Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
3- No to admission based on sex ( Less girls )
Ensafali Hedayat;
Iranian- Azeri Independent Journalist
Hedayat222@yahoo.com
+1-416-497-8070
Toronto- Canada
I received a scroll today from the Iranian Azeris. It was signed by more than 17,536 Azeris from all over the world. The Azeris are one of the many Iranian ethnic groups. There are other ethnicities in Iran, including the Persians, Arabs, Kurds, Turkmans, Baluchs, Sistanies, and so on. Most Iranians believe that the Azeris and Persians are the most dominant communities among all of the ethnicities and they think that the political and economic power in Iran belong to both of these two major ethnic groups.
However, each group believes itself to be the most popular in Iran. The population of Iran is around 72 million. The Azeri political and social activists claim that the Azeri population comprises the actual majority, since they number 35 million. Even so, the ruling Persians somehow manage to relegate them to minority status.
Meanwhile, the Azeris were in power for more than one thousand years, and throughout all those centuries, they did not impose their Turkish culture and language on other Iranian ethnics. However, when the political power turned to Persian hands in the 1920s, the government imposed the Persian culture and language, designating Persian as the only official language and suppressing almost 120 languages in Iran in this relatively short period of time.
Unfortunately, there are no reliable statistics on the populations of Iranian ethnic groups. Like many other matters, it is kept under a cloak of secrecy. The Persian political system calls the Azeris in derogatory names in public and the media. In fact, the Iranian media feel free to make Azeris the main subject of a lot of jokes. The official print media and radio and television stations present them in despicable, distorted situations. For example, in May, 2006, an insulting and inflammatory cartoon was published in Iran, the daily newspaper of the official Iranian news agency (IRNA). The cartoon depicts a cockroach which talks in Azeri, instead of in Farsi, the official or newspaper’s language.
The government eventually shut down its own official newspaper, but only after a huge public protest. In 2006, outraged by the controversial cartoon and the government’s institutionalized discrimination against Azeris, the Iranian Azeris held large demonstrations in districts, cities and regions where the Azeris constitute the majority. Their main slogan was: “We are Turks!” and “The Turkish language should be official!”. They called upon the politicians of the Islamic regime to honour the Iranian Islamic Constitution’s fifteenth and nineteenth articles that allow all the ethnic groups to use their local languages in schools and universities, besides Farsi as an official language.
That national protest was as close as Iran has come to a revolution in almost thirty years. Hundreds of thousands of Azeris filled the streets. It reminded the authorities of the role played by the Azeris in the Islamic Revolution in 1978. They thought it may happen again, as it was begun by and continued by Azeris.
Therefore, the Islamic regime called thousands of its troops to quell these demonstrations. In total, the police, secret intelligence forces, Revolutionary Guards and civil militants (Basiije) killed at least eleven and arrested more than 1300 people. At least these are the two figures recorded by Iranian official news agencies.
It was the biggest demonstration in Azeri history since 1978—although there were also a lot of peaceful demonstrations from 2000 every year in the Azeri-dominated provinces. I was a journalist there and I was monitoring both sides of the action. Despite my Azeri ethnicity, my thinking is not the same as that of most Azeris. In other words, many of them support the goal of full separation in theory and practice. I am an Azeri-Iranian journalist who does not have any interest in the separation of an Azerbaijan of Iran. Nevertheless, I am an advocate of the recognition of the cultural, economic, historical and ethnic distinction of Azeris and other ethnic groups in Iran. And I am the witness of deep discriminations in these fields.
There is such deep discrimination towards non-Persian Iranian Muslim ethnics in Iran that you cannot imagine it at all, because it is not possible for you to imagine yourself as the victim of such blatant discrimination and persecution. Most Canadian-born people have not felt the effects of this degree of racism and its long-term psychological and political effects. Only the people who have grown up in such a situation can fully comprehend what it feels like to be treated as second class citizens. Only they can imagine what I am going to say.
You should thank God that you were not raised in a society like that of Iran—to feel what we endured on a daily basis. The government’s attitude towards Azeris and other ethnicities in Iran is more like the deprivation of food and goods. I have been a witness to that discrimination myself because I was not permitted to read and write the language of my ancestors, that is, Turkish. I do not know anything about my background, history and culture. But I do know the Farsi and Persian culture and history perfectly, as I was forced to learn it officially in schools and university and by every bit of education and high professional training in journalism.
Although I know very little about my background, I have studied my language on my own outside of school. I know there are a few other Iranian religious ethnic groups that have their linguistic and religious rights there. However, they are relatively small groups compared to other Iranian ethnic minorities. For instance, the Armenians of Iran have special permission to have their own schools in their languages there. It is good and I am glad that they are allowed a little bit of their human rights, but what about us and other ethnics? We Iranian Azeris, Kurds, Arabs, Baluchs, Turkmans, and Sistanis constitute huge populations. However, we do not have our human rights to read, write and study in our languages in official schools and universities.
I have written many articles on this subject, not only when I was reporting from Iran and when I was in prison as a dissident, but also since I have been living in exile in Canada. Given the growing ethnic tensions, I predict that the Iranian future will be worse than politicians estimate. The future of Iran will be full of war, blood and dead bodies—and the division of the country into small parts.
Clearly, the future will bring regional and ethnic violence in Iran and throughout the Middle East. The onus is on the world human rights organizations and individual activists to do something now to prevent a tomorrow of disaster and devastation in that region.
As an Iranian journalist living in Canada, it is my duty to make you aware and ask you to do your best for all the Iranian people who have been living for tens of centuries there together. Please be realistic about Iran’s future before it changes to a new Darfur.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
News from the website of Balatarin:
May first the "International Workers Day" in Iran was supposed to take place in "Chitgar Park" in Tehran. Thousands of workers by tradition celebrate this day on the last Friday before May first. The workers upon their arrival at the park noticed that; Instead of workers, more than one thousand of security and police forces has occupied the park. There were special task force, hundreds of well equipped motorcycle riders ,police and security forces have closed all the enterance gates to the park and weren't allowing the buses and minibuses full of workers to enter in the park.
Video clip
تظاهرات ضد حکومتی دانشجويان دانشگاه تهران 5 بهمن 86
تظاهرات دانشجويان دانشگاه تهران آذر 86 جديد شماره 3
تظاهرات دانشجويان دانشگاه بوعلی سينا همدان آذر 86 No 2
تظاهرات دانشجويان دانشگاه تهران آذر 86
تظاهرات دانشجويان دانشگاه تهران آذر 86 جديد
Friday, April 25, 2008
"May One" the International workers Day is coming and the Ministry of Information in panic called all the worker's right activists and labor leaders all over the country not to do any action on that day. In the meantime one of labor activist Mr. Sheis Amani from the city of Sanandaj has been arrested and detained.It is expected the Iranian workers like their brothers elsewhere in the world will stage rally against the social and economical policy of Ahmadinajad.
Also , on the coming of "Teachers Day" it is expected that hundered of thousands of teachers from all over Iran ,for increase in their salary and rights and against the policy of Ahmadinejad's government will stage rally in all over Iran.
Insecurity for Iranian women and particularly young women becoming common in the Islamic Republic where its corrupted police forces, security agents, Herasat agents , clergies , judges like Said Mortazavi and prison guards are the main reason for people in Iran feel not safe , especially the parents fear their young daughters not returning home after school.
A few weeks ago you have red in IRAN WATCH CANADA that "Sardar" ( commander) Zareei the police chief of Tehran was cought with six naked women who were forced to pray naked by
"Sardar " . The irony of the issue is that, he was introduced as very religious man.
And again we could say about the death of Zahra Kazemi the photojournalist , Zahra Baniyaghub The young doctor and many others who have been murdered inside the prison by their interrogators and the rape option might have played in their death.
And now it is the young women students of Sahand University in the city of Tabriz who feel unsafe and were attacked by university security forces ( Herasat and Basiji students ).
Stdents of Sahand University boy and girl in the city of Tabriz for the 2nd day protesting against the immoral and corrupted security forces (Herasat and Basij ).
On the coming of May the 3rd , the world press freedom day , it is needed to remember the year 2000 in Iran. On that year more than 14 independent,reformist newspaper were shut down (shot death) by a d judge in Iran. Said Mortazavi known as the butcher of independent media was the judge of the court 1410 known as press court.As a result of this closure many journalists and writers and employees lost their job and income.
Judge Mortazavi is also involved in the interrogation and eventually the death of Zahra Kazemi the Canadian -Iranian photojournalist.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
iran-emrooz.net
Wed. April 23, 08
Another Weekly has been summoned !
The managing editor of the Weekly know as " Shahrvand Emrooz" has been summoned to the Government employee court.
Mr. Seyed Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabaei , the lawyer of " Shahrvand Emrooz" in speaking with Mehr news said: Based on a summon that the managing editor received , we have to be in the court by tomorrow morning.
At present , the paper has no managing editor . Tomorrow me and Mr. Atrianfar one of the policy maker for the Weekly will attend the court.
The paper is allegedly charged with " publishing lies to disturb the public's mind".
The complainant is the Ministry of Guidance . The head of the Ministry of Guidance is Mr. Safar Harandi .
Link to this news :
http://www.iran-emrooz.net/index.php?/news2/15874/
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Nikahang Kowsar
To that end, forty-three American journalists and reporters from various news agencies and newspapers as well Iranians, Iran experts and others attended the program, held April 1 to 2 outside of Washington, D.C.
Kowsar’s politically flavored presentation, which had the audience both laughing and crying, provided a glimpse into the unique life experience of this accomplished cartoonist. Kowsar, who began his press career in 1991, immigrated to Canada in 2003 after facing what he describes as “pressure” from the Iranian judiciary.
Just months after arriving in Canada, Kowsar had found another "press" job: "Working at a dry cleaners, pressing people's shirts!"
In Iran, "I was 'pressed' and in Canada, became 'depressed'," he jokes.
Now, he is known for portraying politics through caricatures and cartoons. He has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek magazine, the Washington Post and many other major U.S. and international news outlets.
Kowsar has won many awards including the 2001 international "Courage for Editorial Cartooning" from the Cartoonists Rights Network. He also received the second prize in Canada's National Press Club editorial cartoon contest in 2001 as well as Iran’s National Press Awards in 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2002. In 1995, he was a recipient of an Honorary Diploma from the International Caricature contest in Italy.
He is a regular contributor to Roozonline and works with the Dutch-based radio station “Radio Zamaneh.”
IJNet recently had a chance to speak to this accomplished, lively cartoonist.
IJNet: How did you begin your career as a cartoonist?
NK: I was a geology student at the University of Tehran and had a few professors who looked liked dinosaurs! A little bit of talent helped me draw caricatures of those wonderful models. A copy of my artwork ended up at the office of an editor of Gol-Agha, Iran's leading satirical magazine. They called me and after a few weeks, I was hired. This was in 1991.
IJNet: Who has inspired you in your life?
NK: I think both my parents. My mom was a painter, and I didn't like her style! So I tried to take a different path. My dad is a soil scientist, and somehow relates to geology and hydrogeology. I attended a drawing course while getting my BS, and then moved on to cartooning. In a way, they both motivated me.
IJNet: What do you do at Radio Zamaneh and tell us how this radio station started?
NK: I'm a producer and reporter for Radio Zamaneh. I produce my own show, Kalaghestoon. I play five characters; three of them are crows. I also impersonate a number of politicians.
In June 2006, Mehdi Jami, a former BBC producer, asked me to join this new Radio that is actually a "Bloggers' Radio." I've been a member of the team since July 2006. Radio Zamaneh is funded by the Dutch government.
IJNet: Your cartoons are both political and satirical. Do you also do cartoons other than those that have a political connotation?
NK: Actually most of my cartoons are political these days. I used to do some gag, but these days, my mind is so focused on Iranian politics that I try to avoid any other type of cartooning. I also used to draw caricatures, and still do from time to time.
IJNet: You told a story about Daniel Pearl at the conference; you became tearful, and you made me and others cry. What was that story about?
NK: It's sad to talk about Danny. I met Daniel Pearl for the first time in February 2000, just after getting out of prison because of a cartoon I had drawn two weeks before that day. Two years later, after Danny was abducted, a fixer in Tehran told me that my cartoon was somehow related to Danny's trip to Tehran in 2000. Pearl had gone to the fixer's office, and the fixer had made a joke about Danny's big suitcase in front of a cleric, saying that the American reporter had brought millions of dollars to bribe Iranian journalists against Islam. The cleric took this joke seriously and called his superior, Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi [a conservative Iranian cleric]. Mesbah Yazdi later announced that a chief CIA operative was in Tehran with a big suitcase full of dollars to bribe reformist mercenary journalists against Islam. A journalist criticized the Ayatollah for his pre-emptive attack, and I drew a few cartoons. One of these cartoons caused a huge crisis and as a result I was imprisoned in Evin prison.
I met Danny several times, but never thought of the coincidence. When the fixer told me the story, it was too late to get Danny's side of the story. I'm not even sure if Danny ever heard about it. Nobody can give me a straight answer. This has been haunting me since his tragic death.
IJNet: How do you view the Iranian TV and radio stations in the U.S. that broadcast to Iran?
NK: VOA (Persian) and Radio Farda [Radio Free Europe-Persian] have an agenda, and are well funded to gradually change the attitude of the Iranian audience against the Islamic Republic. I don't call this journalism. It's propaganda. Other channels are just good for entertaining the public. That's all. They are wasting a lot of time, money and energy.
IJNet: What are some of the weaknesses of journalism in Iran in your view?
NK: Many Iranian journalists are actually party members and cannot remain independent. Many act as public relations personalities rather than reporters. Remaining independent is really difficult and sometimes harmful. In Iran, journalists may have freedom of speech, but never experience freedom after speech!
To view some of Nikahang’s cartoons visit the following links:
http://cartoons.nytimages.com/wieck_preview_page_120909
http://cartoons.nytimages.com/portal/wieck_preview_page_080933
http://cartoons.nytimages.com/portal/wieck_preview_page_056303
http://cartoons.nytimages.com/portal/wieck_preview_page_023706
http://cartoons.nytimages.com/portal/wieck_preview_page_019194
http://cartoons.nytimages.com/portal/wieck_preview_page_006707
http://cartoons.nytimages.com/portal/wieck_preview_page_019216
http://cartoons.nytimages.com/portal/wieck_preview_page_019215
Rooz (R): Under what conditions is a Friday prayer leader of the Ghaba mosque in Sanandaj arrested and what is your take on it?
R: What is the cause root of such acts?
R: What is the legal status of the accusations that are made this way?
Another student publication has been closed for writing about women's freedom issues in Iran. the paper is allegedly charged with insulting to "sacred things" and for "profanity".
The "cultural-literary Iranshahr magazin " of the University of Razi in Kermanshah was ordered to closure by the representative of Khamenei in the university and also by the office of Herasat.
Ms. Akram Sheikhpoor was the managing editor of the magazin.
Reported by Amirkabir Newsletter.
Link to this news in Farsi:
http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2008/04/070670.php
News in brief-
Gooya news-
Gooya news reported from Amirkabir newsletter that ; a gathering was held in Amirkabir university in support of three imprisoned students and against the 78 months prison sentence by the court of revolution and diciplinary committee for the three students.
More than 800 students carrying the picture of Majid Tavakoli, Ahmad Ghasaban and Ehsan Mansuri the three imprisoned students and were calling : " Imprisoned students must be freed", " Death to Dictator" , "Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , the cause of discrimination and corruption" .
While the "Basiji students , agents of the Ministry of Information and agents from the Herasat office" were not expecting this to happen, the students hold their election and elected their representatives.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Amirkabir newsletter
Today Sunday April 20 , 2008 , Mazanderan University student staged a gathering and had clashes with the " Herasat " forces ( One of the security watchdog of the system).
The students were collecting signature against the video cameras installation inside the hall ways , on the class rooms door and inside the washrooms.When Mr. Halimi the chief of "Herasat" saw that , he threatened the students to summoning on diciplinary committee.
The " Herasat " and securities by force brought the members of the student central council to Herasat office and the student had clashes with them and staged a protest gathering in front of the Islamic Association office.
The students announced they will stage a three days campaigning for collecting signature against video cameras in their university.
students wrote an open letter and calling Mr. Alizadeh the president of the university to respect the freedom inside the university campus .
At the end of the letter the students wrote to Mr. Alizadeh :
Now that you have time, do something and keep yourself clean , tomorrow there may not be anything left of this government.
Link to this news in Farsi:
http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2008/04/070598.php
Friday, April 18, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
In a cozy soundproof recording studio housed in a decrepit downtown building, the rap musician known as Felakat lounged on a chair, surrounded by sound mixers and other sleek recording equipment. Sporting a tousled black shirt, a slick fur-lined jacket and spiky hairstyle. the Iranian rapper might well pass for an Western punk singer.
"I devoted my life to rap when I was just 15," said the 27-year-old Felakat, which means "miserable" in Farsi. "Rap is my god."
Felakat is well aware that such remarks are considered blasphemy by the nation's religious leaders. Rap music is forbidden in Iran.
Nevertheless, Felakat and numerous other rap musicians are part of a thriving underground music scene. Like their American counterparts, they use obscene lyrics and often use female lead or background voices - all jarring symbols of Western decadence to the ears of Iranian authorities, who blame such music for luring the nation's youth away from Islamic culture.
In Iran, all music - except that with religious lyrics - was outlawed by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the political and spiritual leader of the Islamic Revolution of 1979, which toppled the Shah of Iran. The cleric said music was "intoxicating," and he promised to end the "invasion" of Western culture under the shah and promote Islamic values. But as years passed, radio and television stations began playing classical Persian music - mostly with religious themes.
Felakat, who has a considerable following in a nation where 70 percent of the population is under 30, is part of an underground scene where songs are recorded in clandestine studios, burned onto CDs and distributed via a flourishing black market to stores selling religious music and vetted videos. If caught by authorities, stores can be closed, and their owners imprisoned and fined.
Last year, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government blocked a number of musical Web sites carrying Iranian rappers in Farsi, while cracking down on Western fashions. Some clandestine recording studios were closed and several musicians arrested, including Felakat.
Most singers were freed once they promised not to produce any more underground music. Felakat was released on bail after his father posted his house as collateral.
"That is why many of us try to migrate abroad," said Felakat, who wants to live in Los Angeles, where the first Iranian rap album was recorded by a group called Sandy in the early 1990s.
Meanwhile, Felakat and other rappers are not only reaching listeners through clandestine CDs but also are performing at private parties where men and women meet in violation of the law to dance and listen to Western music.
Felakat is aware of his appeal. He coyly admits having a fanatical female fan base since the release of his song Nazgol - the name of his former girlfriend - about love and fidelity last year. "I've had to change my cellular phone number twice," he said, while dangling a cigarette between his lips.
With the introduction of satellite television in Iran in the early 1990s - also illegal - and the popularity of American rappers like 2pac and Eminem, hip-hop music found an explosive following among Iranian youth, local rappers say. Local rap composers and producers appeared soon afterward.
The most famous rapper, Soroush Lashkari, known as Hich Kas, or Nobody, is considered the father of Persian rap for making the genre popular.
Zedbazi introduced gangsta rap to Iran with his song "Mehmooni," or "In the Club." And astonishingly, in a country where women are banned from singing publicly when men are present, female rappers also dot the musical landscape. Salome, who lives in Tehran, focuses on social issues such as prostitution and the sufferings of Iranian soldiers during the 1980-88 war with Iraq. Mana is famous for "Rebellion," a song about poverty and runaway girls.
Many of these rappers post their music on such Web sites as http://www.rap98.com/ and http://www.parshiphop.com/. Some also have posted their songs on YouTube.
Mohammad Dashtgoli, an official from the Culture Ministry, which is responsible for vetting music "in accordance with Islam," recently said he wanted to find a solution to counter the proliferation of Iranian rap music on the Internet.
"There is nothing wrong with this type of music in itself," he recently told the Iranian media. "But due to the use of obscene words, rap has been categorized as illegal."
But the authorities are well aware that the genre has become a form of protest music, as rappers defy authorities and thrive on their appeal among young Iranians.
"There is hardly any motivation to seek (government) clearance," said the rapper known as .S. "If we adhere to their red lines, rap will be ruined. So most of us just say, 'forget it.' "
E-mail Anuj Chopra at foreign@sfchronicle.com.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
According to news, the Canadian International Documentary Film Festival "HOT DOCS " is going to screen four Iranian movies .
The four movies will be covered in its " spotlight on Iran" portion.
These films are:
1- "Tehran has no more pomegranates "- by Masud Bakhshi
2-"The red card "- By Mahnaz Afzali
3- "Where do I belong?"- By Mahvash Sheikholeslami
4- "It is always late for freedom "-By Mehrdad Oskuii
Tthis festival will feature 170 films from 36 countries . The festival will run from April 17- 27.
If you go
Hot Docs, a documentary film festival, runs from April 17 to 27 at seven venues in Toronto. Documentaries with good "buzz" sell out early, so it's a good idea to purchase advance tickets. The complete schedule is on the festival Web site, www.hotdocs.ca.Tickets cost $10 Canadian for screenings before 6 p.m., $12 Canadian for screenings after 6 p.m. and $5 Canadian for late screenings (11 p.m.). Various passes are also available. To order, call (416) 637-5150 or go to www.hotdocs.ca.To buy tickets on-site: Tickets can be purchased up to the day before a screening at the festival box office, at Hazelton Lanes mall in Yorkville, 87 Avenue Road (two blocks north of Bloor Street). Day-of tickets go on sale one hour before showtime at the film's venue.Tip: Moviegoers start lining up as much as 60 to 90 minutes before a screening, especially if they need to purchase a ticket. Before you get in a line, be sure to ask the folks ahead of you if you're in the ticket-buyer's line or ticket-holder's line. Hot Docs doesn't oversell seats, but the earlier you get in line, the better your choice of seats.
Also in April
Theater: In addition to Toronto's active independent theater scene, the city's mainline venues are staging The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Parts 1 & 2 (through April 20 at the Princess of Wales Theatre), Dirty Dancing — The Classic Story on Stage (through August at the Royal Alexandra Theatre) and We Will Rock You (through April 27 at The Canon Theatre CanStage).Other performing arts: The Toronto Symphony Orchestra performs at Roy Thompson Hall almost nightly from April 16 to 27. The Harbourfront Center hosts the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company from April 16 to 19 and Ballet Creole's spring concert from April 17 to 19. Sports: The Toronto Blue Jays play at home April 16 to 21, while Toronto's soccer team, the Toronto FC, have home games on April 19 and April 26.For more: For a full calendar of events and other tourist information, call Toronto Tourism at (800) 499-2514 or go to www.torontotourism.com.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
UPDATE - IRAN
15 April 2008
Journalist Emadoldin Baghi reincarcerated after heart treatment;
SOURCE: Reporters sans frontières (RSF), Paris
(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders condemns the judicial decision to
send journalist and human rights activist Emadoldin Baghi back to prison on
15 April 2008. He had been let out of prison to seek medical treatment on
18 January.
"Reimprisoning Baghi against the advice of his doctors poses a very serious
risk to his health," the press freedom organisation said. "We urge the
Iranian authorities to allow him to continue to receive treatment out of
prison."
Baghi was returned to his cell in Tehran's Evin prison, on 15 April, after
88 days on provisional release. Under a provision of the Iranian criminal
code, he was allowed to leave the prison on 18 January for treatment of his
heart condition, which had resulted in his being rushed to hospital from
the prison in December 2007. His lawyer, Saleh Nikbakht, told Reporters
Without Borders that his health continues to be worrying.
Baghi won the International Journalist of the Year Award at the British
Press Awards in London on 10 April. The French government awarded him its
human rights prize in 2005 for his campaigning against the death penalty.
Baghi was imprisoned on 14 October 2007 to serve a one-year sentence he had
been given in November 2004 for writing a book that accused government
officials of involvement in a series of murders of intellectuals and
journalists in 1998.
http://www.ifex.org/
http://www.rsf.org/
Monday, April 14, 2008
News in brief-
Strike by "Alborz Tire " workers !
On Saturday April 12, Alborz Tire workers stage a strike for their several months unpaid salaries. The workers in protest burned the tire's and other excess materials which caused closure of the road from Tehran to Islamshahr .
In previouse months, the workers of this factory staged for nearly 20 days and nights shift strike.
According to eyewitness many of these workers have been beaten and arrested and was transfered by two buses to Ahmadabad Mostofi police station .
The sources reported that between 35-40 to 140 workers have been arrested and there are no news about the situation of these workers.
Link to this news in Farsi:
http://kargozaaran.com/ShowNews.php?5619
http://www.etehadefedaian.org/?page=article&nid=2228
A video clip on student protest in the city of Shiraz!
Happened last March.
Click on here:
فیلمی از تظاهرات دانشجویان در شیراز
The slogan:
The student movement is ready for uprising!
The commander of the barrack , this is the last message!
News in brief-
On April 3,2008 , while entering to her office , she saw a note with the following content:
" Shirin Ebadi, your death is near" .
"Threat against my life and security as well as my family which had started long time ago , had recently been intensified".
She includeded copies of three threatening letter to chief of police force . She mentioned that; "I don't have problem with anybody and in my work as a lawyer , i do work free of charge for those who's rights has been violated, therefore , those who wish for my death are having problem with my thoughts and bliefs."
" Mrs. Shirin Ebadi, we have told you to leave your anti-Islamic coinciding with Bahai behavior, but you chose to continue to dance with foriegners and Bahai's and you have thought your daughter to do the same , we will kill her , that's for you to know, pay attention. "
http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2008/04/070313.php
Sunday, April 13, 2008
News in brief-
Amirkabir Newsletter
Students in another city staged protest against the policy of Ahmadinejad's Government!
Due to a sudden replacement of the president of Noshirvani Technical University of the city of Babol, the students staged a protest and demanded the president be reinstated.This happened while the party for the introduction of new president was going on.
Link to this news in Farsi:
http://asre-nou.net/1387/farvardin/22/m-mazandaran.html
Friday, April 11, 2008
Winston wrote:
"Typical Iranian conspiracy theories? President Bush's administration has been the most open administration in terms of letting Iranian scholars, students and businesses travel to the US and see for themselves how the actual US is so different from the one Mullahs tell them. A democratic Iraq and Lebanon will make the Iranian people think twice about having a democratic country and its benefits. World will be a better place without the maniacs that rule Iran today. A Democratic Iran is in the best interest of America and the civilized world."
Here is my response :
Thanks for your comment.
Conspiracy theory co-exist with corrupt power. As long as there are regimes like Iran in the world, there are conspiracy theory too.
For example the death of Zahra Kazemi in Iranian jail. The people from the begining thought and blamed the government. Thanks to a few reformist members of the parliament who dared to tell the truth to the people.
Many more similar cases happened since then.
More than 75% of the American people believe in conspiracy theory when it comes to the assassination of JFK.
Cospiracy theory is alive and well among the people around the world . It is not only: " typical Iranian conspiracy theory". Even the father of Dudi Alfaed together with millions of British and Canadian believe on conspiracy theory when there is no way to dig out the truth.
I'm not too young and i didn't forget the "Contragate" , Which the government say one thing and do another.
I leave the option open. I believe there is no absolute answer " NO " to conspiracy theory.
So,
Has there been a "Bush- Nejad " or " AM -Nejad " gate going on ?
Thursday, April 10, 2008
That, Ahmadinejad to change the course of reform and the idea of the reformism and to suppress the human rights and civil rights movement in Iran and diverse the mind of the Iranian as well as Middle Eastern public to nuclear issues.
That ,Iran help US in Iraq.
That, George Bush will not attack Iran.
That, US explore oil and Gas in Iraq without disruption.
That , Ahmadinejad to burie the rise of Free Media, independent journalist and human rights workshops.
Why Sadam was changed?
Why US wanted to deliver democracy in Iraq ?
Why continuous war?
It seems that it is not the Islamic Republic that US want to isolate but the people of Iran who are calling for reform , freedom, human rights and calling for total changes in Iran which eventually will include the people in the Middle East.
Why George Bush and NATO is trying to build a wall of defense around Iran?
What happens if the regims in the Middle East start reforming their political system ?
What happens if the regimes in the Middle East changes for good and reformists or democratic government take control over political and economical situation of each Middle East State?
Think about it?
Will the US fear for their national or strategic interest?
*The people of Iran are determind to build an open society based on respect for human rights , civil rights, independent media, freedom of expression, to develope NGO's and..... Nothing can change these trend anymore.
IRAN WATCH CANADDA
Thursday April 10,2008
News.gooya.com
http://www.mukriannews.blogfa.com
The managing editor of the Weekly Kurdish-Farsi publication of " Nedaye Jamea " has been allegedly found guilty by the media jury.
Yesterday morning Ms. Nushin Mohammadi the managing editor of the Weekly " Nedaye Jamea" in Kermanshah province has defended the position of her weekly publication in the court against the complaint sent to the court by the office of the Ministry of Information in Kermanshah.
She is allegedly cherged with : Publication of ambiguous picture, publication of lies with the intention to disturb public mind, creating division among the ethnic group and belonging to illegal groups such as Kurdish United Front.
The weekly is the official organ of the university and high school students of Kermanshah which was distributed in the western part of Iran . The paper was published since 2001 and reached to 165 number.
Link to this news in Farsi:
http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2008/04/070119.php
News in brief-
Aftab News
Thursday April 10,2007
The head of the judiciary power in Iran , Ayatollah Shahrudi has invited the representative of media to visit Iran!
"Contrary to the poisonous propaganda of the countries that call themselves big, the human rights in all its dimensions , even the rights of the misdemeanant are observed very well in Iran."
Ayatollah Shahrudi , the head of the judiciary power has invited the representatives of the media for a visit to Iran to become familiar with the Islamic Human Rights phenomenon.
Link to this news in Farsi:
http://www.aftabnews.ir/vdcdxz0ytk0s5.html
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Write letter to Iranian Judiciary to stop execution of Ms.Akram Mahdavi !
In Iran a campaign has been organized to collect money for a 32 years old woman and mother ( to pay the blood money),who by arrange marriage was forced to get married with a 74 years old man. She was unwillingly married two times at early age . She is accused of killing her husband .
Link to this news in Farsi:
http://balatarin.com/topic/2008/4/7/1001341
Khadijeh Moghadam one of the prominent Iranian women's movement activist Has been arrested!
She has been arrested this evening at her home in Tehran. Ms. Moghadam is an active member of the " Campaign for One Million Signature" . She also belong to a group known as " Mothers for Peace".
According to a news from "Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran" the workers of " Haft Tapeh " sugar cane factory in the city of "Shush" satged strike for the fullfilment of their demands . And their demands are : Pay back their previous months unpaid salaries and previous year reward for their services as promissed.The workers started their strike from today Tuesday April 8,2008.All the workers have staged strike including the production line , agriculture workers and all other related division.
Dialogue between the management and workers representative came to dead end and the president is not willing to respond to the workers demand.
--------------------
UPDATE - IRAN
8 April 2008
Four newspapers suspended by authorities for "failing to publish regularly"
SOURCE: Reporters sans frontières (RSF), Paris
(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders condemns the arbitrary suspension of
four newspapers on 6 April 2008 for "failing to publish regularly." It
brings the number of newspapers banned by the Commission for Press
Authorisation and Surveillance since the start of the year to 17.
The press freedom organisation also deplores the intelligence ministry's
repeated harassment of the wife of Afghan journalist Ali Mohaqiq Nasab, who
has been imprisoned in the city of Qom, 150 km southwest of Tehran, since 4
March.
"The independent media are regularly subjected to arbitrary treatment by
the authorities, who take advantage of repressive laws to silence them,"
the organisation said. "The ban on these four publications is just the
latest example. At the same time, the security apparatus imposes silence on
the families of imprisoned journalists. Those who report the arrests of a
relative to the media, especially the foreign media, are exposing
themselves to the possibility of punishment."
The four publications banned on 6 April by the Commission for Press
Authorisation and Surveillance, an offshoot of the Ministry of Culture and
Islamic Guidance, were "Sobh Varzesh", "Imen Gostar", "Laleh" and "Gozineh
Pjoheshjar Jahan". The ban was imposed under article 16 of the press law,
which sanctions "publishing irregularly."
Nasab's wife, Sahar Mohaqiq Nasab, was threatened by intelligence ministry
agents and was told she would be arrested herself if she kept asking for
news about him. She still does not know what her husband, the publisher of
the monthly "Haqoq-e-Zan" (Farsi for "Women's Rights"), is charged with. He
is not being allowed visits and has not yet been able to see a lawyer. The
special religious court that is to try him has not approved the lawyers
proposed by the Association for the Defence of Prisoners' Rights.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are
both on the list of "Press Freedom Predators" which Reporters Without
Borders updates every year.
http://www.rsf.org
http://www.ifex.org/
Monday, April 07, 2008
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Roozonline-
2008.04.03]
By: Shahram Rafizadeh
Last year ( Iranian calendar year 1386 ) was the year of oppression on students, women and journalists !
arrests and trials in the year 1386 (2007-2008)
Year 2007-2008 was the year of widespread oppression. According to reports, more than 95 students have faced jail term from one week and more.At least 87 journalists and managing editor were arrested or stood on trial and close to 40 women human rights advocates were put on trial or sent to prison.
Students :
On Iranian New Years day (Nowrouz) 13 students were still in prison.
These students are :
Peyman Piran , Said Derakhshandi, Abolfazl jahandar, Ehsan Mansuri, Majid Tavakoli, Ahmad Ghasaban, Yaghub Mehrnahad, Yaser Goli, Sabah Nasiri, Hedayat Ghazali, Behruz Karimizadeh, Ali kantouri and Asadollah Shah.
Between New Year (Nowrouz-spring )of 2007 and 2008 more than 309 students faced with problems such as : expulsion from school, no permission to enter the school, summoning to the deciplinary committee, summoning to the court, detention ( less than one week),
Expulsion of more than 40 university professors !
closure of more than 90 students publication !
IRAN WATCH CANADA
Sexual assult to a young women student of Razi University in the city oof Kermanshah by the deputy of the Herasat office ( one of the security intelligence of the Islamic Republic in the offices and universities ) .
Sexual assault to another young women of "University of Azad Islami" in the city of Ashtian by one of her interrogator.
Student- Ebrahim Lotfollahi was killed while in a detention run by the Ministry of Information in the city of Sanandaj.
Death of Doctor Zahra Baniyaghub in a detention run by the police forces in the city of Hamadan.
The murder of Ms. Samieh Kakavand student of law at Meybod University in the city of Yazd by an agent of police force .
The death penalty issued for Mr. Yaghub Mehrnahad a student and human rights activist in the city of Zahedan.
Women , campaign for signature and be arrested !
According to report on 2007-2008 close to 40 women human rights advocates were arrested.
They were:
Mahbubeh Hosainzadeh, Nahid Keshavarz, Zeynab Peyghambarzadeh, Ehteram Shadfar, Bahareh Hedayat, Shahnaz Gholami, Sepideh Pooraghaei, Nafiseh Azad, Zara Amjadian, Jelveh Javaheri, Mansureh Shojaei, and Nazli Farokhi together with 20 women human rights activists from the city of Khoram Abad .
Maryam Hossainkhah and Jelveh Javaheri were allegedly charged with writing an article and report in women human rights websites.
Ronak Saffarzadeh and Hana Abdi women human rights advocates in the city of Sanandaj.
Raheleh Asgarizadeh and Nasim Khosravi two member of the art committee for change and equality on women status who have spent a period in prison and or still are in prison..
In the last year many activists from the women movement went on trial or went to prison. According to the report the number of women who have gone to prison is 14 women.
The first sentencing was given to Azadeh Forghani . She was sentenced to two years imprisonment , which was suspended for five years.
The last sentencing was issued against women activist Ms. Mino Mortazi Langrudi . She was sentenced to six months imprisonment and ten lashes.
Several human rights advocate were also banned to leave the country including Ms. Parvin Ardalan who was the winner of the Swedish Olof Palme’s prize. She was leaving the country to receive the award in Sweden but stopped in the airport.
Journalists , 87 arrest and trial during the last year !
More than 87 journalists or managing editors were detained or went on trial during the last year and at least journalist Mr. Adnan Hassanpoor was sentenced to death.
Said Matinpoor, Yaghub Salakinia, Soheil Asefi, Farshad Ghorbanpoor , Masud Bastani, Mahbubeh Hossainzadeh, Maryam Hossainkhah, Reza Valizadeh and Emad Baghi , Omid Ahmadzadeh, Seyed Ali Hashemi, Abolfazl Abedini, Adel Mazari, Ahmad Badiran, Ako Kordnasab, Ajlal Ghavami and Mohammad Sadigh Kabudvand are the journalists who were detained during the last year . Mohammad Sadigh Kabudvand is still prison.
Although journalist Mr. Ali Farahbakhsh who was in prison from previous year was release 2007 . But journalist Mr. Kaveh Javanmard a Kurdish journalist who was arrested from previous year is still in prison in the city of Sanandaj . He is sentenced to two years in prison. The most severe sentence was given to Adnan Hassanpoor . The revolutionary court in Kurdistan sentenced him to death .
The most surprising sentence to a journalist was 35 lashes and 100,000 Tuman fine given to Mr. Mohammad Javad Roh for writing a critical report on the banning of a book four years ago .
Nazi Azima a reporter for Radio Farda who have gone to Iran to visit her ill mother in Iran was banned leaving Iran , until she put some bail in order to be able to leave Iran again.
Iran watch canada
Friday, April 04, 2008
In this post IWC commemorate Martin Luther King, one of the great defender of human rights who was shot dead 40 years ago on April 4, 1968.
Watch these video clips:
MLK: Beyond Vietnam -- A Time to Break Silence
A Year to the day before his assassination, King gave this speech at the Riverside Church in New York view
Jackson recalls Martin Luther King's last moments
AP: Jesse Jackson and Billy Kyle on Martin Luther King Jr. and the moment he was shot view
Play the video clip and listen to a new born voice.
http://www.daryadadvar.com/Darya-Video/index.html
Labels: music
Unkown people tried to burn one Bahai alive in the city of Shiraz !
threatening letter has been sent to Bahai's with the signature of " unknown soldiers of 12th Imam"
Kaveh Barzegar reported that ; while openly the human rights of Bahai's are being violated in Iran the report received shows of threat on the life of nine Bahai's in the city of Shiraz and unsuccessful effort of unkown people to burn one of the Bahai.
members of an unknown group who call themselves the " Unknown Soldiers of 12th Imam" on 17th of March has sent threatening letters to nine Bahai's who live in the city of Shiraz and threatened them with " revolutionary execution" and the letter called them as " mercenary and spy of Israel".
The report also indicate that on 19th of March , these same people in the city of Shiraz tried to pour gas on one of the Bahai and burn him but their effort was unsuccessful and had to scape from the scene. This event was reported to police phone line (110).
Lives of Bahai's in Iran is in great danger .
Bahai's need the support of human rights organizations around the world .
Link to this news in English:
english/archives/2008/04/bahais_threatened_in_shiraz.html
Link in Farsi:
english/archives/2008/04/bahais_threatened_in_shiraz.html
Help, release this homosexual prisoner !
Mr. Mehdi Nedami son of Azim, born on 1986 in Lorestan province of Iran , is at present in Evin prison and because of his special case is in solitary confinement. He was one year old when he lost his father . At the age of 16 when his mother died the rest of the family left him . because of being homosexual couldn't continue his studies and he came to Tehran, found a homosexual friend and shared a rented house with him, until last year when an incident happened for him.
Mehdi explained the incident:
on December 6,2006 Mohammad and Morteza came to " Takht Tavoos" , because they knew the homosexual get together at that location and at "Karimkhan", "Vanak" and "Park Daneshju" .
I told them that i am homosexual and i can't come with you, but i need you to help me financially . They brought me to Morteza's home and locked the door, they brought me in the bedroom and until noon they hurt me , after several hours they untie my hands and feet, they had removed my cloths , i went to open the door and noticed it is locked , i tried to shout but one of them who was big beat me up. i had a small knife and i showed them and i told them to open the door and asked them not to come close to me otherwise i'll hurt myself . Mohammad was beside the door but Morteza attacked me and i didn't noticed what had happened , suddenly he brought his head forward and i saw the knife has blood on it.he then called his brother, they threatened me not to say anything and then they brought me to police station and since then i am in prison.
On December 13 i entered in prison , they kept me in solitary suite , the room that i am is 9 meters, it has a washroom and bathroom, for lunch and dinner they ( prison guards) brought me out but i have no time for fresh air or visitation . The prison officials behavior is bad towards me , most of the prisoners do insult me, i dont know what to do, no one speaks to me in prison , i'm tired of prison.
Mehdi wishes to sale his kidney to pay for the sexual change operation........
I sleep until 10 am , when i'm awake i look at the suite and count the flower of the curtain , i wish they could understand me.
Mehdi has been sentenced to two years imprisonment and has to pay a blood money of 18, 500000 Tuman( $19000) . He has appealed and his sentencing was reduced to 10 months jail term. Right now he is in prison and need to prepare the blood money in order to get out of prison.
Mohammad Mostafaei - Lawyer for Mehdi Nedami
Mostafaeilawyer@gmail.com
http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2008/03/069582.php
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
EGYPT:
- Newspaper editor given suspended six-month sentence for reporting on
rumors regarding president's health (HRinfo)
http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/91978/
- Judge dismisses six additional cases against convicted editor; CPJ
condemns jail sentence
http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/92030/
- EOHR condemns sentencing of editor over articles on president's health
http://www.fidh.org/spip.php?article5379
LEBANON:
Award-winning Iranian movie banned by authorities (Maharat)
http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/92012/
MOROCCO:
- Record damages awarded against editor of leading daily in libel suit
(RSF)
http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/91982/
- IFJ concerned over threat to survival of newspaper due to excessive fine
http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?index=5998&Language=EN
PALESTINE:
IFJ condemns persecution of journalists by Hamas
http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?index=5991&Language=EN
SAUDI ARABIA:
Twenty clerics back fatwa against two reformist writers; WiPC urges
international community to ask authorities to protect the two (WiPC)
http://tinyurl.com/3x4rvu
The IFEX Digest on Freedom of Expression is a service of the International
Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX), a global network of non-governmental
organisations working to defend and promote the right to free expression.
Visit the IFEX website for more information: http://www.ifex.org