IRAN WATCH CANADA

Friday, October 29, 2004

"Why regime is banning political and NGO advocates to leave the country!?"

" MIHAN " , One of the magazin on the site of Gooya.
" Mohammad Ali Dadkhah" Has been banned to leave Iran.
This news is prepared by " Peyman Pak -Mehr " - Journalist from Tabriz.
"Tabriz News " Human Rights services. " Mohammad Ali Dadkhah " Spoksperson for the Association in Defense of Iran's Human Rights, has been banned to leave the country.
In continuation of banning political and human rights advocates leaving Iran to attend conferences , " Mohammad Ali-Dadkhah ", a court lawyer who had planned to have speech in France and England, has been banned to leave the country. Prior to this, "Emadodin Baghi" and "Mohammad Malaki" were also banned to leave Iran.
"Mohammad Ali-Dadkhah" Said : His old passport and documents were stollen from his office , So when he applied for new one ,They have told him that; he can not leave the country.

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Thursday, October 28, 2004

" Arrest..Arrest...Arrest..., Increase protest with more unrest

the site of " Asre No " - Oct. 28/2004
200 political , university and media personalities in a protest letter demanded for the freedom of Mr. Taghi Rahmani, Hoda Saber and Reza Alijani.
Mr. Rahmani, Saber and Alijani are in prison since 16 months ago. The judiciary authorities accused them for " conspirecy against national security " during the protests of July and August 2003. ***The " Association of Writer's in Iran " , Has called for the release of Naser Zarafshan . ***Freshteh Ghazi the reporter of "Etemad" newspaper has been arrested. Her husband , Mr. Ahmad Biglu in a contact with the reporter of " ISNA" has said : This morning " Ghazi" because of a telephon call from yesterday , summoning her to branch # 9 of the airport judiciary , attended the location and since then has been imprisoned.

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Wednesday, October 27, 2004

" News on the "File of the sites "

" SHARGH " newspaper- Oct. 27/2004
The court hearing for the " file of the sites " will take place.
The sentencing for the" file of the sites" is ready, But it is not complete yet.The spoksperson for the ministry of justice , yesterday in its weekly press conference , Has announced the news that : Soon the court hearing of these people will take place, Some of these people with surety and bond are free , And temporary detention for some others, Who are arrested are approved by the judiciary officials.These people will remain in custody.

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Tuesday, October 26, 2004

Iran and Middle East needs more journalists like Akbar Ganji

*** " Gooya News" - Tuesday Oct.26/04
Spokperson for justice ministry: The prosecutor of Zahra Kazemi's file, has stoped prosecuting the accused on this file.
In a report by the reporter of "ILNA" , Jamal Karimi Rad in it's weekly press conference has said the decission not to prosecute the accused has not been given to him and it can be protested until it will reach to higher officials for review.
*** " Internet journalists" imprisonment in Iran , is going to be the topic for discussion in European parliament on Thursday 28 Oct. / 04.
*** "Akbar Ganji" the International award winning investigative journalist is still in solitary confinement. support for him is growing.

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Sunday, October 24, 2004

" Islamic Republic of Iran is torturing Younge journalists in Iran "

" Ruidad" - Memarian's strange statement in a contact with family : " Don't hire a lawyer for me "
Monday 25/10/04
" Omid Memarian " one of the journalists who has been imprisoned recently , In a short contact by phone with his home, has expressed subjects , which tells of pressure inside the prison on him as well as on other recent arrestees.
In a report by "Ruidad" reporter, Memarian in a telephone contact insisted to his family, not in any sircumstances to get a lawyer for him. And on question by his family , So how should we follow your case? has answered that; the officials of the file ( those who did the arrest ) are looking for my freedom.It is needed to say that , one of the main instances which all arrestees are having a comon situation is that: In their primary contact with their families , are speaking on their satisfactory condition in the prison and are asking them not to follow on their case through legal channel and not to publish their news in the media .

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Saturday, October 23, 2004

" IRAN WATCH CANADA " is the voice of the voiceless.

" Ruidad" - Batebi spoke about his torture and a three minuites trial .
"Ahmad Batebi" The student , who has been arrested on July 1997-8, On accusation of conspiracy against national security and was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment, in a meeting with his lawyer "Bahramian" , in a letter spoke about the difficulties of his prison term.
"Bahramian" has said that : " Batebi " in a letter told me ; On the year 97-8 , when I was in
" Touhid " prison , I was severly tortured and as a result of that , had nerv breakdown, ulcer and as well, brokrn jaw and broken three right side teeth .
"Batebi" added that : Ha has recieved lashes and in solitary cell , by playing the voice of his family member , they hurt him .
According to ; Batebi has criticized the court which in a three minuites with a duty council , sentenced him to 15 years imprisonment.
" Bahramian" as well said that : The court filed another case for "Batebi" that , while in prison he has organised a political organization.
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IRAN WATCH CANADA is the voice of the voiceless and will monitor that .

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Thursday, October 21, 2004

"protest an answere to the suppression of freedom"

In protest to the arrest of journalists , The sit in protest of journalists was held.
Shamsolvaezin : With 5 millions university graduates and 83% population of the country being literate, you can't prevent the publication of news, information and press freedom. The Syndicate Association of journalists and the Association in defence of press freedom will continue their protest against these type of confrontation with journalists. ( Thursday Oct. 21 / 04 )

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" Intolerable system " , What else shall I say ? !

"Gooya News"- The general secretary of the judiciary in Khuzestan : "From now on , the information guidance committee of this province will supervise on all coffee- net and ISP's ( internet service providers).
" Seyed Khalil Akbaralsadat ", On wednesday in its first session of this committee in the conference hall of the judiciary has said: " The enemy of the Islamic Republic, with its cultural influence through hiden wave, are trying to destroy the identity of our society". He has said that : for this reason we must periodically inspect this centres and to prevent unauthorized activities of coffee-net and ISP's.He added that : Those responsible for unauthorized immoral actions will be identified and prosecuted.

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"IRAN WATCH CANADA "; joins other journalists to protest and demand freedom of young journalists in Iran

"Gooya news" : All media net, came together with RSF to demand for the freedom of Omid Memarian, Ruzbeh Ebrahimi, Hanif Mazruie, Shahram Rafizadeh and Gholam Tamimi.
This sites have announced that: " while internet became one of the major source of information , defending freedom of expression , can only be achieved with multilateral support for journalists and media net. We announce our support to our imprisoned colleagues in Iran who has been arrested because of doing their job as journalists".

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Wednesday, October 20, 2004

"Young journalists in Iran joined their colleagus to protest the arrests"

" ILNA " : The Association of Young Journalists , has announced it's support for the sit in protests of journalists in the office of the Syndicate Association of Iran's Journalists.The Association has asked all young journalists by joining to the protest to show their opposition to the recent arrests.

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Tuesday, October 19, 2004

" News closely followed "

" Ruidad" newspaper : Journalists sit in to protest on recent arrests of journalists. This is going to take place on Thursday from 4-6 pm ( Iran's time ), In the office of the Syndicate Association of Iran's journalists.
The" SAIJ " Has released a statement in protest to the continued arrests and imprisonment of journalists and invited all defenders of press freedom , most specially journalists to get together for the protest.
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Mr. Khalil Bahramian , the lawyer of Alireza Jabbari the writer, translator and member of the Iranian writers association , On Tuesday in a contact with " Ruidad " newspaper , has denied the report by some news web sites that Jabbari was released with the order of president . however he has said that : His clients prison term was more than over.
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IRAN WATCH- CANADA , Defends press freedom , journalists and human rights .

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" Call to save life of a 13 years old girl"

" Mihan " An Iranian magazin in France reported the following news:
The Iranian judiciary will be stonning a 13 years old girl .
Based on a communique , released by Nahid Ryazi from the Central Association of Women Liberty , Zhila age 13, became pregnant by having sex with her brother who is 15 years old. This happened in the city of Marivan , where shewas sentenced by a judge and is currently being imprisoned in that city .
" IRAN WATCH CANADA" Asks all it's reader to write to president Khatami to stop this and save the life of a young girl.
Number to cotact Nahid: nahid@mail.danbbs.dk
President Khatami's email : khatami@president.ir
" IRAN WATCH CANADA " is monitoring news about media, journalists and human rights situation in Iran .

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Monday, October 18, 2004

"In Iran the authorities arrest while journalists resist"

" ISNA" the Iranian Students News Agency :
Javad Gholam-Tamimi The editor of " Mardom Salari " newspaper has been arrested.
Javad Gholam-Tamimi in relation with " Unauthorized sites" , this evening was summoned to the branch # 9 of the public prosecutors office in the airport and after arraignment was arrested.
previously , Ruzbeh Mir-Ebrahimi, Shahram Rafizadeh, Hanif Mazruie, Masud Ghoreishi and .... were also arrested in this relation.
The reporter of " ISNA " in a contact with Mr. Jafar Saberi Zafarghandi the head of the public prosecutors office in the airport, has confirmed of this arrest.

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journalists are # 1 targets by the authorities in Iran today

" ISNA " The Iranian student News Agency :
Javad Gholam-Tamimi the editor of the "Mardom Salari" newspaper has been arrested.
In relation to the " unauthorized sites " , This evening Javad Gholam -Tamimi, who has been summoned to the branch # 9 of the public prosecutors office , after arraignment has been arrested.
Before this , Ruzbeh Mir-Ebrahimi, Shahram Rafizadeh, Hanif Mazruie, Masud Ghoreishi were also arrested .
Based on the contact by the ISNA repoter with Mr. Jafar Saberi Zafarghandi ,The head of the public prosecutor 's office in the airport , he has confirmed of this arrest.

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" Here we go again"

* With the arrest of Omid Memarian in last week, The Iranian judiciary started to attack on NGO's in Iran. According to the site of " Gooya News " , There is a possibility that the next attack will be on The National Youth Organization , which is an NGO in Iran .

* " Iran Watch Canada " will bring you the latest news on Media , Journalists and human rights issues,by either translating the news or writing.
Iran Watch Canada , Condemns attack on journalists , press , human rights advocates in Iran by the authorities.

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Sunday, October 17, 2004

It's Iran's news as usual

Hanif Mazruie , The Iranian journalist who has been imprisoned by the Iranian judiciary , is not allowed to see his dad and mom. As a result of this situation , his mom approached the judiciary authorities to complain of what was going on to her son.the judiciaries reply was: " He does not wishes to see his dad and mom" . then she said that; you do not even let his fiance to see him.

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Friday, October 15, 2004

News from Iran

*Ensafali Hedayat , An Iranian journalist who have been imprisoned for allegedly reporting about an Iranian opposition conference in Berlin. In order to be released , He has been under pressure to write a remorseful letter . Hedayat and his lawyer gave negative answer to the demands of his jailers.
*The officials in Judiciary system , Wrote a law to curb the internet in Iran .
*Omid Memarian Has been arrested. Omid is a journalist and is an advocate of non-governmental organizations . He has been arrested last Sunday ( Oct. 10 /04 ) in his office by the agents of region # 9 judiciary of the airport. The agents also went to his home and took his computer and his writings. There are no news on his where about .
*Alireza Jabbari , Translator and writer , after 2 years imprisonment in Gohardasht prison , has been released. His release happened when Izabel Allende wrote a letter to president Khatami.
Mr. Jabbari translated her book called " The stories of Eva Luna " into persian . in an interview he said : " Last night at around 8 pm without any problem , I have been released from prison and right now I am with my family ". He thanked all those who put efforts during the last 2 years for his release.
*Arash Sigarchi , The reporter of Gilan Emrooz newspaper has been arrested. He has been accused of allegedly taking picture and writing about the gathering for the commemoration of the mass execution of political prisoners on 1998 in Khavaran.
***Iran Watch needs your support for Iranian journalists and press freedom ! ***

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Monday, October 11, 2004

"Honestly , What is "Canadian experience "?

"The burden of the long journey,
The harshness of life in the new land,
We are not for wealth, Luxury and gold,
But for survival , If truth must be told"
Hafez- 14th century Iranian lyric poet
Journalists in Exile ( JEX ) , people who were journalist in their home country , but not here in Canada , It's because they do not have "Canadian experience ".
What is "Canadian experience" ?. What is it realy ? How long it will take for someone to gain "Canadian experience" ?. Is "Canadian experience" something about the job? If it is , then it can be solved by training someone for less than a month and in parallel to that continuing education would be the solution. May be " Canadian experience" is a cultural issue !?, Or it is about integration !? A self transformation , self " Born agin " , self de-construction, which has nothing to do with the profession. So far as I noticed ; Canadian society has been seasoned with all races , However , Canadian job market ( aside from labor job) not yet. anyway , as far as this situation continues , the journalists in exile will remain as an EX-journalists . Honestly what is "Canadian experience" ?

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Sunday, October 10, 2004

"History of Iran will pay respect to you all "

Today is Sat. OCT. 10 and we participated in the commemoration (Yadman ) of the massacre of political prisoners in Iran , which was held in Uof T. This massacre happened on Sept. of 1988. In that time the regime ended the war with Iraq and started taking revenge on innocent already captive political prisoners , killing them by the thousands ( as far as the information were collected ) . The head of the Evin prison in Tehran at the time of killing was Mr. Assadollah Lajvardi ,Later he was assasinated , he had alot of knowledge about those killing. Who was behind his assasination?
How many exactly have been executed? There are alot of questions to be answered.yesterday was the birthday of Zahra Kazemi ( The Canadian - Iranian born photo journalist), She has been killed in the same prison on June 2003.You are not here to blow the candle Zahra . Happy birthday to you . Today there are many Journalists ( Like Akbar Ganji the CJFE international award winner whose award is still hanging on the CJFE's office), writers , students and political prisoners in the same prison . Their lives are in great danger , They need our support. Journalists like akbar Ganji need more support , As an investigative journalist, he could put light in to the killings by the regime agents ,but alas that the coservatives aborted his investigation kept him in captivity too and his life is in great danger.

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Saturday, October 09, 2004

" A donky and balot boxes says it all "

Today, Sat. Oct.9 , there will be a presidential election in Afghanistan, and on Nov. 2 , U.S presidential election , On Jan. next year Iraqi election and 7 months from now ( early March 2005), the presidential election in Iran.
Having know that , We come to the real question and issue 1st. What is an election ?
Election is not just having a list of candidates, but the important is the content of the election.for example in what sircumstances the election is going to take place? and the degree of knowledge of the public about the candidates are important. In countries like Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan the people do not have a deep understanding about election.the degree of illiteracy is high, In contries like afghanistan it is above 80% of population.Afghanistan has more than 150,000 clergies and 30,000 vilages , In every vilages there are 4-5 mosques but not even one school . Independent press are either in no existance or under huge pressure and censorship. the investigative journalists to monitor the election and report to the people are either few , who are either banned to write and or are in prison.Problem of democracy in Afghanistan and elsewhere in Middle East is social / cultural phenomenon as well as the influence of super powers and their support for dictators. Despite of all problems the people are getting more familiar of their rights .
Election cheating in U.S oppened the eyes of people around the world to this very important foundation of democracy.U.S is trying to make the democratic parts in U.S. and then to assemble it in the Middle East. Importing democracy will fail , As " Soviet effort " Failed in Afghanistan . Therefore Afghanistan needs to build its own Democracy. This is true for other countries in Middle East as well . Middle East needs real reform .This is the answer .

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Thursday, October 07, 2004

In iran the only legal way is the illegal way

Upseting news from Iran, Again and again , As always : The news was that; Emadodin Baghi , An Iranian journalist, human rights advocate and one of the close colleagues of Akbar Ganji( an Iranian award wining investigative journalist who is still in the jail ), was banned to leave the country. It happened when he planned to leave the country to participate in international conferences, while in the airport , they confiscated all his documents and books without any legal charges against him.This shows that they have a plan for him and his situation may get worse. Emadodin legally obtained all necesarry papers and bought the tickets and planned for this travel , but in Iran things are different from the rest of the world and the regime does not follow any international norms.
this event and many in the past shows that the only legal way to leave Iran under a state of terror is the illegal way, which justifies the dramatic situation of journalists, writers , human rights advocates ......... in Iran .

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Tuesday, October 05, 2004

Seated debate makes a lazy debate

The political debate for vice presidency in US style election has been just ended.Here are a few comments: Never allow the debate take place by seating down, why? The answer is : haven't you seen how the debate went on ? it was a total sleeping pitch, seated debate make people more lazy ,and seemed that the stage was not hot , and you know what? people like to see the whole body language, In this debate the parties were seated and most part of the body was hidden. in principle when someone stands and debates , by moving the body blood circulation makes it easier to remember the questions and issues, Dont you think so ? Which one do you prefare? It seemed to me as much as George W. wanted a debate in a private climate than in public , Dick Cheiny wanted a seated debates rather than standing ?! You know what ?, Trial lawyers likes to walk and speak.was he invited to be seated by Dick?!

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Monday, October 04, 2004

George W. was "de-bated "

Washington was on fire right after the "de-bate" . John Kerry in his first strike "de-bated" world peace chaser , Erruption still continues , which won't stop for a while. George W. ... right after the "de-bated" looked tired , oh.. men he hated debate in front of public so much , instead he liked private debate more than ever,It seemed and the way he looked ,He hated jim Lehrer for those hard question.George had a weary look and appeared to me that he lost weight during that de-bate. In the future he may loose more and will be lost in his suits.The de-bate ended without a preemptive strike.
In Iran the debate on reform goes on , not between president / his government and the conservatives but between people and the states . reform is a must in Iran but the regime seems not understanding this and will pay the price .....

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