News in brief-
http://asre-nou.net/- Wednesday Oct. 31/2007

Student movement in Iran is alive and strong !

In a gathering at" Alameh" University more than 20 students have been arrested but released later . Three students are still in prison.
According to Amirkabir newsletter more than 1000 students of Alameh University in protest to the recent arrest of students staged a gathering on Tuesday October 30th in the main university campus and announced that they won't attend in their classes and will continue their protest until the detained students are released.
The students were chanting the following slogans:
" Pinochet , Pinochet , Iran won't become like Chili " , "Expelled students , we will continue to support you", "Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is the factor for discrimination and corruption" , " Death to dictator" and ......
As a result of these protest many students have been arrested but released later but three students are still in prison. They are : Mr. Behnam Sepehrmand, Mr. Maziar Samiei and Mr. Arman Sedaghati

Iran jails labor leader for five years: report
TEHRAN (Reuters) - An Iranian court has sentenced a dissident labor leader to five years in jail, a judiciary official was quoted as saying on Wednesday.
Mansoor Osanloo, who runs a union grouping bus drivers, was detained in July for "distributing statements against the system".
Western rights groups say Iran has launched a crackdown on dissenting voices, although Tehran denies this.
"This verdict is certain and he is currently serving his jail sentence," Hassan Haddad, deputy prosecutor in Tehran, was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency, without giving details of the charges.
Iran's judiciary says Osanloo's union is an illegal organization. Osanloo has been in jail before.
Haddad was quoted as saying about the case in August: "I told Osanloo 'your behavior creates problems for the country's security' ... Because he has traveled abroad he thinks he can do whatever he wants."
Rights groups and Western governments say Iran this year has launched a fresh crackdown on dissent in the Islamic Republic, with the authorities targeting women's rights activists, students, journalists and labor figures.
It coincides with an escalating standoff between Iran and Western powers over Tehran's disputed nuclear program which it says is aimed at generating electricity but which the United States suspects is for building bombs.
The European Union last week said it was "deeply concerned at the growing repression against all groups which exercise their right to freely express their opinions ... in the Islamic Republic."
Iran rejects accusations it is violating human rights and the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says it supports free speech and welcomes constructive opposition.
The president came to power in 2005 pledging to share out Iran's oil riches more fairly. But critics say his spending policies have fuelled double-digit inflation and his fiery speeches provoked the United Nations to introduce sanctions.

Aijaz Ahmad on the Russian-Iranian handshake
Bush, Putin and Iran: Who's isolating who? view


Bush, Putin and WW III?
Aijaz Ahmad on the Russian-Iranian handshake
(2 of 3) (more) view


Bush, Putin and Iran: Who's isolating whom?
Aijaz Ahmad on the Russian-Iranian handshake
(3 of 3) (more) view

News in brief-
www.gooya.com- Monday Oct. 29/2007

Eight girl student of "Polytechnic" are summoned to university's disciplinary committee!
According to Amirkabir newsletter, Mr. Farahani the cultural representative of regime to the university have attended several time at girls dormitory and investigated them for not being in their dorm at night and for their relationship with other students.He also threatened students to desciplinary committee if being absent from their dorm.
Last week, girl students gathered at their dorm to protest against this policy, which then ended to a question and answere with Mr. Farahani the regime's cultural representative to the university.
It was after this meeting that the eight girl students were summoned to the disciplinary committee.

Link to the news:
http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2007/10/064400.php

Part of this article has been published in Washington Post.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2007/10/25/AR2007102502216.html?sub=new
Dollar Democracy
Akbar Ganji-
Iran and the West need to have friendly and peaceful relations. But, at present, everyone is more than ever faced with the threat of war. In order to prevent war, there are things that need to be done. Peace is a product of democracy. Despotic states are furtive and untrustworthy. The Iranian people want to have a secular, democratic state that is committed to freedom and human rights. If Iran had a democratic state, the West would no longer need to fear the Iranian government. Iran’s current fundamentalist state is a dangerous state; but it is dangerous for its own people, not for the US. We need freedom, democracy and peace; not war conditions and the constant dreading of a barrage of destructive US missiles. The seeds of democracy need fertile soil in order to grow. Iraq, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, etc. are fertile soil for fundamentalism. If free and fair elections were held in these countries now, fundamentalists would emerge victorious. Iran is the only country in the Middle East in which modern, democratic forces would win any free and fair elections. Transition to democracy through peaceful struggle is our current concern. But our problem is not just the fact that the Iranian regime suppresses civil society on the pretext of war, it is also the fact that the regime describes all its opponents as US stooges and mercenaries.Democratic Iranian forces’ opposition to the 75m-dollar US fund has generated a great deal of misunderstanding. So, we need to make it clear what we oppose and what we favour.1. Any government’s foreign policy is directed at fulfilling and safeguarding the country’s national interests. Any government provides financial aid to others based on its own interests. And those who receive this kind of aid naturally have to align themselves with the donor’s policies. The affiliation to the Iranian government of Lebanon’s Hezbollah, the Iraqi Islamic Supreme Council, and some Afghan groups is because they receive financial assistance and weapons from Iran. The US Administration also provides assistance of this kind to various countries and groups. The Iranian people do not want their democratic movement to be dependent on and affiliated to any foreign government.The US Administration’s foreign policy in Asia and Africa is (not unusually) dictated by US political and economic interests, not by concern for spreading democracy. Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and many other countries that have friendly ties with the US Administration are major violators of human rights and have despotic regimes. But the US Administration does not attach much importance to the violation of human rights in these countries and does not allocate budgets to make them democratic. The people of the Middle East see US foreign policy as biased support for the Israeli government, not as an effort to spread democracy.2. In view of the fact that many Iranian politicians in the last two centuries were steered by and in the pay of foreign embassies, the general disposition of Iranian intellectuals and opposition activists is anti-foreigner. When an Iranian receives money from a foreign government, he/she is shunned by the people and becomes ineffective. In Iran, anyone who accepts money from a foreign government is dubbed “a mercenary”. If the US Administration is striving to give official recognition to democratic Iranians, it should be aware that any Iranian who asks the US for money or takes money from it will not be “recognized” as a democrat by Iranians.3. The Iranian regime uses the 75m-dollar US fund as an excuse to accuse all its opponents of drawing on this fund. Although this is a big lie, this ploy has proved to be a relatively effective way of poisoning the public’s mind against the regime’s opponents. One of the reasons for the current regime’s staying power is Iranians’ opposition to and fear of foreigners.4. What if the US were to allocate a 1bn-dollar fund to spread democracy in Iran? Would it be possible to create a democratic state in another country (Iran) with this sum? The people who think that they can make democracies with dollars should submit a bill for the allocation of funds for transforming all despotic regimes into democracies. If dollars could create democracies, why did the US Administration send so many troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, and squander more than 500bn dollars?5. Iran’s democratic movement and civil institutions do need financial resources. But these resources must come from Iranian sources. If Iranians themselves do nothing to make the transition to democracy, democracy cannot be presented to them like a gift. Expatriate Iranians have worked hard and have made a big fortunate (amounting to some 600bn to 800bn dollars). They can help their country’s democratic movement and assist the transition to democracy by establishing a truly national medium (TV).6. Democracy has epistemic and social prerequisites. If these prerequisites exist, then, it is the turn of brave, freedom-loving individuals to make the transition to democracy possible through their struggles. Many of social prerequisites of democracy do exist in Iran now. But dollars cannot produce the brave, combative individuals who are prepared to pay the price of struggling for democracy.7. What has the 75m-dollar fund been spent on? On Radio Farda, VOA TV and US State Department activities. It makes no difference to us how much is allocated to these recipients. But even if one single dollar of this fund has been given to an Iranian group, why is this not publicized openly? In view of these facts, why do you describe this fund as a fund for supporting democracy in Iran? Why not call it a fund for Radio Farda, VOA TV and the State Department? This would also help dispel the idea that these media’s purpose is to overthrow the Iranian regime. At the same time, does Congress feel no need to make a clear assessment of whether or not this fund has assisted the progress of democracy in Iran so far?This is our request: In order to do away with any misunderstanding, approve a bill that totally bans the payment of any funds to Iranian opposition groups/individuals. The Iranian people’s democratic movement does not need handouts from foreign governments; it needs the moral support of the international community and condemnation, by the world, of the Iranian regime for its extensive and systematic violation of human rights. The United Nations’ ineffective Human Rights Council must also be made effective.So, what do we favour? The Iranian regime has closed down all independent media and is preventing the people from hearing any democratic voices. The Iranian government is using modern technology, which it has purchased from Western companies, to block many websites and to make it almost impossible for Iranians to use the Internet. The West has made profit at the Iranian people’s expense by selling this technology to the Iranian government. The Iranian regime’s extensive censorship and media hegemony has to be ruptured. If the Iranian people can learn about events via a 24-hour TV and have effective access to the Internet; and if they can hear and read open criticism of the regime’s policies and learn about alternative models of government, the regime will be forced to abandon its security-censorship apparatus. Giving funds to the opposition is one thing; allowing Iranians to have access to foreign media and accurate information is another thing altogether.

News in brief-
Iran- Emrooz, Thursday Oct. 25,2007

One more name to the list of the people banned leaving Iran !
According to Iran-Emrooz Mr.Dawood Hermidas Bavand professor of Tehran universities who was on his way to a scientific conference in Qatar ,was banned from leaving Iran.
Mr. Bavand approved the report and added:"I was leaving Iran on Wednesday night With an Invitation from Dawhah University to participate in a conference on Middle East issue when a couple of agents confiscated my passport and announced that i'm banned leaving Iran.The agents didn't give any explanation but only gave me the phone number of the court of revolution to follow the case."

News in brief-

Roozonline- Tuesday Oct. 25,2007
Mr. Sohrab Razaghi a human rights advocate has been arrested!
Sohrab Razaghi is the head of an organization known as " Koneshgaran". A few months ago "Koneshgaran's" office was closed by the regime .Koneshgaran was promoting human rights by organizing workshops.Koneshgaran was a volunteer society for civil rights activists.Koneshgaran like many other NGO,s was the target of Ahmadinejad's government and the Islamic system.Since it resumed the office, the government of Ahmadinejad targeted many human rights activists , human rights defenders , NGO,s, independent newspapers,journalists , writers,political and ethnic opposition, students and women human rights advocates and recently its agents have arrested Emad Baghi the head of the organization defending prisoners rights.
During the presidency of Khatami Mr. Razaghi was his political advisor and before Ahmadinejad resume his office, he was professor of political science in Alameh University. In the past for many years he was the head of the political studies desk in the Ministry of Interior.
After separation from governmental job, he resumed his work on Non Governmental job to promote civil rights .
Mr. Razaghi was arrested yesterday Wednesday Oct. 24,2007 by the judiciary officials.

Temporary reprieve for Iranian child offender
Sina Paymard remains under sentence of death
© Provided by www.stopchildexecutions.com
The execution of 18-year-old Sina Paymard, which was planned to take place on 17 July, has been postponed. Sina Paymard was sentenced to death in Iran for a crime committed when he was just 16 years old.
According to reports, Sina Paymard had been moved from Reja'i Shahr prison in Karaj to Tehran's Evin prison for his execution to be carried out on 17 July.
Sina Paymard's lawyer, human rights defender Nasrin Sotudeh, has reported that he was not executed, and his family have been given 10 days to reach a financial settlement with the victim's kin. If the money (blood money) is not raised, then Sina is likely to be executed.
Sina Paymard, a musician, was originally due to be executed in September last year for murder. On the gallows, Sina's last request was to play the ney (a Middle Eastern flute) just one more time.
The family of the victim were so moved by his playing that they granted him a last-minute reprieve. They asked for 150 million toumans (over US$160,000) as compensation instead. Sina's family have, so far, been unable to raise the full amount.
This temporary reprieve gives activists more time to campaign for Sina Paymard's life to be saved - take action to stop the execution (on Amnesty International's UK Section's website). For further information, please see:Iran: Execution of child offender imminent (Press Release, 17 July 2007)

The Death Penalty
Stop the Death Penalty: the World Decides

© WCADP
At the UN General Assembly (UNGA) 62nd session in October 2007, a resolution calling for a global moratorium on executions will be introduced as a step towards the abolition of the death penalty. This resolution is expected to be supported by countries from all regions of the world. Endorsement by the UNGA of a global moratorium on executions would be a significant milestone towards achieving the goal of a death penalty-free world. Amnesty International is mobilising support for the resolution, along with the World Coalition against the Death Penalty (WCADP) and other non-governmental organizations, at the UNGA 62nd session in New York in October. The WCADP highlighted this intitiative on the annual World Day against the Death Penalty on 10 October: the slogan this year was "Stop the Death Penalty: the World Decides". The WCADP is running a global petition, based on the 2000 UN petition launched by Community Saint Egidio and Amnesty International. That petition has gathered 5 million signatures so far. Sign the petition.Download the Amnesty International poster (PDF, 1 page, 266 KB)Download the focus sheet (PDF, 4 pages, 309 KB) For further information, please see: Open letter from Amnesty International Secretary General Irene Khan to UN member states calling for a global moratorium on executions (10 October)The death penalty v. human rights - Why Abolish the Death Penalty? (Report summary, September 2007) Global moratorium on executions now (22 August 2007)

The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. It violates the right to life. It is irrevocable and can be inflicted on the innocent. It has never been shown to deter crime more effectively than other punishments.
Amnesty International works for an end to executions and the abolition of the death penalty everywhere. Progress has been dramatic. In 1977 only 16 countries had abolished the death penalty for all crimes. Today the figure stands at 90.Amnesty International is a member of the World Coalition against the Death Penalty

News in brief-
Iranemrooz-Tuesday Oct.23,2007
Reported from Etemade- Melli newspaper

This regime and Islamic system is all at war with the developement of Iranian society and culture!
Yesterday a notice was sent to all "active book cafe" in the city of Tehran and asking them that; they have time until Wednesday Oct. 24 to vacate their places .
" Amaken" public office in the capital also sent separate notices to other book-cafe including: " Nashre Sales", "Shahre Ketabe Vanak"," Ketabe Roshan" and " Badragheh Javidan" to vacate their premises.
Book-cafe are a places next to bookstore which would bring the author of the books and the readers together for discussion about the book.
This is not the first time the regime acted in closing the book-cafe's.
While the regime is closing the independent book-cafe's , the "Ministry of Guidance and Culture's cafe" are still open and running.
This discriminating policy of the regime is not stopping just here. The regime discriminating policy on other fields like religious minorities and dissent semi-political parties and ....are continous.
Regime was surprised that why every bookstore in the big citys has a book-cafe. Unfortunately during the last 3-4 years ,more than 200 bookstore has been closed because of cafe.
Many writers and cultural activists after hearing this news were angered and demanded the regime to give exact reasons of the closure.

News in brief-
Roozonline- Monday Oct. 22/2007

Saman Rasulpour
Mother of a women rights activist in speaking with Rooz:I'm afraid something might have happened to her.
Ronak Safarzadeh ,a 21 years old Kurdish ,a women human rights activist and a member of the " Campaign for one million signature" in the city of Sanandaj has been in detention for 13 days by the security agents . Ronak is a Kurdish word meaning light and her mom Shahnaz Ahmadi said: Since her arrest and detention our lives without Ronak is dark and suffocating . At the same time 600 human rights activists signed a statement and demanded for immediate release of Ronak Safarzadeh.
Her mother said: Unfortunately there is no news about her.they dont say anything to us about her . I'm affraid something might have happened to her . Everyday i go to the court ,judiciary and news offices and they only tell us that you go home and she is fine .Going to these three offices is my daily work. We dont know where she is.
I ask all human rights defenders to help find and release her.

News in brief-

Roozonline-

Mr. Mohammad Javad Akbarin,a reformist journalist and a moderate clergy is banned to leave Iran!
On Wednesday Oct. 17 at around 5:00 pm, Mr. Akbarin was on his way to Lebanon to continue his education in Doctorate degree when He was stopped in Mehrabad Airport. In a call to his family , Mr. Akbarin told that by an order from "clergy court" he has been arrested.
Mr. Akbarin was later released but remained in a list of banned to leave the country.
The agents who arrested him had the ID of "president office" and they showed the order to Mr. Akbarin.The agents also told him that; they didn't have his home address and thats why they sent the order the Airport.

Background:
Mr. Mohammad Javad Akbarin is a young reformist clergy and journalist from the province of Mazanderan. He has supported reform from the very begining and wrote critical articles by his real name in reformist newspapers.He openly supported the Islamic idea of Bazargan over Khomeini's( Liberal-secular Islam over conservative Islam ).Mr. Bazargan once told to Khomeini's son: " The difference between me and your father was that : I wanted Islam for Iran, but your father wanted Iran for Islam."
Mr. Akbarin was always under pressure from the right conservative islamists (Motalafeh Islami) and he had always supported the human rights of individuals like Ganji and Hashem Aghajeri and .......

News in brief-Iran-newspaperThursday October 18,2007
Early yesterday morning, nine people were hanged in Evin prison.
Babak a young man accused of killing his friend for stealing the victims 700,000 Tuman.
Fakhteh a 30 years old woman accused of killing an 81 years old senior man whom she was taking care of and after the killing she left the scene with victims money and jewelery .
Sedigh a 27 years old man accused of killing his friend in a group fighting.
Morteza killed his friend because he owed his friend 150,000 Tuman and he didn't have the money to pay him.
Mahmoud Shams is also accused of killing a young man.
Kian is a young man accused of killing his wife because he was suspicious of her.
Behzad acted as driver and was accused of kiling two of his passengers when they refused giving him their purse.
Hamid is accused of killing his young friend during a fight on a pegion.
The last accused was superintendant of a company who have killed the driver of a client to the company.

By doing group execution, the regime is trying to cultivate fear among public and among political prisoners in Evin prison. Once again the regime in Iran violated the ban on capital punishment.
What a way to eradicate crime? At what cost ?

Detained Teachers Tortured
Roozonline
In Kurdistan: - 2007.10.16
‎Samnak Aghaei ‎

More than fourteen months have passed since the arrest of Farzad Kamangar, member of the ‎Kurdistan teacher's union, and his two colleagues, Farhad Vakili and Ali Heidarian. The latest ‎news on the condition of the three arrested teachers indicates that, in addition to undergoing ‎intense physical pressure and torture, they continue to be held in solitary confinement. During ‎the past few days, the family of Farzad Kamangar has called on various human rights ‎organizations and institutions to help Farzad, who has reportedly suffered severe damage to ‎certain body parts. ‎
According to a report published on the health condition of Farzad Kamanger by the Kurdistan ‎Center for the Defense of Human Rights, "More than 14 months have passed since Farzad ‎Kamangar's arrest. During this time, he has been kept in detention facilities in Kamyaran, ‎Sanandaj, Kermanshah, and Evin Prison's Ward 209. Currently, he is held at a ministry of ‎intelligence detention center in Sanandaj and is subject to the cruelest physical torture. He is ‎suffering from kidney disease, infection, urinary track bleeding, and burns to his hands and left ‎thigh as a result of exposure to boiling water." ‎
Kurdistan security officials have accused Kamangar of "undermining national security" and ‎‎"moharebeh," a charge usually applied to armed enemies of the state. Kamangar has pleaded not ‎guilty to both charges. ‎
Other reports indicate that Farhad Vakili and Ali Heidarian, two of Farzad Kamangar's ‎colleagues, are also kept in solitary confinement and have been subjected to torture. ‎
A Sanandaj court announced a few days ago that it did not know where these three teachers ‎would be tried. Farzad Kamangar's attorney says that he has no information about his client's ‎condition. ‎
Kamangar was arrested last year in his house and then transferred to an unknown location. For ‎at least 4 months, no one was aware of his whereabouts. After repeated attempts, his family was ‎finally informed that Kamangar was held at Evin Prison's infamous Ward 209. ‎
Kamangar was then transferred to a detention center in Kermanshah and underwent two months ‎of intense interrogations and cruel torture. ‎
These three arrested teachers are currently held at a ministry of intelligence detention facility in ‎Kermanshah, and their situation is getting more worrisome with each passing day. ‎

News in brief-

Roozonline-Parisa Hatami

Three students of Amir-kabir University are sentenced to prison term

Seven and a half years prison term for three innocent

university students!
Eventhough these students denied of writting " immoral " article in
student publication and upto now the prosecutor's office did not
produced any documents about their involvement ( except their
confession under the torture during the interrogation ), the
prosecutor's office sentenced these students to seven and a half years
prison term.

Mr. Majid Tavakoli is sentenced to three years

Mr. Ehsan Mansuri is sentenced to two years

Mr. Ahmad Ghasaban is sentenced to two and a half years

The students were kept in cell number 209 of Evin prison . This cell is
a security cell and is managed by the Ministry of Information.

Link to this news in Farsi:

http://www.roozonline.com/archives/2007/10/post_4372.php

News in brief-
Roozonline- Omid Memarian

Mr. Abdolkarim Lahiji , a prominent Iranian lawyer , deputy of the International Confederation on Human Rights and president of the Human Rights Association in Iran , on speaking in UN General Assembly in New York requested for a resolution against capital punishment in Iran . He said: Iran with 220 execution in one year is on the top of the list of countries that recognize execution as a punishment.

Mr. Lahiji added : Oct. 10 is the International Day of struggle against capital punishment and because of this important day , I decided this year to attend in UN General Assembly to speak about the issue. He said at present 105 countries dismanteled the capital punishment and therefore in more than half of the members of UN the capital punishment is illegal and there was no capital punishment in 30 countries during the last decade. There are 60 countries that still carry on the capital punishment and six countries are on the top of the list and Iran is one of them.These countries are : Iran, US , China , Pakistan, Iraq and Sudan. There are no capital punishment in Europe and Latin America.

News in brief-
Aftabnews- Tuesday Oct. 16/2007
http://www.aftabnews.ir/vdcc41q2b0qpe.html

Maryam Baghi the daughter of Emad Baghi in speaking with Aftabnews about the arrest of his father have said: " My father was summoned to the court of revolution because of an alleged charges in connection with the Association in Defense of Freedom of Press. In this situation the officials of the court issued 50 Million Tuman bail which my father opposed to pay. After a discussion i had with my father and the effort to prepare the money , he accepted to pay the money for bail. "

While we were trying to pay the money , the agents announced that; my father must be detained for his earlier one year suspended sentence. "

Maryam Baghi added: " The execution of that one year sentencing was suspended for two years and i think the detention of my father together with the presence of the agents were not accidental. I think they were there to arrest Mr. Baghi ."

Emad Baghi was the chief editor of the reformist newspapers such as Khordad, Fath and Todays Republic. He went to court to defend his responsibility as an editor of those newspapers.

This is how president Ahmadinejad goes to Iranian universitys to speak to students .

News in brief-
news.gooya.com reporting from ISNA-Sunday Oct. 14,2007
Today Sunday Oct. 14, 2007 Emad Baghi the head of the "Association in Defense of Prisoners Rights" has been arrested!
Mr. Saleh Nikbakht in speaking with ISNA have said: "Today together with Mr. Molaei the other lawyer for this case , for the third time we have attended in division number one of the court of revolution and met with deputy prosecutor and the prosecutor started his investigation from our client."
Mr. Baghi is allegedly charged with : " propaganda against the Islamic system " and " revealing government confidential documents through speeches and in talking with other prisoners while in prison. "
Mr. Baghi said that his organization is a registered organization and whatever he has said wasn't cofidential. According to Mr. Nikbakht when both lawyer arrived in prosecutors office the officials told them that their client Mr. Baghi has already left the office to prepare the 500 Million Rials bail which was imposed against him.But this wasn't true and instead the agents have transfered Mr. Baghi to another location.
The regime is also allegedly charged him with attending to a workshop on human rights in neighbouring country United Arab Emirat.

Background:
Mr.Baghi in the past has spent three years in prison and during the past four years he was summoned 23 times to prosecutors office and was brought on trial. He was banned from working in the country and the publication of his books were also banned. Mr. Baghi's son in speaking with BBC - Farsi division approved the detension of his father.

Congratulation to Dr. Naser Zarafshan for winning the international Award from PEN- Sweden for defending freedom of expression.

Mr. Zarafshan is a writer , lawyer for the familys of " serial murdering " victims and one of the founding member of the Association of Human Rights Defenders in Iran.

In this picture he is speaking in " Khavaran Cemetery" where thousands of political prisoners are buried in a mass grave (September 1988 ) by the Islamic Republic prison officials and with direct order from Ayatollah Khomeini.

News in brief-
iran-emrooz reported from ISNA -Tuesday September 10/2007

The court of revolution issued suspended sentences for Two members of "Iran Teachers Union" !

Mr. Mohammad Rezaei Gorgani and Mr. Rasul Badaghi both member of "Iran's Teachers Union" were sentenced by division number 15 of the court of revolution to suspended sentences.
Mr. Gorgani was charged with " action against internal security" and was sentenced to three years suspended sentences.
Mr. Badaghi was charged with " action against national security" , " action against public order" and " confrontation with police" and was sentenced to two years suspended sentences.

Mr. pourbabaei is the defence lawyer and plans to request for aquital of his clients.

Background:
There are more than one million teachers in Iran and hundered thousands of them are working based on contract and only three thousands of them have been employed permanently by the Ministry of Education. Last year the parliament promissed the union to hire 40,000 of them which didn't happen. Teachers in Iran receive very low wage and are constantly protesting for their rights.

News in brief-
Ali Farahbakhsh and Soheil Asefi , both journalist , are released from prison !

Ali Farahbakhsh

a journalist was released on Tuesday Oct. 9 /2007 after spending 11 months in Evin prison. He was charged with attending in scientific conferences in Malaysia and Thailand and spent around one year in cell # 209 and # 350 in Evin prison.
He is a journalist who wrote articles on economic subjects. He worked for many reformist newspapers including: Sobhe Emrooz, Nourooz, Yase nou and Sarmayeh .
Upon his release , most journalists worked for reformist newspapers gathered in his home to greet him.

Soheil Asefi a young journalist after spending two months in Evin prison was released on Saturday Oct. 6/2007. During his detention he was banned meeting with his lawyer and his mom.He was released with 100 million Tuman bail.

IRAN WATCH CANADA:
Short Commentary
Minister of Information and media !
On Tuesday Oct. 9, 2007 Mr. Gholamhosein Mohseni Ejehei the Minister of Information has invited managers in charge of news agencies and several other managers of national media's and have told them : "It is important to write your sujects in a way that the public can understand."
What does he mean " in a way that the public can understand." ?
The minister of course won't appreciate if the journalists write about the " serial murderings" by the agents of the Ministry of Information and the "mass killings of political prisoners" in Iran by the prison officials of the Islamic Republic in a way that the public can understand.

He invited the journalists for dinner to ask them NOT to write what may becom problematic for Islamic Republic.

But Journalists must follow their three major principles:
1- To stay independent
2- To be loyal to the public
3- To tell the truth

End/

News in brief-
Student Committee of Human Rights Reporters
September 18 / 2007
The situation of Sabah Nasri and Hedayat Ghazali in Sanandaj prison is unkown !
Sabah Nasi and Hedayat Ghazali are two students who have been detained in the office of the Ministry of Information in the city of Sanandaj and later were transfered to Sanandaj city prison.
Hedayat Ghazali is student of psychology from the University of Alameh and Sabah Nasri is the student of political science from the law college of Tehran University . Both of them were arrested 50 days ago by the security agents.
Mr. Nasri is the managing editor and Mr. Ghazali is one of the staff writer of the " Rojameh" a student publication. The printing of this publication had been postponed earlier by the committee overlooking on publications.
Both Mr. Ghazali and Nasri have met with their family in Sanandaj public prison. In protest to their detension they went on hunger strike but later when both were transfered to Sanandaj prison they ended their hunger strike.
Their families are under pressure by the security officials. Their situation and charges are still not clear.
Link to this news in Farsi:
http://www.schrr.net/spip.php?article578

News in brief-
Iska News Agency :
The deputy of Tehran's public prosecutor on security, reported about the sentencing for 30 people who have created "insecurity in the society ".
Based on a news received on Wednesday by the Iska News Mr. Hadad have said: "Yesterday the indictment of 30 saboteurs accused of crime were sent to the court."
He said : "In the past the prosecutor have sent 17 people charged with "insecuring the society" to provincial court for sentencing."
The deputy of Tehran's public prosecutor added: "The prosecutor have requested the maximum penalty ( death) for these 17 people. "

Link to this news in Farsi:
http://web.peykeiran.com/vs2005/iran_news_body.aspx?ID=43434

News in brief:
Deteriorating situation of prisoners in section number 240 / latest situation of Maysam Lotfi !
based on the report from Evin prison Mr. Maysam Lotfi former political prisoner who was in recent months arrested again in a project known as " Rascals and vilains " is in solitary confinement number 38 of section 240 in a condition totally inhuman.
The mother of Maysam released his sons' identification and based on her political background she was arrested by the security and intelligent agents and was transfered to the same section in prison. Maysam is one of the political prisoner and protester who was arrested in student uprising eight years ago and was sentenced to one year imprisonment but was released after serving six months.
Human rights advocates in Iran are worried about the health and safety of the prisoners in section number 240 and are calling all human rights organization to protest against human rights violation.

Human Rights Activists in Iran
Hra.Iran@Gmail.Com
www.Iran-Hra.blogfa.com

http://iran-hra.blogfa.com/post-499.aspx

News in brief-
Student Committee of Human Rights Reporters
Oct.2 /2007
Source of the news: Shahrzad News


Five months after the project dealing with " Arazel va Obash" ( Rascals and vilains) and the execution (by hanging) of at least 81 people in public places, there are no changes in trial procedure. Some of these alleged accused like Mr. Maysam Lotfi is still under the threat of execution and all the efforth for his release or trial procedure went without answer. At present many of these alleged accused were transfered to Evin prison. By Transfering these alleged accused to the section 209 of the Evin prison the regime is trying to threaten and intimedate the political prisoners who are also in section 209 of Evin prison.

With all the internal and international protest to these wave of public hanging still many of these prisoners are kept in a very bad condition in Suleh-Kahrizak prison in the city of Karaj .Sevaral of these prisoners have signed a blank paper which might be their execution paper.

One of the victim of this project who spent 50 days in Kahrizak and 80 days in Evin prison and was released by a 50 Million Tuman bail ,on speaking with Shahrzad news disclosed of a tragic event which could have created a big commotion if it was the case of political prisoners.
This person whose identity is as (M-A ) during the interview was repeatedly asking: What is human rights? Who owns these rights? Aren’t we human.?

This man is a construction worker and has three children. He confirmed the death of eight people in Kahrizak prison. He was always beaten and tortured. He said all of us were beaten and insulted and sometimes we witnessed gun shot.

News in brief-
ww.akhbar-rooz.com
September 20/2007
On Monday morning September 20/2007 , Ayatollah Brujerdi for unknown reasons was again transfered from public section number 500 in Evin prison to the torture chamber of 209.His close relatives asked from human rights organizations to look after his situation and announced that the sentencing against him was delivered without defense lawyer and behind closed door.
He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in exile in Yazd , not to be able again to use the clergy dress, approval to confiscation of his only house and his assets ( which was executed last year) and many other alleged accused of the file were also sentenced . According to the witnesses his physical and mental situation is very dangerous and in recent months he has lost 30 kg of his body weight.
Mr. Brujerdi believes that he did not commit any political and security crime and has rquested repeatedly that he is ready to have televised debate with those who believe on political religion and " velayat Faghih" ( the ruling of jurisprudent).
Ayatollah Brujerdi's anti-despotic offices in Europe issued this statement and requested from all human rights advocate to look after his case and to follow his situation and to support him .

Link to this news in Farsi:
http://www.akhbar-rooz.com/news.jsp?essayId=11394

Iran and Senator Clinton
Phyllis Bennis on the U.S. Senate resolution on the Iranian Revolutionary Guard: view

News in brief-
The representative of judiciary power announced : The new press court jury consists of 21 members !

Mr. Naser Saraj in speaking with "Mehr" news announced that ; for executing the article number 168 of constitution and article 36 of media law ratified in 2000 and the amendment of the year 2005, on Oct. 1st / 2007 a session with the presence of me, Mr. Safar Harandi the Minister of Guidance and Culture, Mr. Mehdi Chamran the head of the Islamic council of Tehran, Mr. Khamoshi the head of the Islamic Propaganda and Mr. Taghavi the head of the policy making for Friday prayer imams was held and 21 new media court jury for a period of two years were elected.The jury consist of three women and 18 men.
The elected jury are:
Mr. Habibolah Asgaroladi, Mr. Abas Shokri, Mr. Ali Asghar Kasaeian, Mr. Hasan Hamidzadeh, Mr. Mohamad Hosain Rahimian, Mr. Morteza Akhondi, Mr. Alireza Mokhtarpour, Mr. Mohsen Doago, Mr. Ghodratollah Rahmani, Mr. Mohamad Ali Nezamzadeh, , Mr. Jamal Shorejeh, Mr. Abdolsamad Khoramabadi, Mr. Seyed Ahmad Zarhani , Mr. Yunes Gharavi, Mr. Mohammad Reza Yazdani Khoram, Mr. Rohulah Jomeei, Mr. Said Aslani, Mr. Bijan Nobaveh ,Ms. Maryam Soweizi, Ms. Fatemeh Karubi, Ms. Laleh Eftekhari .

Link to this news:
http://www.roozna.com/Negaresh_site/FullStory/?Id=47741

News in brief-
Human Rights Activists in Iran
http://iran-hra.blogfa.com/post-505.aspx
Oct.1/ 2007
Letter from an Iranian -Arab journalist to General Secretary of the United Nation !
This letter was written by Mr. Mohammad Hassan Falahieh an Iranian -Arab journalist from "Khuzestan" who is currently detained in section number 350 of the Evin prison.
He indicated in his letter that the reason why he is detained is because of his support and defense for minority Arab of Khuzestan.

Human Rights Activists in Iran
Hra.Iran@Gmail.Com
www.Iran-Hra.blogfa.com

News in brief-
A u t N e w s ( Amirkabir Newsletter )
Association of Iranian Women
Sept. 30/2007
After two weeks of no news, Ms. Sepideh Pouraghaei has contacted with her family !
Ms. Sepideh Pouraghaei the journalist and human rights activist on Tuesday has contacted with her family. Her mom speaks about her daughters telephone call and her taken voice.
Ms. Sepideh was arrested by the agents of the Ministry of Information on Sept. 9/2007 and two weeks after the arrest she has contacted with her mom and spoke about her situation. She has told to her mom that she is in cell # 209 in Evin prison.
The mother have said that Sepideh told her , she is under interrogation and no one has told her anything but be prepare for the bail.
Sepideh Pouraghaei is also a volunteer for the "Campaign for One Million Signature " in the city of Karaj.
She was arrested simultaneousely with five other human rights activists. Her mom said : she has left the house at 3:00 pm on September 9th and at 11:00pm same night the agents from the Ministry of Information came to our house and took away all her writings , books , computer cases and CD's and flopy disks.
Her mom is worried about her.

Link to this news:
http://www.autnews.info/archives/1386,07,0004846

News in brief-
A u t N e w s ( Amir Kabir News letter)
Sunday Sep. 30/2007
Ms. Mahbubeh Moghadam a student from Alameh University is in solitary confinement!
Ms. Mahbubeh Moghadam a student of women studies from Alameh University is in a solitary confinement in Evin prison and after a month of her arrest and detention there is no news about her.
Up to now no one has announced the reason for her arrest and her family had no information about her.
According to her friends , her family are keeping quiet on her situation and have told that she has gone for vacation .
Her friends have told that she was arrested in the city of Kermanshah . She is more theorist than activist.
It is now about a month that there is no news about her. Her last S.M.S was recorded on August 29th / 2007.

Link to this news :
http://www.autnews.info/archives/1386,07,0004847

News in brief-
Etemade Melli newsonline-
Tuesday Oct.2/07

Filtering of websites and blogs have been intensified !
Mr. Alami an MP from the city of Tabriz expressed his concern about intensification of filtering in Iran by Mr. Soleymani the Minister of Communication .
He requested the minister to attend in parliament session for questioning.At the end Mr. Alami was not satisfied for ministers reasoning and response .
the decision on filtering is made by a committee composed of Ministry of Information, Ministry of Guidance and Culture and the " Seda va Sima" the Islamic Republics Radio and Television.

Link to this news in Farsi:
http://www.roozna.com/Negaresh_site/FullStory/?Id=47556

Pic. Javad Larijani

IRAN WATCH CANADA
Commentary-
Just one thiny stone to your head may change your opinion to stonning,never mind the hundreds !
Mr. Larijani ,have you ever sat alone for a bit and thought about stonning a human being ?Did you and your other colleagues in the judiciary power ever thought about that little child who will be growing without mother?

In a recent interview with ISNA ( Iran's Student News Agency) on stonning , Mr. Javad Larijani the advisor to Iran's judiciary power have said:
"Stonning isn't torture and our theology dosn't have dead end. We have our own values."

12 years ago a married woman and a single man who were neighbours decided to escape together from "Islam shahr " the city where they lived to the city of "Takestan" and by changing their identity they married and started life together.They lived four and a half year together in Takestan but because of the complain by her husband she was found and few months ago she was stonned to death.

According to Mr. Javad Larijani :
" this two people had melancholy of mind and naturally these type of acts isn't just based on sexual desire and the condition shows that they acted together completely in irrational way ."

UN believes that stonning is not a punishment but a torture and must be stopped.

Link to this news in Farsi:

The column is written by Ms. Maryam Dastgir.
http://www.roozonline.com/archives/2007/10/post_4138.php