More Secret Mass Executions in Mashhad Vakilabad Prison – 26 Were Executed June 15

With the recent confirmation by judiciary officials of unannounced mass executions in Mashhad’s Vakilabad prison, International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran announced the execution of 26 more people in that prison on June 15, 2011.

ICHRI reports, reliable sources have told them 26 people were hanged secretly in Mashhad on June 15, 2011.

Mashhad’s Prosecutor General Mahmoud Zoghi, without giving actual numbers, recently acknowledged the number of executions has been “very high” in Mashhad within the past two years.

According to the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, there was an unannounced secret mass execution of twenty six death row inmates on June 15, 2011.

Most of the people executed in this mass execution were charged with trafficking, possession and purchase and sale of drugs.

Against Iranian Judiciary law, these executions took place without the knowledge or presence of the families and attorneys of those executed. Neither was the Supreme Court’s final ruling confirming the death sentences given to attorneys or the prisoners themselves.

Even the defendants themselves were not informed of High Court’s final ruling or their execution date in advance. They were only informed of their upcoming execution a few hours before their sentences were carried out.

According to information obtain by ICHRI, in these cases, the notifications of the Supreme Court’s final ruling upholding the death sentence, and the death sentence enforcement order from the Prosecutor General of Iran were only provided to Mashhad’s Prosecutor General.

Previously, in his press interviews, Mr. Mohseni Ejei the Prosecutor General of Iran, has repeatedly reiterated his instructions to the country’s prosecutors that death sentences must be promptly carried out.

Mashhad’s Prosecutor General, Zoghi, has confirmed unannounced mass executions in Mashhad. He has also acknowledged a high number of drug cases in Khorasan province. He said: “The number of executions is proportional to the high volume of drug-related cases but foreign news media have exaggerated this issue”.

He has acknowledged the unannounced secret mass executions in Mashhad’s Vakilabad prison and has called it “normal” occurrence. He has also said “According to the law of drug control and reinforcement, transportation, storage and sale of more than 30 grams of heroin is punishable by death”.

He said: “With the high rate of drugs that enter Khorasan Razavi province, the number of executions would naturally also be high”.

However, Zoghi, without giving an exact number of executions in the past two years, did acknowledge that, since March 21 this year, there have been 5 separate group executions in Mashhad Vakilabad prison.

Previously, ICHRI had reported unannounced mass execution of ten people on April 6, 2011, twelve executions on April 12, 2011, ten executions on May 16, 2011 and sixteen executions on May 22 and May 23, 2011.

The last secret unannounced mass execution in Mashhad was on June 15, 2011, where twenty six people were executed.

ICHRI says they have obtained information that secret unannounced mass executions have occurred in Birjand, Taibad, Ghezel Hesar, Ahvaz Karoon and in Uromiyeh prisons.

According to information obtained by ICHRI the most mass secret executions were performed in Gezel Hesar and Vakilabad prisons.

According to reliable sources and information given to ICHRI, there are thousands of death row inmates awaiting execution in Mashhad Vakilabad and Karaj Ghezel Hesar prisons, all convicted on drug charges.

Source: International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran

Read more about Mashhad secret executions

Statement From 12 Evin Hunger Strikers Announcing An End To Their Hunger Strike

In an statement published by Kalame, the 12 Evin political prisoner hunger strikers announced, they ended their hunger strike on Sunday night June 26, 2011.

No doubt that this does not mean an end to our protest to the human rights violations and the atrocities that have occurred. The Green people of Iran will continue their protest until full individual and social rights and freedoms are achieved

Their statement reads:

The Honorable Nation Of Iran,

The pain and sorrow that was caused by the death of martyr Hoda Saber was unbearable for all of his cellmates. Hunger strike was the only action that we could think of to protest this unfortunate tragedy. The exact same action that Saber himself took in protesting the wrongful death of Hale Sahabi.

On the one hand, our hunger strike was our only response to the calling of our conscious and to the fulfillment of our moral obligation as Saber’s cellmates, and on the other hand it was our outcry and rage against the injustice perpetrated on Hoda Saber and Haleh Sahabi before him. The two pious Moslem citizens that lost their lives trying to achieve their ideals.

Hunger strike was our collective action against imprudence, arrogance and institutionalized lying by our ruling faction.

We, twelve of ward 350 political prisoners launched a hunger strike on June 18, 2011 with the hopes that our voice is heard by all and with the hopes that it becomes an obstacle before the ruling faction’s continued human rights violations.

During the course of our hunger strike, many of our ward 350 cellmates voiced their desire to join in the hunger strike, many went on a fast, and many refused to eat their scheduled meals in a show of support for us.

Our cellmates’ support was an encouragement to us and was proof that we had taken the correct action and we thank them immensely for their support.

The treatment that we received from the judiciary officials during our hunger strike and during our summation to Court, only showed clear lack of responsibility, lack of accountability and an inefficient judicial system.

Dear Countrymen,

Another positive aspect of our hunger strike was the broad and wide support that we received from the people and the civil society. These reactions were just as valuable and important as was our hunger strike and a true indication that the people’s Green Movement is alive and dynamic in nature.

The massive wave of support that we received shows that the conscience of our nation is effected and is troubled by the injustice that is happening to our political prisoners. It showed that the political prisoners human rights violations and demand for their freedom is still top priority of the people of our nation.

We find it necessary to thank all of our supporters, specially the Sahabi family, Saber family, Shamekhi family, the grand ayatollahs, the religious figures, political and national parties, activists, human rights activists and organizations, the news media, journalists, attorneys and the physicians that sent us messages of support and encouragement and voiced their concerns about our health.

We also would like to greatly thank our friends in Rejaei Shahr prison for their support. We would like to also thank our own families who have always given us their support and we thank those who supported us from abroad.

In response to all the before mentioned supporters, we the hunger strikers announce that we ended our hunger strike on Sunday night June 26, 2011.

No doubt that this does not mean an end to our protest to the human rights violations and the atrocities that have occurred. The Green people of Iran will continue their protest until full individual and social rights and freedoms are achieved.

The under signed would also like to thank Emadeddin Baghi and Mohamad Javad Mozaffar who were on hunger strike with us before their release from prison.

Signed by:

Bahman Ahmadi Amouei, Abdollah Momeni, Hasan Asadi Zaeidabadi, Mohsen Aminzadeh, Emad Bahavar, Ghorban Behzadian Nejad, Mohamad Davari, Khosro Dalirsani, Fayzollah Arab-Sorkhi, Abolfazl Ghadyani, Mehdi Karimian Eghbal and Mohammad Reza Moghayseh.

P.S. Mohamad Javad Mozaffar who was released on furlough to attend his mother’s funeral remained on hunger strike outside the prison but the prisoners in Evin were unaware of this when they wrote their statement.

Source: Kaleme Website

3 Kurdish Political Prisoners Have Been On A Hunger Strike For 24 Days

Three Kurdish political prisoners in Rejaei Shahr prison have entered their 24th day of hunger strike but prison authorities continue to ignore their demand.

Alnour Khezri, Kamran Sheykhi and Seyyed Ebrahim Seyyedi launched a hunger strike 24 days ago to protest their condition in prison and to protest being kept in a ward among rapists, murderers and drug traffickers.

These three prisoners are demanding to be moved to the political prisoners ward among the other political prisoners in Rejaei Shahr prison.

These prisoners were originally detained in Evin ward 350 but in an illegal move, they were moved to Rejaei Shahr prison. All three have been detained in limbo status for two years now.

After their transfer to Rejaei Shahr, they were placed in the Quarantine section and were kept there for 50 days. Normally prisoners are placed in Quarantine for one day after their arrival in prison before being moved to the appropriate ward. Quarantine section lacks proper facilities and has sub standard sanitary conditions.

Ramezan Ahmad Kamal, Davoud Abdollahi and Ramezan Saeidi are three other Kurdish political prisoners
in Rejaei Shahr that have not been moved to political prisoners ward and are being kept among the criminals.

According to the Bureau of Prisons rules and regulations prisoners must be separated according to the degree of their crime.

The three Kurdish prisoners on hunger strike are demanding to be moved to the political prisoners ward. They have said that they will continue their hunger strike until this demand is met by the authorities.

Source: Kaleme Website

7 female political prisoners write to Judiciary Chief Larijani: Investigate Haleh Sahabi’s death

Seven female political prisoners have written a letter to Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani asking him to form a fact finding committee to investigate Haleh Sahabi’s death.

Haleh Sahabi died as a result of being attacked by regime thugs at her father’s funeral while she was out on furlough.

The seven female political prisoners say what prompted them to write this letter is the sudden death of their fellow inmate who was also one of the 2009 presidential election result protesters.

In their letter they say; they have been informed Haleh’s death was not due to heart condition or any blocked arteries nor was it due to stress from her father’s funeral, but her death was due to attack and assault by the agents that were present at her father’s funeral.

They remind Larijani that to this date no one has been held accountable in many cases like this and the tragedy of Kahrizak case, cases that continue to occur in an alarming rate.

They continue telling Larijani that Haleh’s death brought much grief to many in the nation and particularly to her fellow inmates.

Further they ask Larijani for a Fact Finding Committee to be formed to investigate the circumstances that caused Hale’s death and to indict and try the culprits in an open trial all those responsible for this senseless death.

They suggest this Committee should be formed with independent men and women and members of Sahabi family to bring into light the facts of this tragic event.

The letter to Larijani was signed by political prisoners Laila Tavassoli, Laleh Hasanpour, Fatemeh Darvish, Nasrin Sotoudeh, Mahdiyeh Golrou, Atefeh Navabi and Bahareh Hedayat.

Source: Kaleme Website

Evin Hunger Strikers Summoned By Evin Court – Detainees Refused To Answer Any Questions

On Wednesday and Thursday June 22nd and 23rd, all 12 Evin hunger strikers were summoned for interrogation by Court inside Evin but the detainees refused to answer any questions.

Kalame reports, on Wednesday Evin authorities planned to take all 12 hunger strikers to Evin Court blindfolded but the detainees refused and said it is illegal to blindfold them.

These prisoners were forced to go to Evin Court but they refused to answer any questions and instead they performed Namaz (prayers) in the hallway of Evin Court.

According to witnesses, the detainees all reiterated that they all heard Hoda Saber’s testimony of how he was assaulted by security agents. They also said they all witnessed how Sober was in excruciating pain and how he repeatedly said he will file an official complaint against the people that assaulted him.

Kalame reports Abdollah Momenei and Amir Khosro Dalirsani have been treated very harshly by Evin personnel.

Interrogators have chastised Amir Khosro Dalirsani telling him that his hunger strike along with Hoda Saber’s hunger strike has caused all of these problems.

Hoda Saber and Amir Khosro Dalirsani went on a hunger strike after Halleh Sahabi was assaulted at her father’s funeral which resulted in her death. This is the second time that Amir Khosro Dalirsani has gone on a hunger strike.

Kalame also report, on Friday June 24, five of the hunger strikers were taken to Evin clinic for treatment after much delay and in poor physical condition.

The five prisoners taken for treatment are: Abdollah Momeni, Bahman Ahmadi Amouei, Mohsen Aminzadeh, Abolfazl Ghadyani and Mehdi Karimian Eghbal.

Mohsen Aminzadeh’s wife has said her husband suffers from high blood pressure and must take medication for his condition on a daily basis and being on hunger strike is a serious danger to his health.

65 year old Abolfazl Ghadyani suffers from heart condition and being on hunger strike puts him at serious health risk.

Many of these hunger strikers have been in prison under harsh conditions since June of 2009. Many of them have endured much pressure and torture during their interrogation period.

Some of these prisoners were part of what became known as “Evin 17” that were on a hunger strike for more than 30 days in fall of 2010.

In Solidarity with 12 Evin Hunger Strikers, 6 Rejaei Shahr Political Prisoners Have Started A Hunger Strike

18 Hunger Strikers: 12 political prisoners in Evin and 6 political prisoners in Rejaei Shahr

Kalame site reports 6 political prisoners in Rejaei Shahr prison have announced they will start a hunger strike as of today June 23, 2011 in solidarity with the 12 political prisoners who went on a hunger strike last week.

The twelve prisoners in Evin started a hunger strike on Saturday June 18 as a sign of protest to the death of Hoda Saber, the journalist who died on hunger strike and the death of Halleh Sahabi who while out on furlough to attend her father’s funeral was assaulted at the funeral by regime thugs and died as a result.

The six that have joined in the hunger strike are:

1- ISSA SAHARKHIZ

Journalist Issa Saharkhiz was violently arrest July 3, 2009 during which he suffered broken ribs. Saharkhiz was placed in solitary confinement and his broken ribs never treated.

Issa Saharkhiz was under severe pressure to give false confession. He was the victim of severe beatings and suffered injures multiple times.

Saharkhiz was one of the “Evin 17” hunger strikers in fall of 2010. He also went on a hunger strike in Rejaei Shahr prison this spring.

Saharkhiz was tried and sentenced to 3 years in prison. During his trial, Saharkhiz did not present a defense, instead he filed a complaint against the State Officials.

2- KAYVAN SAMMIMI

Journalist and activist Kayvan Samimi was arrested June 13, 2009 the day after the rigged presidential election. Samimi endured much pressure during his interrogation period to give false confession which he refused.

Samimi a member of the National Peace Council, the Committee against Arbitrary Detentions, the Committee in Defense of Citizens’ Rights and the Right to Education Council.

Samimi was tried and sentenced to 6 years in prison and life time ban on any and all political activities.
He was charged with and convicted of propagating against the regime and conspiracy against national security. The indictment also included charges such as participating in post-election protests and issuing statements questioning the validity of election results.

3- MASOUD BASTANI

Journalist Masoud Bastani was arrested August 5, 2009 at the Court building where he had gone to find information about his than imprisoned journalist wife Mahsa Amrabadi.

Masoud was placed in solitary confinement after his arrest. He endured sever pressure and torture to give falls confession. He was tried in the post-election show trials and sentenced to 6 years in prison on charges of propaganda against the regime and conspiring to create chaos.

4- ALI AJAMI

Student activist and Tehran university School of Law student Ali Ajami was arrested February 9, 2010. He was in the Intelligence Ministry ward 209 for one hundred days before being moved to public ward 350 in Evin. Ajami was later transferred to Rejaei Shahr prison.

Ali Ajami was tried and sentenced to 4 years on charges propaganda against the Islamic Republic regime and conspiracy to act against the regime.

5- JAFAR EGHDAMI

Human rights activist Jaffar Eghdami was arrested July 31, 2008. Eghdami was one of “Evin 17” who went on a hunger strike in fall of 2010.

Eghdami was tried and sentenced by Lower Court to 5 years in prison. The Appeals Court overturned his sentence and increased it to 10 years in prison.

6- HESHMATOLLAH TABARZADI

Political activist and Secretary General of the Democratic Party of Iran Heshmatollah Tabarzadi was arrested on December 28, 2009 and was placed in solitary confinement in Evin 209.

Tabarzadi was later transferred to Rejaei Shahr prison. He was tried and sentenced to 9 years in prison and 74 lashes.

The Twelve Hunger Strikers in Evin:

Following are the 12 political prisoners who are currently on hunger strike in Evin prison. Emad Baghi and Mohamad Javad Mozafar who were part of the original 12 that started the hunger strike on June 18 have been released since. Two other prisoners have joined in the hunger strike in Evin to replace them.

Baghi was released after finishing his prison term and Mozafar was released on furlough to attend his mother’s funeral.

1- MEHDI KARIMIYAN EGHBAL

Participation Front Member Mehdi Karimiyan Eghbal was arrested November 2009. He underwent harsh interrogations and psychological torture. Eghbal was tried and sentenced to 4 years in prison.

2- ABDOLLAH MOMENI

Advare Tahkim Vahdat (Alumni Association) Spokesman, Abdollah Momeni was violently arrested shortly after the 2009 rigged presidential election. He was beaten and bloodied during his arrest which included use of teargas by the arresting agents. Momeni was incommunicado for over 100 days after his arrest. Momeni was severely tortured by interrogators to force him to give false confession which he never agreed to do.

Momeni wrote a letter to Supreme Leader Khamenei detailing the horrific torture methods used to force him give false confession. He was kept in solitary confinement in a tomb-like cell. In his letter he spoke of severe beatings, long periods of sleep deprivation, his head forced down a dirty feces filled toilet and more.

Momeni was tried in the post-election show trials and was sentenced to 8 years in prison for participating in post election gatherings and actions against the national security.

Momeni was one of the 17 political prisoners who went on a hunger strike in 2010.

3- EMAD BAHAVAR

Student activist and member of Iranian Freedom Movement, Emad Bahavar was initially arrested May 28, 2009. He was rearrested and released on bail two more time until he was arrested March 13, 2010 for the fourth time. Bahavar spent time in solitary confinement under heavy pressure by the interrogators to make televised false confession.

Bahavar was tried and sentenced to 10 years in prison and 10 years ban on any and all media and political activities. He was charged and convicted on “Gathering to disturb the national security and propaganda against the regime”.

4- MOHAMMAD DAVARI

Journalist, civil activist and member of the Teachers Trade Union Mohammad Davari was arrested in a raid of Etemad-Meli party offices September 9, 2009. At the time of his arrest, Davari was editor-in-chief of Saham News. Davari was arrested as a result of his work with Green leader Mehdi Karroubi on gathering information on rape and torture in Iranian prisons.

Davari was under extreme pressure and torture to deny charges of post-election detainees rape brought up by Mehdi Karroubi.

Davari suffers from multitude of health problems due to harsh conditions and tortures he was under to give false confession. He was tried and sentenced to 5 years in prison on charges of conspiracy to act against the national security.

5- FEIZOLLAH ARAB-SORKHI

Member of the Reformist party Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization, Feizollah Arab-Sorkhi was arrested July 7, 2009. Arab-Sorkhi was tried and convicted of actions against the national security and propaganda against the regime.

6- ABOLFAZL GHADYANI

Member of the Reformist party Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization, Abolfazl Ghadyani was arrested December 28, 2009. He was tried and convicted on charges of propaganda against the regime and insulting the president and was sentenced to 1 year in prison and monetary fines.

7- MOHAMAD REZA MOGHAYSEH

Head of committee to investigate and follow-up on detainees and victims of post 2009 presidential election, formed by Mir Housein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi. He was arrested by Intelligence Ministry agents September of 2009 for his work on the investigative committee and for gathering information on post-election victims who were buried in unknown graves. Moghayseh is sentenced to 6 years in prison.

8- HASSAN ASADI-ZEIDABADI

Student activist Hassan Asadi-Zeidabadi was arrested December 6, 2009. He was later released on bail but
rearrested August 23, 2010.

He was tried and sentenced to 5 years in prison, convicted on charges of “Conspiracy and assembly to act against national security, anti regime propaganda, insulting the president, participating in illegal gathering and disturbing the public”.

9- AMIR-KHOSRO DALIRSANI

National and religious activist Amir-Khosro Dalirsani is sentenced to 4 years in prison for assembly and conspiracy to commit acts against the national security. Dalirsani went on a hunger strike along with Hoda Saber to protest the death of Haleh Sahabi during her father’s funeral.

10- BAHMAN AHMADI AMOUEI

Journalist Bahman Ahmadi Amouei was arrested along with his journalist wife at their residence June 20, 2009. His wife was released on bail some months later. Bahman Amouei was held in solitary confinement for months before being transferred to ward 350. Amouei was one of the 17 political prisoners who went on hunger strike in 2010.

Amouei was arrested once before during a women’s assembly in 7-Tir square on June 12, 2006 and was sentenced to 6 months of suspended imprisonment. Amouei is currently serving a 5 year sentence.

11- GHORBAN BEHZADIAN-NEJAD

Mousavi advisor and head of his 2009 presidential campaign Ghorban Behzadian-Nejad was arrested December 28, 2009 and was detained in solitary confinement for 74 days before he was allowed a visit by his family. Behzadian-Nejad is sentenced to 5 years in prison. He also was fired from his university teaching job.

12- MOHSEN AMINZADEH

Former Deputy Foreign Minister and a senior member of the Participation Front, and head of reformists’ coalition staff during the 10th presidential election. Mohsen Aminzadeh was arrested June 16, 2009.

Aminzadeh was tried and sentenced to 6 years in prison by Lower Court. The Appeals Court overturned the initial sentence and gave him 5 years in prison.

Aminzadeh was convicted of propaganda against the system and collusion and conspiracy to disrupt the national security.

12 Brave Political Prisoners On Hunger Strike To Pay Tribute To The Green Movement Martyrs

12 political prisoners in Evin begun a hunger strike to show their outrage and protest the deaths of journalist Hoda Saber who died on a hunger strike protesting the death of Haleh Sahabi who was killed during her father’s funeral.

According to a letter published by Kaleme, the twelve prisoners went on an indefinite hunger strike on Saturday June 18 to protest the killing of two political prisoners and to pay tribute to the martyrs of the Green Movement.

These 12 prisoners have been in Evin for a long period of time, some since June of 2009. Many have endured months of solitary confinement and pressure and torture. Some of these prisoners are part of what was known as “Evin 17”, the seventeen political prisoners who went on a hunger strike September 2010.

Many of these prisoners suffer serious heath conditions they acquired during their stay in Evin under harsh conditions and torture.

Here is who these brave men are and a brief overview of their cases. Please support them.

1- EMMADEDIN BAGHI:

Journalist and award winning Human Rights activist Emmadedin Baghi was arrested December 28, 2009. He was in solitary confinement for 5 months before being moved to public ward. Baghi is sentenced twice in two different cases. His first sentence is 1 year in prison and 5 years ban on political and civil activities. His second sentence is 6 years in prison for interviewing the late Ayatollah Montazeri which was broadcast on BBC Persian.

Baghi was imprisoned for his human rights work in 2007-2008 also. He was granted medical leave in 2008 due to poor health. Baghi suffered kidney, bladder and other health problems due to treatment he suffered in prison.

Baghi was also in prison 2000-2003 charged with “Acting against national security” for his Human Rights work.

Baghi is the founder of “Association to defend prisoners” and “The society of right to life guardians” which campaigns against the death penalty in Iran.

2- ABDOLLAH MOMENI:

Advare Tahkim Vahdat (Alumni Association) Spokesman, Abdollah Momeni was violently arrested shortly after the 2009 rigged presidential election. He was beaten and bloodied during his arrest which included use of teargas by the arresting agents. Momeni was incommunicado for over 100 days after his arrest. Momeni was severely tortured by interrogators to force him to give false confession which he never agreed to do.

Momeni wrote a letter to Supreme Leader Khamenei detailing the horrific torture methods used to force him give false confession. He was kept in solitary confinement in a tomb-like cell. In his letter he spoke of severe beatings, long periods of sleep deprivation, his head forced down a dirty feces filled toilet and more.

Momeni was tried in the post-election show trials and was sentenced to 8 years in prison for participating in post election gatherings and actions against the national security

Momeni was one of the 17 political prisoners who went on a hunger strike in 2010.

3- EMAD BAHAVAR:

Student activist and member of Iranian Freedom Movement, Emad Bahavar was initially arrested May 28, 2009. He was rearrested and released on bail two more time until he was arrested March 13, 2010 for the fourth time. Bahavar spent time in solitary confinement under heavy pressure by the interrogators to make televised false confession.

Bahavar was tried and sentenced to 10 years in prison and 10 years ban on any and all media and political activities. He was charged and convicted on “Gathering to disturb the national security and propaganda against the regime”.

4- MOHAMMAD DAVARI:

Journalist, civil activist and member of the Teachers Trade Union Mohammad Davari was arrested in a raid of Etemad-Meli party offices September 9, 2009. At the time of his arrest, Davari was editor-in-chief of Saham News. Davari was arrested as a result of his work with Green leader Mehdi Karoubi on gathering information on rape and torture in Iranian prisons.

Davari was under extreme pressure and torture to deny charges of post-election detainees rape brought up by Mehdi Karroubi.

Davari suffers from multitude of health problems due to harsh conditions and tortures he was under to give false confession. He was tried and sentenced to 5 years in prison on charges of conspiracy to act against the national security.

5- FEIZOLLAH ARAB-SORKHI:

Member of the Reformist party Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization, Feizollah Arab-Sorkhi was arrested July 7, 2009. Arab-Sorkhi was tried and convicted of actions against the national security and propaganda against the regime.

6- ABOLFAZL GHADYANI:

Member of the Reformist party Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization, Abolfazl Ghadyani was arrested December 28, 2009. He was tried and convicted on charges of propaganda against the regime and insulting the president and was sentenced to 1 year in prison and monetary fines.

7- MOHAMAD REZA MOGHAYSEH:

Head of committee to investigate and follow-up on detainees and victims of post 2009 presidential election, formed by Mir Housein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi. He was arrested by Intelligence Ministry agents September of 2009 for his work on the investigative committee and for gathering information on post-election victims who were buried in unknown graves. Moghayseh is sentenced to 6 years in prison.

8- HASSAN ASADI-ZEIDABADI:

Student activist Hassan Asadi-Zeidabadi was arrested December 6, 2009. He was later released on bail but
rearrested August 23, 2010.

He was tried and sentenced to 5 years in prison, convicted on charges of “Conspiracy and assembly to act against national security, anti regime propaganda, insulting the president, participating in illegal gathering and disturbing the public”.

9- AMIR-KHOSRO DALIRSANI:

National and religious activist Amir-Khosro Dalirsani is sentenced to 4 years in prison for assembly and conspiracy to commit acts against the national security. Dalirsani went on a hunger strike along with Hoda Saber to protest the death of Haleh Sahabi during her father’s funeral.

10- BAHMAN AHMADI AMOUEI:

Journalist Bahman Ahmadi Amouei was arrested along with his journalist wife at their residence June 20, 2009. His wife was released on bail some months later. Bahman Amouei was held in solitary confinement for months before being transferred to ward 350. Amouei was one of the 17 political prisoners who went on hunger strike in 2010.

Amouei was arrested once before during a women’s assembly in 7-Tir square on June 12, 2006 and was sentenced to 6 months of suspended imprisonment. Amouei is currently serving a 5 year sentence.

11- GHORBAN BEHZADIAN-NEJAD:

Mousavi advisor and head of his 2009 presidential campaign Ghorban Behzadian-Nejad was arrested December 28, 2009 and was detained in solitary confinement for 74 days before he was allowed a visit by his family. Behzadian-Nejad is sentenced to 5 years in prison. He also was fired from his university teaching job.

12- MOHAMMAD JAVAD MOZAFFAR:

Author, cultural activist and Deputy Director of Association For The Defense Of Prisoners was in solitary confinement for 2 months and is sentenced to 2 years in prison.

Two Years After Violent Attack On Tehran University, None Of The Perpetrators Have Been Prosecuted But Students Have Been.

It has now been two years since Tehran University was attacked days after the rigged presidential election in 2009. To this date the authorities have not issued any report as to who the attackers were and who ordered the attack.

No one has been held accountable for that attack on Tehran University which resulted in student deaths, injuries and arrests.

Following is an excerpt of an article on Daneshjoo News recounting the attack and it’s aftermath:

In the days after the election, the shock and anger caused by the fraudulent outcome of the election, in addition to street protests, protests were also formed in Tehran university dormitories.

June 14, 2009 at about 11 PM, Tehran University was surrounded by police, security and plainclothes forces. These forces tried several times to enter the university but failed as they were met with resistance from the students.

The forces were finally able to enter the university by launching an attack with sound grenades, teargas and firing guns into the ground.

Plainclothes forces and Ansare Hezbollah brutally attacked the students using knives, guns, teargas, chains, batons and bats resulting in deaths and injuries of many students.

According to student sources and eyewitnesses 3-5 students were killed and about 100 students were arrested.

According to some of the student’s news sources, killed that night were; Mobina Ehterami, Fatemeh Barati, Kasra Sharafi, Kambiz Shojaei and Mohsen Imani. Witnesses say these students were killed as a result of multiple strikes to the head by electric batons.

It has been reported by student sources that the bodies of the killed students were buried in Beheshte Zahra (Tehran cemetery) the next day without the knowledge of their families. Families of these students were warned not to hold any memorial services or talk abut their children’s deaths.

In the early morning hours of June 15, the arrested students were taken to the Interior Ministry’s basement by plainclothes forces who were armed with firearms and knives. A number of these students had sustained injuries during the attack.

According to eyewitnesses, the students were beaten on the way to the Interior Ministry and once in the Interior Ministry’s basement, they were further severely and violently beaten and tortured.

According to eyewitnesses treatment of the arrested students was brutal and degrading.

Metal boxes were placed on student’s heads and batons were beaten on the metal boxes. One of the students had severe head injury and broken skull already.

After twelve hours in the basement with no food or water, a man came in with a small pitcher of water in his hand. He poured the water down on the floor and told the students they now could drink the water he was pouring out.

After some of the students complained about the method they were using to give them water, another man came in with a water hose and told the students they can drink from the water hose. It was hot water.

Students were fed by putting food in their hands. They fed the students spaghetti placed in their hands and told them if any of it falls to the ground they’d be punished. In some cases it did and the students were beaten.

For breakfast they fed the students dried bread and cheese using the same method. If any thing fell on the floor the student was beaten. It was hard to prevent the dry bread from crumbling and falling on the floor. It did happen and students were beaten.

Immediately after the reports of student deaths came out, authorities denied any deaths in the Tehran university attack.

However, Advare Tahkim Vahdat (The Alumni Association) issued a statement on June 13 that said 7 students were killed in the attacks on Tehran and Shiraz Universities .

In their statement, Advare Tahkim Vahdat also mentioned attacks on Shiraz University and Esfahan Sanati University dormitories by plainclothes, Basij and Ansare Hezbollah forces, resulting in 2 student deaths in Shiraz University.

After the violence in Shiraz University, Chancellor Mohamad Hadi Sadeghi resigned his position but no reason was given for his resignation.

It is against the law for military forces or police to enter the university campuses or dormitories unless requested by the university Chancellor.

At the time, Member of Parliament Mohsen Kouhkan said the forces entered Tehran University at the request of Tehran University Chancellor Farhad Rahbar.

Farhad Rahbar denied he had requested the forces to enter the university and said none of the university officials were present on the night of the attack.

3 weeks after the attack, the Revolutionary Guards Commander Mohamad Ali Jafari in an interview said “A special task force has been formed to investigate this case and most probably by end of next month the culprits will be put on trial”.

March 2010 BBC Persian broadcast a video they claimed was made by one of the attack forces (one of the plainclothes forces).

The person started the video at 1:30 am just before the actual attack happened. It shows the clashes between students and attackers on both sides of the iron fence. It shows the forces throwing teargas inside, and students on the roof top throwing stones at the attackers and attackers throwing the stones back at them.

At 2:00 AM the plainclothes forces entered the university with the help from the special units forces. In the video you can hear the plainclothes asking the guards to refrain from beating the students, you can see injured students lying on the ground and you can see the bloody face of a student.

Six days after this video was broadcast on many different outlets, MP’s Alaedin Broujerdi and Kazem Jalali of Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission said they had not seen this video but what was depicted in this video should be followed up and investigated. MP Broujerdi later said this video could be a fake and altered.

4 months later, Commander of Iran Police Force Esmaeil Ahmadi Moghadam authenticated the scenes in the video but said it had voice-over in favor of the plainclothes and hurting the police.

Today nearly two years after this traumatic and horrible attack on these students it is still not clear who ordered such a brutal attack on the children of our nation. While none of the perpetrators of this violent crime have been prosecuted, one hundred students were summoned by the Disciplinary Committee and given disciplinary action. Innocent students were tried in military courts and sentenced to, prison, fines and flogging.

This horrible incident, just like the many atrocities of the Islamic Republic, has fallen victim to the passing of the time. History will judge this incident and will reveal it’s dark secrets.

Source: Daneshju News
Watch the BBC video on YouTube
More videos of the attack on Tehran university, June 2009
Watch alsoThe aftermath of the attack

An Eye Witness Account of June 12 Silent Protest In Tehran By Dr. Mehdi Khazali

Following is an eye witness account of the silent protest called by the Green Path of Hope Coordinating Council on the anniversary of the 2009 rigged presidential election in Iran.

Dr. Mehdi Khazali, a former political prisoner writes on his web site: This is a small report on the silent protest as I witnessed myself:

On June 12 the city had taken a military zone atmosphere. Valiasr street was filled with security and anti-riot forces moving up and down the street. All the stores on Valiasr were ordered closed.

Despite closing of a stores on Valiasr, there was a large crowd of people walking up and down the street in silence. Among the people waling were security forces and Plainclothes forces.

A friend was talking on his cell phone. Apparently person he was talking to asked where he was. My friend answered, “Valiasr, Hemmat bridge”. The Plainclothes standing next to him asks, are you inviting people to come here? Than he arrested my friend and placed him in a van.

We tried very hard to explain the situation to them. After some time with the help of few Basijis my young friend was released.

There was 2 vans parked under Hemmat bridge. In less than 10 minutes both vans were filled with people they arrested. You can just imagine how many they must have arrested on Valiasr.

In the 10 minutes that I was standing there under the bridge, they arrested many people. They were mostly arresting young women.

I tried to pay attention and figure out their profiling system to no avail. Seems like they would just pick at random someone from the crowd that was walking in silence.

Seems like the anti-riot was using their own judgment in who to arrest. Perhaps they were arresting the more beautiful girls. I am not kidding, just saying what I saw. They were arresting beautiful young girls.

Maybe they saw these young girls as their war prisoners, maybe they just wanted to look at the more beautiful girls.

This was a hard and sad fact that I saw with my own eyes. They were arresting people who had done nothing but just walk peacefully in silence. They were not even chanting anything. They may have been just going back home or going somewhere else.

An old man felt sick and fell down on the sidewalk. A young smiling Basiji man went to help him get up. As soon as the old man saw a Basiji, he kept repeating that he was fine and didn’t need any help. The young Basiji saw the fear in the old man’s eyes and left. Others helped the old man up.

At Vanak square group of Basijis clad in black clothing were standing. On the back of their clothing it said “Imam Ali battalion”. I thought to myself, in the name of Imam Ali they are confronting the people.

Source: Dr.Khazali Website

Testimony Of 64 Political Prisoners On The Last Hours Of Hoda Saber, The Journalist Who Died On Hunger Strike

64 Evin Ward 350 political prisoners have issued a statement explaining the last hours of journalist/activist Hoda Saber.

Hoda Sober and Amir Khosro Dalirsani went on a hunger strike after Haleh Sahabi was attacked by regime thugs in her father’s funeral resulting in her death.

Following is an excerpt of the statement issued by the 64 political prisoners:

The 64 political prisoners who signed the statement say: On May 22, 2011 while Hoda Saber was mourning the death of Ezzat Sahabi, the news of his daughter Haleh’s death reached ward 350.

As a sign of protest to the injustice inflicted on Sahabi’s family, Hoda Saber and Amir Khosro Dalirsani announced they will go on an unlimited hunger strike.

Thursday May 22, Hoda Sober started his hunger strike after performing his afternoon prayers.

We Testify: Hoda Saber, in addition to reading books, reading the Quran and holding history classes on a daily basis, showed a great interest in sports and joined in many sports activities held by the youth prisoners.

We Testify: That Hoda Saber was not suffering from any health problems, and medical records in Evin’s medical facility attest to that.

We Testify: On his 8th day of hunger strike, Hoda Saber, suffered from chest pain and digestive problems.

On Friday June 10, at 4:00 AM Hoda Saber was taken to Evin’s medical facility but 2 hours later, as he was in severe pain, they returned him to the ward. His screams from pain were so loud that woke his cellmates up.

He told his cellmate that in the medical facility not only did they not help him, but they beat and insulted him and threw him out of the treatment room.

We Testify: That while Hoda Saber was in excruciating pain and was shaking, he loudly said he will file a complaint against them.

At this point with the perseverance and request of his cellmates, the guard promised to take him back to the medical facility, but Hoda said he does not trust them. The guard promised to arrange for him to be taken to a hospital.

We Testify: That Hoda Saber was not able to stand on his own at this time and they took him on a stretcher out of the ward. In these last hours he had complained about his digestive system, had diarrhea and vomiting.

The statement continues with the 64 political prisoners condemning the handling of Hoda Saber’s case and saying an atrocity was answered by another atrocity. They also say this was not the first time such a thing happened, and that it won’t be the last either. The prisoners call the current ruling officials directly responsible for Hoda Saber’s death.

They extend their condolences to Saber family, especially to Farideh Saber and his dear children.

The prisoners condemn the treatment of political prisoners and say they hold the current ruling authorities directly responsible for the inhumane treatment of prisoners.

Source: Kaleme Website