Writing by Rezareza on Thursday, 3 of July , 2008 at 6:28 am
Reporters Without Borders calls on the authorities not to execute the warrant issued yesterday for the arrest of Mohammad Javad Haghshenas, the editor of Etemad Melli, a daily newspaper that is the mouthpiece of the pro-reform party of the same name. The warrant was prompted by an article critical of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that was previously posted on a blog.
Read More…
Category: Human Rights, Politics
Writing by persiancowboy on Friday, 30 of May , 2008 at 5:39 pm
30 May 2008
UA 146/08 Imminent execution/legal concern
IRAN Mohammad Feda’i (m) aged 21, juvenile offender
Mohammad Feda’i is facing imminent execution for a murder committed
when he was 17 years old. He was convicted after an unfair trial. Iran
is a state party to international treaties including the Convention on
the Rights of the Child (CRC), which expressly prohibit the execution
of those below the age of 18 at the time of the commission of the
offense. According to news reports, he is scheduled to be executed on
or around 11 June.
On 21 April 2004, Mohammad Feda’i attended a snooker club with his
friends in Robat Karim, a town near the city of Karaj, in Tehran
province, when one of his friends was involved in a fight with a group
of about 17 young men. According to his testimony, Mohammad Feda’i
tried to break up the fight, but a boy named Said started to hit him
with a piece of wood. Mohammad Feda’i, who was holding a knife handed
to him by one of his friends, then, according to his account, fell
over. As Said was about to hit him again, he fatally stabbed Said once
in self-defense. Said was transferred to hospital, where died three
hours later.
The case went before Branch 71 of the Tehran Criminal Court and
Mohammad Feda’i was sentenced to qesas (retribution) for the murder of
Said on 12 March 2005. Although the five sentencing judges in his case
found Mohammad Feda’i guilty, they also acknowledged in their written
verdict that the stabbing was an act of self-defense and that he had
not been adequately represented at his trial, as his first legal
representative was not an accredited lawyer, and two lawyers hired
later had only submitted one written defense statement to the court
during his trial. Nevertheless, the death sentence against Mohammad
Feda’i was upheld by Branch 27 of the Supreme Court, and has been
approved by the Head of the Judiciary.
Mohammad Feda’i had been due to be executed on 18 April 2007. However,
the execution was stayed on the basis of the inadequate legal
representation during his trial. A subsequent request to the Attorney
General for a retrial was rejected, and a new execution date was set.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
As a state party to both the CRC and the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), Iran has undertaken not to execute
juvenile offenders: those convicted of crimes committed when they were
under the age of 18. However, since 1990 Iran has executed at least 28
juvenile offenders, six of them in 2007. At least 85 juvenile
offenders are now on death row in Iran. This number may be even higher
as at least a further 15 people are believed to have been sentenced to
death. For more information about executions of juvenile offenders in
Iran, please see: Iran: The last executioner of children (June 2007),
http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engmde130592007.
Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases, and
supports the global trend away from the use of the death penalty,
powerfully expressed in the UN General Assembly’s resolution calling
for a worldwide moratorium on executions on 18 December 2007.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as
possible:
- calling on the authorities to commute the death sentence passed on
Mohammad Feda’i, who is at imminent risk of execution for a crime
committed when he was under the age of 18;
- noting that he had inadequate legal representation at his trial,
meaning that proceedings did not meet international fair trial
standards;
- urging the Iranian authorities to review Mohammad Feda’i’s case;
- reminding them that Iran is a state party to both the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention on
the Rights of the Child (CRC), which prohibits the use of the death
penalty against those under the age of 18 at the time of offense, and
that the execution of Mohammad Feda’i would therefore be a violation
of international law.
APPEALS TO:
Leader of the Islamic Republic
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street - Shahid Keshvar Doust Street
Tehran
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
Email: info@leader.ir
Salutation: Your Excellency
Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh /Office of the Head of the Judiciary
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhouri
Tehran 1316814737
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
Email: info@dadgostary-tehran.ir (In the subject line
write: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO:
President
His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Presidency
Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
Email: dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir OR via website:
www.president.ir/email
Iran does not presently have an embassy in the United States. Instead,
please send copies to:
Iranian Interests Section
Embassy of Pakistan
2209 Wisconsin Ave NW
Washington DC 20007
Phone: 1 202 965 4990
Fax: 1 202 965 1073
Email: requests@daftar.org
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
——————————
—-
Tip of the Month:
Use shortcuts: Do whatever is necessary to make your letter writing as
quick and easy as possible. This way, letters will not be put off and
they can be sent out sooner. Start by making a generic file for each
type of concern; paragraphs on torture, the death penalty,
disappearances, denial of medical care and so on, can be copied into
your working file and edited as needed.
** POSTAGE RATES **
Within the United States:
$0.27 - Postcards
$0.42 - Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
To Mexico and Canada:
$0.72 - Postcards
$0.72 - Airmail Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
To all other destination countries:
$0.94 - Postcards
$0.94 - Airmail Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots movement that promotes
and defends human rights.
This Urgent Action may be reposted if kept intact, including contact
information and stop action date (if applicable). Thank you for your
help with this appeal.
Urgent Action Network
Amnesty International USA
600 Pennsylvania Ave SE 5th fl
Washington DC 20003
Email: uan@aiusa.org
http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/
Phone: 202.544.0200
Fax: 202.675.8566
———————————-
END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL
———————————-
Category: Human Rights, Politics
Writing by Rezareza on Friday, 2 of May , 2008 at 8:00 pm
Category: Human Rights, Politics
Writing by persiancowboy on Friday, 21 of March , 2008 at 3:12 pm
Q Mr. President, let me thank you first on behalf of the Voice of America, on behalf of the Persian News Network for giving us your time. We really appreciate that, sir.
 |
| President Bush |
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Q As you know, Mr. President, this is the eve of Nowruz, the Iranian New Year. What is your message to the Iranian people as they face tough economic circumstances and infringement on their freedoms?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, first, Nowruz a tan Mubarak. Secondly, that the people of the United States respects the people of Iran; that we respect the traditions of Iran, the great history of Iran. We have differences with the government, but we honor the people, and we want the people to live in a free society. We believe freedom is a right for all people and that the freer the world is, the more peaceful the world is. And so my message is, please don’t be discouraged by the slogans that say America doesn’t like you, because we do, and we respect you.
Q What do you say to the regime, sir — what would you say to the regime?
THE PRESIDENT: I’d say to the regime that they made decisions that have made it very difficult for the people of Iran. In other words, the Iranian leaders, in their desire to enrich uranium — in spite of the fact that the international community has asked them not to — has isolated a great country; and that there’s a way forward. I mean, the Iranian leaders know there’s a way forward, and that is verifiably suspend your enrichment and you can have new relationship with people in the U.N. Security Council, for example. It’s just sad that the leadership is in many ways very stubborn, because the Iraqi — the Iranian people are not realizing their true rights. And they’re confusing people in Iraq, as well, about their desires. It’s a tough period in history for the Iranian people, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Q On the nuclear issue, sir, is there a solution to the problem that would both satisfy the United States’ concern and at the same time allow Iran to proceed with non-military nuclear energy research?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, part of the problem is that it’s very hard for people to trust the Iranian government because they haven’t told the full truth, and that’s why the people of Iran have got to understand there are great suspicions right now, not only in the United States, but around the world. But there is a better way forward. And I thought, for example, the Russians proposed an interesting way, that says — and I have said publicly, and the Iranian people need to know that I believe Iran has the right to have civilian nuclear power. I believe in civilian nuclear power. Iran is a sovereign country and they should have it. The problem is we just don’t trust the government because they haven’t been forthcoming about their enrichment of fuels to go into the reactor, and therefore Russia has offered to provide fuel on a contractual basis and provide fuel on a consistent basis. It would help solve the problem, and that is the Iranians wouldn’t need to enrich, it would have fuel for their reactor and the people would have cheaper electricity. And I support that idea.
 |
President Bush (left) being interviewed by Setareh Derakhsheh of
VOA Persian Service |
Q Sir, would you allow enrichment inside Iran if there are guarantees and international supervision? THE PRESIDENT: I would have to be convinced that any secret programs would be disclosed. In other words, I — once a nation hasn’t told the truth, it requires a lot of work to convince people that they’ll be telling the truth in the future. And my problem is, is that the Iranian government has not been forthcoming, has not fully disclosed their programs like the IAEA asked them to. So there’s a lot of distrust right now. And the better way forward is for there to be a contractual, solid obligation to provide fuel for a nuclear reactor and then the Iranians can have their civilian nuclear power.
Q At a time when Iranians are going through very difficult economic circumstances — there’s high employment — high unemployment, there are high prices, there are unfilled promises — the United Nations Security Council just passed a new set of sanctions against the regime. Is the United States concerned, sir, that the regime might exploit these circumstances to whip up anti-American sentiment, and also to use those and misuse them?
THE PRESIDENT: Sure. No, I appreciate that. Of course we are. We’re always concerned about the individual. I’m concerned about the mom trying to raise her child in a hopeful environment. I’m concerned about a child wanting to gain the knowledge so that he or she can realize her God-given talents. And of course we’re worried about the human condition. And any time a government is failing to meet the needs of people — or a lot of times, not “any time,” but a lot of times governments have failed to meet the needs of their people, particularly in relatively non-transparent, non-free societies they always look for somebody to blame. And I’m not surprised that the leaders would blame the United States for the problems they, themselves, have created. So, yes, this enters my mind. On the other hand, the people of Iran must understand that the conditions exist in large part because of either management by the government or isolation because of the government’s decisions on foreign policy matters — such as announcing they want to destroy countries with a nuclear weapon. It is irresponsible remarks like that which cause great credibility loss with the Iranian government, the actions of which are affecting the country.
Q Mr. President, if I may, I want to ask you about Iraq also. Today is the fifth anniversary of the start of the Iraq war and you had a speech on the war on terror. Are you satisfied with the political situation in Iraq, in view of the improving security situation? And also, has Iran played a role in this?
THE PRESIDENT: I am pleased, but not satisfied. I am pleased because there’s a modern constitution in Iraq. I am pleased because people have voted in Iraq. I am pleased because they’re heading toward provincial elections in Iraq. I’m pleased to see democracy moving. I’m not satisfied because there’s more work to be done. One of the problems we do have in Iraq is the — there’s been some negative Iranian influence, such as the exportation from Iran of certain weapons that have been used by extremists to murder and to kill people. And it’s been particularly unhelpful. Now, look, I understand Iraq and Iran are going to have relations; after all, they’ve got a long border. But from my perspective, Iran has not been helpful in terms of helping this young democracy survive. I would think it would be in Iran’s interests to have a peaceful neighbor. They had been at war at one time with Iraq. I would believe that a peaceful Iraq would be in the long-term interests of the Iranian people. And yet it’s hard to have a peaceful Iraq if there are elements inside the country that are trying to use violence and murder to continue to stir up sectarian doubts and raise concerns which will cause more violence.
Q There have been recent contacts between the United States and Iran over Iraq. Some dissidents inside Iran think that these might expand to other areas, and they feel that this will undercut their position and that would strengthen the regime’s hand. What are your thoughts on that, sir?
THE PRESIDENT: My thought is, is that the reformers inside Iran are brave people, they’ve got no better friend than George W. Bush, and I ask for God’s blessings on them on their very important work. And secondly, that I would do nothing to undermine their efforts. And thirdly, that the talks between Iran — between the U.S. and Iran about Iraq are solely about Iraq, and that the message to the Iranians is: Stop importing your weapons, your sophisticated IEDs, or there will be consequences inside of Iraq. And when we find people transporting weapons that are aimed to harm innocent people or to arm militias that are aiming to harm innocent people, then they will be brought to justice; that there’s a better way to deal inside of Iraq than the Iranians are now dealing. And so this message is nothing more than limited to Iraq.
Q Mr. President, thank you very much. And thanks for allowing me to do the interview, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you; yes, ma’am.
Category: Human Rights, Politics, Iranian Americans
Writing by persiancowboy on Wednesday, 13 of February , 2008 at 3:17 pm
In another three weeks, on 6 March, trade unions around the world are holding an international day of action in solidarity with the workers of Iran.
As you probably know, the Iranian government has been arresting workers who have stood up and tried to organize unions — including Mansour Osanloo and Mahmoud Salehi, who both languish in jails despite continuing health problems.
This repression is in violation of International Labour Organization core conventions and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights — the 60th anniversary of which we observe this year. That Declaration states that “everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.”
It is our job to turn that promise into reality for workers everywhere — including inside the Islamic Republic of Iran.
We have been asked by the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF), which together with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has called for the day of action, to mobilize thousands of trade unionists online.
Please take a moment and send off a message to the Iranian leaders demanding respect for workers’ rights and freedom for jailed trade unionists:
Click here to send your message
When you have done so, please forward this message to fellow trade unionists and help us organize the biggest campaign we have ever done online.
Let us send a loud and clear signal to Tehran that, as promised by the United Nations sixty years ago “everyone has the right to form and join trade unions” — even in Iran.
Category: Human Rights, Politics
Writing by persiancowboy on Tuesday, 22 of January , 2008 at 12:17 pm
A large group of Iranian bloggers have decided to show their solidarity with tens of Iranian students who are imprisoned by the administration. More information, in Persian, is given in this blog.
This is the statement issued by the organizers (revised and translated by Kamangir).
Solidarity of Bloggers with the Imprisoned Iranian Students
“There is no doubt winter will have an end
And, the post of spring will come to our land
With thousands of flowers in his hand
Certainty it will come,
That other should be passed”
The spring is coming while many Iranian students are still behind the bars. Here is the names of some of them,
- Arash Paknejad (m), Mozandaran University
- Saeid Habibi (m), as member of student’s human rights reporters
- Anoshe Azadbar (f), Tehran University
- Elinaz Jamshidi (f), Azad University of central Tehran student of communication
- Mehdi Gerilo (m), Tehran geophysics center
- Nader Ahseni (m), Mazandaran University
- Behroz karimizade (m), Tehran University
- Nasim Soltan-beigi (f), Alame Communication University
- Ali Sa`lem (m), Polytechnic University, student of Master degree in polymer
- Mohsen Qanim (m), Polytechnic University
- Rozbeh Saf-Shekan (m), Tehran University
- Yaser (Sadra) Pirhaiaty (m), Shahed University
- Saeid Aqam-Ali (m), Yazd University
- Ali Kolaee` (m), Azad University of Shahriar City
- Amir Mehrzad (m), (high School Student)
- Hadi Salary (m), Rajaey University
- Farshid Ahangaran(m), Rajaey University
- Amir Aqai (m), Rajaey University
- Milad Omrani (m), Rajaey University
- Keivan Amir Eliasy (m), Master of industrial engineer
- Soroush Hashem-poor (m), Ahvaz University
- Farshad Doosti-poor (m)
- Sohrab Karimi (m)
- Javad Alizade (m)
- Mohammad Salleh Auman (m)
- Mehdi al-lahyari (m), Sharif industrial University, student of master degree
- Rozbehan Amiri (m), Tehran University, Student of computer sciences
- Bahram Shojaee (m), Tehran-south Azad University, Student of Chemistry engineer
- Saied Aqakhani (m)
- Majid Ashraf Nejad (m)
- Peiman Piran (m), by other student report about him*
- Aabed Tavanche (m), Polytechnic University
- Soroosh Dastestany (m)
- Amin Qazaei (m)
- Bijan Sabaq (m), Mazandaran University
- Anahita hosini (f), Tehran University
- Morteza Khedmatlo (m)
- Mohamad Pour Abdol-lah (m), Tehran University
- Bita Samimi-zad (f), Polytechnic University
- Behzad Baqery (m), Mazandaran University
- Soroosh Sabet (m), Sharif University
- Morteza Eslahchi (m), Allame University
- Mostafa Shirvani (m)
In the past month and half, many students from different cities and universities have been arrested, on charges related to holding peaceful ceremonies for the celebration of the 7th of November, the National Day for Students. They have been behind the bars since. During these days, their families have not been able to visit them and only some of them have been given the chance to have short phone calls with the inmates. This has caused a lot of anxiety and tension for the families and has resulted in their many protests in order to pressure the government to release the students, to no avail.
We honor the freedom-loving students of Iran, some of whom are also bloggers, and thus on January 30th we rename our blogs to “Bloggers’ Solidarity with Imprisoned Iranian Students”.
We wish the release of our friends.
Category: Human Rights, Politics
Writing by Rezareza on Monday, 14 of January , 2008 at 4:17 pm
Nahid Keshavarz says two weeks in an Iranian jail didn’t deter her from helping try to collect one million signatures for a petition urging more women’s rights and, if anything, prison showed the cause was worth fighting for.Keshavarz is one of dozens of women who campaigners say have been detained since 2006 when the drive was launched. Most were released within a few days or weeks.
“No one wants to go to prison. But if we have to pay a price then we will, like women have all over the world,” said the 34-year-old, who was held on security-related charges after collecting signatures in Tehran.
Read the whole article
Category: Human Rights, In the News
Writing by persiancowboy on Sunday, 9 of December , 2007 at 11:20 pm
Doubtful death of the political prisoners, bans on publications, filtering internet sites, arresting political, social, cultural and human right’s activists, disregarding the religious minorities’ right, expulsion of students and professors from universities, women’ suppression, the critical situation of the labors in Iran are the daily observable news in news agencies and publications, word-wide. These kinds of news reflect the dominant harsh atmosphere in Iran.
This report gathered between December 2006 and November 2007 is a proof of this claim as:
Widespread, planned and systematic violation of Human Right in Iran.
In this report a little part of the human rights violations instances in Iran has been compile.
Students:
- Arrested: 123
- Interrogated: 46
- Summoned to courts: 26
- Tried: 11
- Issued sentences by courts: 34
- Summoned to disciplinary committees: 336
- Sentences issued by disciplinary committees: 331
- Fired from university: 344
- Beaten students:2
- Suspended education:24
- Threatened: 4
- Dissolving students’ formations:27
- Banned student’s magazines: 37
- Issued sentences against Press: 41
- Attacks to students’ formations:1
- House inspections:3
- Students’ strike:4
Press and journalists:
- Summoned to courts: 283
- Arrested journalists: 26
- Interrogated: 21
- Tried: 58
- Issued sentences against Press: 41
- Banned books: 13
- Filtered sites: 20
- Banned dailies and press organisations: 65
- Banned movies: 6
- Issued sentences against Press: 41
- Fired journalists: 3
- Threatened: 11
Political, social and cultural activists:
- Summoned to courts: 82
- Interrogated: 175
- Arrested: 1735
- Tried: 681
- Sentences issued by courts: 520
- Threatened: 22
- Released on bails: 73
- Beaten: 2
- Barred from leaving the country:14
- Preventions on disposing ceremonies:13
- Attacks to social organisations: 5
- Preventions on formations’ activity: 2
- Fired for having political activities: 46
- House inspections:7
- Terrors in side the borders:1
Labours:
- Not received payments and benefits: 105686
- Fired: 14946
- Arrested: 83
- Summoned to courts:31
- Sentences issued by courts:75
- Tried:99
- Died while working: 1127
- Interrogated:26
- Attacks to labours’ gatherings: 3
- Bans on labours’ organisation: 1
Political prisoners:
-
- On strike: 37
- Preventions on leave of absence for receiving treatment:12
- Beaten: 3
- Further interrogation: 16
- Death in prison:1
- Handicapped under tortures: 3
- Missing: 8
- Further trial:5
- Sentences issued during conviction period: 6
- Prevention on being released: 6
Executed:
-
- Executed: 260
- Executed( political prisoners): 8
- expected to be executed:313
- expected to be executed(political prisoners):18
- executed in public: 87
- under 18, while committing the crime(executed):6
- stoned to death(executed sentence):1
- stoned to death(issued sentences):7
Women
-
- Summoned to courts: 44
- Tried:8
- Issued sentences:15
- Arrested: 33
- Threatened: 6
- Interrogated: 18
- Barred from leaving the country: 2
Public arrestment and public murders:
- Public arrestment: 24783
- Murdering people:32
- Suspicious murders: 3
Retaliation sentence
-
- Hand amputation: 8
- Eye removing: 1
Iranian Human Rights Activist Groups in EU and North America (IHRAG)
E-mail: hriran@hriran.org
Phone: 1 - 514 - 365 9212 (Canada) or 46 -704-124-500 (Sweden)
Address: BOX 5047, 165 10 Hässelby, Sweden
Human Rights News from Iran: www.hriran.org
Category: Human Rights, Politics
Writing by persiancowboy on Sunday, 9 of December , 2007 at 12:32 pm
Robert Tait has written a good article about child executions in Iran and the case of a boy hanged for a crime committed at age 13. Apparently they executed Makwan despite a stay of execution ordered by Iran’s judiciary chief, Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi (Excerpt below).
Makwan Mouloudzadeh, 20, was executed in the western city of Kermanshah, after being convicted for raping three boys in 2000. He was put to death in apparent violation of a stay of execution ordered by Iran’s judiciary chief, Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, who had requested a review last month after asking whether the sentence conformed to sharia law.
Mouloudzadeh’s lawyer, Saeed Eqbali, said officials had executed his client without issuing prior notice, as Iranian law requires. The man’s family had only been informed afterwards and told to collect his body. A large crowd attended his funeral on Thursday in his home town of Paveh.
Category: Human Rights, Politics
Writing by persiancowboy on Monday, 19 of November , 2007 at 1:30 am
Thats the title of last Saturday’s Los Angeles Times editorial about the recent United Nations resolution calling for a worldwide moratorium on executions. As expected United States allied with Iran, Sudan and Saudi Arabia voting against the resolution.
Representatives of the United States were silent during the first debate on the draft, but this country’s position is well known. Two other initiatives against the death penalty in the 1990s failed in the General Assembly amid opposition from the U.S. and others. Dozens of countries impose capital punishment, but just six — China, Iran, Iraq, the U.S., Pakistan and Sudan — account for 90% of the executions. Seldom has this nation kept less distinguished company.
Of course, the U.S. already has a moratorium of sorts on the death penalty. The three dozen states that impose capital punishment — sadly including California — are awaiting a decision by the Supreme Court in a Kentucky case challenging that state’s lethal-injection procedures on the grounds that they violate the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment. But the delay is only temporary; even if the court forbids the standard method of lethal injection, there are plenty of other drugs and procedures that could be used.
That leaves us to ponder why even “progressive” states like ours continue to tolerate an outdated practice that most developed nations long ago abandoned as ineffective and inhumane. Capital punishment is a relic of an unenlightened past. The United States, or at least California, should join the list of responsible countries that have done away with it.
Category: Human Rights, Politics
