Amnesty International report.....

Iran executions send a chilling message

30 March 2010
Recent developments in Iran have prompted fears that the Iranian authorities are once more using executions as a tool to try and quell political unrest, intimidate the population and send a signal that dissent will not be tolerated.There was a noticeable surge in the rate of executions at the time of mass protests over last year's disputed Presidential elections. Although many of the executions were for criminal offences committed before the unrest, they sent a chilling message to those involved in protests. One hundred and twelve people were put to death in the eight weeks between the June election and the re-inauguration of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in early August- almost a third of the total for the entire year. In 2009 as a whole at least 388 people were put to death in Iran - the largest number recorded by Amnesty International in recent years. Figures collated by various human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, suggest the annual number of executions has almost quadrupled since President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was first elected five years ago. Many of those executed did not receive fair trials."The continuing surge in executions at a time when Iran has experienced the most widespread popular unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, combined with numerous statements by officials threatening protestors with execution, indicates that the Iranian authorities are again using the death penalty to try and cow the opposition and silence dissent," said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

Read more:
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/iran-executions-send-chilling-message-2010-03-30

Islamic Republic regime in Iran instead of helping these kids and people of Iran, it helps Hamas and Hezbullah..( Iran- unfinished dream part 2 )

This is Iran.What the regime do with oil income?Mother speak about poverty,all family member live in small room, child talk of not having toys!

I havn't forget you and our country -Iran!

Ahmad Batebi the student who raised the bloody t-shirt of a victim in student uprising ,plays guitar with another colleague

Happy New Year -Happy holidays

Families and friends of political prisoners in Iran, celebrate the New Year behind the Evin prison to be closer to their loved one.

New Year,New way of protest,Here people have gathered in Hafez the 9th century poet shrine.What regime can do?Iranian people want freedom,thats it.

Protest in Iran is spreading to more communities, here high school students are protesting against injustices and the regime of coup d'etat.

Picture: 1-Solidarity with imprisoned journalist 2-Khavaran Cemetery 3-Journalist Isa Saharkheiz

News coming from Iran:

1- Regime agents have prevented the families and friends of the political prisoners who were killed and burried in mass graves in Khavaran Cemetery (1987-88 ) to gather beside their loved one's and lay flowers on their graves. From early morning of Friday riot police has prevented people to enter Khavaran Cemetery and the families therefore decided to lay their flowers outside the cemetery and later joined other families of recent killings in Beheshte Zahra Cemetery. Riot police were everywhere , regime is scared of another protest.

2- Journalists have started hunger strike in prison since Thursday and are going to continue until the Persian New Year. Among those who went on hunger strike is Isa Saharkheiz a leading Iranian journalist and a free Expression defender.In support and solidarity with the Iranian imprisoned journalists and their strike , several Iranian abroad also went on strike.

Karoubi's New Year messsage to Iranian

Mr. karoubi released his New Year message.While expressing his greeting to all Iranian around the world and those who speak in Farsi, he also sent a strong message to Khamenei who have called everyone to stay in the ship(the system) . But Mr. Karoubi believes that if the system is : Ayatollah Janati, Ayatollah Yazdi , Ayatolla Mesbah Yazdi , Ayatollah Hasani , Ayatollah Khatami , Hossein Taeb, Shajouni and if the system means Ahmadinejad , Said Mortazavi, Elham , Rohollah Hoseinian and so on ..then this is just a small group of people and this is not a ship , this is just a boat. The system must carry all the 70 million Iranian people not just a few.

In his message he emphasized how the system discriminate toward its own people and favor towards a few. Karoubi's message brings yet another dispute among the high ranking officials of the Islamic Republic and a fresh debate. It opens the wound which is not treated yet . In the coming future this message will raise new level of dialouge and criticism among the top officials and among the millions of Iranian people. In fact Mr. karoubi's message is the message of millions in the green movement to Khamenei who favoured towards the few.

US president Obama on Nourooz, the Persian New Year

Happy New Year to all Iranian and Persian people ! "Nourooz Mobarak bad" ," Eid Mobarak " . I hope the New Year be the year of Freedom for all Iranian

Mothers of theose who have been killed by the regime of coup d'etat, gathered at the grave side of their loved one prior to the Persian New Year

Security agents are busy arresting people. Here they are arresting a woman at night.......

Fundamentalist clergies including Khameneie speak ill against ancient traditional Persian Festivity of "Char Shanbeh Soori".They call it:anti Islamic

Tehran,Sadeghiyeh district, people are chanting: "Death to dictator" in protest to Khameneie who told "Char Shanbeh Soori " has no religious base....

"Death to dictator" was chanted by people in Tehran during "Chahar-Shanbeh-Soori" The Persian New Year Nourooz festivity !

In the past few days regime has announced have arrested 30 cyber spies who were according to the claim worked with US and western authorities.

The situation like before continued : Less were released and more were arrested.

Regime likes to keep the situation in a security style atmosphere.

Intimidation and threat continued by the government ministers together with Ayatollah's who are supported by the fundamentalist revolutionary guards and by the MP's backing the regime of Ahmadinejad.

Everyday more and more joining the protest against the regime of Ahmadinejad for not being able to answer their demands.

The current situation of the green movement after Feb. 11 mass protest is that , the green movement is repositioning itself and most in the green movement beleive that , the green movement must spread its social networking more into the rural area.

People who have been in Iran and returned believe that, this regime is unable to control the people and has lost complete control over it. they believe that; the regime won't be able to continue ruling for few years because there are kind of disrespect among people towards the regime and Khamenei.They believe the jobless among millions of graduate students as well as the high price of daily food comodities and delays in workers monthly payments is going to bring the situation in a social explosion.

In the news:
many in the past few days have been banned to leave the country among them Simin Behbehani the "Lady poet of Iran" who was leaving on an invitation for France .

And more student protest and worker strikes were reported.

In the meantime some of the commanders of revolutionary guards who still continue to support the fundamentalist government of Ahmadinejads and Khamenei are plundering the wealth of the nation and the people speaks about it in the streets of Iran. They say: their " Aqa -Zadeh-Ha " meaning their childerens have all kinds of economic wealths in their tip of the fingers.

Alert - Iran
10 March 2010
With 52 journalists in jail, Iran hits new, shameful record

SOURCE: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ/IFEX) - 9 March 2010 -

The number of journalists in jail rose in February as a relentless media crackdown continues in Iran. Authorities are now holding at least 52 journalists in prison, a third of all those in jail around the world, according to the latest monthly survey by the Committee to Protect Journalists. "Iran is entering a state of permanent media repression, a situation that is not only appalling but also untenable," said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. "The Iranian government will eventually lose the war against information, but we are saddened every day that our colleagues are paying such a terrible price." Twelve journalists were imprisoned in February alone, although seven were released. The January census recorded 47 in jail. CPJ has joined forces with leading press freedom organizations from around the world in a campaign to win the release of journalists jailed in Iran. An online petition that will be sent to Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei later this month is available on the site. In light of the Iranian government's ongoing crackdown, CPJ has been conducting a monthly survey of journalists imprisoned in Iran. (CPJ normally conducts a worldwide survey of jailed journalists each December.) The survey, conducted on the first of each month, is a snapshot of those incarcerated on that date. It does not include more than 50 other journalists in Iran who have been imprisoned and released on bail over the last several months. Five of those now in jail were detained prior to the 2009 crackdown. The current detainees include internationally known figures such as Emadeddin Baghi, the author and human rights defender, Mohammad Davari, an editor who helped expose prisoner abuse at the Kahrizak Detention Center, and Shiva Nazar Ahari, a human rights reporter who has been jailed twice in the last nine months and is being held in solitary confinement. In most cases, authorities have filed vague antistate charges such as "propagation against the regime," insulting authorities, and disrupting public order. But many cases are shrouded in secrecy, without even formal charges being disclosed. Some detainees have already been sentenced to lengthy prison terms, lashes, internal exile, and lifetime bans on writing and other social and political activities. The cases of many others are pending. At least two face heresy charges that, upon conviction, would bring the death penalty. Currently, China is the world's second largest jailer of journalists, with 24 in prison, followed by Cuba, with 22. The number of jailed journalists is the highest CPJ has recorded in a single country since December 1996, when it documented 78 imprisonments in Turkey.
For more information:Committee to Protect Journalists
330 7th Ave., 11th FloorNew York, NY 10001USA
info (@) cpj.org
Phone: +1 212 465 1004
Fax: +1 212 465 9568
Committee to Protect Journalistshttp://www.cpj.org

IRAN WATCH CANADA:
For the last few days i wasn't feeling well and had to rest. Now i feel a bit better and i can resume doing what i did for the past 6 years.

There are lots of news . Iran is full of news as always. I'll cover a bit from the past few days that i was sick.
Cheers

In solidarity with Iranian people, the Moslem brother of Afghanistan must protest against the invitation of Ahmadinejad by president Karzay !

Moslem brother everywhere must protest if Ahmadinejad was invited in your country. Read and watch the video's in just IRAN WATCH CANADA and see yourself what this man is doing not only in Iran but in our region. Protest against invitation. Protest against him.

Shadi Sadr ,lawyer , human rights defender and a women rights advocate speech in International Women of Courage Award Ceremony !

Together call for the Release of political prisoners in Iran now!

Night time gathering.....

Parents ,relatives,family members including childerens and son or daughters , friends and freedom willing Iranian are continue to gather behind Evin prison in support of political prisoners and demands the immediate release of political prisoners.All of them expect one thing: and that is the release of their loved one.

No one knows exactly how many political prisoners are in Evin prison right now, but reports have indicated in the past 11 months that,thousands have been arrested for political dissent and locked in the Evin prison and "Rejaei Shahr" prison.

Among prisoners Mr. Mohammad Maleki was charged with "Moharebeh" meaning "war with Islam" and "war with regime" which carries harsh sentence or death. "Moharebeh" means arm struggle against the regime.Mr. Maleki is suffering from prostate cancer and has been in prison for more than six months and most of it in solitary confinement.Mr. Maleki never did arm struggle against the regime. He writes articles and have been writing articles exposing for example the mass killing of political prisoners in 1987-88. He has been arrested three times ; once in 1982 and spent 6 months in prison. He is 76 years old and has 60 years of experience in political field.

Mr. Maleki is a prominent political personality and is a member of "Meli Mazhabi " political group.

http://en.irangreenvoice.com/article/2010/mar/06/1402

http://www.nearinternational.org/alert-detail.asp?alertid=509

http://www.cjfe.org/

http://www.cjfe.org/

Maziar Bahari Iranian-Canadian journalist speaking in Toronto - visit:http://www.cjfe.org/

Arnold Amber president of CJFE speaking in an event with Maziar Bahari on March 5th in University of Toronto .

For Immediate Release
Iran: Stop Undermining Women’s Rights
On International Women’s Rights Day, Iranian Activists to Open Campaign for Equality(Beirut, March 7, 2010) – Iran should stop infringing on women’s rights and take immediate steps to meet Iranian women’s demands for full equality, Human Rights Watch said today. Iranian women’s rights activists have issued a call for freedom and gender equality in Iran in connection with International Women’s Rights Day on March 8.Their campaign, Call for Solidarity: Freedom and Gender Equality in Iran, seeks an end to state-led violence and other forms of repression directed against both men and women. On January 10, 2010, for example, more than 30 women were beaten at a weekly vigil in Tehran. The women were seeking news of their sons and daughters who had been detained during the protests following the June 2009 presidential elections. This campaign calls on the authorities to immediately release all political detainees, including many women’s rights activists.“This initiative of Iranian women’s rights activists is crucial to the overall struggle for democracy in Iran,” said Nadya Khalife, women’s rights researcher for the Middle East and North Africa at Human Rights Watch. “It is also a tribute to the strength of women, who continue to demand their rights and support fellow citizens in the toughest of times.”For more than 30 years, the women’s rights movement has been at the forefront in the struggle for human rights and gender equality in Iran, Human Rights Watch said. Iranian women have been subjected to a range of discriminatory laws and practices, often under the guise of enforcing Islamic law.As an example, the Legal and Judicial Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of the Parliament is pressing for passage of a Family Support Bill, including an amendment that would legalize polygamy. Under the proposed measure, a husband could take a new wife if his wife is diagnosed with a terminal illness, is away from home for six months, or even if she is imprisoned for a bounced check.“Iranian women have bravely sought over and over to end gender-based discrimination, only to be met with threats, arrests, and imprisonment of activists,” Khalife said. “Human Rights Watch calls on the Iranian government to allow women’s rights groups to operate freely, without harassment, or worse.”In February, Human Rights Watch released a report, "The Islamic Republic at 31: Post-Election Abuses Show Serious Human Rights Crisis,” which documents widespread human rights violations including extra-judicial killings, rape and torture in detention, and extensive violations of the right to freedom of assembly and expression since the disputed presidential election June 12.
To read the February 2010 report, "The Islamic Republic at 31: Post-Election Abuses Show Serious Human Rights Crisis,” please visit:
http://www.hrw.org/node/88464

For Immediate Release
Iran: Free ‘Mourning Mothers’ Supporters
At Least Six Recently Detained Without Charge(New York, March 6, 2010) – The Iranian Judiciary should immediately release six women arrested in January and early February 2010, apparently in connection with their peaceful activities on behalf of the Mourning Mothers, Human Rights Watch said today.Mourning Mothers is a civil society group established in June 2009 by mothers whose children lost their lives in state-sanctioned violence following Iran’s disputed June 12 election. In recent months many Iranians have expressed support for the group.“Supporters of the Mourning Mothers, like other Iranian civil society activists, are apparently being locked up for their public show of solidarity on behalf of the group,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “These women have now spent weeks in detention without being allowed to see their families or having access to their lawyers.”In the latest arrests, Intelligence Ministry agents arrested five supporters of the group in their homes during the evening or early morning hours of February 6 and 8. Those detained are Omolbanin Ebrahimi, Elham Ahsani, Jila Karamzadeh-Makvandi, Fatemeh Rastegari, and Leila Seifollahi.A sixth supporter, Farzaneh Zeinali, was among 32 Mourning Mothers supporters arrested on January 9, when they attempted to gather in Laleh Park, where the group held its peaceful vigils. Authorities gradually released 31 of them over the following few days, but Zeinali remains in detention nearly two months later.It is not clear whether authorities have informed the women of the reasons for their arrest, and they have not charged any of the detainees with any offense, Human Rights Watch said.Ahsani’s mother told Human Rights Watch that six intelligence agents entered the family home on February 8, conducted a search and confiscated several items that belonged to her daughter. They then told Ahsani to come with them. When Ahsani’s mother asked why, the arresting officers said that they had “questions for her regarding events that took place after the elections.” They also said they were taking her to Evin Prison.Her mother said that Ahsani was especially active with a registered civil society organization that provides social services to disadvantaged mothers and their children in Tehran. She had also attended one or two gatherings organized by the Mourning Mothers. The family later learned that it was Ahsani’s participation in those gatherings that led to her arrest.Another family member of a detained Mourning Mothers supporter told Human Rights Watch that Intelligence Ministry agents entered their home with a general search warrant, allowing the agents to inspect the premises of anyone suspected of being involved in unlawful activities during the past several months. They searched the home and confiscated personal items, including a computer, CDs, and notebooks. The agents refused to provide any information about why the woman was being detained, only saying that she would be transferred to Evin Prison.A statement released by the Mourning Mothers on February 21 indicates that the six supporters are in Section 209 of Evin Prison, which is administered by the Intelligence Ministry. The families of these women gather in front of Evin Prison every night from about 8 to 11 p.m., along with many other families whose loved ones have been imprisoned in Evin during the past eight months.Several of the families of the six arrested women were able to contact their loved ones by phone. One family member told Human Rights Watch that the phone conversations are very short and strictly monitored by guards. “She only said, ‘I am well, don’t be worried,’” this person said. “The conversation usually takes 1 to 2 minutes … sometimes I ask her questions, and she simply answers yes or no.”Families are often forced to go back and forth between Evin Prison and Revolutionary Court branch offices in search of any information regarding their loved ones. One family member indicated that prison authorities have prevented lawyers hired by the families from visiting the women for the purpose of signing retainer letters – a right granted to all detainees under Iranian law.Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Iran is a party, prohibits arbitrary detention. Article 9 also states that anyone arrested should be informed, at the time of their arrest, of the reasons for their detention, should be “promptly” informed of any criminal charges, and should be “brought promptly” before a judge to review their detention. The Covenant also requires Iran to respect the right to freedom of association with others, and to peaceful assembly.For more Human Rights Watch reporting on Iran, please visit:
http://www.hrw.org/middle-eastn-africa/iran
For more information, please contact:
In Washington, DC, Joe Stork (English): +1-202-209-2945 (mobile)In New York, Faraz Sanei (English, Farsi): +1-212-216-1290

Navi-Pillay the High Commissioner of UN Human Rights Council:We are worried about the situation of Human Rights in Iran!

Navi-Pillay the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights today ( Thursday March 4 ) in a speech in Geneva have told to the reporter that; she has spok with the representative of the Islamic Republic about the deteriorating situation of Human Rights in Iran and she demanded that representatives of UN human rights council be allowed to go into Iran and monitor the human rights situation.

She said: I'm still worried about the situation of Human Rights in Iran. The opposition are being suppressed in Iran, protesters,political activists,human rights advocates and journalists have been arbiterarily arrested.

Madam Navi-Pillay said: Many people have been brought on trial and were sentenced to long time prison term and execution because of their protest to the questionable result of presidential election .

Bloggers Against the Death Penalty call to save the life of Mohammad Amin Valian

Mohammad Amin Valian, 20, was arrested on January 12, in Damghan after he published an article in a student newspaper at the University of Damghan. He was not allowed visitation nor he was able to have a legal representative. He was taken to the court directly from the solitary confinement of the Revolutionary Guard's prison.The death penalty is based on a photo of Mohammad Amin, taken on Ashura day. He was given false information and has been under so much mental and physical pressure that he said in his court (quote from ISNA):" When I was in prison, I saw on TV the trial of the reformist leaders"!Bloggers Against the Death Penalty (BADP), call on the international community to pressure the Iranian government to reverse the unjust penalties given to the students and innocent people, which are aimed to terrorize the Iranian people and prevent them from participating in protests.We are urging the members of the UN High Commission of the Human Rights to use all their power to save Mohammad Amin's life. We ask that the countries all around the world suspend all relations with the Iranian government until Iran stops the executions. We demand that Iran's dossier of severe abuse of human rights be referred to the UN security council as soon as possible. We call on the bloggers all around the world to raise their voices to save the life of Mohammad Amin and all the political prisoners in Iran.
Bloggers Against the Death Penalty
http://nabeedam.blogspot.com/
CC:HE Ban Ki Moon
HE Navii PilayUN High Comission of Human Rights
EU Comission of Human Rights
Amnesty International
Human Rights Watch

A friend &Journalist from Eriterea sent me this video and asked for a break .. I call it "relax with a cup of tea "- http://www.meftih.org

what are the latest news about Iran and whats going on?

Picture- Etemad newspaper journalists show the signe of "V " after the closure of their newspaper .

When i serf in the internet , reformists newspapers or websites and generally the media pages or screens are full of news about the arrests of student activists , women's rights advocates, film directors , journalists, workers rights activists, Bahai's ....to make it short ; i don't know what this regime is doing , it seems to me that they are digging their grave slowly but surely, there is no question about it . Instead of solving the crisis they are in , they use threat, intimidation, increasing their savagery , brutality and their inhuman policies among the societies in Iran.

As a result of these ; more people are getting to know this regime , not only in the big citys but in the small citys and communities across the country , they are getting to know that this regime is not for Islam as they claim to ,but for wealth , corruption , lies , empty promises , killing peaceful protesters and even raping young boys and girls inside their prisons.

More and more people are joining the silent majority and when again they pour into the street and protest , no one knows. They may surprise this regime again.Because , people's tolerance has limits and this regime is pushing them to the end.

The green movement is not only about Musavi , Khatami or Karubi. They are not big factors in this movement . The biggest threat against the regime is that ; the Iranian people are being ignored by this regime and this ignorance is the biggest threat against the regime.

The disrespect, ignorance, lies , cheating , corruption, deafness and continuous oppression by the government together with the lack of security , lack of having healthy society, lack of freedom , economic pressure causes pains in the heart and minds of people and society, which is dangerousely increasing.

Recently Musavi asked the regime to respect people and let the green movement suporters to express themselves in a peaceful march....

And Karubi again said ; he does not recognize the government of Ahmadinejad .

In the meantime , reports are indicating for another protest on the night of " Chahar shanbeh Souri" celeberation, on the last Wednesday of the Persian calendar ( March 17th) .

Although Mr. Musavi called for non violence celeberation for March 17th night.

Regime just continue intimidating and threatening the people for any protest....

News also indicate for more strikes and protest by workers from all over Iran.

Women rights advocate may also protest on March 8 International Women's Day.

In another wrong move regime closed Etemad newspaper and more journalist become without the job.

The society is boiling ........when will it erupt ????.....

Iranian in Vancouver Olympic in Solidarity with green movement in Iran

Jafar Panahi the Iranian international award winning film director together with his family members have been arrested tonight!