Manely Jamal- Grand son of late "Beh Azin" the Iranian writer

We the workers of Iran won't keep quiet to these inhuman situation !
May Day rally organizers invite Iranian workers to "May Day" rally!
Date: Friday May 01 ,2009 at 5:00pm
Place: Tehran, Kargar Street, Laleh Park - Abnama circle

Release all imprisoned workers including Mansur Osanloo and Ebrahim Madadi
Workers Salaries are way under poverty line.
Lay off and policies which end workers to lose their job.
Not paying the salaries of millions of workers on time
imposing provisional and blank contracts
helping contract companies to rule over the destiny of workers
Arrest and imprisonment of workers and their leaders
suppressing workers organizations and their protests
Execution of middle age punishment such as lashes.

Link to this news:

http://asre-nou.net/php/view.php?objnr=3107

Iranian teacher all over Iran has started their protest for three days !

Iranian teachers are the most neglected community in Iran by Islamic Republic and Ahmadinejad's Government. their salary is the lowest , their colleagues are still awaiting to be hired on full time bases. According to news , they are tired of promises by Ahmadinejad's Government. They started their protest from yesterday in front of parliament for three days.

Link:

http://asre-nou.net/php/view.php?objnr=3097

Roxana Saberi the Iranian -American journalist started her hunger strike since last Tuseday April 21!

Reza Saberi, Roxana Saberi's father is worried about the health of his daughter. According to Roxana's parent, she started her hunger strike since last Tuesday April 21. She only drink water with sugar.

Mr. Saberi visited his daughter on Sunday April 26 in Evin prison and on speaking with media , he said: "She was pale and weak and could hardly stand up."

Roxana Saberi is the Iranian -American journalist , she was arrested by the Islamic Republic for allegedly " Espionage " for United States and is sentenced in a quasi court to 8 years imprisonment. She turned 32 years old and celeberated her 32nd birthday in Evin prison.

Mr. Saberi asked his daughter to stop the hunger strike, but according to him, she refused and swear that she will continue her hunger strike till her freedom.

On Today Monday, Mr. Saberi again visited his daughter in jail but didn't say more about his daughter's situation.

Link to this news:

http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2009/04/086832.php

Human Rights Education- Focus on Middle East, Now!

On Sunday April 26 Roxana Saberi will celeberate her 32nd birthday in Evin prison!

IRAN WATCH CANADA: Said Mortazavi the infamous Tehran public prosecutor may be involved in interrogating Roxana , if this is the case, the human rights around the world including UN human rights council must get involve and put more pressure on Islamic Republic for her immediate and unconditional release or else waite and accept the consequences such as Zahra Kazemi , Zahra Baniyaqub and....

35 organizations demanded for her release:

ARTICLE 19, U.K. Algerian Centre for the Defence and Promotion of Press Freedom (CALP), Algeria Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), Egypt Associação Brasileira de Jornalismo Investigativo (ABRAJI), Brazil Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM), Serbia Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) CanadianJournalistsforFreeExpression(CJFE),Canada Cartoonists Rights Network, International (CRNI), U.S.A. Center for Media Studies and Peace Building (CEMESP), Liberia Centro de Periodismo y Etica Publica (CEPET), Mexico Committee to Protect Journalists, U.S.A. Independent Journalism Center (IJC), Moldova Index on Censorship, U.K. Institute of Mass Information (IMI), Ukraine Institute for Reporter Freedom and Safety (IRFS), Azerbaijan Instituto Prensa y Sociedad (IPYS), Peru International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Belgium International PEN Writers in Prison Committee, U.K International Press Institute (IPI), Austria Freedom House, U.S.A. Free Media Movement (FMM), Sri Lanka Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa (FLIP), Colombia Maharat Foundation, Lebanon Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Namibia Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Ghana Media Watch, Bangladesh Mizzima News Agency, India/Burma Norwegian PEN, Norway Observatoire pour la liberté de presse, d'édition et de creation (OLPEC), Tunisia Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), Pakistan Reporters sans frontières (RSF), France Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), Thailand World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC), Canada World Association of Newspapers (WAN), France World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC), U.S.A.

Focus on Middle East- Too much oil ,too little or no human rights at all-Member of UAE Royal Family Tortures Man Not for the faint hearted - Be Warned

Cartoon by : Nikahang Kowsar

Ahmadinejad: In Iran we do not have violation of human rights, and this one is my witness !

Last few days i had computer problems.
Now i'm back again.

June 2009 & presidential election in Iran!

Behind Ahmadinejad in this election is " Sepah Pasdaran" ( or Revolutionary guards) and "Khameneie" the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic!

Bahman Ghobadi, Iranian filmmaker, has written an open letter following the arrest and conviction of Roxana Saberi.
The text of Bahman Ghobadi's letter is the following:

"To Roxana Saberi, Iranian with an American passeport"

If I kept quiet until now, it was for her sake. If today I speak, it is for her sake.

She is my friend, my fiancée, and my companion. An intelligent and talented young woman, whom I have always admired.

It was the 31st of January. The day of my birthday. That morning, she called to say she would pick me up so we would go out together. She never came. I called on her mobile, but it was off, and for two-three days I had no idea what had happened to her. I went to her apartment, and since we had each other's keys, I went in, but she wasn't there. Two days later, she called and said: "Forgive me my dear, I had to go to Zahedan." I got angry: why hadn't she said anything to me? I told her I didn't believe her, and again she said: "Forgive me my dear, I had to go." And the line was cut. I waited for her to call back. But she didn't call back. She didn't call back.

I left for Zahedan. I looked for her in every hotel, but nobody had ever heard her name. For ten days, thousands of wild thoughts came to my mind. Until I learned, through her father, she had been arrested. I thought it was a joke.

I thought it was a misunderstanding and that she would be released after two or three days. But days went by and I had no news from her. I started to worry and knocked on every door for help, until I understood what had happened.

It is with tears in my eyes that I say she is innocent and guiltless. It is me, who has known her for years, and shared every moment with her, who declares it. She was always busy reading and doing her research. Nothing else. During all these years I've known her, she wouldn't go anywhere without letting me know, nor would do anything without asking my advice. To her friends, her family, everyone that surrounded her, she had given no signs of unreasonable behavior. How come someone who would spend days without going out of her apartment, except to see me; someone who, like a Japanese lady, would carefully spend her money, and had sometimes trouble making a living; someone who was looking for a sponsor to get in contact with a local publisher so her book would be printed here (in Iran); could now be charged with a spying accusation?! We all know – no, we have all seen in movies – that spies are malicious and sneaky, that they peep around for information, and that they are very well paid.

And now my heart is full of sorrow. Because it is me who incited her to stay here. And now I can't do anything for her. Roxana wanted to leave Iran. I kept her from it.

At the beginning of our relationship, she wanted to go back to the United States. She would have liked us to go together. But I insisted for her to stay until my new film was over. She really wanted to leave Iran. And I kept her from it. And now I am devastated, for it is because of me she has been subject to these events. These past years, I have been subject to a serious depression. Why? Because my movie had been banned, and released on the black market. My next movie was not given an authorization, and I was forced to stay at home. If I've been able to stand it until today, it is thanks to the presence and help that she provided me with.

Since I had no authorization for my last movie, I was nervous and ill-tempered. And she was always there to calm me down.

Roxana wanted to leave Iran. I kept her from it. She is the one who took care of me while I was depressed. Then I convinced her to stay, I wanted her to write the book she had started in her head. I accompanied her, and thanks to my friends and contacts, I knocked on every door and was able to set up meetings with film makers, artists, sociologists, politics, and others. I would go with her myself.
She was absorbed by her book, to the point that she could stay and bear it all, until my film would be finished, and we would leave together.

Roxana's book was a praise to Iran. The manuscripts exist, and it will certainly be published one day, and all will see it. But why have they said nothing? All those who have talked, worked and sat with her, and who know how guiltless she is.

I am writing this letter for I am worried about her. I am worried about her health. I heard she was depressed and cried all the time. She is very sensitive. To the point she refuses to touch her food.

My letter is a desperate call to all statesmen and politics, and to all those who can do something to help. From the other side of the ocean, the Americans have protested against her imprisonment, because she is an American citizen. But I say no, she is Iranian, and she loves Iran. I beg you, let her go! I beg you not to throw her in the midst of you political games! She is too weak and too pure to take part in your games. Let me be present at her trial, sit next to her wise father and gentle mother, and testify she is without guilt or reproach.

However, I am optimistic about her release, and I firmly hope the verdict will be cancelled in the next stage of the trial.

My Iranian girl with Japanese eyes and an American ID, is in jail. Shame on me! Shame on us!



Bahman Ghobadi
April 21st, 2009.

In the fight between Us and Iran, It is the boat of Saberi that is sinking !

Roxana Saberi is a victim of political game for political gain. She is in fact a hostage of the Government of Ahmadinejad during this crucial time of the coming presidential election on June. So far the political expert believe that he may not be elected again because of all the mess he made not only in International stage but also in Iran as well. Since he came to power the middle class became poorer and some believe that he came to wipe out the middle class. Since he came to power almost 4 years ago , first his Government arrested Mr. Ramin Jahanbeglu the Iranian - Canadian scholar . Since then so many Journalist and scholar , dual citizens and dual passport holders have been arrested , banned to leave the country by the Government of Ahmadinejad.
So far more than 10 individuals been arrested and detained upon their return to Iran including the recent three Iranian-American citizens. I believe they are the hostage of Ahmadinejad Government for political gain.
One important point is that Ms. Saberi had taken a picture with former reformist president Khatami which is widely distributed . This may become an issue against Khatami and reformists candidates in presidential election. One must remember the allegation against Roxana is " Espionage " and this is very dangerous accusation.
So, in the fight between U.S and Iran It is the boat of Saberi that is sinking .

Human Rights and election - Cartoon by Mana Niestani

When Islamic Republic including its president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is talking about Human Rights, this is what exactly they do.

Ayatollah Shahrudi's order about Roxana Saberi's case file!
The spoksperson for judiciary power reported about an order made by the head of judiciary power on preciseness and expedition on reviewing the case file of Roxana Saberi .
Mr. Allireza Jamshidi announced that: "Ayatollah Shahrudi the head of judiciary power in his order to the head of Tehran attorney General emphasized on the fair review in all procedure particularly at the stage of appeal of those who have been charged."
At the same time , with the request of Roxana's father, Madam Shirin Ebadi together with Mr. Abdolsamad Khoramshahi are going to be the defence council for the appeal.Mr. Khoramshahi in speaking with ILNA have said :Next week I'm going to give my protest argument to the court about Roxana's sentencing .In a question asked by reporter that, is it true Ms. Roxana was arrested when she had bought alcoholic beverage? Mr. Khoramshahi said : So far that i have red the case file , this isn't true, my client was arrested from the beginig with the charge of espionage.

Link to this news in Farsi:

http://www.etemaad.ir/Released/88-02-01/204.htm#141411

EU countries representative walk out while Ahmadinejad spoke in Durban2-UN conference on racism and human rights. People applauded the walk out.

Roxana Saberi the Iranian - American journalist is sentenced to eight years imprisonment!

First:
Good News is the execution of Delara Darabi has been stayed for now, and thats a good news for this young woman and her family as well as for us the human rights defenders.Thanks for all the people who got involved in this case.

Second:
Not good news, Ms. Roxana Saberi the Iranian-American journalist is sentenced to eight years imprisonment by Islamic Republic judiciary for alleged charges of "espionage" for United States.
Obama in a Message asked the Islamic Republic officials to release her from prison.The lawyer of Roxana Mr. Abdolsamad Khoramshahi on Saturday confirmed the eight years prison sentencing of her client.He said ; he has 20 days to appeal the decission.
In an order by president of Islamic Republic Mr. Ahmadinejad to his chief of presidential office Mr. Sheikholeslami , he asked him to write to public prosecutor Mr. Said Mortazavi to have a fair trial for Roxana and other Iranian-Canadian blogger Mr. Hossain Derakhshan who was said to be arrested on November last year when returned to Iran.

Link to this newses:

http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2009/04/086505.php

Durban Anti-racism conference participant (NGO's and human rights organizations) must boycott attending the conference when Ahmadinejad and Islamic Republic delegates are in the conference!

Islamic Republic regime is an Apartheid regime violating the rights of other religious minorities and political dissent and its representative Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and its delegate are not qualified to seat in that conference and must be expelled .

The NGO's and human rights organizations as well as representatives in solidarity with human rights defenders and Iranian people must boycott attending the session when president of the Islamic Republic is present in this important conference.

Ahmadinejad's Government since its office four years ago suppressed all human rights , civil rights groups and personalities and therefore does not deserve to seat in the conference.

The news report from Iran indicate that, president Ahmadinejad is going to speak to the conference .

The news also said that , from Iran several delegates including human rights organization and organization with anti-racism struggle will participate in the conference.

Link in Farsi:

http://www.mehrnews.com/fa/newsdetail.aspx?NewsID=862202

Read IRAN WATCH CANADA about human rights violation during Ahmadinejad's presidency.

********

On April 20, representatives from around the world will gather at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, for the Durban Review Conference, or the 2009 UN World Conference Against Racism (aka Durban II). The conference will follow up on the 2001 conference held in Durban, South Africa, says the conference website.

The UN's idea of an anti-racism conference entered the final stretch yesterday with the planning committee deciding Iran ought to preside as a vice-chair, Libya will serve as the chair of the "Main Committee" running the conference and that Cuba will be the "rapporteur." All three human rights paragons will assume their new duties on the first day of "Durban II" set for Monday, April 20.

Despite the controversy over who is in what position and who will be absent, the United Nations' top human rights official, Navi Pillay, reminds countries of the importance of the issue and urges every member state to participate in the process, reports Xinhua.
"Lives are at stake. The future and hope of countless victims of racism lie in your hands," Navi Pillay, the UN high commissioner for human rights, told delegates at a preparatory meeting for the Durban Review Conference.
She also urged the delegates to "transcend their differences and find consensus" over the wording of a draft declaration to be issued at the end of the April 20-24 conference.

Link:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/16/durban-ii-nations-prepare_n_187789.html

Hear the voice of Afghan women !
Afghan Women fight back against the rule of reactionary law , against talebanism and the idea of keeping the Afghan society and Afghanistan in conservatism.Only Afghan women know what kind of animal the Talebans are? What they have experienced during Taleban regim made them brave today to fight back and stand on alert and let the world know what is going on in Afghanistan and it is our solidarity with them that make them strong.

It is time G20's to understand and support the Afghan , the Iranian and Middle Eastern women and men for their struggle for human rights and democracy in the region.

Taleban are targeting the brave Afghan women like Sitara Achakzay and murdering them and Iranian Government is also targeting human right defenders , journalists and civil right lawyers, students and others and arresting , detaining or murdering them. In Saudi Arabia and other Arab states the women want to be free from the conservative, corrupt rulers . It is time the G20's to focus on Middle East and stop supporting these governments and give the human rights the priority when dealing with them.

Poorabdolah's mom: "The world must know what the Islamic Republic do with our childeren!"

Mohammad Poorabdolah the chemistry student of the University of Tehran is an imprisoned student who is in prison since February of this year. On last Monday the Islamic Republic prison officials transferred him from "Ghazal Hesar " prison to ward number 209 of Evin prison .He was transferred because at the prosecution , he didn't admit the charges against him. The court officials told her family that, since Mohammad didn't admit the charges against him, he will be brought back to solitary confinement for more interrogation.
While his mother was worried about her son , she said: My question from the officials is this: "As a mother do i have any right to know about the situation of my son , and do i have right to see him?"
It has been saidthat , since his transfer to ward number 209 , he has been banned for visiting and phoning his family and his family have no knews about him.
His mother did everything including writing letter to commission number 90 of the parliament about the situation but recieved no response.
At the end while exhusted she said : " Tell to everyone that , to the end I'm behind my son, " she then added: If the Islamic Republic court won't clear his situation , I swear that i will kill myself in the court, so that the world understand , in this country what they do with our children ."

Mohammad was arrested with Alireza Dawoodi ( spokesperson of Isfahan University students with tendency to left). Alireza is expelled from school because of his political and student rights activities. Alireza is 25 years old.At present Alireza is in Isfahan city "Dastgerd" prison.

Background:
In the past, Mohammad Poorabdolah was arrested on December during Ministry of Information raid on student with tendency to left and many time went under severe pressure by Ministry of Information.

Link:

http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2009/04/086384.php

Alert ....Alert....Alert.............

Iran Watch Canada commited to human rights: It's painful to read the news and keep quiet. There are so many other violation of human rights every day by Islamic Republic judiciary but when it comes to select and translate , it is painful not to write about the tears for injustices!

Delara is a painter and drew so many painting while in prison and she has exhibited her collective paintings.

Delara Darabi a young women is going to be executed by Islamic Republic judiciary system!
She is going to be executed in four days!

Delara Darabi is a 23 years old women who spent six years of her young life in Islamic Republic prison for a crime she commited. She is going to be executed in four days.
Her lawyer Mr. Abdolsamad Khoramshahi yesterday in speaking with Etemad newspaper announced this news.He emphasized and believe that his client is not guilty of the crime .
He said: There are so many faults in the case file and the documents in the file shows thatt this girl isn't the murderer.She was in prison since her 18 years of age.

Link to this news in Farsi:
http://balatarin.com/topic/2009/4/16/1002480

Iranian human rights advocate and defenders need the solidarity of world human rights defenders ,Now !

- Ronak Safarzadeh a Kurdish women rights activist and human rights advocate in Kurdistan- Iran and a member "Azarmehr Women Organization (an NGO) received six years imprisonment for her advocacy for women human rights!!!? The Islamic Republic court told her lawyer Mr. Mohammad Sharif that she is sentenced to six years imprisonment. Her lawyer said, he will appeal the decision. Ronak was arrested on October 8, 2008 in her house in Sanandaj city by security agents of the Islamic Republic and since then she was in prison.

mouss maher - jelloul

The Death Penalty
Mehrangiz Kar - 2009.04.14

Roozonline-

According to reports by Amnesty International, at least 346 people received the death ‎punishment in Iran in 2008. This makes Iran the country with the second highest number ‎of court-ruled death cases in the world. China occupies the first position with 1718 ‎capital punishment cases. But if one considers the populations of these two countries, ‎then Iran leads the world in deaths per capita, and China follows suit.‎
The AI report says that eight of those executed in Iran had committed crimes before they ‎had reached the age of 18. The methods used to execute the court orders in Iran were ‎hanging by rope and stoning, which are inhuman. One can add to the comments made in ‎the AI report that in most countries that support the capital punishment, there are ‎continuous efforts through scientific quarters to find ways to reduce the pain caused to ‎those who face such a fate. In Iran however, the case is just the opposite and the ‎proponents of the death penalty are in continuous search for ways to increase the pain ‎that the person facing death will bear, and add physical and psychological torture as well. ‎Carrying out executions in public is one such example, which was decided last year with ‎the purpose of adding torment to the victim and arousing zeal among those watching the ‎event.‎
While the political atmosphere in Iran is dangerous and costly for human rights activists, ‎human rights groups in the country continue to voice their protests against such practices ‎by providing information to relevant international organizations. So the Iranian ‎government is under pressure regarding this not only from international groups, but also ‎domestic human rights activists whose aim is to end this practice altogether.‎
The Iranian government occasionally tries to respond to these protests and thus reduce ‎the pressures from the international bodies. In some cases official spokespeople of the ‎Islamic Republic have stressed that these acts are sanctioned by the criminal laws of the ‎country which are based in religious principles, or that the executions are carried out ‎because of the calls by the families of the victims of the crime. These spokespersons ‎portray the image as if execution is only for the most serious homicide criminals. The ‎reality is quite the contrary. The provisions of the criminal law of Iran also apply to those ‎who have not shed blood and who have not trespassed on the rights of others. They ‎include those who hold different religious or sexual orientations, which may result in the ‎death penalty.‎
But the provisions of the Ghesas law (literally meaning punishment in kind) which has ‎become the center-piece for the official spokespersons of the Islamic regime in Tehran ‎and the proponents of the death penalty, are not what they are normally portrayed to be ‎by these advocates. This law does not recognize that the penal provisions for crimes ‎involving blood and life should be equal and similar among all Iranian citizens. It is a law ‎that is heavily discriminatory. It is based on who has killed who. The punishment is based ‎on varies according to such questions as was the victim a man or a woman, a Muslim or a ‎non-Muslim, a believer or an infidel, supporter of the regime or its critic, etc. There are ‎circumstances when the criminal is acquitted of his crimes, and others when the ‎punishment against him is inflated, and in some cases he is not even recognized to have ‎committed a crime. For example, if a father or a grand-father kills his own child or his ‎grand-child, he does not receive the Ghesas punishment (see article 220 of the Islamic ‎Penal Code.) According to article 630 of the law, a husband who kills his wife and a man ‎with who he thinks is having an affair with his wife faces no punishment. Under another ‎provision of the law, if a man kills a person and proves in court that the victim was ‎‎“worthy of death by religious decree” then he walks out of the courtroom a free man. ‎
So the claims that government spokes persons make that the Ghesas law is based on ‎equality of law for all Iranian citizens is not true. The law specifically does not allow for ‎Ghesas (punishment in kind) if a Muslim kills a non-Muslim. It also does not provide for ‎Ghesas for a man who kills a woman. According to this law, some criminals have ‎exemptions and privileges under the law over other criminals and the blood of some ‎citizens is absolutely worthless before it.‎
Such legislature has no value or credibility from a legal perspective. Laws must reflect ‎the conditions of the time they represent. The penal laws that Iranian citizens must resort ‎to in their search for justice on one hand provide the death penalty for many private acts ‎that do not trespass on peace and freedom of others, while on the other protects groups of ‎criminals who kill other citizens without facing any punishment. These laws do not ‎provide any security to the public. And what are the benefits to society of such ‎punishments as stoning or hanging? Probably the best respond to this question lies in the ‎fact that crime and wrongdoing is on the rise in Iran.‎

Link:

http://www.roozonline.com/english/archives/2009/04/the_death_penalty.html

Madam Shirin Ebadi the Iranian Noble peace prize winner in 2003 and president of the "Centre for Human Rights Defenders" in Iran is worried about the death of prisoners!

Madam Ebadi in speaking with Roozonline said:
About the case file of Omidreza Mirsayafi the blogger who have died in prison, his family have said they have seen blood in his ear when first saw his lifeless body in coroners office , which contradict with the earliear announcement that he died by taking few pills.When someone is intoxicated, blood doesn't come out of his ear . The mysterious death of prisoners causing deep worries among human rights defenders in Iran.
She added: On March 18, 2009 @ 11:00am family of Mirsayafi visited him in prison and spoke with him , they say he was very fine and his mental state was generally well, they also said ; he he didn't have any physical or mental illness. Now, what happened between 11:00am to 3-4 :00 pm no one knows. Madam Ebadi said: We will look into the case and will report to the public. The lawyers of the Centre for Human Rights Defenders are waiting for report from coroners office , but in a bigger picture , the death of Mirsayafi caused deep worries among human rights defenders in Iran.
She added : Some of these deaths are proven not to be natural but was murder like the death of Zahra Kazemi which was proven to be murder , but the judiciary power in its last decission announced it is unable to identify the murderer.
-Some other case file like the suspicious death of doctor Zahra Baniyaghub is underreview by us. Unfortunately the judge of this case is unwilling to give us the dress of Zahra despite of our repeated request,While when someone dies and they bring her body to coroners office, they must give the dress to her family.In the file it says ; the dress is included in the file but the judge says ; there is no dress.
- Also about the death of Lotfolahi the Kurdish student who suspiciously died few days after arrest. without notifying his family and without showing the body to the family, they buried his body.When they buried the body then they told to his family that ; here is the grave of your son.This needs more reviews ......

Link to this interview in Farsi :
Interview was conducted by Omid Memarian
http://www.roozonline.com/archives/2009/04/post_12269.php

Political cartoon by: Iranian cartoonist Hassan Karimzadeh

Political cartoon by: Iranian cartoonist Hadi Heidari

In this undated photo released by the family of Omidreza Mirsayafi; Omidreza Mirsayafi, the 29-year-old who died on March 18, at Tehran's Evin Prison, is seen. Mirsayafi began his blog _ called simply "Rouznegar," or "Diary Writer" _ in 2006 as a kind of online salon for his close friends. The idea was to concentrate on daily Tehran life, culture and music. "Diary" included interviews with some of the leading Iranian musicians and artists. (AP Photo/Family of Omidreza Mirsayafi)

Blogger becomes casualty of Iran cyber-wars
By BRIAN MURPHY – 2 days ago
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) —

The first line of his first blog from Tehran in September 2006 asks: "What is freedom?"
Omidreza Mirsayafi answered his own question. "I don't know," he wrote, "but I know someday I will see its shadow falling on my land."
Two and half years later, from behind the gray walls of Tehran's Evin Prison, he phoned his mother. They talked about his battle with depression behind bars. She asked if he was taking his heart medicine.
A few hours later, on a chilly mid-March evening, the 29-year-old Mirsayafi was dead. He was Iran's first known casualty in the skirmishes between bloggers challenging the Islamic regime and authorities striking back with the tools they know best — imprisonment and intimidation.
This showdown has been building for years in Iran, with bloggers and social network sites becoming the main outlet for everything from hard-edged political dissent to underground videos and music. The role of Iranian bloggers as liberal opinion-shapers could intensify ahead of June 12 elections that will decide whether arch-conservative President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad remains for another four years. The outcome also could set the tone for Washington's overtures for dialogue with Tehran, which has so far resisted Western pressure for greater press and Internet freedoms.
"Omidreza is a symbol of many things," said Jillian York, a project coordinator at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, who exchanged e-mails with Mirsayafi in the months before his death. "He is a symbol of the free speech battles within Iran and a symbol that it would get worse."
Dozens of activists are now jailed in Iran, including at least two prominent bloggers. One of them, Hussein Derakhshan, helped ignite the Iranian blog boom in 2001 by posting simple instructions to create sites in Farsi.
What makes Mirsayafi stand out, however, was not his notoriety. It's just the opposite. Mirsayafi had a modest — what could even be called irrelevant — presence in the Iranian blogosphere.
"Omidreza was just an ordinary blogger," said Farhad Moradian, an Iranian Jewish emigre to Israel who writes a blog from Tel Aviv. "This is the big alarm."
A Facebook page in Mirsayafi's memory was formed after his death March 18. It was filled with condolences, rants and shared apprehension.
Said one entry: The "next Mirsayafi could be me."
Mirsayafi was interested in mathematics and physics in high school, and drifted toward journalism after graduating in 1999. He contributed stories on cultural events to several newspapers. For extra money, he moonlighted as a computer technician.
Mirsayafi began his blog — called simply "Rouznegar," or "Diary Writer" — in 2006 as a kind of online salon to concentrate on daily Tehran life, culture and music. "Diary" included interviews with leading Iranian musicians and artists.
But, as is often the case in Iran, he could not avoid politics.
His first post dabbled in general rhetoric about liberty. It was tame stuff compared with the bromides of other bloggers. Over the months, however, Mirsayafi's writing developed more bite. He was shaken particularly by the muzzling of other bloggers.
A post on June 22, 2007 broke the dam. He lashed at authorities by name, including crossing a red line that few dare to even approach: condemning the memory of the late Islamic Revolution leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
Mirsayafi wrote:
"Living in a country whose leader is Khomeini is nauseating.
Living in a country whose president is Ahmadinejad is a big shame."
He went on to skewer other Iranian officials and closed with the line: "Living in a country that calls itself an Islamic Republic is a disgrace."
Mirsayafi knew he entered dangerous territory. But he felt his blog was simply too obscure to draw notice among the hundreds of other Iranian Web writers from inside the country and abroad, say friends and family.
He described what happened next in a letter written earlier this year to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
On April 22, 2008, four officials from Iran's Revolutionary Court came to the small house in eastern Tehran that he shared with his parents. "They searched everywhere and confiscated my computer and personal items," he wrote to Ban. "And I was arrested."
Mirsayafi was accused of insulting Iran's leaders and its Islamic character — charges that can bring years in prison — and was placed in solitary confinement in Evin. His family, meanwhile, reached out to Mohammed Ali Dadkhah, a lawyer who has built a bulldog reputation while defending bloggers and other political activists.
After 40 days, Mirsayafi was released. As a guarantee he wouldn't flee the country, his family offered the deed to property worth about $50,000, said his brother Amir. Mirsayafi's blog site was shut down.
Authorities had been making cyber-raids for years. Their first salvo was attempts to block specific blogs and Web sites. But hackers bypassed the controls by using proxy sites and other Web shortcuts. Then arrests started after the election of Ahmadinejad in 2005.
The media rights group Reporters Without Borders lists 68 bloggers imprisoned around the world, including two in Iran and nearly 50 in China.
The irony is that many Iranian leaders have adapted well to the wired age. Ahmadinejad's office maintains a Web site. So do the Revolutionary Guards, the military enforcers. Political groups send out text messages to supporters' mobile phones. Some Shiite clerics have e-mail addresses.
Mohammed Ali Abtahi, who was a pioneer political blogger as vice president under former President Mohammad Khatami, worries that the assault on Iranian blogs could leave them sanitized of any genuine discourse.
"If the authorities continue with their reprisals, bloggers will start to censor themselves and we'll see only nonpolitical subjects," he said.
But Tehran-based bloggers such as Askan Monfared show no sign of cooling down. He believes the Islamic regime is panicked by its inability to control the Web as it does the mainstream media.
"They cannot distinguish between what's insulting and what is legitimate critique," he said. "There is no civil society until we reach that point."
On Nov. 2, Mirsayafi was brought before the Revolutionary Court. The charges were serious: insulting the country's leaders and making anti-state propaganda. Some expert witnesses said they didn't believe Mirsayafi's blog violated the statutes, according to various reports.
The court disagreed and sentenced him to 30 months in prison. He was allowed at first to remain free while he appealed, but authorities swooped in Feb. 7. His lawyer said there was no warning or explanation.
Mirsayafi was placed in Evin's Cell 7, Hall 5 along with his friend, Abbas Khorsandi, a political activist detained since 2007. Evin is Iran's most notorious lockup and the final stop for those who run afoul of the regime.
In 2003, Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi was arrested for taking photographs in front of Evin and died several days later in the prison. An investigative panel concluded Kazemi died of a fractured skull and brain hemorrhage caused by a "physical attack," but the findings were rejected by Iran's conservative judiciary. And an Iranian-American journalist, Roxana Saberi, was sent to Evin in February and was charged this week as a spy.
In Evin, Mirsayafi sometimes talked of suicide, said Shiva Nazar Ahari, secretary of the Committee of Human Rights Reporters in Tehran. He also worried about whether he could get more of the prescription drug Inderal, used to control erratic heart rhythms.
Nazar Ahari said she called Mirsayafi every few days.
"On one of his last conversations with me, he said, `I wish I actually did something real to insult the regime since I ended up in prison anyway,'" she said.
Mirsayafi's sister, Masoumeh, said they both wrote letters to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in early March asking for forgiveness. They never received a reply, she said.
On March 18, Mirsayafi overdosed on tranquilizers supplied by the prison and was only treated in the prison clinic rather than transferred to a hospital, according to reports attributed to an inmate physician, Dr. Hessam Firoozi. Judicial and prison authorities did not reply to repeated requests for comment by The Associated Press.
Firoozi, who is serving a 15-month sentence, called his lawyer. Quickly, word spread from blog to blog, then on to right groups and the international media.
Reporters Without Borders said Mirsayafi's death was a "sad reminder of the fact that the Iranian regime is one of the harshest for journalists and bloggers." Jennifer Windsor, executive director of Freedom House, a Washington-based pro-democracy group, said it highlighted the "dangerously inhospitable" climate for bloggers.
Mirsayafi was buried the day after his death. Fellow bloggers joined in a memorial of their own by posting some of his writings. His first blog post was among the most widely cited.
It ended:
"I asked: When will we understand the meaning of freedom?
"I answered: When our wisdom can be delivered from ignorance, selfishness and foolishness."
Associated Press Writer Hasan Sarbakhshian in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.

More restriction and pressure on internet websites in Iran!
Islamic Republic Ministry of Culture and Guidance through its Media and information deputy sent a strong message to internet website managers not to turn away or back away from the standards set by the ministry for internet during the election , for example , websites are not allowed to write critically about election or write about boycutting the election and the Ministry said those who will not follow the standard set by ministry will be closed and their infraction of standards will be reviewed by the ministry.

Link to this news in Farsi:

http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2009/04/086260.php

Amirkabir Newsletter: "Babol Technical University" students started their sit in and hunger strike!
From 8:00am on Saturday April 11 ,09 three students of Babol Technical University students started their hunger strike. Hundreds of B.T.U students protested against Ahmadinejad's government policy toward students movement, deciplinary committees in univerity's and in support of long time imprisonment of their colleagues and friends the students leaders from "Tehran Polytechnic University ".
In this protest the students shouted " Death to dictator" , " political prisoners must be released" ,
"Unite, Struggle, victory", " We cry , for all these injustice" , We won't keep silence , until the rights of our classmate is fulfilled"........
The students boycutted the classes from 1:00pm . They started their protest by marching insde the university.
The Babol Technical University students on the other day in a communique has asked all other university students not to keep silence and join with the protest of "Mazanderani" students.

Link to this news:

http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2009/04/086251.php

Dr.GolmoradMoradi@t-online.de
Foreign bank accounts of Iranian leaders
* Jan 7, 2009 at 9:11 AM

This was re- posted on daneshjoo.org

Interesting, although I am not sure if it’s true.Supposedly in August Bank employees in Iran sent this partial list outside f the country, if it’s true, it’s sad that our people don’t have safe water or enough food and the oil money is being hoarded by these supposed men of Islam....What do u guys think??On August 2000, a group of Iranian banks employees revealed the financial frauds of most Islamic republic"s regime leaders and published part of their assets in foreign banks. Based on this report sent to outside Iran, which made start indirectly a series of Public statements printed in many Iranian and Foreign Newspapers, Millions of dollars of Public funds have been transferred during the last 15 years while the Islamic leader (on this list) is asking for an investigation on Official corruption and his regime for more loans to supposedly help the Iranian economy.
Already and based on a scandal which shook the regime in 1997, Morteza Rafighdoost, brother of Mohsen Rafighdoost head of the Janbazan Foundation was indicted in connection with a Financial fraud of over 100 BILLIONS of Tomans (3 BILLIONS of US Dollars in official exchange rate and as most malversations were done based on Official rates which is a privilege of Governmental foundations). Irony is that Mohsen Rafighdoost still at the head of the Foundation nowadays.

The partial list was as follow:

1) Ali Khamenei
- Sparkasse Bank (Frankfurt/Germany) Acct. # 234075617: DM 112.1 Millions
- Corner Bank (Geneve/CH) Acct. # 217824: US$ 97 Millions
- Banque Cantonale (Lausanne/CH) Acct. # 71713: US$ 73.2 Millions
2) Ali Akbar Hashemi Rasfandjani
- Union Bank Suisse (Geneve/CH) Acct.# 223870390: SF 532.5 Millions
- Societe Generale (Zurich/CH) Acct.# 30064183: DM 477.2 Millions
- Sparkasse (Ciborg/Germany) Acct. # 2957132: DM 238.2 Millions
3) Mohammad Ali Tasskhiri
- Societe Generale (Geneve/Ch) Acct.# 500032654: DM 280.7 Millions
- Midland Bank (London/UK) Acct.# 832-150270: BP 12.2 Millions
- Dressdner bank (Dusserdolf/Germany) Acct.# 8354783: DM 48.3 Millions
4) Mohammad Golpayegani
- Credit Bank Suisse (Geneve/CH) Acct.# CEO7680: SF 85.7 Millions
5) Bijan Namdar Zangene
- Union Bank Suisse (Geneve/CH) Acct.# 314380320: US$ 141.7 Millions
6) Habibollah Asgar Aladi
- Corner Bank (Geneve/CH) Acct. # 3983BHK: US$ 180 Millions
7) Ahmad Jannati
- Midland Bank (London/UK) Acct.# 92114016: BP 54.2 Millions
8) Abdollah Nategh Nouri
- Union Banque Suisse (Geneve/CH) Acct.# 2102120321ND: USD 123.9 Millions
- Deutsh bank (Hamburg/Germany) Acct.# 03223486: DM 64.1 Millions
9) Mohsen Rafighdoost:
- Union Banque Suisse (Geneve/CH) Acct.# 2183130687: USD 122.7 Millions
10) Mohsen Hashemi Bahremani
- Deutsh bank (Munchen 3/Germany) Acct.# 1732736: DM 370.7 Millions
- Credit Bank (Geneve/CH) Acct.# 928530FC: USD 178.2 Millions
11) Abbas Vaez-Tabassi
- Corner Bank (Geneve/CH) Acct.# FAH7272: SF 97.2 Millions
- Sparkasse (Hamburg/Germany) Acct #. DFH72251660: USD 216.7 Millions
12) Hossein Shariatmadari
- Midland Bank (London/UK) Acct.# 34414011: BP 37.8 Millions
13) Mohsen Rezai
- Union Banque Suisse (Geneve/CH) Acct.# 442760430: USD 78.2 Millions
- Credit Bank (Geneve/CH) Acct.# FAH7967: SF 52.7 Millions
14) Massood Movahedian
- Commerz Bank (Koln/Germany) Acct.# 3528817: DM 287.8 Millions
15) Kamal Kharrazi
- Corner Bank (Geneve/CH) Acct.# AMF4567: USD 18.2 Millions
16) Ali-Reza Mo-ayeri
- Societe Generale (Geneve/CH) Acct.# 50024814: USD12.6 Millions
17) Hossein Kordi
- Corner Bank (Geneve/CH) Acct.#14710025: USD 14.7 Millions
18) Abbas-Ali Forooghi
- Corner Bank (Geneve/CH) Acct.# 12930034: USD 10.7 Millions
19) Mohammad Hashemi Bahremani
- Deutsh Bank (Munich 3/Germany) Acct.# 1734726: DM 177.2 Millio

IRAN WATCH CANADA:
Unfortunately most public communication including media and TV or Radio in Iran are contrlled by the government and there are no independent media, and journalists are unable to go after these type of investigations because of government restriction on information and fear or imprisonment. The corruption, oppression , cruelty,tyranny in Iran is HUGE.
Now Iranian journalists outside Iran must put their act together and make a team to investigate about the childeren ( going to school in foreign countrys ) and family members of the Islamic Republic officials or members of revolutionary guards or other trading companies have tie with Islamic Republic and prepare comprehensive information about their capitals and political activities.

Torture In Iran-Ahmad Batebi tells CNN's Anderson Cooper, in his 1st U.S. television interview how he was tortured for 8 years in an Iranian prison

Picture: Roxana-Sylvia- Esha

Ms. Sylvia Haratonian, Ms. Roxana Saberi and Ms. Esha Momeni are the three Iranian- American who are currently arrested in Iran and are in prison.
Sylvia Haratonian is an American citizen and is arrested for " orange style revolution". She is sentenced to three years imprisonment. She was working for an international organization on method of child birth in Iran. She was arrested on August last year and she is currently in ward number 209 in Evin prison.

Ms. Esha Momeni is a student who went to Iran to prepare a report about women condition for a university research.She was arrested on a planed security arrest while she was driving in a car and apparently on the chrges of driving and traffic violation. She is now in ward number 209 in Evin prison.

Roxana Saberi is the Iranian - American journalist is charged with espionage. Read more about her in previous IRAN WATCH CANADA posts.

One day after release from prison on a bail of 50,000,000 Tuman ( close to $ 50,000 ) Ms. Mahbubeh Karami the brave Iranian women rights advocate , her mom has died!

IRAN WATCH CANADA express its condolences and share grievances with her and her family.
After release from prison , she went straight to the hospital, where her mom was the patient.

Her colleague in " Campaign for one million signature " Ms. Khadijeh Moghadam after 14 days imprisonment was also released on Bail.

Link:
http://www.akhbar-rooz.com/news.jsp?essayId=20259

MMS Messages Banned ‎
Social Restrictions on the Rise‎ - 2009.04.08
Payam Rahnama
In a move that officials claim is aimed at protecting Iran’s culture from assault, the new ‎Iranian year began with the ban on MMS messages, according to Attorney General Dorri ‎Najafabadi.‎
As the day of the presidential election is approaching and the parameter of the public ‎information exchange is tightening up, the Attorney General of Iran through a letter to the ‎intelligence minister has banned text messaging (also known as MMS) among Iranians.‎
In his open letter to members of Ahmadinejad’s cabinet, Dorri Najafabadi criticized ‎MMS messages for "corruption the social culture of the nation" and identified ‎‎"interference in the private sphere of citizens" as a main reasons behind the new ‎regulation. Meanwhile, prior to the issuance of this letter, the Ministry of ‎Communications and Information Technology had held an unplanned meeting to ‎establish new restrictions and regulations surrounding the use of MMS messaging. ‎According to the new rules, "Activation of MMS services for individuals under the age of ‎‎18 requires the agreement and guarantee of their legal guardians." Also, according to the ‎ministry's new guidelines, subscribers who intend to use MMS services, including audio ‎and video files, must provide their full address and national identification information. ‎
According to the new guidelines, any kind of “disruption” caused by sending MMS ‎messages is punishable by law. The Ministry of Communication and Information ‎Technology's guidelines and the Attorney General's letter to the Intelligence Minister are ‎publicized even though neither institution has provided details on how it plans to monitor ‎and control MMS messages. According to laws previously passed by the legislature ‎regarding the use of similar services, the transmittal of images, photographs, confidential ‎personal information, national security information, viruses and inappropriate messages ‎that are against Islamic and communal values is illegal and subject to legal action.‎
Mohandes Toosi, head of the Internet Division at the revolutionary and criminal courts ‎spoke to ISNA student news agency regarding the ban on MMS messages: "Fearing the ‎transmittal of immoral video clips to the 24 million subscribers to cellular phones, the ‎court has been forced into canceling MMS capabilities until the appropriate security and ‎safety measures are enacted."‎
Toosi lamented the fact that technological innovation is often not accompanied by the ‎appropriate security, supervisory and monitoring capabilities, adding, "In Iran, various ‎capabilities for cellular phones have been developed, but no one pays attention to the ‎security and monitoring capabilities. The Ministry of Communications and ‎communications companies must pay more attention to controlling cultural and social ‎damages alongside developing technologies for the marketplace." ‎
Many analysts and journalists opposed to the administration compare the recent ‎restrictions to those enacted during the 1980s, when a government ban on video cassettes ‎caused a great deal of trouble for Iranians.

Link:

http://www.roozonline.com/english/archives/2009/04/mms_messages_banned.html‎

IRAN WATCH CANADA: It seems that Islamic Republic continues its hostage taking policy, by arresting and detaining the dual citizen journalists and adding the catch in its fishing net for possible future diplomatic deal with US?!!??

Roxana Saberi the Iranian - American journalist is charged with espionage !
Hassan Hadad the judge of division number 28 of Tehran court of revolution on Wednesday announced that; Ms. Roxana Saberi the Iranian-American journalist is charged with espionage and the charge was arraigned to her.
He added: She didn't have reporting liscence and as a journalist she was doing espionage activities and she was indicted with guilty plea.According to judge Hadad , Ms. Roxana admit all the charges.
The judege indicated that , Ms. Roxana is an Iranian and she didn't present any document which will show that she is an American.
The judge also said: Since we are reviewing the case and no sentence is issued yet , we are unable to give the case to the media.
Roxana's mother is japanese and her father is an Iranian , they live in US, they visited their daughter on April 6,2009 in Evin prison in Tehran. Mr. Saberi said , he will stay in Iran until she is cleard ........
Roxana was detained by the Islamic Republic officials since February 10,2009.
Ms. Saberi in the past was working with BBC, NPR, and other international publication.
Her parents requested from Khamenei the head of Islamic Republic to release her. They are worried about her mental situation.Ms. Saberi is 31 years old.
Ms. Hilary Clinton the secretary of state also demanded from the Islamic Republic officials to release her and Ms. Esha Momeni another Iranian - American citizen.

Link to this news:

http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2009/04/086060.php

IRAN WATCH CANADA : Ahmadinejad looks into your eyes and tell lies!

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad president of the Islamic Republic: "In Iran, Freedom exist with high degree !

While in kazakhstan and among reporeters of different newspapers of this country Ahmadinejad said: In Iran, Freedom exist with high degree and different political parties with different tendencies and tastes can become candidate in election." He said world economic crisis doesn't have any effect on Iran's economy....!!???????
One may say, what he is talking about? Definitely his mind is frozen since 1300-1400 years ago . No wonder Iranian people call him "Mammoth fossilnejad".
If he is brain washing the people of Kazakhstan with his big lies, it is our responsibilities to tell the truth to the people of Kazakhstan through information technology and IRAN WATCH CANADA will continue to do that.

About imprisoned "Amirkabir University" students!

Cartoon by : Nik Kowsar

Interrogator: Mirsayafi too, didn't want to confess......

Alert for UNHCR.....
The death of 60 illegal Afghan immigrant in a container in the border between Iran-Pakistan !
The dead bodies of 60 illegal Afghan immigrant who had lost their life in a container were found in a border city of Quetta close to Pakistan and Iran.
Pakistani police on Saturday found a container with 110 Afghan refugees -immigrant . In their early investigation they found 60 death bodies inside the container.
Based on the evidence these people were trying to go to Iran through Pakistan when suffocated inside the container..
Link to this news:
http://www.iran-newspaper.com/1388/880117/html/casual.htm#s965373

A group of bloggers wrote letter to Ayatollah Khameneei the leader of the Islamic Republic about the death of Omidreza Mirsayafi !
After the death of Mr. Omidreza Mirsayafi a young blog writer inside the prison and the Reporters Without Borders have announced his death as suspicious ( possibility of murder), a group of blogger decided to write letter to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei the highest ranking official of the Islamic Republic.
A portion of the letter goes as follow:
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei honorable leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Greeting
As you know, a young blogger by the name of Omidreza Mirsayafi was charged with insulting you and was spending his two and a half year prison sentence and died a few days ago in prison. The Reporters Without Borders based on evidences has pointed the possibility of his murder which is attached in this letter . Mr. Omidreza Mirsayafi before going to prison protested about his sentence and called it unjust and beleived that he did not insult you and even in the court decision it was not clear what was those insulting sentences.
After his death we have searched his weblog archive and we did not find any article insulting you which would result two and a half year prison.
His trial was held in a closed door while he has requested for an open court. ....
At the end of the letter the bloggers asked few questions and demanded response , which then was signed by many Iranian bloggers.

Link:

http://7tir.com/news/index.php/2139/

Islamic Republic Of Iran continues to ignor closure of the Centre for Human Rights Defenders in Iran, despite of so many protest against the closure and the need to advocate and educate Iranian people with their basic human rights!
ILNA: Mr. Seyed Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabaei the lawyer for the "Centre for Human Rights Defenders" have announced that: Madam Shirin Ebadi and I are going to meet Tehran prosecutor judge Said Mortazavi and the security deputy of Tehran public prosecution in near future and madam Ebadi herself also going to explain.
Office of the "Centre for Human Rights Defenders" in Iran has been closed by the public prosecutors since December 21 ,2008 and it is still continued to be closed. Madam Ebadi and Centre's lawyer are attending to speak on the situation of the centres.This is the only Human Rights Centre in Iran helping and educating the Iranian people to understand more about their rights .
Madam Shirin Ebadi in speaking with Radio Farda have said : In last year we have witnessed repeatedly the violation of human rights.
She spoke about : Execution of childeren who commited crime when they were under 18 years of age, carrying stonning to death sentences and violation of the rights of political and women rights activists during last year .
She also said that : She express her sympathy with the family of those who have lost their life while in prison, including Amir Hossain Hashmat Saran and Omid Reza Mirsayafi . She hoped next year we will witness the improvement of human rights situation and welfare of all fellow countrymen.
Link to this news:

http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2009/03/085708.php

British Press Awards 2009:

The full list of winners

1 April 2009

International journalist of the year

Mohammad Sadegh Kaboudvand, Iran
He is serving a 10-year prison term and is also understood to be in critical medical condition.
Mohammad Sadegh Kaboudvand is a prominent human rights defender, journalist, and founder in 2005 of a group that seeks to protect the rights of Iranian Kurds, the Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan (HROK). Through his human rights and journalism work, Kaboudvand was instrumental in creating a civil society network for Kurdish youth and activists.

Link:

http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=43456&c=1