IRAN WATCH CANADA

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Wednesday May 31,2006
News from Iran: Gooya newsonline reporting from ISNA:

30 Million Tuman bail was issued for the release of the two editorial members of the banned " Tamadon Hormozgan " publication !

Mr. Ahmadi one of the lawyer: When the court receives the amount of the bail the two journalists will be released !

In speaking with ISNA ,Mr. Nemat Ahmadi the lawyer have said: On Saturday morning with the presence of Ms. Afrotan and Mr. Dorostkar , the court will informe them about the 30 million Tuman bail for their release.
He added : It has been said that the amount will be coming from the city of Bandar Abbas and as soon as the payment made in Tehran , Ms. Elham Afrotan and Mr. Mohsen Dorostkar will be released.
Mr. Abdolsamad Khoramshahi is acting as the lawyer for Ms. Afrotan.

Read more about this case in previouse IRAN WATCH CANADA 's issue.

End/
Link to this news in Farsi:
http://news.gooya.eu/politics/archives/048624.php

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin


Wednesday May 31,2006
News from Iran: Gooya newsonline reporting from ISNA :





Mr. Jamal Karimirad : The editor and cartoonist of " Iran-Jome" newspaper are in temporary detention and won't be released for now !

The spokeperson for the judiciary power said: The ruling for the cartoonist and editor of " Iran-Jome" newspaper is temporary detention and till the motive and things behind the stage are unclear , these two individual won't be released and the case will be reviewed in an inquiry.

End/
Link to this news in Farsi:
http://news.gooya.eu/politics/archives/048599.php

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

54 Baha'is arrested in Iran


Three of the Baha'í youth arrested in Shiraz, 19 May 2006.

NEW YORK, 24 May 2006 (BWNS) -- Iranian officials have arrested 54 Baha'is in the city of Shiraz, the Baha'i International Community has learned. They are mostly youth and were all engaged in humanitarian service when they were arrested. It is one of the largest number of Baha'is taken at once since the 1980s. The specific charges are not clear, though in the past, Baha'is have been arrested summarily on false charges.
The arrests occurred on Friday, 19 May, while the Baha'is, along with several other volunteers who were not Baha'is, were teaching classes to underprivileged children in a school as part of a community service activity conducted by a local non-governmental organization. At the time of the arrests, they had in their possession a letter of permission from the Islamic Council of Shiraz. They also carried the letter of permission in each of their classes.
The nature of the charges against the Baha'is is unknown at this time. The day following the arrests, a judge told family members that the detainees would be freed soon. As of today, it appears that all of the non-Baha'is and one Baha'i junior youth have been released without having to post bail.
The arrests coincided with raids on six Baha'i homes during which notebooks, computers, books, and other documents were confiscated. In the last 14 months, 72 Baha'is across Iran have been arrested and held for up to several weeks.
"These new arrests in Shiraz, coming after more than a year of 'revolving door' detentions, bring the total number of Baha'is who have been arrested without cause to more than 125 since the beginning of 2005," said Bani Dugal, principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations.
"Taken all together, this pattern of arbitrary arrests and detentions amount to the purest form of religious persecution and reflect nothing less than a calculated effort by the Iranian government to keep the Baha'i community utterly off balance and in a state of terror," Ms. Dugal said.
The arrests come against a backdrop of increasing concern by international human rights monitors that the Iranian Government is escalating its 25-year-long campaign of persecution against the 300,000-member Baha'i community of Iran, the largest religious minority in that country.
In March, the UN Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on freedom of religion or belief released news of a secret 29 October 2005 letter from the Iranian military high command ordering police and Revolutionary Guard units to "identify" and "monitor" members of the Baha'i community of Iran, saying the existence of such a letter made her "highly concerned."
Moreover, since late 2005, more than 30 mostly negative and often defamatory articles about the Baha'is and their religion have appeared in "Kayhan," the official Tehran daily newspaper. Radio and television broadcasts have likewise increasingly condemned the Baha'is and their beliefs.
Since January, in addition to the 54 arrested in Shiraz last Friday, seven Baha'is have been arrested and held for periods of up to one month in Kermanshah, Isfahan, and Tehran.
Among those arrested in January was Mrs. Roya Habibi of Kermanshah, who has reported that she was interrogated for eight hours, with questions focused on her role as coordinator of a program to provide religious instruction in the Baha'i Faith.
In the court document that sets out the charges against her, Mrs. Habibi, who is currently out on bail, "is charged with teaching the Bahaism sect and acting in an insulting manner towards all that is holy in Islam."
"While it is often difficult to get details on the charges against Baha'is, there is no doubt that most of them -- like the case against Mrs. Habibi -- are motivated purely by religious intolerance and prejudice," said Ms. Dugal.
Last year, some 65 Baha'is were arrested and held for periods of time ranging from a few days to more than a month.
While most were held less than a week, others were jailed for up to three months. Some of the prisoners last year were held incommunicado, in unknown locations, while their families desperately searched for them. Last year also, government agents conducted prolonged searches of many of their homes, confiscating documents, books, computers, copiers and other belongings.
In the 1980s, some 200 Baha'is were killed or executed. Thousands were arrested and hundreds were imprisoned, many for long periods. In recent years, in the face of international monitoring, the executions and long-term imprisonments have stopped.
For more information click here.
Correction: In this 24 May 2006 story on the arrests of Baha'is in Shiraz, we reported that they were teaching classes to underprivileged children in a school as part of a UNICEF community service activity conducted by a local non-governmental organization when they were arrested. We have learned since that the project was one of local initiative, in which participants modeled their efforts after a UNICEF project. It was not, however, directly associated with UNICEF. We apologize if this caused any misunderstanding.
BWC-bp-060524-1-SHIRAZARRESTS-450-N

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

(www.cjfe.org).

(www.ifex.org)

TAKE ACTION!

6. IRANIAN SCHOLAR DETAINED
International PEN's Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC) is calling on free expression advocates to write letters urging the immediate release of Ramin Jahanbegloo, an Iranian scholar who has been held incommunicado by authorities in Tehran since 27 April 2006.
Jahanbegloo, who also holds Canadian citizenship, was arrested at Tehran airport on 27 April while on his way to an international conference on Iran. The reason for his detention remains unclear. Jahanbegloo reportedly criticised the Iranian government in a series of interviews for Canadian, Spanish and French newspapers in recent weeks, WiPC noted. He heads the Department of Contemporary Studies at the independent Cultural Research Bureau in Tehran, and is the author of over 20 books on philosophy and curr
ent affairs in Iran.
To write a letter in support of Jahanbegloo, visit: http://www.internationalpen.org.uk/index.php?pid=33&aid=461
Visit these links for more information:
- IFEX: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/74219/
- Blog with Background Details on Jahanbegloo: http://raminj.iranianstudies.ca/
- Jahanbegloo's Personal Website: http://iranproject.info/
- Why Jahanbegloo was Arrested:
http://www.opendemocracy.net/democracy-irandemocracy/jahanbegloo_3545.jsp

IFJ: http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?Index=3930&Language=EN
- RSF: http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=17762
- CPJ: http://www.cpj.org/news/2006/asia/phil22may06na.html

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Reporters sans frontières/ Reporters without borders
www.rsf.org

IRAN

Political manoeuvre seen in newspaper's closure, arrest of editor and cartoonist
Reporters Without Borders today condemned the closure of the governmental daily Iran yesterday for "inciting ethnic divisions" and called for the release of Mehrdad Qassemfar, the editor of its Friday supplement, and Mana Neyestani, one of his cartoonists, who are being held in Evin prison on the orders of Tehran prosecutor Said Mortazavi.The moves against the newspaper follow a series of angry demonstrations by members of Iran's ethnic Azeri minority in Tabriz and other towns in the northwestern province of East Azerbaijan, which were set off by a cartoon in the newspaper's supplement on 12 May."These two journalists are convenient scapegoats for a government that has been scared by large-scale protests," Reporters Without Borders said. "The cartoons published by the newspaper Iran may have lit the initial fuse, but the protests of the past few days in Tabriz were directed at the government's policies towards the population of this multi-ethnic province. Qassemfar and Neyestani have been thrown in prison simply because it suits the authorities."The children's section of the 12 May supplement included a cartoon of a cockroach asking "What?" in the Azeri language. After several street protests, the newspaper (which is owned by the official news agency Irna) said it apologised to all those who took offence and announced that Neyestani had been fired.
More than 50 people were arrested during an anti-government demonstration by thousands of Azeris on 22 May in Tabriz outside the headquarters of the governor of East Azerbaijan province.Iran is the Middle East's biggest prison for the press, with a total of eight journalists and webloggers currently detained. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are on a list of 38 leading predators of press freedom worldwide which Reporters Without Borders compiles each year.Chapo
Reporters Without Borders calls for the release of newspaper editor Mehrdad Qassemfar and cartoonist Mana Neyestani, who were jailed yesterday. "These two journalists are convenient scapegoats for a government that has been scared by large-scale protests," the organisation said.
End/

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin


Wednesday May 31,2006

A video clip from Mansur Osanloo, the imprisoned leader of Iran's Bus Drivers .

Turn on your speaker, and click on following links.

Excerpts from this video clip:

They brought me to ministry of interior, " Amaken" office , there was no place that they didn't bring me ,I spoke the same , they saw what i'm saying is right, i told them that ;you want to investigate me, let me speak to you............

I participated in revolution , I participated in revolution in order to have independance, to have freedom, to have social justice, our wives and childeren not to go hungry , our daughters not to be brought and sold in Islamabad, Karachi , Dubai and Kuvait for prostitution, is this bad what i'm saying? The roots to all corruptions is poverty, our country is rich , let's unite and get our rights !


>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XervL0dlVD4&search=osanlo

>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVw0up3oICk&search=osanlo

if it doesn't open after click, simply open an
Internet browser, copy them then paste them on the
browser's Address bar one at the time, then hit the
enter button.

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Monday, May 29, 2006


Monday May 29,2006

Cartoon showing Mana Neyestani in prison, by : Nikahang Kowsar

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin


Monday May 29,2006

News from Iran :

Today Monday May 29 is the birthday of Mana Neyestani the imprisoned cartoonist !
See the related story in previous IRAN WATCH CANADA news.

IRAN WATCH CANADA :
Happy Birthday Mana ,hoping soon you will be released!

Toka Neyestani the brother of Mana Neyestani : From today i'm not going to draw cartoon for any newspapers !

Mana's cartoon caused unrest among Azari people .

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin


Monday May 29,2006
News from Iran - Iran Emroozonline reporting from Iran:

Mr. Isa Saharkheiz the central council member of the " Association in Defense of Press Freedom " requested from International society to help to lift the ban on journalists and human rights advocates for leaving the country ( The ban for leaving the country was imposed by the regime of the Islamic Republic).

Request for help from International society !

Mr. Isa Saharkheiz for not being able to travel to Kuala Lumpur because of ministry of justice's order for banning him to leave the country . Mr. Saharkheiz asked from the International journalists and society to help to lift the ban on journalists and civil rights advocates for leaving the country .

Mr. Saharkheiz who is the editor in chief of the monthly " Aftab" magazin, was invited to attend to the " Session of Asian Editor's in Chief - 2006 " which was scheduled to take place from May 28-30 ,2006 in Kuala Lumpur the capital city of Malaysia .

Mr. Saharkheiz on Saturday in a letter to Mr. "Marcel Gomez" the program manager of the " Asia -Pacific Institute for the developement of News Agencies" announced that due to the illegal actions by the judiciary officials in banning him for leaving the country , he is unable to attened to this regional session . He said : After his participation in the 2005 session , he was banned for leaving the country . This illegal action in practice made Iran as the " Prison for journalists and civil rights advocates" . This happens while Iran has signed the International covenants and agreements.

The Article 13- section 2 of the International human rights charter says: " Everyone has the right to leave any country , including his owns , and to return to his country" . The article 33 of the constitution of Iran emphasize's that " No one should be send to exile from his place of residence or to ban anyone from where he is interested to reside and or to force someone to live in a place unless in a circumstances which law requires ". ...............................

According to Mr. Saharkheiz the judiciary officials in Iran, one and a half year ago cofiscated his passport in Mehrabad International Airport while he was leaving the country via Tehran-Amesterdam to attened in a series of international professional conferences and several session in European countries, and during all these times they didn't let him to leave Iran............

Aside from Mr. Saharkheiz and many other journalists and civil rights advocates , Mr. Mohsen Kadivar a university professor and the president of the " Association in Defense of Freedom of Press" is also banned to leave the country.

End/
Link to this news in Farsi:
http://www.iran-emrooz.net/index.php?/news1/more/8629/

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Monday May 29,2006

English/Français
Reporters Without Borders
Press release
27 May 2006

IRAN

TWO JOURNALISTS HELD WITHOUT CHARGE IN THE AZERIS PROVINCES

Reporters Without Borders today called for the "immediate release" of two Azeri journalists, Amin Movahedi, who was detained yesterday in the northern city of Meshkinshar, and Orouj Amiri, detained the day before in the nearby city of Marannd. Their arrests follow demonstrations by members of Iran's Azeri ethnic minority against the Tehran government."Absolutely no charges have been brought against Movahedi and Amiri and the authorities have not said where they are being held," the press freedom said. "These journalists are being subjected to illegal harassment simply for working independently."Movahedi was arrested by gunmen in civilian dress as he left his home in Meshkinshar (in Ardabil province). The police and judicial authorities know him as someone who is critical of the regime and he was already detained by the intelligence services for three days last December.Amiri, who writes for several local papers, was arrested as his home in Marannd (in East Azerbaijan province) by plain-clothes police who hit him when he asked to see their warrant. They searched his home and took personal documents, CDs and the hard disk of his computer. His wife was forcibly led away for protesting against his arrest.There have been a series of demonstrations in the northern provinces since the official daily newspaper Iran on 12 May published a cartoon of a cockroach asking "What?" in the Azeri language. More than 50 people were arrested during an anti-government demonstration by thousands of Azeris outside the headquarters of the governor of East Azerbaijan province in Tabriz on 22 May.Although the newspaper quickly apologized to the Azeri minority, the authorities have suspended its publication and arrested two of its journalists (see our release of 24 May). The regime is also doing everything possible to prevent the news media in the north of the country from covering the Azeri protests.Hadi Dehghani, the editor of the weekly Saghi, was attacked by thugs on the street. Peymant Pakmeher, a freelance journalist and editor of the Tabriz News website, has been threatened several times. The authorities also blocked access to the site and cut its telephone.______________

Visit this site for more about RSF:
www.rsf.org

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Wednesday, May 24, 2006


Wednesday May 24,2006
News from Iran- Iran Emroozonline reporting from "Haditoonz" :

Mana Neyestani ( the cartoonist) have been arrested !

According to " Haditoonz" this morning (Tuesday morning May 23,2006) Mana Neyestani after meeting with Mr. Mortazavi the infamous Tehran public prosecutor was arrested . Mr. Neyestani had the chance to call his family and report about his situation but he didn't say how he has been arrested and how long he will be in detension ?

The arrest of Mana Neyestani was due to a cartoon he drew for the government owned " Iran Jom-e " newspaper which caused tension and demonstration among the Azari's ( the turkish language spoken minority ). Azari's are the 2nd largest minority in Iran and are living in all over Iran but their provinces are located in North- Wast of Iran bordered with Turkey and central Asian state of Azarbayjan .

It is needed to say that Mr. Mostafa Poormohammadi the interior minister also annouced the sudden arrest of Mana Neyestani . Due to this event "Iran " the official government newspaper was banned.

Four days after the publication of his cartoon ( A cockroach speaking in Azari saying the word " Namana" meaning what do you say ) , Mana Neyestani spoke to the media that his drawing was unintentional and asked for pardon from the Azari speaking minority.

Back ground:

On Friday May 19 , 2006 in the children section of "Iran-Jom-e" one of the most governmental and official organ of the Islamic Republic a cartoon by Mana Neyestani the cartoonist was publisand . the cartoon was showing a cocroach in response to a boy speaking in Azari saying the word " Namana" meaning "what do you say " which caused unrest among Azari's in a way that they boycotted the newspapr and at 4:00pm on Monday May 22 ,2006 they rallied by the thousands in the city of Tabriz and Zanjan and other Azari spoken province and city's .In response, the police forces used tear gas to disperse the crowd which caused clashes between demonstrators and police forces and destruction and damages to the properties along the way . They called this cartoon as an insult to Azari people.Four days after the publication on Monday May 21, Mr. Mana Neyestani apologized about the cartoon but because of protests and many other factors which included goverment official and parliamentarian to speak and demanded for reaction, Mana Neyestani was fired by the management of the newspaper and on Tuesday morning May 23,2006 just after meeting with Mr.Mortazavi the infamous Tehran public prosecutor ( One of the accused in Zahra Kazemi's beating to death in Evin prison ) was arrested and currently is detained.

End/

Visit this site to see the cartoon:
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3692/481/1600/Iran.jpg

http://www.haditoons.com/news.php?news_uid=1439

Link to this news in Farsi:
http://www.iran-emrooz.net/index.php?/news2/more/8544/

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin



Cartoon - By Nikahang Kowsar ( An Iranian cartoonist currently living in Canada )

Picture : Shows Mana Neyestani the cartoonist and Mr. Ghasemfar the editor.


ANOTHER CARTOONIST JAILED IN IRAN CARTOON FUROR

In another cartoon furor, the government of Iran has closed down the "Iran" newspaper and jailed its editor along with cartoonist, Mana Neyestani. The cartoon (see it here) is written in the Azeri language, the boy asks the cockroach a question and the cockroach replies "Namana" or "I don't get it."
The cartoon was "deemed an insult to Iran's Azeri minority," according to Teheran's chief prosecutor. The Azeri make up about a quarter of Iran's population; they live in Northern Iran and speak a language that is related to Turkish. The "Iran" newspaper is state run and is one of Iran's top three newspapers
Members of Iran's Azeri minority rioted in response to the cartoon, pelting government buildings and banks in Tabriz with stones. It is apparently a common practice in Iran to mock the Azeri in jokes and it seems that the Azeri have little sense of humor
Iran's conservative judiciary has closed more than 100 newspapers, but this is the first newspaper closed by Iran's "Press Supervisory Body" and is the first newspaper closed during the term of president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Thanks to Nik Kowsar for alerting me to this story about his friend, Mana Neyestani. We share Nik's concern for Neyestani who is being held in Iran's Evin Prison

Link to this news:
http://www.ilna.ir/shownews.asp?code=309484&code1=1

Link to the site of Committee to Protect Journalists(CPJ):
http://www.cpj.org/news/2006/mideast/iran23may06na.html

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin


Wednesday May 24, 2006





See on your own eyes how the leader of the striking bus drivers Mr. Mansur Osanloo was beaten by the regim's thugs ! IRAN WATCH CANADA

The regime in Tehran has been more brutal to its opponents in recent months. A video surfaced over the weekend of the leader of Iran's striking bus drivers, Mansour Osanloo, discussing and showing the results of his torture, including a gash on his chin and a hole in his tongue, at the hands of his jailors earlier this year. The torture of Mr. Osanloo was first reported by The New York Sun in March.

See the video here:
http://priceofthefreedom.blogspot.com/2006/05/masour-osanlo-after-his-torure-by_18.html

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Monday, May 22, 2006



Monday May 22, 2006
News from Iran- Iran Emroozonline reporting from ISNA :



Iranian students demand for democratic changes and their rights ! IRAN WATCH CANADA

The students of Tehran University, today Monday at noon, staged a rally in this university and protested to what they called as a systematic undemocratic and anti student changes and creation of a police state in university .

Also In Amirkabir University the students protested to what they called sabotage by the university officials in their student election .

End/
Link to this news in Farsi:
http://www.iran-emrooz.net/index.php?/news1/more/8535/

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Saturday, May 20, 2006


Saturday May 20, 2006
News from Iran - Iran Emroozonline reporting:

The Association of Writers in Iran in a statement called the people of Iran and all those who have the love of the culture in Iran to resist against the censorship and oppression !

The condition indicates that; organizations that are calling themselves the guardian of the fields of literary, art & cultural, social and individual freedom activities,in fact have prepared new plans to restrict it .
By not issuing the license for book, by dismantling the previous licenses and by not permiting for the publication of those books that have been previousely published and some of them even were printed for several times are the new face of restriction of freedom of thoughts and expression and harsher acts of censorship.
These days the parliamentary commission on culture have a plan to recall all the books that are based on their openions " have problem " . Same news can be seen in media In other fields such as Cinema, Theatre , music and .... .
The closure of internet sites , actions to restrict and close the student publications, implementation of censorship in media , attack on civil rights NGO's such as labor and student unions are other restriction to the social and individual rights.
The Association of Writers in Iran as an organization that have fought from the begining of its establishment against all kind of censorship of thought,expression and pen , calls the culture loving people of Iran to resist in any way they can against censor and oppression.
We ask all individuals and independent freedom loving organizations who are in agreement with this statement to announce their solidarity.

The Association of Writers in Iran

Up to now 763 personality and activists in Iran have supported this statement .

End/
Link to this news in Farsi:
http://www.iran-emrooz.net/index.php?/news1/more/8488/

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Friday, May 19, 2006







Friday May 19,2006
News from Iran - News update:




Public Transit Workers to the regime : Release our imprisoned leader Mansur Osanlou !

According to Gooya newsonline from "Radio Farda" the Syndicate Public Transit Workers wrote a letter to the International Federation of Transportation Workers and asked them to put pressure on the Islamic Republic for the release of their imprisoned leader Mr. Mansur Osanlou and for the return of the arrested and later released colleagues to work and to have the access to the labor benefit which was cancelled by the regime because of them joining the protesters.

This letter was signed by Mr. Behrouz Karooni

Link to this news in Farsi:
http://news.gooya.eu/politics/archives/048080.php

Visit this site for pictures. These pictures were taken on labor day protests in Iran. In these protests the workers jumped to the stage and stoped the regime labor representative to speak.

http://nikoo.akkasee.com/

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Canadian Journalists for Free _Expression Protest Letter May 18, 2006
Country: Iran

Thank you for being a member of CJFE's Protest Letter List Srv. Please feel free to use the list srv. as a means of keeping up to date on CJFE's international advocacy work, or to take action yourself.

TAKE ACTION:
Email, Fax or Mail this letter.
Please feel free to adapt this letter, or add your own personal touch.
Remember to sign or write your name after "Yours truly," otherwise it will simply read "Your Name CJFE Member"
It always helps us to know if you have taken action, so that we can keep a record of activity on any particular case.
If you receive an answer please inform CJFE
If you have any questions, please contact CJFE program manager, Julie Payne at http://us.f322.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=jpayne@cjfe.org.
Thank you!
-------------------

May 18, 2006

His Excellency, Dr. Seyed Mohammad Ali Mousavi, Ambassador
The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran
245 Metcalfe St.Ottawa, OntarioK2P 2K2 Canada

Dear Ambassador,

I am writing as a member of Canadian Journalists for Free _Expression (CJFE), a non-profit, non-governmental organization that works to promote and protect press freedom and freedom of _expression around the world.

We are very concerned at the continued detention of prominent scholar and writer Ramin Jahanbegloo. Professor Jahanbegloo is a well-known and well-respected Canadian-Iranian professor of philosophy.

Mr. Jahanbegloo was reportedly detained at the Tehran Airport on April 27; Iranian officials did not acknowledge his arrest until May 3, a day when CJFE joined with others around the world to commemorate World Press Freedom Day. It is thought that his detention is in connection with an article he wrote in which he challenged President Ahmadinejad's contention that the Holocaust had not taken place.

Mr. Jahanbegloo has received doctorates from the Sorbonne and Harvard University, and is the author of more than 20 books He was an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto from 1999-2001. He has also written extensively for newspapers and magazines in Iran an d abroad.

CJFE is greatly concerned by the detention of Ramin Jahanbegloo at Evin prison - a prison which has extremely painful associations for all Canadians who remember photojournalist Zahra Kazemi, who was killed there in 2003. CJFE calls upon the Government of Iran to release Mr. Jahanbegloo immediately and unconditionally.

I look forward to receiving your prompt reply.

Yours truly,



Your Name
CJFE Member
---------------------

Case file number: PL-0601

Peter MacKay
Minister of Foreign AffairsLester B. Pearson Building125 Sussex DriveTower A, 10th FloorOttawa, ON K1A 0G2Fax: (613) 996-3443Email: http://us.f322.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=MacKay.P@parl.gc.ca

Mr. Gordon Venner, Ambassador
Embassy of Canada to IranThe Canadian EmbassyP.O. Box 11365-4647Tehran, Iran
Fax: (011 98 21) 873-3202Email: http://us.f322.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=tehran@dfait-maeci.gc.ca

His Excellency, Dr. Mohammad Ali Mousavi, Ambassador
The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran
245 Metcalfe St.Ottawa, OntarioK2P 2K2 Canada
Fax:(613) 232-5712
Email: http://us.f322.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=iranemb@salamiran.org



Julie PayneProgram ManagerCanadian Journalists for Free _Expression555 Richmond St. W, Suite 1101Toronto ON M5V 3B1Tel: 416 515 9622 ext: 226Fax: 416 515 7879Email: http://us.f322.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=jpayne@cjfe.orgWeb: http://www.cjfe.org/

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Wednesday, May 17, 2006




Wednesday May 17,2006





A note about the location of Evin prison in Tehran !

Evin Prison

Chamran Highway

Shahid Katchuyi Street

Darakeh, Tehran

Islamic Republic of Iran

Evin Prison (زندان اوین) is a prison in Iran, located in the north of Tehran. It is notorious for its political prisoners' wing, from before the 1979 revolution and since. It was founded by SAVAK during the reign of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, on what was previously the house of Seyyed Zia'eddin Tabatabaee.The prison is located in a residential and commercial area known as Evin, next to the Saadat Abad district. There is a large park area with a popular upscale teahouse and restaurant located immediately next to it.

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Tuesday, May 16, 2006












Tuesday May 16 , 2006
News from Iran - Gooya Newsonline quoting from " Vazheh " the students publication:

Students protests , new start in all over Iran!

The students of the college of Engineering of Amir Kabir Technical University in protest to their problems and also for the reason of halt to their recreative camping, organized a protest in front of their college. It is needed to say that the students protest started when Dr. Akbari the dean of the computer college in an offensive letter directed toward the deputy of the university's student association demanded for the cancellation of the mixed recreation camping of the university students. it has been said that ; Mr. Mohtashamipoor the cultural director requested for the prevention of the mixed students recreation camping. The students protest was supported by the students from other colleges .The students are also planning to stage a freedom tribune in the coming week in protest to various students rights violation.

End/
Link to this news:
http://news.gooya.eu/politics/archives/047897.php

The same website also reported of other university's students protest:
Several students from Kurdistan University in protest to the closure of cultural centres as well as the Islamic Students Association of the university for the 2nd day staged a campus rally .

http://news.gooya.eu/politics/archives/047917.php

It is also in the news that The students of Alameh University ( The social science and communication college ) protested to the government for their poor handeling of the situation of Bam-Kerman road event which was ended with the death of several people.

http://news.gooya.eu/politics/archives/047920.php

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Monday, May 15, 2006

Monday May 15,2006
News update- Gooya Newsonline reporting from ILNA :

The Association of Syndicate Journalists of Iran :

Three publications have lost their liscences !

While condemning the actions of the press watchdog ( The government body inspecting the press) in dismanteling the liscences of several publications such as : " Honarhaye Zistan" and " Olume Tabiei" on a pretext that not following the constitution ,the Association of Syndicate Journalists of Iran asked the office of the tribunal court to look into this illegal action and to prevent this trend to go on. According to the association another publication namely " Harekat Dahandegan " also lost its liscense on the charges of publishing on front page based on the press law- article number 27.
The association added : In recent months the press watchdog with new and planned charges like disobedience of the managing director to the constitution have dismanteled the liscences of several publications.

End/
Link to this news in Farsi:
http://news.gooya.eu/politics/archives/047831.php

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Sunday, May 14, 2006



Suday May 14, 2006



IRAN WATCH CANADA reporting fromToronto -Canada



Vigil for Ramin Jahanbegloo was held in Toronto University!

Tens of Iranian and Canadian friend of Ramin Jahanbegloo today Sunday @ 4:00pm gathered in Toronto University ( OISE ) and demanded for his imediate and uncoditional release.

All the speakers spoke in support of Mr. Jahanbegloo and demanded for his release.

End/

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Saturday, May 13, 2006

Saturday May 13,2006

Vigil for the imprisoned Canadian-Iranian Scholar Ramin Jahanbegloo
The ad-hoc committee for the freedom of Ramin Jahanbegloo asks all Canadians to gather on Sunday, May 14, 2006 at 4:00pm in front of OISE, 252 Bloor St. West (right next to St. George subway station), to demand the immediate release of this Canadian-Iranian academic currently held in Iran’s Evin prison.

Iranian-Canadian academic, Ramin Jahanbegloo, was arrested on 27 April at Tehran's Mehrabad Airport. He is now believed to be held incommunicado in Evin Prison, in Tehran, where he is at risk of torture or ill-treatment.
The Canadian government is believed to be making representations on his behalf. However, Zahra Kazemi, another Canadian-Iranian national, died in custody in hospital in June 2003 allegedly as a result of torture after being detained in Evin Prison. To date, no one has been brought to justice in connection with her death.
Amnesty International, PEN Canada, and his colleagues in Canadian and European universities are extremely concerned over the arrest and detention of Ramin Jahanbegloo and demands that he be released immediately and unconditionally. Please visit the following web page for updates on his recent arrest and current situation:
http://raminj.iranianstudies.ca/

We also call on Iranian government to disclose the reasons for his arrest. We also seek assurances that Jahanbegloo not be tortured while in custody and that he receives any medical attention that may be required.
=======================================================
A short biography of Ramin JahanbeglooJahanbegloo received his PhD in philosophy from the Sorbonne in 1997, and then spent four years at the University of Toronto as lecturer and visiting
scholar. While in Toronto, he established a vibrant intellectual forum, Agora, which for many Iranian-Canadians has remained synonymous with the name of Ramin Jahanbegloo, their charismatic and passionate teacher and friend. After a year at Harvard, in 2002 he left for Iran, where he heads the Department of Contemporary Thought at the Cultural Research Bureau, in Tehran, Iran. For his complete profile, please visit the following websites: http://raminj.iranianstudies.ca/ and http://releaseraminjahanbegloo.blogspot.com/

RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible in Persian, Arabic, English or your own language, expressing concern for the safety of Ramin Jahanbegloo, who is detained incommunicado in Evin prison;
seeking assurances that he is not being tortured or ill-treated;


seeking full details of the reasons for his arrest, including any charges that may have been brought against him;
calling on the authorities to release him immediately and unconditionally if he is not to be charged with a recognizably criminal offence and given a prompt and fair trial.
WRITE TO:
The Right Honorable Stephen Harper
Prime Minister of Canada,
Office of the Prime Minister,
80 Wellington Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A2

The Hon. Peter MacKay
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Lester B. Pearson Building, Room A-10
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa ON K1A 0G2
Fax: (613) 996 3443
E-mail: peter.mackay@international.gc.ca
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic : His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei, The Office of the Supreme LeaderShoahada Street, Qom, Islamic Republic of IranEmail: info@leader.ir or istiftaa@wilayah.orgHead of the Judiciary : His Excellency
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi ShahroudiMinistry of Justice, Park-e Shahr,Tehran, Islamic Republic of IranEmail: via Judiciary website: Iranjudiciary.org/feedback_en.html Salutation: Your Excellency

President: His Excellency Mahmoud AhmadinejadThe Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of IranFax: Via Foreign Ministry: +98 21 6 674 790 (mark: "Please forward to H.E. President Ahmadinejad")Email: dr-ahmadinejad@president.irvia website: www.president.ir/email THANK YOU FOR RESPONDING QUICKLY.

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Saturday May 13,2006

To learn more about the situation of Iranian women , here is a website that you can visit at :

http://irwomen.com/news_en.php

End/

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Friday, May 12, 2006



Friday May 12,2006
News from Iran - Tabriz Newsonline:





Sahand Polytechnic University of Tabriz students in their 4th day of protest and hunger strike !
16 students protesters are transfered to the hospital !

16 students of Sahand Polytechnic University of Tabriz for the reason of physical condition are transfered to the hospital.
15 boy and one girle students today Friday May 12 , 2006 are transfere to the hospital . These students were transfered to the hospital by the students car because the university has only one ambulance available.
During last night the number of students gathered for protest reached to 500 of them. There are 6 students can be seen among the student protesters who have serum in their arms.
The students who are on indefinite hunger strike have armlet with slogan which reads : " Unite, Victory , Support ". .....................
The students have said that; The whole responsibility of this hunger strike is with " Dr. Chenaghloo " the president of the university.
Because of no respose to the students demands the indefinite student protest with hunger strike will continue !

For more picture visit this link:
http://www.tabriznews.com/galleries/sahand_tahason_3/index.htm

http://www.tabriznews.com/galleries/sahand_tahason2/index.htm

http://www.tabriznews.com/galleries/sahand_tahason_3b/index.htm

http://www.tabriznews.com/galleries/sahand_tahason_4b/index.htm

Link to this news in Farsi:
http://www.tabriznews.com/news/n3168.htm

--------------------------------------


News from Iran - Tabriz Newsonline reporting:
Protest gathering of hundreds students of Sahand Polytechnic University of Tabriz !
Students gathered and protested against the presence of a pseudo-military organization and to demand solution for their student union problems.
Link to this news in Farsi:
http://www.tabriznews.com/news/n3154.htm

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
News from Iran - Tabriz Newsonline reporting:

Students protesters of Sahand University in the city of Tabriz Started their indefinite protest!
The restricting actions against students and also for not paying attention to their demands in Sahand University caused wide protest and brought the support of other university students organization.
The disciplinary committee of Sharif Polytechnic University issued a two term suspension from education for Mr. Mostafa Navidi and Mr. Mehdi Grayloo was also banned from entering to the university. Many students of Sahand Polytechnic University of Tabriz invited Sahand University Students to start their indefinite protest from today.
Mr. Payman Pakmehr the reporter of Tabriz News in an interview with Radio Farda said : In students gathering , the participants demanded for the resignition of the student affair manager , to stop dividing girls/boys in educational matters and complete solution to the girls dormitory problems.

Link to this news in Farsi :
http://www.tabriznews.com/news/n3153.htm

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Friday May 12, 2006

The following website is the site of:

Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan.

Visit this site for more news from Kurdistan :
http://www.rmmk.org/index.php?newlang=english

End/

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin


Amnesty International
Urgent Action: ua 129

Iran - 17-year-old boy facing imminent execution
PUBLIC AI Index: MDE 13/049/2006 10 May 2006
UA 129/06 Death penalty/imminent execution IRAN Ne'mat (m), aged 17

A 17-year-old boy, known only as Ne'mat, is facing imminent execution. The Supreme Court has rejected his appeal, so he could be executed at any time. The Head of the Judiciary has the power to order a stay of execution and a review of the case. Iran is a state party to international treaties that expressly prohibit the death penalty for crimes committed by those under the age of 18. According to the Persian-language daily newspaper E'temad, Ne'mat was arrested for the January 2003 murder of his sister Zohra's husband, Haydar Ali. Ne'mat initially denied the accusation, but reportedly confessed after lengthy interrogation. He said that his sister had argued with her husband, and so he had gone to the husband's workplace, together with his brother Habib, to try to resolve the argument. A fight had ensued, during which Ne'mat had stabbed the husband in the chest with a knife. Ne'mat was tried in Branch 106 of the Criminal Court in Esfahan, and sentenced to qesas (retribution in kind). His brother Habib was tried with him, and sentenced to three years' imprisonment. It is not known where they are held. Ne'mat and Habib are not believed to have had access to adequate legal representation following their arrests and during their trial.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION As a state party to the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Iran has undertaken not to execute anyone for an offence committed when they were under the age of 18.Despite this, since 1990 Iran has executed at least 18 people for crimes committed when they were children. In January 2005 the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child urged Iran to suspend the practice immediately. Nevertheless at least eight child offenders were executed that year, including two who were still under 18 at the time of their execution. Children are still being sentenced to death in Iran, although none are known to have been executed so far this year. On 3 January, 18-year-old Nazanin was sentenced to death for murder by a criminal court, after she reportedly admitted stabbing to death one of three men who attempted to rape her and her 16-year-old niece in a park in Karaj in March 2005. She was 17 at the time. (See Iran: Amnesty International calls for end to death penalty for child offenders, MDE 13/005/2006, 16 January 2006). At the beginning of January the Supreme Court rejected the appeal of 19-year-old Delara Darabi, who had been sentenced to death by a court in the city of Rasht for a murder committed when she was 17 years old. (see UA 04/06, MDE 13/001/2006, 6 January 2006). In March 18-year-old Mehdi was reportedly sentenced to death for killing a man in Robat Karim, Tehran Province about two years previously, when he was aged either 16 or 17. His brother was imprisoned for his involvement in the killing. A man known only as Mohammad was sentenced to death by Branch 71 of Tehran's Criminal Court, for a murder reportedly committed when he was 16. He had originally been sentenced by a Children's Court to five years' imprisonment and the payment of blood money. However, two years later, when he reached the age of 18, the Supreme Court announced that he had reached the age of majority and could now be tried in a criminal court, which sentenced him to death. When the sentence came before it for approval in April 2006, the Supreme Court rejected it on the basis that the crime was committed when he was under the age of 18. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Persian, Arabic, English or your own language: - expressing concern that a 17-year-old boy known only as Ne'mat is facing execution; - urging the authorities to commute his death sentence immediately; - reminding the authorities that they are a state party to the ICCPR, which states that "sentence of death shall not be imposed for crimes committed by persons below eighteen years of age"; - asking for details of Ne'mat's trial and any appeals; - pointing out that the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child called on Iran in January 2005 to "immediately suspend the execution of all death penalties imposed on persons for having committed a crime before the age of 18, and to abolish the death penalty as a sentence imposed on persons for having committed crimes before the age of 18, as required by article 37 of the Convention"; - acknowledging that governments have a responsibility to bring to justice those suspected of criminal offences such as murder, but stating your unconditional opposition to the death penalty, as the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and violation of the right to life.

APPEALS TO: Head of the Judiciary His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi Ministry of Justice, Park-e Shahr, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran Fax: (Via Ministry of Justice) + 98 21 3 311 6567 (Mark: "Please forward to HE Ayatollah Shahroudi") Salutation: Your Excellency Leader of the Islamic Republic His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Khamenei The Office of the Supreme Leader, Shoahada Street, Qom, Islamic Republic of Iran Fax: + 98 251 774 2228 (mark "FAO the Office of His Excellency, Ayatollah al Udhma Khamenei") Email: info@leader.ir istiftaa@wilayah.org Salutation: Your Excellency COPIES TO: President His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad The Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran Fax: Via Foreign Ministry: +98 21 6 674 790 (mark: "Please forward to H.E. President Ahmadinejad") Email: dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir via website: http://www.iran-emrooz.net/index.php?URL=http://www.president.ir/email and to diplomatic representatives of Iran accredited to your country. PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 21 June 2006

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin


Friday May 12,2006
News update: Gooya newsonline reporting from Iran:


Two weeks have past since the arrest of Ramin Jahanbegloo !

Ramin Jahanbegloo the thinker of our country, was arrested in Tehran's Mehrabad Airport on April 28 and was transfered to Evin prison. His arrest was kept secret by the official authorities until May 3rd. After three days when the news was published in the foreign media , the deputy of Tehran's public prosecutor Mr. Mahmoud Salarkia, confirmed the arrest of Mr. Ramin Jahanbegloo without making clear that what was he charged with.Then two days later Mr. Mohseni Ezheie the minister of information confirmed the arrest of Mr. Jahanbegloo by the judiciary authorities and announced :" Jahanbegloo is charged with communicating to foreigners " . Now , two weeks after the arrest of Jahanbegloo , once more his situation in Evin prison is not clear and the silence worries everyone. Unfortunately except the international organizations defending the human rights , no voices of support for Jahanbegloo have been heard by the Iranian political parties, organizations in and outside of Iran. It is in this situation which makes the organizations of human rights defenders to worry more about the situation of Mr. Ramin Jahanbegloo.

End/
Link to this news in Farsi:
http://news.gooya.eu/

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Thursday, May 11, 2006


From the French daily Le Monde…


Quick translation:

Since Friday, May 3, Iranian philosopher and political theorist Ramin Jahanbegloo, who was arrested nine days earlier in Tehran, has been authorized to have daily telephone contact with his family from Evin prison, it was learned on May 9 from his friends. Jahanbegloo, who also hold Canadian citizenship, claimed that he was well and had not been mistreated, according to the same sources. Nevertheless, he indicated having suffered low blood pressure that necessitated his being taken to a medical clinic in the prison. One must still be careful concerning the truthfulness of these declarations, as it is not known in what kind of conditions Jahanbegloo finds himself – where his family has yet to be allowed to visit him in person.

Mobilisation internationale pour la libération de M. Jahanbegloo (extrait de Factiva)
(Mouna Naïm, Le Monde, France, 2006-05-11, Presse écrite)
Depuis le vendredi 5 mai, le philosophe et politologue iranien Ramin Jahanbegloo, arrêté neuf jours plus tôt à Téhéran, est autorisé à entrer en contact téléphonique quotidien avec sa famille depuis la prison centrale d'Evin, dans la capitale iranienne, a-t-on appris, mardi 9 mai, auprès de ses amis. M. Jahanbegloo, qui est détenteur également de la nationalité canadienne, a affirmé qu'il se portait bien et qu'il n'avait pas été maltraité, selon les mêmes sources. Il a néanmoins indiqué avoir souffert d'une chute de tension qui a nécessité des soins à l'infirmerie de la prison. La prudence s'impose néanmoins concernant la sincérité de ces déclarations dans la mesure où l'on ignore dans quelles conditions il les fait de l'intérieur de la prison, où sa famille n'a pas encore été autorisée à lui rendre visite. Les autorités consulaires canadiennes non plus…

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Wednesday, May 10, 2006


Wednesday May 10,2006
News in brief :IRAN WATCH CANADA



No place for Islamic Republic of Iran in the newly established UN Human Rights Council !

Reports from Associated Press indicates that, 47 countries have been elected as member of the UN Human Rights Council. Currently UN has 191 members and out of this 47 countries have got the chance to run the UNHRC .
From Asia 13 countries have been elected and Islamic Republic of Iran with its wide range of violation on human rights did not get the chance to become the member.
This means more isolation for Islamic Republic of Iran in the international stage. If Islamic Republic of Iran wants to be present in the international bodies such as the UNHRC , she must first show a good faith on human rights in her own house . A quick look to the present human rights situation gives a big " F" grade to Islamic Republic of Iran. Becoming a member of UNHRC requires first of all government quality on human rights.Islamic Republic of Iran is very much ignorant towards human rights, citizen's rights and respect for rights. Regime like Saudi Arabia , Iran and ......any other violator must not even think of puting their names as candidate. UNHRC must choose a more fine sieve in electing its members .Despite of all this is a positive step towards that goal.

End/
Link to this news in Farsi:
http://www.iran-emrooz.net/index.php?/news1/more/8345/

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Mori Jon,

Can u please put Ramin's link on your blog, I am assuming your blog has a lot of Canadian readers and this will help his case with those that are following his case.
http://raminj.iranianstudies.ca/

Thanks and see you next Thursday at 6:00 for TStar interview.

Maryam

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Canadian City TV on Jahanbeglou:

Canadian scholar in Iranian jail, accused of spyingCTV News and Current Affairs Mon 08 May 2006 Time: 07:12:55 ET Network: CTV
MICHAEL IGNATIEFF (Liberal MP): This is an important case that all Canadians should watch with great concern. He is a scholar, he's a teacher, he's an activist. I urge the Iranian authorities to release him as soon as possible.
[Taped segment ends]

O'REGAN: Liberal member of Parliament Michael Ignatieff is calling on the Iranian government to release his friend Ramin Jahanbegloo. Jahanbegloo was detained about two weeks ago in Iran on what authorities there are calling espionage charges. The prominent scholar, who holds both Canadian and Iranian citizenships, is said to be imprisoned in Iran's infamous Evin prison, the same jail where Montreal photojournalist Zahra Kazemi was held in 2003, then later tortured and killed. Our next guest survived a horrible stay there as well. Reza Baraheni joins us right now. The former president of PEN Canada, which I should mention as well, which defends freedom of expression around the world.
Thank you very much for joining us. It's an honour.
BARAHENI: Thank you very much for asking me to come.
O'REGAN: What are you hearing about his situation right now?
BARAHENI: He was arrested on the 27th of April. And he has been held in the Evin prison. It is the most horrendous prison, one of the most horrendous prisons, in the world.
O'REGAN: How bad is it?
BARAHENI: First of all, you do not see the inside sometimes because you are always blindfolded. And wherever you go you're blindfolded. And sometimes the interrogations are also taking place, you know, --
O'REGAN: Within earshot.
BARAHENI: Yes.
O'REGAN: As are the executions?
BARAHENI: As the executions. When I was there -- this was in 1981-82 -- sometimes we could hear, you know, shootings taking place at night. Particularly the last minute that we would, you know, sit down and count. And it had a tremendous, you know, I mean a horrible effect on the minds of most of the people who were in the prison. But I think we have to do everything we can. And I'm glad that some of the organizations have started. PEN Canada has started to do something about it. And Amnesty International and other organizations. These are very good things. He has got to be reintroduced to the world. He has done a great deal of work. By training he is a philosopher. But at the same time he's done a great deal on political philosophy and political thinking. As a young man, as a young professor and teacher, he's been very influential writing most of the time, and simplifying modernity for the Iranians, to a certain degree, acting more or less like a bridge between the West and East. And at the same time, thinking very deeply about what has been happening among the intellectuals, whether Islamic intellectuals or the secular intellectuals --
O'REGAN: He's been held under espionage charges.
BARAHENI: Yes.
O'REGAN: You've been there, you've been in this prison, you've heard dubious charges like this being levelled against journalists or academics around the world. How angry should we be?
BARAHENI: I think that any person who's been highly educated in the West and is also talking about Western ideas and would like to see some kind of democratization in the country, generally they are prone to be labelled as spies. And I don't think that there would be any evidence that Ramin Jahanbegloo would be a spy. I'm quite sure of that. And I think there are also very bad signs of some times because the minister of the Iranian information -- that is, intelligence -- is actually the person who was involved in the serial killings of the Iranian intellectuals in 1998.
O'REGAN: Really.
BARAHENI: And he was the person who actually announced that we are holding him and he is now with us. So, the government has announced it. And it's important to know that.
O'REGAN: Indeed. And we thank you for giving us insight into the man and insight into the horrific conditions that you endured and he's enduring. Thank you very much.
BARAHENI: Thank you so much.

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Monday, May 08, 2006

Monday May 8,2006

News update-

Students from several university's in Tehran have prepared a blog for Mr. Ramin Jahanbeglou.
This site is in Farsi and the title reads : For the freedom of Ramin Jahanbeglou. IRAN WATCH CANADA will follow the site and will try its best to translate any news about him.

Here is the site:
http://anti-prisoner.blogspot.com/

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Sunday, May 07, 2006


Sunday May 7,2006



You think , therefore
you are an spy !
(Translated by IWC)

Cartoon by : Nikahang Kowsar
on the arrest of Ramin Jahanbeglou
http://nikahang.blogspot.com/

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Friday, May 05, 2006


Friday May 5,2006

RSF ( Reporters Without Borders) has reported on Ramin Jahanbeglou's situation:

IRAN
Leading intellectual and journalist arrested as he is about to board a flight
Reporters Without Borders voiced outrage today at the imprisonment of pro-reform intellectual and journalist Ramin Jahanbeglou, who was arrested at Tehran airport on 28 April after criticising the Iranian government in a series of interviews for Canadian, Spanish and French newspapers in recent weeks. He was transferred yesterday to Evin prison."We call for the immediate release of Jahanbeglou, who is being held illegally," the press freedom organisation said. "We fear that the Iranian authorities, after closing down around 20 newspapers and issuing summonses to dozens of journalists since the start of the year, is now planning a wave of arrests of journalists."Jahanbeglou was detained as he was about to catch a flight to attend an international conference on Iran. His arrest was kept secret until 3 May. It was only after reports were posted on websites and broadcast on foreign radio stations that Tehran deputy prosecutor Mahmoud Salarkia confirmed that Jahanbeglou was being held, without explaining why.The 27 April issue of the French daily Le Monde carried comments by Jahanbeglou criticising the policies of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his government.
Jahanbeglou, who has a PhD from the Sorbonne University in Paris, heads the "Modern Thought" group at the Centre for Iranian Cultural Research in Iran. He used to contribute to several pro-reform newspapers such as Gardonn and Kian that were closed by the authorities, and he has written many books on democracy, secularism and non-violence.He is also a contributor to several foreign news media including the BBC and the French magazines Esprit and Etudes et Projets.Iran is the Middle East's biggest prison for journalists and bloggers, with a total of six persons currently held. President Ahmadinejad and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are both on the Reporters Without Borders list of press freedom predators.

Visit the site of RSF :
www.rsf.org

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Thursday, May 04, 2006


Thursday May 4,2006
News update: IRAN WATCH CANADA reports:

According to Roozonline , Mr. Ramin Jahanbeglu the associate professor of philosophy in Toronto University is the new prey of the Islamic Republic's Ministry of Information !

Dr. Ramin Jahanbeglu is the new prey of the Ministry of Information!

In the news we read: " In the 5th day of the arrest of Dr. Ramin Jahanbeglu the writer and researcher, an unofficial news from a news agency close to the right wing made the intellectuals of the country worry that the group that were active before the reformist government may become active again when the new government took office , and they may put the " One by one removal " and " Intimidation" once again in their agenda ......." .
The same news source has written that :
" Fars " news agency on the 4th day of his arrest while approving his arrest and his imprisonment in Evin prison wrote from an official source who is aware of the situation that he is charged with conspirecy" .

End/
Please visit this site for the news in Farsi :
http://r0ozonline.com/01newsstory/015414.shtml

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin


Thursday May 4/2006

IRAN WATCH CANADA reports from Roozonline:

Picture of Mr. Saeid Mortazavi.

Mortazavi must go on trial!

In the International Press Freedom Day ( May 3rd ) in Iran , there have been talks that Mr. Saeid Mortazavi, Tehran's public prosecutor and one of the suspect in killing the Canadian-Iranian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi , he is also known as the judge of press court( 1410) , must go on trial.

End/
Visit this site for this news in Farsi:
http://r0ozonline.com/01newsstory/015417.shtml

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Wednesday, May 03, 2006



Wednesday may 4/2006











Look at the pictures from Press Freedom Day's celebration in Iran (May the 3rd)

Please visit this site for more pictures:
http://news.gooya.eu/politics/archives/047406.php

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin


Tuesday May 3,2006
News update- Iran-Emroozonline reporting from ILNA :

In celebrating the International Press Freedom Day ( May 3rd) in Tehran :
Five outstanding journalists of the country have been awarded !

In a special celebration for the International Press Freedom Day five journalists of the country namely Mr. Akbar Ganji, Mr. Mohammad Bluri , Mr. Masud Behnud , Ms. Leila Rastgar and Mr. Amid Naeini were awarded .

In an interview with ILNA , Mr. Mohammad Bluri one of the experienced journalist have said : Unfortunately in Iran's media , still we haven't find ways to compete with the large media in the world .He also said that :The reason why the newspapers publication is low is because the managers of the newspapers without having any information about journalism have intered into this field.He added again that : It isn't journalism for the managers that they are looking but instead they are using it to protect their position or to gain into higher position.
Ms. Leila Rastgar Have said : Journalist is a watchdog , but if a journalist doesn't have job security for himself , he can't protect the security of others and act as a watchdog.
She said : Journalism in Iran does not have social security, job security, income security and doesn't have any rights and these journalists are not journalists any more .
Akbar Ganji in this celebration said : The golden pen should be given to Mr. Hajarian and not me !
While criticizing the situation of Iran's newspapers said : I have heared many time that people are saying ; we have crossed from political and party journalism to professional journalism, as if the newspapers that have been closed were all political and warring newspapers and the present newspapers are the professional newspapers. It is been said that the work of intellectuals are to discover the truth and look at things critically. It is been said that there should be a division of works meaning the political activist will do his job and journalist do his, but in the history there was nothing like this and in Iran too .He said journalism is what journalists did all over the world during the course of history .
He said : Journalists are the people who does look critically into the power and are created to inform people meaning to bring those information that the people do not know.
He said : Journalists in undemocratic societies must show the angles of hidden politics to people.The history of journalism is the history of struggle and journalists around the world always have fought for democracy and human rights. The freedom won't be achieved without struggle.
He said : But i have to say that if we challenge the power they will bann the newspapers , so we must not say that; by paying all the price in order to be a professional journalist or being independent does'nt worth.
He added: Unfortunately today our journalists are speaking with the language of " Hafez " they write with ambiguity so what they say has thousands of meaning .
Ganji said : In a democratic society when early in the morning someone knocks our door we are sure someone have brought milk for us but in an undemocratic societies it is not known that they have brought milk or an agent have come to take us away.
He said : Today the media in Iran are crossing the most difficult part of their history but "rights are to be taken not to be given " and we have no other choice than critically look into the power.
Ganji also said : In a country where the state does not recognize the area of privacy and there are no civil society therefore everything becomes political .

End/
Link to this news in Farsi :
http://www.iran-emrooz.net/index.php?/news/more/8236/

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Tuesday, May 02, 2006



Tuesday May 2,2006
News in brief-Gooya News online reporting from ILNA :

Canadian -Iranian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi's court case and a biased, politicaly inclined Islamic judiciary system ! (IRAN WATCH CANADA)

The lawyer for the family of Zahra Kazemi have criticized Iran's public prosecutor for expressing his views on the case of Zahra Kazemi prior to the review of the case by the recognition body of the superior court which is going to take place in early September of this year. Mr. Seifzadeh who has been acting as the lawyer for the family of Zahra Kazemi the Canadian -Iranian photojournalist have said : This is against the law that Iran's public prosecutor expressing his opinion before the decission made by the judges of recognition body , because this might instil doubts into ones mind of giving direction to superior courts independent judges.
Mohammad Seifzadeh in a contact with ILNA's reporter on a reaction with Iran's public prosecutor who have previousely said that ; The death of Zahra Kazemi the Canadian- Iranian photojournalist was not a premeditated murder said: The issue of this file based on the section B of Article 206 of the Islamic punishment law is a premeditated murder and the appeal court also has approved this and it has also rejected the primary court case based on the issue of article 255 of Islamic punishment law.

End/
Link to this news in Farsi:
http://news.gooya.eu/politics/archives/047378.php

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin


Tuesday May 2,2006

Iranian women and discrimination!
This picture shows their recent protest around the soccer stadium calling for freedom.

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin

Press freedom and poverty , What it means to me as an Iranian?
On the occasion of May 3rd the International Press Freedom Day


By :Morteza Abdolalian

Press freedom means alot to me, to my country and to the Middle East. Why? Because for hundreds of years press freedom was and still is abandoned tritory ,a mine field , no one was and is allowed to explore and express freely .why the secular autocratic regime of shah and the current theocratic regime of Islamic Republic both deprived and depriving the people from press freedom? Why they keep press freedom in chain ? There are very clear reason for that which needs to explore . But aside from this exploration which i intend to write here a bit , i also want to say that according to RSF: "Iran is the biggest jail for journalists" ,again why?

Iran is a country with a population of 68 million people, half of Irans population are women , more than two out of five in population of Iran are under the age of 14 years. In another survey it has been said that; 28 million Iranian are under the age of 18 years.

According to the " American Institute on Information for Energy" ; Iran's oil revenue only for the year 2006 will surpass from 50 billion dollar, and non-oil revenue for the year 2005 was 15 billion dollar . According to Mr. Ahmadinejad the president : " We have 2 million unemployed in the country" . However Dr. Gharaie Moghadam the sociologist and professor of the university announced it differently :" In Iran we have 4 million unemployed (16%) " , 11 million drug addict,300 thousands street women ,8000 street children( under 18 years of age), 50% of the population are living under poverty line, Less than 2% of the population are holding the huge wealth ( inside and outside the country ) in their hands.

These facts are reported in the Iranian print or online media which i gathered gradually in recent months . These are just a few which will show the real image of the Islamic Republic, the protectionist regime that now , in order to stop the growing cry for freedom among Iranian, is diverting the world attention and Iranian ordinary people to the issue of nuclear energy . This has been the policy of the regime in all these 27 years . In order to supress the popular movement of the peoples demand for reform ,democracy and human rights, they have to creat the magic smoke in front of the eyes of both the world public and the Iranian ordinary people particularly on the latter to inject nationalist sentiments in their blood and therefore to achieve their support which is weakend because of years of oppression .At the same time they have already planned and programmed the suppression and it is gradually taking place in my country now.

The movement for reform, democracy and human rights includs independent journalist, independent media, writers ( members of the Association of writers in Iran) , Human rights advocates , students movement , women organizations, political and social activists , labours and teachers union ......... .During the eight years of reformist government of Khatami, this movements flame has been increased and now it is too late to put it off with a cup of water . The regime needs to get rid of thousands in order to stop this trends. I believe a corrupted System and regime always have fear of brave investigative journalists , thats why these type of regimes which are in abundance, particularly in Middle East, won't tolerate investigative journalists . So what we need from now on is; brave investigative journalists and human rights advocates to expose the real face of these regime and Middle East . This struggle eventually will flourish.

And in front line of all these are the independent journalists, independent media ,cartoonists , photo-journalists, bloggers , writers and human rights advocates.


End/
IRAN WATCH CANADA
www.moriab.blogspot.com

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin


Tuesday May 2,2006
News in brief - Iran-Emroozonline reporting from Radio Germany(DW) -Ms. Keivandokht Ghahari :

Dr. Ramin Jahanbeglu the associate professor of philosophy in Toronto University have been arrested in Iran !

On Monday May the first , 2006 this news was released that on International Labour Day Dr. Ramin Jahanbeglu a well know personality have been arrested and it is a few days that he is in detention.His friends who have been in touch with his family have confirmed this news. In this regard , Mr. Eisa Saharkheiz the journalist from Tehran have told to the Radio Germany that : What i know is that i checked with his friends who are in touch with his family and they said the way his family have responded to the question indicate that he has been arrested .In the meantime the an internet side of Canadian Television also reported that he has been arrested .
Mr. Ramin Jahanbeglu is a writer and the head of a group called the "contemporary thought" . Dr. Jahanbeglu has a doctorate degree in philosophy from Paris based Sorbon University and he also has an associate degree in Middle Eastern study from Harvard University.

In recent years he was working as a researcher in the French Association of Iranian studies in Tehran. He was also an associate professor of philosophy in Toronto University.

End/
IRAN WATCH CANADA
Link to this news in Farsi:
http://www.iran-emrooz.net/index.php?/news1/more/8199/

Send Me A Message | | | | Balatarin