Iran Pressured to Open Doors to U.N. Rights Investigators
GENEVA, Jun 11 (IPS) - The Iranian government rejected charges that it has violated human rights and freedom of speech and assembly before a session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva Thursday - the same day that the Iranian opposition’s request to hold a peaceful protest was denied by authorities.
Although Tehran insists there is a standing invitation for U.N. special human rights rapporteurs to visit, none have gained access to the country since 2005. ”We would like see the Iranians actually follow through with concrete action on their commitment to allow special rapporteurs, as well as the [U.N.] high commissioner’s office, to enter Iran and do full investigations of the human rights situation,” Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe, the U.S. representative to the Council, told IPS. Read more
June 17, 2010 2 Comments
Anniversary Preview: Tehran Gets the Jitters
June 10, 2010 | 10:29pm, the Daily Beast
Tension is building in Tehran ahead of Saturday’s anniversary of the Iranian protests. Omid Memarian talks to people in the Iranian capital.
In advance of the one-year anniversary of Iran’s disputed elections on Saturday, the government has sent security forces into the streets of Tehran to prevent another popular uprising. Already, plainclothes police and students have clashed violently, and the government has warned against further protest rallies. Confrontations with women over how to dress, and the execution of five dissidents last month have contributed to tensions in the capital.
When students gathered at the Azad University recently, chanting slogans such as “death to the dictator,” and protesting recent arrests, plainclothes officers swiftly cracked down on the demonstrators, who were beaten, according to reports by people who were there.
“It seems that as we get closer to the anniversary of last year’s elections… confrontations and threats intensify.”
A few days later, the police commander of greater Tehran, General Hossein Sajedinia, told an official news agency that police forces would not hesitate to confront illegal demonstrations.
Read more
June 10, 2010 1 Comment
Iran’s Hanging Judge
Jun 9 2010, Institute for War and Peace Reporting- Abolghasem Salavat, dubbed “Judge of Death”, and two colleagues have presided over most political trials since last year’s unrest.A decision to show clemency to 81 of the people detained in the unrest that followed last year’s presidential election in Iran has once again shone the spotlight on the country’s judicial and penal systems.
On June 2, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei approved a recommendation by the head of the judiciary. Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani, to release some of the 81 under amnesty and reduce the sentences of the rest. Read more
June 9, 2010 1 Comment
Divisions Sharpen as Iran Girds for Renewed Protests
BERKELEY, California, Jun 7, 2010 (IPS) - A week before the first anniversary of Iran’s contested presidential elections, the disruption of a speech by the grandson of Ayatollah Khomeini during a memorial service for the founder of the Islamic Republic on Jun. 4 has once more publicly exposed the rift within the top level of Iran’s leadership.
According to the government, two million Basij militia members and supporters from all over the country were mobilised to come to Tehran to participate in last week’s ceremonies marking the 21st anniversary of Khomeini’s death.
However, many believe the rallies were in fact intended to intimidate the opposition protesters expected to take to the streets on Jun. 12, a year after the polls in which President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the winner and the government waged a bloody crackdown in which hundreds were arrested and jailed. Read more
June 7, 2010 2 Comments
WSJ: IRAN IS ABUSING THREE MORE AMERICAN HOSTAGES
The Wall Street Journal, April 3 2010- As the three Americans detained in Iran near the end of their eighth month in captivity, it has become increasingly clear that their case, like those of so many other prisoners in Iran, is not legal but political and a matter of human rights.
Since Sarah Shourd, 31, Shane Bauer, 27, and Josh Fattal, 27, were arrested by Iranian authorities who claimed they illegally crossed the border from neighboring Iraq last July, the three Americans have been almost completely cut off from the outside world. Swiss Ambassador Livia Leu Agosti, whose embassy represents U.S. interests in Iran, was able to visit the trio twice, but the last time was in late October. It was not until March 9—more than seven months after their arrests—that the three were permitted to call their families for the first time. Read more
April 21, 2010 1 Comment
Iran Lobbies Over Rights Forum
Mohammad javad Larijani, the Head of Iran's Human Rights Delegation in Geneva
26 Feb 10 -Denying rights abuses could prove costly for Tehran, both economically and politically.
Iranian activists have viewed with anger and dismay the outcome of a United Nations review of human rights in Iran and the country’s rejection of its recommendations.
Iran attracted criticism from the West over a lack of freedom of speech and assembly and the position of religious minorities like the Bahais at the routine session in Geneva on February 15 of the UN Human Rights Council. In its reaction to the session, Iran accepted some recommendations but rejected a range of calls to clean up its record and to allow UN human rights and torture inspectors to visit. The UN has no powers to adopt resolutions or enforce any measures raised at the session, called a Universal Periodic Review, UPR. Read more
February 26, 2010 1 Comment
How to Help the Three American “Hikers” Come Home Soon
HuffPo-The Iranian government has announced that they will try the three American citizens who strayed across an unmarked border into Iran in late July. But the question remains how can the U.S. government help free them? And what should the families do to make this perplexing story be over?
Considering similar patterns in the past, it’s almost clear that the three young adventurists are not spies. In fact, if the Iranian authorities had any evidence in this regards, they would have presented it months ago in a public trial to embarrass the U.S. government; something they thrive on.
At this time the families are facing two scenarios. Read more
December 16, 2009 1 Comment
NYTimes: “Top Reformers Admitted Plot, Iran Declares”
Michael Slackman has written a piece about the story of the alleged confessions by the Iranian reformists politicians in the New York Times today. Although, many of these prisoners have not contacted their families for more than two weeks, some of the ranking Iranian officials have claimed that they have confessed to their wrongdoings in the prison. It shows how those people are under a huge pressure. (Read the article here) Read more
July 4, 2009 Leave a Comment
ABC7: “It was an organized fraud”
June 15, 2009 1 Comment
Mousavi’s Supporters in Tehran: Stunning!
June 15, 2009 Leave a Comment
Amanpour in Tehran with Farid Zakaria
June 14, 2009 Leave a Comment
Mousavi: “Stay on the scene, avoid any confrontation”
Entekhab News Agency has received the following message from those close to Mir Hossein Mousavi:
“Regarding the voices of concern raised by Iranian people, I would like to say that my family and I are well, and despite immense pressure from authorities on me to accept the results of this fradulent election, I have gone to Interior Ministry in order to claim my rightful win, to protect people’s votes, and to request nullification of the elections. Also, I am prohibited from appearing among people and contacting or talking to them, and I am under observation. On the other hand, my elections headquarters has been sealed and members of Participation Front have been arrested. I ask the dear people of Iran to stay on the scene, avoid any confrontation which will only benefit the lawless and cheating group.” Mir Hossein Mousavi has also requested a march permit for tomorrow afternoon at 4:00 p.m. [for his supporters to march] between Enghelab and Azadi squres.
June 14, 2009 Leave a Comment
A photo: Former President Khatami Without Turban:
Former President Khatami seems to be attacked by a few of Ahmadinejad’s supporters. Look at the hand on his shoulder. Source.
June 14, 2009 Leave a Comment
Actual Result of Iran’s Election: Mousavi 21 Million, AN: 10 million?
There have been widespread rumors regarding an email sent by a group of employees at MOI’s Election Headquarters about the true result of the election. This is not confirmed by any reliable sources. But according the other news on this topic, and in light of the way in which the election results were announced, it doesn’t really seem that far off. According to this email (which is published in a reformist website as well):
“- Initial results announced by MOI were based only on 500,000 received ballots.
- All 9 communiques of the MOI were written and planned in advance; numbers were faked via a software program which distributed vote counts among polling stations in such a way to make everything look plausible.
- True count: Mousavi - 21.3 million votes (57.2%); Ahmadinejad - 10.5 million (28%); Rezai - 2.7 million votes (7.2%); and Karroubi - 2.2 million votes (6%).
- Voter turnout is at 37.4 million or 81%.
- Invalidated votes are at 600,000.
June 14, 2009 Leave a Comment
“Down with dictator” on Tehran’s roof tops!
Thousands of Iranians have taken to their roof tops chanting “Down with Dictator”. This is a tradition in Iran to use the roof tops as a safe place to chant against what people object to. This has been done in order to show solidarity with Reformist candidates. I talked to different people from different parts of the city and learned that many people participated in this symbolic support. (Watch the video)
June 14, 2009 Leave a Comment
