremonies. Some of these Ahwaz citizens and 16 others who were arrested in the summer of 2013 later were released on bail from prison.
2. Abdul Ghafour Ghalandari-Nejhad, a Gonabadi Dervish, was sentenced to two years in prison by the lower Revolutionary Court’s ruling of Bandar Abbas. The charges against this Gonabadi Dervish are propaganda against the regime and membership in groups with intention of disturbing national security.
3 Last week the complaint of Shayan Moghimi Firozabad, the Baha’i students deprived of education by the Ministry of Education, was rejected by the Administrative Justice Court.
4. The authorities told the families of Sunni detainees in Mahabad and Bukan that their charges were organising congregational prayer, the prayer of Eid al-Adha and Eid ul Fitr in accordance with the Sunni states.
5, On Saturday 17th May, Arash Mehdikhani a Sunni activist from the city of Sanandaj, were detained by security guards.
6. Malack Mohammad Abadyan, and his 3 sons, Javad, Hadi and Abdulah (Foud) who were arrested and charged with acting against national security on February 2013 and are in detention with Maulvi Fathi Muhammad Naqshbandi have been pressurised by the securities to talk against the Sunni organs.
7. Saeed Abedini, the Christian priest prisoners who was transferred to the Day Hospital was beaten by the security officers and returned back to the jail.
8. The death sentence of Sayed Hadi Husseini and Sadiq Mohammadi, the two Sunni prisoners which was crashed by the Supreme Court, was reinstated again.
9. Shuresh Mustafa Zadeh with 12 years experience of teaching, Ebrahim Rustami with 10 years and Frydon Alipore with 4 years, are the three Sunni teachers who were fired by the Department of Education because of their religious beliefs.

Other human rights violations

1. Thursday 15 May, Hassan Taffah an 85-year-old prisoner who was not prepared to be handcuffed and shackled to the hospital bed was returned back to the Rajai Shahr prison.
2. On Saturday 17th May, prison guards prevented the families of Foad Khanjani and Kamran Rahimian to visit their loved ones.
3. Mohsen Ejhe-ee the spokesman of country’s judicial system reported of making of 13 case files against the protesters of 2009 presidential election.
4. The family of Behnam Ebrahimizadeh were prevented to visit Mr Ebrahimizadeh by the authority of the Evin Prison.

5. More than a week after the arrest of Ahmad Haeri, a political activist and the brother of reformist political prisoner Saeed Haeri, there is no information about his condition