Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:  Rupert Colville

Location:        Geneva

Subject:        (1) Flogging in Iran 
                

(1) Flogging in Iran 

We condemn the outrageous flogging of up to 35 young men and women in Iran last week, after they were caught holding a graduation party together in Qazvin, north of Tehran. According to State media, the students were arrested on Thursday, interrogated and sentenced by the Prosecutor’s Office to 99 lashes each and then were flogged – all within the space of 24 hours. 

Flogging is prohibited under international human rights law, in particular the Convention against Torture. The UN Committee against Torture, the Human Rights Committee and UN Special Rapporteurs have repeatedly voiced serious concerns about States’ use of flogging, highlighting in particular its use against women, and have called for its abolition. For the authorities to have meted out this cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment – which could amount to torture – is completely disproportionate and abhorrent. 

In another case, 17 mine workers were reportedly flogged in Western Azerbaijan province in Iran this month for protesting the dismissal of 350 workers from the Agh Dara gold mine. Last month, a woman was publicly flogged for having sexual relations outside marriage. While we do not have a reliable estimate on the use of flogging in the country, reports suggest that it is used regularly for a wide range of perceived offences. 

We urge the Iranian authorities to cease the use of this cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. 

ENDS 


For more information and media requests, please contact Rupert Colville (+41 22 917 9767 / rcolville@ohchr.org ) or Ravina Shamdasani (+41 22 917 9169 / rshamdasani@ohchr.org) or Cécile Pouilly (+41 22 917 9310 / cpouilly@ohchr.org) 

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Narges Mohammadi's Letter From Prison About The 16 Years Imprisonment Sentence .....

Narges Mohammadi: The 16 Years Imprisonment Sentence For Me Is To Drive The Society To  " Grave Yard Silence "

Based on a news , Ms. Narges Mohammadi The Vice President Of the " Association Of Iran Human Rights Defenders " who is recently sentenced to 16 years imprisonment by Judge Salavati , sent a letter from prison and protest about the sentencing......

She wrote ; She is sentenced in a close door court without jury and not allowing her or the lawyer to defend her, and they told her; she has 20 days to appeal , but  she said,  she is not going to appeal the sentencing . She said; This court is incompetent to Sentence the political crime and therefore it is illegal and it is unjust.


Link:
http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2016/05/212998.php

IRAN WATCH CANADA: The Islamic regime in Iran has sentenced Ms. Narges Mohammadi the vice president of  "Organization of Iran Human Rights Defenders " to a total of 16 years imprisonment , 10 years for creating the organization , one year for propagating about human rights or civil society and 5 years for gathering and protesting . Narges Mohammadi is the mother of two beautiful little children who are outside of Iran  .

Two Imprisoned Iranian Journalists Are On Hunger Strike and Their Lives Are in Danger ....

According to news , Ehsan Mazanderani and Mohammad Sediq Kabudvand two imprisoned Iranian journalists started their hunger strike days ago and now are in deteriorating health condition. Mohammad sedan Kabudvand was transferred to the hospital. according to " Zeitoon " website , after 21 days of hunger strike death threatening Mohammad Sediq Kabudvand.

According to " Kurdistan Human Rights Organization " because of hunger strike , Mohammad Sediq Kabudvand's blood pressure dropped sharply in a way he lost consciousness and was transferred to Taleghani Hospital. The same report said; Mohammad Sediq Kabudvands Doctor said ; if he continues the hunger strike he might have heart attack .

Mr. Kabudvand was sentenced to 11 years in prison, and his charges defending human rights ...and he has been in prison for more than eight years already.

Ehsan Mazanderani is on hunger strike since last 12 days ago. He also suffers from intestinal , lung and.. infection and he has lost 40 kilos because of the infections.

According to RSF Iran with 34 journalists in prison is one of the five world greatest jail for journalists.

Link:
http://www.radiofarda.com/content/f7-mazandarani-kaboudvand-crutial-conditions-after-hanger-strike/27764259.html

Islamic Regime in Iran And The Phenomenon of Early Marriage ....

According to ISNA news agency - 

Girls as old as 10 years old are allowed by judiciary to marry. 

These girls whom the ISNA called them as the " mothers of dolls"  go to husbands home while they are as old as 10 .

For example the report says:
Based on a statistics by registration office in Khorasan province ( TARSHIZ REGION ) out of 1813 wedding last year , the age of half of the girls were between 10 to 19 years . And in another report out of 1962  wedding cases, the wedding age of girls for the previous year was also between 10- 19.

Based on the UN convention on wedding age , the convention reads that, the wedding must be agreed between the two parties , but in Iran the parents force the child girl as age as 10 to marry which is illegal according to UN convention.

Link:
http://www.isna.ir/fa/news/95030905273/

In A Raid ,Regime Agents Have Arrested Eight Music Clip Producers In Tehran

According to news in a raid ,regime agents have arrested and detained eight music clip producers in the capital city of Tehran.

According to Mizan Khabar report , last week eight music clip producers who's music were aired by satellite opposition TV's were arrested and detained in Tehran.

Mr. Abbas Jafari -Dolatabadi the crown attorney of Tehran general / court of revolution confirmed the arrest and said; the case file of these people will proceed through media and culture division of the court.

Regime has intensified the arrest of those who produce music or other means of video clip which are according to them illegal and without permit.


Link:
https://iranwire.com/news/56/9134/

Islamic Regime's Judiciary Court In The City Of Ghazvin Sentenced The Participants Of A Graduation Party To Lashes .....

35 Girls And Boys Received 99 Lashes for Their Participation In A Mixed Graduation Party 

According to news coming from Iran, the judiciary court of revolution in the city of Ghazvin sentenced 35 mix participants ( Girls / boys) of a graduation party to lashes.
According to news these students girls and boys after graduation participated in a party and drink  alcoholic beverages .
Mr. Esmail Sadegh Niyaraki The prosecutor of the court of revolution in the city of Ghazvin said, these punishment carried out to serve as a warning or lesson to them and others not to do it again in the city.

Another News: 
In another news regime sentenced 17 Gold Mine worker of " Agh Dareh" in the city of Tekab in Azarbayejan province  to 30 to 100 lashes for their protest . The workers made the protest against the lay off of 350 of their co workers by the company.


End/

Amnesty International About Saudi Arabia : Surge in executions continues as death toll approaches 100

Saudi Arabia: Surge in executions continues as death toll approaches 100

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL 

MEDIA ADVISORY 

27 May 2016

Saudi Arabia: Surge in executions continues as death toll approaches 100

Spokespeople available for interview

Saudi Arabia will have put to death more than 100 people in the first six months of this year if it continues to carry out executions at its current pace, said Amnesty International today. At least 94 people have been executed so far this year, higher than at the same point last year. 

At least 158 people were put to death in Saudi Arabia in 2015, the highest recorded figure in the country since 1995. 

“Executions in Saudi Arabia have been surging dramatically for two years now and this appalling trend shows no sign of slowing,” said James Lynch, Deputy Middle East and North Africa Director at Amnesty International. 

“The steep increase in executions is even more appalling given the pervasive flaws in Saudi Arabia’s justice system which mean that it is entirely routine for people to be sentenced to death after grossly unfair trials. The Saudi Arabian authorities should end their reliance on this cruel and inhuman form of punishment and establish an official moratorium on executions immediately.”

The case of 21-year-old Ali al-Nimr who was sentenced to death based on “confessions” he says were extracted through torture, provides a glaring example of the arbitrary use of the death penalty after proceedings that blatantly flout international human rights standards.

Today marks two years since Ali al-Nimr, who was arrested after taking part in anti-government protests, was sentenced to death by a special security and counter-terrorism court for a series of offences such as attacking security forces and committing armed robbery. He was just 17 when he was arrested. International human rights law prohibits the use of the death penalty for crimes committed by persons under the age of 18.  

“Ali al-Nimr has already spent two years on death row – instead of forcing him to spend a single day longer awaiting execution the Saudi Arabian authorities should quash his conviction and order a re-trial immediately in proceedings that meet international fair trial standards without recourse to the death penalty,” said James Lynch.

Two other young men, Abdullah al-Zaher and Dawood al-Marhoon were sentenced to death a few months after Ali al-Nimr, on a list of similar offences, and also say they were tortured into “confessing”. 

Public Document 

**************************************** 

For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in London, UK, on 

+44 20 7413 5566 or +44 (0) 777 847 2126

email: press@amnesty.org

twitter: @amnestypress

International Secretariat, Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW, UK

Islamic Regime in Iran And 37 Years Copy / Imitation From The Savak Of The Shah ......

" Savak" was the horrific intelligence service of the late Shah of Iranbefore 1978-79 revolution.
Since the revolution , Khomeini's regime in Iran established its Islamic regime and the mosque based intelligence or Sepah intelligence. Like the early Islam in 622 AD , it increased its influence and expand its power and upon reaching to a stable level ,started to suppress the opposition and killed or jailed thousands of them. and it continued its cruelty towards opposition up until now.


News - Pyknet
Sepah intelligence in its new raid arrested Shima Babaei in her home. At the time of arrest ,the Sepah intelligence had no charges against Shima but arrested anyway like the old Savak style arrest , arrest , detain and lay charge after .....

Shims's father also was in prison in the past for 44 months and received 74 lashes which made him sick in prison and later was released .

Shima is charged for her participation in protest gatherings.

Link:
http://www.pyknet.net/1395/10khordad/08/page/shima.php

Mothers Of Laleh Park Demanded An Answer From The Official In The Islamic Regime About Recent Continued And Systematic Violation Of Human Rights....

According to news coming from Iran , " Mothers of Laleh Park " in a statement protested against recent continued and systematic violation of human rights . In their statement which is released today they have called the officials in the Islamic Republic for an answer. The Mothers Of Laleh Park in their statement said, the systematic violation of human rights in Iran is has gone to its alarming points  and we must find a serious way to solve it.
In their long written statement to officials of the Islamic Republic as well as to UN human rights council and other world human rights organizations, the Mothers for Laleh Park expressed about the history of the human rights violation under the Islamic Republic after the revolution up until now and at the end expressed several demands.....

Link:
http://www.akhbar-rooz.com/article.jsp?essayId=73838
 

Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:  Ravina Shamdasani

Location: Geneva

Subjects: (1) Iran


 Iran

We are appalled by the sentencing of a prominent Iranian anti-death penalty campaigner, Nargis Mohammadi, to 16 years’ imprisonment in charges that stem from her courageous human rights work. Ms. Mohammadi is already in Evin Prison in Tehran, serving out a prison sentence for breaching the country’s sweeping national security laws. The human rights defender is believed to have serious medical conditions and has reportedly not been granted adequate access to the specialised medical care she needs. 

The UN Human Rights Office and other human rights mechanisms have long urged the Iranian authorities to release Ms. Mohammadi, but to no avail. Her sentencing is illustrative of an increasingly low tolerance for human rights advocacy in Iran. We urge the Iranian authorities to ensure the immediate release of Ms. Mohammadi and all those detained for merely exercising their human rights.

ENDS

For more information and media requests, please contact Rupert Colville (+41 22 917 97 67 / rcolville@ohchr.org), Ravina Shamdasani (+41 22 917 9169 / rshamdasani@ohchr.org) or Cécile Pouilly (+41 22 917 9310 / cpouilly@ohchr.org)

For your news websites and social media: Multimedia content & key messages relating to our news releases are available on UN Human Rights social media channels, listed below. Please tag us using the proper handles:Twitter: @UNHumanRights
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Saman Niyazi The Vice President of The Student Centre For Human Rights Of The Islamic Regime Believe ,The Regime in Iran Is A Islamic Democratic…..!!!????

Saman Niyazi is the vice president of the Student Centre for human rights in the Islamic regime and he believe the regime in Iran is a Islamic democratic and this brings fear among those regimes that are supporting the terrorists in the region.

Saman Niyazi

Iran has a successful democratic system with Islam as its foundation.

He attacked the country of Maldives  and said; Maldives is as big as a city in Iran and this country has threatened it will cut off its diplomatic relation with Iran which makes the media around the world to make jock or laugh.


Link:
http://www.isna.ir/fa/news/95030100285/


IRAN WATCH CANADA:
What is Islamic democratic!!!? ??? What Islamic democratic does on Iranian Bahai's citizens in Iran ? Or the Bahai faith?
What Islamic democratic !!?? does on Iranian Sunni's or christian minorities in Iran ??!!!
How many prisoners are being executed every year in this so called Islamic democratic ??!!
How Many Young Iranian were killed during the presidential coup in 2009 under this so called Islamic democratic ???!!!

And so many many other very important questions.

Jafar Azimzadeh On His 23th Days Of Hunger Strike In Prison …..His Life Is In Danger , ….Does Anyone Care ?

According to news coming from Iran…., Jafar Azimzadeh a labor activist is on his 23th days of hunger strike in prison.

Azimzadeh is accused by Islamic regime judiciary to six years imprisonment for charges made up by islamic regime judiciary as breaching national security!!!!????

Under Islamic regime judiciary in Iran those human rights activists or labor activist who call or fight for their rights they breach national security…….

Jafar Azimzadeh's life is in danger and need to be released immediately .


Link:
http://www.akhbar-rooz.com/article.jsp?essayId=73765

Iran: “A travesty of justice” – UN experts condemn latest conviction of prominent rights defender

GENEVA (20 May 2016) – A group of United Nations experts expressed outrage today at the recent conviction and sentencing of Narges Mohammadi, a prominent activist and human rights defender, to 16 years’ imprisonment by a Revolutionary Court in Tehran, and called for her immediate and unconditional release. 

On 18 May 2016, Ms. Mohammadi’s lawyer announced that Iran’s judiciary had sentenced his client to 16 years in prison for her activities on behalf of a grassroots organization calling for the abolition of the death penalty, ‘assembly and collusion against national security’, and for ‘propaganda against the state’. She was allegedly tried behind closed doors.

Prior to her arrest on 5 May 2015, the human rights defender was subjected to constant harassment, verbal assaults and interrogations for her peaceful human rights activities. Ms. Mohammadi, who suffers from a critical neurological condition, had previously been sentenced to six years in prison.

“There is absolutely no reason why Narges Mohammadi should spend one more hour in prison, let alone 16 years,” said the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ahmed Shaheed.

“I call on all the relevant authorities in Iran, including President Rouhani, to do their utmost to ensure that Ms. Mohammadi is immediately and unconditionally released from prison and allowed to access adequate and timely medical treatment for her condition,” he stressed.

“The targeting campaign against her that is being initiated by Iran’s security forces and judiciary is emblematic of the heavy crackdown that human rights defenders, journalists and civil society activists continue to face in Iran today simply for doing their jobs,” the Special Rapporteur said, reminding the Iranian Government of its responsibility to ensure human rights defenders do not face prosecution for promoting and advancing human rights in the country. 

Several other prominent Iranian human rights activists and lawyers, including Abdulfattah Soltani, Bahareh Hedayat and Mohammad Seddiqh Kaboudvand, are also serving heavy imprisonment. 

UN independent experts have repeatedly drawn the attention to the cases of Ms. Mohammadi, Ms Hedayat and Mr. Soltani and appealed to the Iranian authorities to stop targeting human rights activists and lawyers for their peaceful exercise of fundamental rights. 

“The ability of human rights defenders to do their job without being subjected to arbitrary arrests and detentions is the hallmark of a healthy, mature and vibrant civil society, and a country that is truly ready to reengage with the international community,” Mr. Shaheed stressed. 

“Instead of jailing its best and brightest, Iran’s Government should ensure that individuals like Mohammadi, Soltani, Hedayat and Kaboudvand can continue to do their difficult but important work free from persecution and harassment,” he said. 

UN human rights experts from the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council have jointly urged the Iranian Government to release all journalists and rights defenders who have been arbitrarily and unlawfully arrested, and currently face detention and prosecution.

“Freedom of speech and freedom of assembly are enshrined in international law,” Mr. Shaheed said, “most importantly in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights*, which is a binding treaty that Iran has ratified.”

The human rights experts’ appeal has been endorsed by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Michel Forst; the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai; the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, Dainius Pūras; and the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

(*) Check the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CCPR.aspx

ENDS

The Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity. Learn more, log on to: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/SP/Pages/Welcomepage.aspx

UN Human Rights, Country Page – Iran: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/AsiaRegion/Pages/IRIndex.aspx   

For more information and media requests, please contact Mr. Naveed Ahmed (+41 22 928 9477 /nahmed@ohchr.org) 

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:
Xabier Celaya – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)   

For your news websites and social media: Multimedia content & key messages relating to our news releases are available on UN Human Rights social media channels, listed below. Please tag us using the proper handles:
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Mohammad Emami Kashani The Friday Prayer Imam Of Tehran Said : Which Constitution Allows The Bahai's Who Are The Enemy To Live In The Country !!!!!??????

According to news, Mohammad Emami Kashani the friday prayer of Tehran said: Which constitution allows Bahai's who are the " enemy " to live in the country . He called the Bahai's as a " Dirty Cult " which is made by the colonialism .

This Clergy - Mohammad Emami Kashani

This clergy called Bahai's as"  contaminated " and  "they can't express themselves ".

This clergy about the 12th Shiia Imam ( Imam Zaman ) said: Even the science in lab has proved that, long life of human through the gene is possible ( based on the belief of Shiia worshippers that,the 12th imam went absent since 600+ AD  and will appear one day when the world needed him ) .
Bahai's worshippers claim that, the 12th imam had already appeared around two hundred years ago and that is Mohammad Ali Bob ……


Link:
http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2016/05/212558.php



IRAN WATCH CANADA:

In recent months Islamic regime has intensified their attack on Bahai's …….

Heshmatollah Tabarzadi One of The Longest Political Prisoner Arrested Again …..

According to news from Radio Zamaneh and based on report by Tabarzadi's  family member including his son Ali Tabarzadi , Heshmatollah Tabarzadi is arrested and detained since wednesday when he left home to visit a friend and currently is in ward number 209 in Evin prison.

Link:

http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2016/05/212468.php

Shirin Ebadi And Abdolkarim Lahiji Two Prominent Iranian Human Rights Defenders To UN Human Rights Experts And UNICEF : Save The Life Of Iranian Youth Sentenced To Death ….

Paris- 

According to news , Abdolkarim Lahiji the Lawyer and president of Fidh together with Shirin Ebadi judge and noble peace prize winner sent a letter to UN right experts and to UNICEF to do everything in their power to stop and to save the life of Alireza Tajiki an Iranian  who have charged for committing  crime when he was 15 years old and was sentenced to death by Islamic judiciary and his sentence is delayed for now .

According to Islamic judiciary Alireza Tajiki is accused of  sodomy and murder four years ago when he was 15 years old. He is currently in Adel Abad prison in the city of Shiraz . According to news during his first year imprisonment in solitary confinement and under the torture he was forced to confess on the charges which he rejected and he believe he is innocent .

Islamic Regime in Iran keeps the underaged youth in prison until when they are 18 years old and then they kill them by hanging .
According to International human rights organizations , since 2005 up until now 73 under aged youth been executed in Iran ….including 4 in 2015 , 13 in 2014, 8 in 2013, 4 in 2012 and 7 in 2011………

Link:

http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2016/05/212476.php

Islamic Regime in Iran Is The Enemy Of The Human Rights Organizations And Human Rights Activists …….

According to news coming from Iran , Islamic regime judiciary in a kangaroo court yesterday headed by judge Salavati  sentenced the imprisoned Narges Mohammadi the vice president of " The Organization of Iran Human Rights Defenders"  to another 10 years imprisonment. This brought wave of anger among Iranian and worldwide civil rights activists and organizations.
Ms. Narges Mohammadi is suffering from health condition and needs immediate attention and hospitalization.

Ms. Mohammadi's son and daughters are outside Iran together with their father Mr. Rahmani .
Regime did not allow her to speak with her husband via phone but she was able to speak to her children after 10 months.
Ms. Mohammadi was sentenced earlier to 16 years imprisonment, 5 years for association to commit crime against national security , one year sentence for propagating against regime and 10 years for membership and organizational activities against regime.

IRAN WATCH CANADA:

President Rohani call himself a lawyer and based on the current constitution he must protect the Iranian citizens rights but what he has done so far is nothing…….

http://www.hrw.org/news/2016/05/17/saudi-arabia-spy-trial-mockery-justice

For Immediate Release

Saudi Arabia: Spy Trial a Mockery of Justice
Lawyers Can’t Meet Defendants; Charges Include “Spreading Shiism”

(Beirut, May 17, 2016) – Saudi Arabia’s trial of 32 men for allegedly spying on behalf of Iran has violated the basic due process rights of the defendants, Human Rights Watch said today. Over nearly three years of detention and investigation and the first two months of hearings, authorities have not permitted defendants to meet with lawyers or provided all of the court documents necessary to prepare a defense. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against 25 of the 32.

The men are accused of spying for Iran. But the charge sheet, which Human Rights Watch reviewed, contains numerous allegations that do not resemble recognizable crimes, including “supporting demonstrations,” “harming the reputation of the kingdom,” and attempting to “spread the Shia confession.” The trial began in February 2016, at the Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh.

“This trial is shaping up as another stain on Saudi Arabia’s grossly unfair criminal justice system,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “Criminal trials should not be merely legal ‘window-dressing’ where the verdict has been decided beforehand.”

According to the charge sheet, the defendants include thirty Saudis, one Iranian, and one Afghan citizen. An individual with direct knowledge of the case told Human Rights Watch that all but one of the Saudi defendants are Shia Muslims. Authorities detained 17 detainees on March 16, 2013, 14 others later in 2013, and one in 2014.

Taha al-Haji, a Saudi lawyer who represented a group of the defendants until March, told Human Rights Watch that the defendants have been in pretrial detention since their arrests. He and another person with knowledge of the case said that authorities held the men incommunicado for three months before allowing phone calls and visits with family members.

Al-Haji said that authorities have not permitted defense lawyers to visit their clients or to view case files and evidence against their clients. He said that with little advance notice, the authorities suddenly brought the men to trial in February and demanded that lawyers prepare defense statements within two weeks. He said he believes the timing may relate to ongoing hostility between Iran and Saudi Arabia, which severed diplomatic relations in January after Saudi Arabia executed a prominent Saudi Shia cleric, Nimr al-Nimr, and Iranian protesters sacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran in retaliation.

Local Saudi media outlets reported in March that some of the defense lawyers refused to participate in court proceedings. The Saudi Gazette, reported that “lawyers made a number of demands through some [defendants who attended the hearing], including providing them with car parking slots near the court, not to be frisked, and letting them in [the courtroom] with their mobile phones.”

Al-Haji said, however, that the lawyers’ primary concerns have been an inability to visit clients and view evidence, or have adequate time to prepare a defense. He said defense lawyers also asked the court to halt an ongoing local mediasmear campaign against their clients, which they said would lead to an unfair trial.

The charge sheet includes a number of offenses constituting “high treason,” including meeting with Iranian “intelligence agents” and passing them confidential military information and background information on Shia communities in Mecca, Medina, and Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.

But among charges that do not represent recognizable crimes, six are charged with “supporting demonstrations,” three with “distorting the reputation of the kingdom,” and three with attempting to “spread the Shia confession” in Saudi Arabia. One faces the charge of “planning with an Iranian intelligence element… to establish a company to spread Shia activities in [Eastern Province.]…” Another faces the charge of “endeavoring and attempting to establish a center especially for the Shia confession in the city of Mecca to spread the Shia confession in Mecca.”

Authorities accuse one defendant of sharing with Iranian intelligence agents “articles by the wayward and deviant thinker Mikhlif bin Daham al-Shammari.” Al-Shammari is a prominent human rights defender in Saudi Arabia who has worked to improve relations between Sunni and Shia. He faces a two-year prison sentence and 200 lashes for, in part, visiting prominent Shia figures in the eastern province as a goodwill gesture.

Saudi Arabia’s Shia citizens face systematic discrimination in public education, government employment, and permission to build houses of worship in the majority-Sunni country.

Though defense lawyers have not been permitted access to evidence, the charge sheet makes reference to physical evidence, such as USB drives and computers as well as confessions and statements to investigators.

Human Rights Watch obtained and analyzed seven Specialized Criminal Court judgments from 2013 and 2014 against men and children accused of protest-related crimes following demonstrations by members of the Shia minority. In all seven trials, detainees alleged that confessions were extracted through torture, but judges quickly dismissed these allegations, admitted the confessions as evidence, and then convicted the detainees almost solely based on these confessions, sometimes handing down death sentences.

The conduct of the trial so far raises fears that 25 of the 32 defendants could be handed death sentences without an adequate chance to defend themselves, Human Rights Watch said.

Article 13 of the Arab Charter on Human Rights, which Saudi Arabia ratified in 2009, guarantees the right to a fair trial. The Arab Charter also guarantees the right of anyone arrested or detained on a criminal charge to be brought promptly before a judge or other officer of the law, and to have a trial within a reasonable time or be released. The charter says that, “pretrial detention shall in no case be the general rule” (article 14).

Article 25 of the Arab Charter guarantees the right of minority groups to practice their own religion, and article 4 bans discrimination on the basis of religion.

“Being a Shia Muslim should not be a crime, and Saudi courts should stop treating it as such,” Whitson said.

For more Human Rights Watch reporting on Saudi Arabia, please visit: 
http://www.hrw.org/middle-eastn-africa/saudi-arabia

For more information, please contact:
In Amman, Adam Coogle (English, Arabic): +962-797-214-069 (mobile); or cooglea@hrw.org. Twitter: @cooglea
In New York, Sarah Leah Whitson (English): +1-718-213-7342 (mobile); or whitsos@hrw.org. Twitter: @sarahleah1
In Washington, DC, Ahmed Benchemsi (English, French, Arabic): +1-929-343-7973 (mobile); or benchea@hrw.org. Twitter: @AhmedBenchemsi
 

The Manager Of Persian Blog Is Arrested ……..

According to a sources and news coming from Iran , Mr. Mehdi Botorabi the manager of the websites known as Persian blog is arrested on Monday ..

Mr. Botorabi is known for his support for Mr. Mir Hossein Musavi and Mehdi Karoubi the two leaders of the green movement in Iran. Mr. Botorabi also was arrested in the past for his critical views and support for Islamic reformists.
Mr. Botorabi's wife is also one of the founder of the Etemade Melli party , a reformist party.

Persian Blog was first founded and operated by three young Iranian almost 16 years ago and they were : Ata Khalighi, Reza Hashemi and Behrang Fouladi .  after the arrests and imprisonment of the weblog writers  14 years ago the founders sold the Persian Blog to Mehdi Botorabi .
In recent months regime has intensified the arrests of reporters, journalists …….

Link:
http://www.radiofarda.com/content/f3-persian-blog-manager-arrested/27740449.html

Ayatollah Mohammad Sadegh Amoli Larijani , Head Of The Islamic Regime Judiciary In Iran Said : To Defend Bahai's Is Against Our National Security …..

According to ISNA news agency -

Ayatollah Mohammad Sadegh Amoli Larijani the head of the Islamic judiciary in Iran said:

" A country that is named after Imam Zaman ( The 12th Shiia Imam ) there is no meaning to defend the Bahai's , the Bahai religion has been made by the colonialists . It should be asked ,why the Bahai commanding headquarter is in the Israel and is it not against our national security cooperating with such a network ?"

Faezeh Rafsanjani meeting with the imprisoned Bahai leader outside the prison

This warning by the head of judiciary power came after a series of pictures of the Faezeh Hashemi the daughter of Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani were distributed online showing Faezeh sitting beside a Bahai prisoner and drinking tea with her.

Political Cartoon by Mana Neyestani - Iran Wire 

Link:

http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2016/05/212374.php

Iran Watch Canada : Bahai's are also Iranian citizen and have every rights to choose whatever religion or faith they wanted and they must enjoy all the rights the other Iranian have . There should not be any discrimination of bias against any Iranian citizen with any faith, religion or belief .

Richard Ratcliff : Where Is My Wife? Who Have Arrested Her? What Are Her Charges/ What Is She Accused Of?

According to news, Richard Ratcliff the husband of Ms. Nazanin Zaghary Ratcliff the imprisoned Iranian -British citizen who have travelled to Iran together with her two years old daughter to visit her parents wants to know ; where is his wife? who have arrested her at Imam Khomeini's airport when she was returning back to Britain? What are her charges ? 

These are the questions Mr. Ratcliff brought up when he spoke with Radio Farda.

Ratcliff:
She was arrested on April 15 and all these time she has contacted me once by just messaging and that was at the beginning of her arrest . We went back to Iran on May last year ,so she decide to visit her parents this year as well . My wife was working for Ruiters Thompson foundation a charity organization in England. She was the head of projects collecting funds for training young journalists in many countries such as Burma ,  Morocco and Africa…She has once helped the victims of Bam earthquake through Red Cross.

Link:
http://www.iran-emrooz.net/index.php/news1/61755/

This girl's name is Gabriela and she is just two years old, she has gone to Iran to see her grand parents but Islamic regime in Iran has confiscated her British passport ? What Crime this little girl has committed ? This two years old little girl is a hostage . She went to Iran together with her mother but its been close to a month that she did not see her mom!!!??? She is banned to leave Iran!!!??? Her father Richard Ratcliff a British citizen says , he haven't seen his daughter and can't get visa to go to Iran .

People Who Would Like Islamic Regime Iranian Style In Their Country ………Better Think twice , Not to experience the experience that Iranian people going through !!!!!??????

News coming from Iran:
Islamic regime in Iran created a judiciary power which carries justice !!!!!???????

Chopping off the fingers of an accused who have committed rubbery in Mashhad City Central Prison.
The accused ( M-T ) is 39 years old and had 14 criminal cases in the court . He was sentenced to three years in prison and chopping off of a hand and return of the stolen properties . The execution was carried out yesterday in Mashhad city central jail.

Link:
http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2016/05/212137.php


IRAN WATCH CANADA: Barbaric …….

«#FreeBeheshti ….Mahmoud Beheshti Langroudi The Imprisoned Spokesperson of The Iranian Teacher Union ..#FreeBeheshti…

Tweets for the immediate release of This imprisoned teacher who is suffering from health condition and is on hunger strike in prison.

This Iranian - British Women Is Arrested At The Airport …...

According to news from BBC , Ms. Nazanin Zaghary Ratcliff  visited Iran together with her 22 months old daughter and she was returning to England  when arrested by Sepah forces in the airport. After the arrest she was transferred to the city of Kerman and her daughter was given to her parents.
Ms. Nazanin is married with a British citizen ( Mr. Ratcliff ).

According to Richard Ratcliff : His wife together with his 22 months old baby were visiting family members when arrested on April 15 and since then she is in a solitary confinement and has no lawyer to defend her . She is been told that her case is a national security issue and she is under pressure to confess . Her daughters British passport ( Because she was born in Britain of a British father ) is confiscated by the authorities and she can not apply Iranian passport for her daughter because her husband and the father of the daughter is none Iranian . Her husband also can not go to Iran because he need visa.

According to news , Ms. Nazanin is 37 years old and was working with a charity organization in Britain.  

Link to the news:
http://news.gooya.com/politics/archives/2016/05/212037.php