Iran Document: The Repression, Abuse, and Execution of Iranian Kurds

The five Iranians executed in May 2010Soon it will be two years since the executions of four Kurdish activists shocked the international community. One of those executed was the teacher Farzad Kamangar, whose plight had been the focus of an international campaign. Ali Heydarian, Farhad Vakili, and Shirin Alamhouli were also hung, as was political prisoner Mehdi Eslamian.

This month the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center (IHRDC) details the repression of the Kurdish-Iranian community and the targeting of Kurdish-Iranian activists in a 70-page report, “On the Margins: Arrest, Imprisonment and Execution of Kurdish Activists in Iran Today". The document reveals reveals a disturbing and shocking pattern of repression and violence by the Islamic Republic of Iran against its Kurdish community.

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Iran Feature: The Week in Civil Society --- From The "Butcher of the Press" to Speaking Out Against War (Arseh Sevom)

"Raising Their Voices": Iranian Intellectuals Speak Out Against War

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Our colleagues at Arseh Sevom, a non-governmental organisation promoting civil society in Iran, bring us their weekly review of developments within the country:

Butcher of the Press leaves…Not!

Regular readers of Arseh Sevom’s weekly review won’t be surprised to find that former Tehran prosecutor, Saeed Mortazavi, is topping headlines once again. This time with rumors of his resignation after a contested promotion to director of the biggest financial holding organization in Iran, Social Security Organization [Sazman-e Tamin-e Ejtema’ie].

Mortazavi is no stranger to controversy and condemnation. After the 2009 demonstrations against the flawed presidential elections, he was summoned for a hearing in connection with  atrocities that occurred at Kahrizak prison. Dismayed parliamentarians threatened that his promotion, instead of punishment, would mean the impeachment of his boss, the Minister of Labor.

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Iran Feature: The Week in Civil Society --- The Regime's Attack on Publishers (Arseh Sevom)

The Islamic Republic’s clash with private publishers has reached alarming levels. According to a recent report in Kalemeh, authorities have warned active publishers that they are working “due to the benevolence” of officials and “had they wanted to punish all offending publishers, many more of their publishing houses would have been closed". The closures are reportedly part of an organised attempt by the state to intentionally cause a crisis in this sector and further weaken it.

Some have expressed concern that the publishing guild is insufficiently strong to defend its members from government pressure.

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Iran Feature: The Week in Civil Society --- From Nature's Day to A Site for Repression (Arseh Sevom)

In the US, 1 April is marked with practical jokes. In Iran the date is celebrated as Nature’s Day (sizdah-be-dar) with millions taking to parks all over the country. Iranians around the world mark the end of the celebrations marking the new year with picnics, family, and friends. However, this year during the new year’s holidays, just 14 prisoners of conscience were given furlough to spend time with family.

In keeping with the theme of nature and sizdah-be-dar, we begin this week’s review with some environmental news. The cranes have returned to one of their habitats in the Salmas plain in Northwestern Iran. According to IRNA’s report they are being well protected by park rangers.

Four park rangers were injured while doing their jobs while another one, Assad Taghizadeh, is on the death row after being charged with manslaughter when he killed a poacher who had fired upon him and his co-workers. This sentence is based on the Islamic princible of Qesas (an eye for an eye). Many environmental activists have demanded Assad Taghizadeh’s release.

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Iran Feature: The Week in Civil Society --- Celebrating Despite Economic Decline and the Crackdown (Arseh Sevom)

Photo: Picalm.com and BBC PersianLast year was disheartening for many civil society actors in Iran, as the regime shut down organizations, arrested many, and harassed even more. As bloggers are noting, this was a year of stagnation for Iranian activists and civil society groups, such as women and students, due to the excessive suppression and brutality of the Islamic Republic.

Yet, despite the political climate and the deteriorating economic situation, there were still moments of celebration, such as Chahar Shanbeh Suri (sometimes called Fireworks Wednesday), celebrated last week under the heavy presence of security forces in Iran.

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Iran Feature: The Week in Civil Society, from Women's Activism to Harsh Sentences to Cyberspace (Arseh Sevom)

One of the video testimonies in "Women Speak Out Against War"

See also Iran Video Document: Tehran's Larijani to UN "We Are a Benchmark for Human Rights"

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Arseh Sevom, the non-government organisation promoting civil society in Iran, presents its weekly review of developments in the country:

A New Year Greeted with Empty Pockets, Joy, and Trepidation

The celebration of Iranian New Year (Norooz), which falls at the moment of the Spring Equinox (5:14 am UTC or GMT, March 20), has managed to survive every political regime and every change of religion. It remains autonomous of state control and an example of “the configuration in which society stands apart from the state.” Its continuing celebration in Iran represents a requisite of a civil society.

The fast approaching new year is causing a mixture of apprehension and excitement. This will be a difficult Norooz for many suffering from the bad economic situation in Iran where a combination of run-away inflation, poor economic management, and sanctions are really taking their toll.

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Iran Feature: The Week in Civil Society, from the Elections to Abuses to a "Documentary" (Arseh Sevom)

Press TV's "documentary" on the Revolutionary Guards' Eye of the Fox operation arresting "agents" of BBC Persian

See also Iran Opinion: The Hunger Strike of Mehdi Khazali

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Last week's review spoke of hints by the Revolutionary Guards, via their site Gerdab, of revelations concerning BBC Persian.

With the release of the transparent propaganda film by the Islamic Republic's Press TV, “The Eye of the Fox" (see top of entry), the promise of new allegations is fulfilled. Press TV shows “shocking” photos of Iranian journalists receiving training from the BBC in Turkey. They blame the BBC Persian for the unrest following the 2009 elections, accusing the organization of espionage. The "documentary" broadcasts confessions, and shows the arrest of an Iranian female journalist in what appeared to be her home.

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Iran Special: The Week in Civil Society, from Arresting Mountain Climbers to Strangling the Internet (Arseh Sevom)

Police display confiscated satellite dishes

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Arseh Sevom, the non-government organisation promoting civil society in Iran, has started a weekly review of developments in the country --- this inaugural article covers 19-25 February. Read the full entry or jump to an individual item:

Hunger Strikes and Heresy: Prisoners of Conscience in Danger
Opposition Calls for Voters to Stay Home
The Call for Free and Fair Elections
Jammin’ and Jammin’ and Jammin’… Jam No More
Coming to Your TV: Iran’s Outrageous Confession Videos
Strangling the Internet
More Pressure on the Baha’i
Sixty Percent of Workers Under the Poverty Line
More Limitations on Who Can Stand for Office: If Brazil’s former president Lula da Silva were Iranian he Wouldn’t be Allowed to Run
Publishers Come Under Scrutiny: “Censorship reflects a society’s lack of confidence in itself”

Introduction

How can we not start with a great big congratulations to Asghar Farhadi, the director of A Separation, for his historic Oscar win? Congratulations!

Arseh Sevom also notes that Sunday, February 26, marked Lawyer’s Day in Iran. With dozens arrested, persecuted, and imprisoned for their work defending the rights of others, being a lawyer in Iran can be hazardous. Arseh Sevom salutes those lawyers who have so bravely stood up for the rights of others. (Details of the harassment of lawyers can be found here.)

In the lead up to parliamentary elections in Iran, there is increased pressure on civil society. Mountain climbers have been arrested in Sanandaj, publishers are being scrutinized, and prisoners of conscience challenge their detention.

With less than a week left before the elections, the mood domestically and internationally is becoming more hawkish and militaristic. On election day, March 2nd, 85,000 members of the Basij militia will be dispatched to the streets. This is all being played out amidst worldwide speculations of an imminent attack on Iran.

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Iran Update: Guardian Council Approves New Islamic Penal Code

The "Islamic Penal Bill" flouts Iran's legal obligations under the ICCPR [International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights]. The legislation endangers free expression and reinforces laws that violate the rights of Iranian citizens. The bill fails to prohibit stoning, lashing, and other cruel, inhumane, and degrading punishments; redress discriminatory laws; or, raise the age of majority for girls and boys. In a particularly worrisome clause, the bill expands punishment for "actions against national security", a charge that has routinely been used to persecute dissidents.

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Iran Appeal: Rejecting the "Islamic Penal Bill" Against Human Rights

Iran's parliament is preparing to pass the "Islamic Penal Bill" --- legislation that flouts its legal obligations under the ICCPR. The legislation endangers free expression and reinforces laws that violate the rights of Iranian citizens. The bill fails to prohibit stoning, lashing, and other cruel, inhumane, and degrading punishments; redress discriminatory laws; or, raise the age of majority for girls and boys. In a particularly worrisome clause, the bill expands punishment for "actions against national security", a charge that has routinely been used to persecute dissidents.

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