Iran Lawyer Says Reformers Held On Security Charges
Several leading reformists detained after last month's disputed presidential election have been accused of acting against national security, a Iranian lawyer has said. Saleh Nikbakht said he was the lawyer for prominent figures including former Vice President Mohammad Ali Abtahi, former Deputy Foreign Minister Mohsen Aminzadeh, former government spokesman Abdollah Ramezanzadeh, and a former senior member of parliament, Mohsen Mirdamadi. -Reuters - 7/4/09
I Must Go Home to Iran Again
Six years ago, I went to listen to a man, whom I will not name, in a café in Paris. He said it had been 24 years since he had been back to Iran, that he had to leave right after the revolution of 1979 for political reasons. He talked of many things, and he ended by saying: “Once you leave your homeland, you can live anywhere, but I refuse to die anywhere other than Iran — or else my life will have had no meaning.” -Marjane Satrapi, NY Times - 7/3/09
Statement in solidarity with the people of Iran in their struggle for democracy and freedom
In the last few weeks the world has witnessed extensive and savage suppression of peaceful protests of hundreds of thousands of Iranian people triggered off by the blatant theft of the June presidential elections. - 7/3/09
Iranian Student Leader: 'First They Kill, Then They Count'
Over the past two weeks more than 1,000 reformist figures, political activists, journalists, students, and critics have been arrested in Iran. Some have been forced to make false confessions while others are reportedly under pressure. A number of activists have been forced into hiding because of the crackdown. RFE/RL correspondent Golnaz Esfandiari spoke to one of them, a student leader, who discussed the postelection crisis and the future of the "Green" movement. - 7/3/09
Election Lawyer Statement in Support of the People of Iran
As election lawyers, we wish to express our support for the People of the Islamic Republic of Iran and stand in solidarity with their desire for free, fair and honest elections. Regardless of our individual political affiliations, we stand as one in support of the right of people everywhere to peacefully decide issues, form and direct their leadership and petition their own representative government through an unfettered ballot box. - 7/3/09
MESA's letter to Ayatollah Khamenei on the developments in Iran
to voice CAF's serious concern over the murders, mass arrests, brutal beatings, and widespread harassment of Iranian university students in the aftermath of the June 12, 2009, disputed Iranian presidential elections and the ransacking of university dormitories by security forces in a number of cities. In particular, we are extremely alarmed by the confirmed killing of at least 5 unarmed students at the Tehran University dormitory complex - 7/3/09
Achievements
Despite the expected approval of the results of the election by the Guardian Council, what is achieved so far is fantastic. First achievement, the solidarity of Iranians throughout the world. Second, re-gaining of our Iranian international respect and prestige. Third, learning about the people around, from neighbors to colleagues, relatives … Fourth, the collapse of censorship for a short period in pre-election days. The fifth which hopefully will continue and deepen is the growth of understanding and thus forgiveness of the ignorant brainwashed militia... -Roya Monajem, Tehran - 7/2/09
NEWSWEEK issues Statement on Maziar Bahari and calls for his immediate release
An Iranian state news agency reports that Bahari has said he participated in a Western media effort to promote irresponsible reporting in Iran. NEWSWEEK strongly disputes that charge, and defends Bahari's work. Maziar Bahari is a veteran journalist whose long career, both in print and in documentary filmmaking, has been accurate, even-handed, and widely respected. - 7/2/09
Lyrical voices hail Iranians from overseas
Watching the election protests in their homeland, an Iran-born mother and daughter -- a poet and a singer -- are part of a growing expatriate artistic movement. Partow Nooriala, a poet, and Shahrzad Sepanlou, a singer, are lifting their voices in the diaspora to support their people's freedom once again. -LA Times - 7/2/09
U.S. Human Rights Activists Urge Action Against Tehran
Hundreds of human rights activists, intellectuals, civil society leaders, opposition political activists, students, and journalists have been arbitrarily detained in Iran since the disputed June 12 presidential election. An unknown but substantial number have also been killed and injured. - 7/1/09
Iran: Release Disabled Reformist
Harsh interrogation conditions and inadequate medical care are threatening the life of the detained prominent Iranian reformist Saeed Hajjarian, Human Rights Watch said today. - 7/1/09
Israel's Navy Arrest Human Right Activists On Spirit Of Humanity Boat
Call your Congressperson and your Senators today. Ask them to call the Israeli Embassy and to call the U.S. State Department demanding that the boat and its occupants be released, together with their humanitarian cargo, and that they be allowed to dock in Gaza. - 7/1/09
The Walk
Today I saw hundreds of my brothers and sisters with wills made of steel who were visibly showing the V sign of victory; in groups large and small or individually they had taken to the streets and will do so again and again this week and next week and next month until we, the youth of the land of Iran, of the Iranzamin, will shake off all the tyrants of power and demand our right to peaceful demonstrations, the annulment of this charade of an election and move towards more transparency and democratic government and an equal rule of law for a better Iran for all. -Kamand Saba, Tehran - 6/30/09
Iran: Detained political leaders at risk of torture, possibly to force "confessions"
Amnesty International is gravely concerned that several opposition leaders detained in the wake of the 12 June elections may be facing torture, possibly to force them to make televised "confessions" as a prelude to unfair trials in which they could face the death penalty. - 6/30/09
Iranian Human Rights Lawyer Arrested, Risks Torture
Human rights lawyer Mohammad Mostafaei was arrested on 25 June, probably in relation to his human rights activities and his peaceful exercise of the right to freedom of expression and association after the disputed re-election of President Ahmadinejad. Mohammad Mostafaei is a prisoner of conscience. He is at risk of torture. -Amnesty International - 6/30/09
NIAC calls on Iranian government to end political detentions and violence against protesters
The National Iranian American Council remains deeply concerned about the deteriorating human rights situation in Iran since the country's disputed elections on June 12. Disturbing accounts of continued violence and widespread intimidation and harassment of Iranian citizens by the Basij militia and other elements of Iran's security forces continue to be received from inside the country. - 6/30/09
Iranian-Canadians form human chain in Toronto in support of the people in Iran
On Saturday, June 26, 2009, thousands of Iranian-Canadians from children to senior citizens together with hundreds of others showing their” V “ victory sign with their fingers and carrying a flag, sign or picture sent their message more effective than ever in support of social and civil movement for freedom and democracy in Iran and putting an end on violence and brutality by the regime against Iranian people. - 6/29/09
In memory of a girl who loved music and singing
She was a young woman, called Neda -- Known only to her family and close friends -- Her “calling” came one sunny day near her home. -- Now the whole world knows her by her beautiful eyes --- That looks through blood, courage, innocence and death. -Amir Fardi - 6/29/09
Iran: Night Raids Terrorize Civilians
Iran's paramilitary Basij are carrying out brutal nighttime raids, destroying property in private homes and beating civilians in an attempt to stop nightly protest chants, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch also said the Iranian authorities are confiscating satellite dishes from private homes to prevent citizens from seeing foreign news. - 6/28/09
Open Letter by Renowned Iranian Director Bahman Farmanara: A coward dies a thousand times before his death...
These days we are being invited to a Banquet of Silence; I believe that by attending it we will not only lose our own voice forever, but, more importantly, we will bring eternal shame on ourselves by ignoring the bloody death of NEDA on the streets of Tehran. - 6/27/09
'What Will Happen To Those Arrested In Iran? I Can Tell You'
By official count, some 450 people have been arrested in opposition protests against Iran's presidential election results. Many sources inside Iran put the count in the thousands. To those arrested 10 years ago, in Iran's last great wave of student demonstrations, what the new detainees face next is already clear. - 6/26/09
Iran: Urgent Action appeals for journalists, including Kalameh Sabz
At least 13 journalists are among scores of people arrested in their homes or offices since the disputed Iranian Presidential election on 12 June. The whereabouts of most are unknown, although those detained in Tehran are likely to be held in Evin Prison. All are feared to be at risk of torture or other ill-treatment -Amnesty International - 6/26/09
Sad Anniversary of Alaeis' Detention
This week we mark a sad milestone in the lives of Drs Kamiar and Arash Alaei, internationally renowned HIV/AIDS physicians. For the past year they have been imprisoned in the notorious section 209 of Evin prison. Their crime: practicing public health diplomacy, an act Iran considers treasonous. -Physicians for Human Rights - 6/26/09
Boycott Nokia for Iran Crackdown
Nokia recently provided the Iranian regime with a "monitoring center" that enables security forces to tap cell phones, read e-mails, scramble text-messages, and interrupt calls. Nokia's new surveillance system has enhanced the regime's ability to crack down on dissent during recent protests. - 6/26/09
Academics' Declaration of Support for Iranian Demonstrators
Today the New York-based Campaign for Peace and Democracy circulated the open letter below from academics in support of the demonstrators in Iran. The statement declares that "Khamenei's argument that to make concessions to popular demands and 'illegal' pressure would amount to a form of 'dictatorship'] sounds familiar to anyone interested in the politics of collective action, since it appears to draw on the logic used by state authorities to oppose most of the great popular mobilisations of modern times, from 1789 in France to 1979 in Iran itself. - 6/25/09
WHERE IS MY VOTE: Academics And Intellectuals In Support Of Democracy Movement In Iran
This text is an urgent request to academics to fight the misrepresentation of this movement. This is not only about showing support to the courage and determination of people on the streets of Iran. It also means reaching for the many people in Iran who would like to participate but are frightened or know of the movement only through the state media. It means informing these people of the scale and nature of the movement, and thus widen its support within Iran. - 6/25/09
Iran doctor tells of Neda's death
The doctor who tried to save an Iranian protester as she bled to death on a street in Tehran has told the BBC of her final moments. Dr Arash Hejazi, who is studying at a university in the south of England, said he ran to Neda Agha-Soltan's aid after seeing she had been shot in the chest. Dr Hejazi said he had not slept for three nights following the incident, but he wanted to speak out so that her death was not in vain. - 6/25/09
Iranian Government Intensifies Countrywide Crackdown
No one knows how many people have been arrested in Iran since protests against disputed presidential election results began two weeks ago, but it is becoming clear that security forces are engaged in one of the biggest crackdowns the Islamic republic has seen since the early days of the 1979 Revolution. By official count, the number of those arrested is around 450. But according to many sources inside Iran, the total tally of sudden arrests and disappearances is in the thousands. - 6/25/09
Nieman Foundation calls for release of journalist Iason Athanasiadis detained in Iran
Iason Athanasiadis, our friend and colleague from the Nieman Class of 2008, has been arrested and is being detained by the Iranian government. Iason, a Greek citizen, was in Iran to report on the June 12 presidential election. - 6/25/09
Neda Soltan's family 'forced out of home' by Iranian authorities
The Iranian authorities have ordered the family of Neda Agha Soltan out of their Tehran home after shocking images of her death were circulated around the world. -Guardian - 6/25/09
Iran: Violent Crackdown on Protesters Widens
A notoriously abusive Iranian prosecutor, Saeed Mortazavi, has been put in charge of the investigation of detained reformist leaders and party officials amidst a widening security crackdown in Iran following the disputed June 12 election, Human Rights Watch said today. - 6/24/09
Iranians Killed and Detained Since June 12
The government has admitted to at least 27 fatalities in Tehran but the true numbers are most probably much higher. The Campaign has been able to identify only the names of four persons killed in Tehran during recent protests because of the extreme restrictions imposed by the government. There are also reports of fatalities in other cities but the Campaign has not been able to collect any reliable information. -International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran - 6/24/09
Iranian Government Parades Arrested Protesters on TV: Will Teach Them A Lesson
On June 23, the television showed one detainee confessing to what amounts to collaboration with foreign powers against the Iranian state. The aired statements from the detainees come as a senior judiciary official said on June 23 that the legal system would make an example of those who had been caught. "Those arrested in recent events will be dealt with in a way that will teach them a lesson," Ebrahim Raisi said. -Charles Recknagel, RFE - 6/24/09
Letter from Tehran: 38 Gunshot Victims at Rasool Akram Hospital
I am a physician working at the Rasool Akram hospital. Yesterday (June 21st), they brought in 38 gunshot victims to our hospital. 10 were already dead and the rest had various related injuries - 6/24/09
Family, friends mourn 'Neda,' Iranian woman who died on video
Security forces urged her friends and family not to hold memorial services for her at a mosque and asked them not to speak publicly about her, associates of the family said. Authorities even asked the family to take down the black mourning banners in front of their house, aware of the potent symbol she had become. But some insisted on speaking out anyway, hoping to make sure the world would not forget her. -Borzou Daragahi, Los Angeles Times - 6/24/09
In Memory Of Neda
In the sea of black -- I was the green flower -- And you cut me so soon -- With you fire power -Farshad, NY - 6/23/09
NEWSWEEK Reporter Maziar Bahari Arrested in Tehran
Among the dozens of people arrested overnight on June 21st in Tehran was NEWSWEEK reporter Maziar Bahari, who has covered Iran for the magazine for over a decade. Bahari was home asleep at 7 a.m. when several security officers showed up at his Tehran apartment. - 6/23/09
Iran: Stop using Basij militia to police demonstrations
Following reports from Iran that members of the Basij militia have used excessive force against demonstrators - and in light of the history of abuses committed by this unaccountable branch of the security forces - Amnesty International calls on the government of Iran to stop using the militia to police demonstrations with immediate effect. - 6/23/09
Son's Death Has Iranian Family Asking Why
The family, clad in black, stood at the curb of the road sobbing. A middle-aged mother slapped her cheeks, letting out piercing wails. The father, a frail man who worked as a doorman at a clinic in central Tehran, wept quietly with his head bowed. Minutes before, an ambulance had arrived from Tehran's morgue carrying the body of their only son, 19-year-old Kaveh Alipour. -Farnaz Fassihi, WSJ - 6/23/09
Stoning to be omitted from Iran penal laws
Head of the Majlis judiciary commission Ali Shahrokhi says stoning, heresy and cutting hands will be omitted from Iran's penal laws. The new Islamic punishment bill will be presented to Majlis in the near future and will then be sent to the Guardian Council for final considerations. -Press TV - 6/23/09
UN's Ban urges end to arrests, use of force amid post-election violence in Iran
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged an immediate end to the arrests, threats and use of force taking place in Iran amid the post-election violence that has already claimed a number of lives. - 6/23/09
Iranian authorities scramble to negate Neda Soltan 'martyrdom'
The Iranian authorities have ordered the family of a student shot dead in Tehran to take down mourning posters as they struggle to stop her becoming the rallying point for protests against the presidential election. Neda Salehi Agha Soltan, 26, was killed as she watched a pro-democracy protest, and mobile phone footage of her last moments have become a worldwide symbol of Iran's turmoil. -Times Online - 6/23/09
Repression stepped up yet again as Iran becomes world's biggest prison for journalists
Iran now has a total of 33 journalists and cyber-dissidents in its jails, while journalists who could not be located at their homes have been summoned by telephone by Tehran prosecutor general Said Mortazavi. - 6/22/09
Human Rights Emblem developed by 12Petals Media Group: "Good thoughts", "Good Words", "Good Deeds"
The 12Petals Media Group has developed an exciting new emblem to help promote and cultivate a culture of human rights and responsibilities. The emblem conceptualized and designed by Majid Baradar and Ardalan Payvar respectively, is an attempt to ally ongoing efforts for the recognition of human rights and prevalence of a culture of tolerance everywhere. - 6/22/09
CODEPINK Calls for End to Violence Against Peaceful Iranian Protesters
In the midst of public unrest and outrage in Iran over the country's recent election, CODEPINK stands with the people of Iran at this time of crisis and supports their right to free and fair elections, a recount, and communication inside Iran and with the world. - 6/22/09
Statement of Iranian documentary filmmakers
We are documentary filmmakers. Our work is to discover and to tell the truth. Truth can only be found when all aspects of reality are told. In the course of recent events in our country, our national media, by deliberately hiding the reality of the situation, is making it impossible for the public to access the truth. - 6/20/09
Iran: Halt the Crackdown
The Iranian government should immediately end its nationwide crackdown on opposition activity, Human Rights Watch said today. The scale of the crackdown is apparent in the arrest of scores of reformist politicians, intellectuals, and journalists across Iran on June 17 and 18, together with violent attacks by police and state-sponsored militias against largely peaceful demonstrators, - 6/20/09
Iran: Khamenei's speech gives legitimacy to police brutality
This morning's speech by Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, indicates the authorities' readiness to launch violent crackdowns if people continue to protest which may cause a widespread loss of life, Amnesty International said today. - 6/20/09
Iran: Urgent Action for 8 political leaders and prisoners of conscience
Eight political leaders have been arrested in Tehran in connection with their perceived views on Iran's disputed presidential election, which was held on 12 June or their links with former president, Mohammad Khatami. On 17 June 2009, Ebrahim Yazdi was arrested and the other seven were arrested on 16 June. They are prisoners of conscience who should be released immediately and unconditionally. -Amnesty International - 6/19/09
Photos: Election Protests in front of United Nation office in Tehran
On Thursday June 18 between 2-3 PM, a few hundred people gathered in front of Tehran UN Office at on Sharzad Boulevard to express to the world, through UN, their discontent and opposition to Iran's recent election results. People from many walks of life were present at this rally. -Syma Sayyah, Tehran - 6/18/09
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