Blogger/HR Activist Hossein Ronaghi Maleki Is Under Pressure To Give A False Confession

Hossein Ronaghi Maleki is being pressured to give a televised false confession against himself and his cellmates.

Ronaghi’s father told HRANA reporter, that his son was taken out of Ward 350 on Saturday January 28 for the purpose of giving a televised false confession.

The father of this political prisoner told HARANA, “My son’s interrogators told him they did not intend to give him such heavy prison sentence but to obtain his freedom he must give them a false confession.

They returned my son to Ward 350 after he refused to accept the interrogators’ offer.”

Ahmad Ronaghi Malkei added, “I request from all the officials, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, the prison officials and Tehran’s Prosecutor to put an end to this lawlessness.

My son has lost 20% functionality in one kidney and 80% in the other kidney. If anything happens to my son, the interrogators, the bureau of prisons and the Prosecutor are all responsible.”

It should be noted that on Saturday another prisoner incarcerated in Ward 350, Hossein Asghari, was forced to give an on camera false confession against himself and his friends.

Source: HRANA

Web Developer and Humorist Mehdi Alizadeh Has Been Sentenced To Death

Continuing his trend of issuing death sentences, Judge Salavati, presiding over Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court, has given the death sentence to web developer and humorist Mehdi Alizadeh.

The Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court has sentenced Mehdi Alizadeh on Moharebeh charges (enmity against God).

Alizadeh’s lawyer and family have been officially notified of the death sentence ruling issued by the lower court.

30 years old Mehdi Alizadeh Fakhrabad from city of Mashhad is married . He was first arrested summer of 2008 in a case known as the “Deceptive Project” (obscenity related).

Alizadeh was incarcerated in Ward 2-A of Evin prison for nine months before being released on 100,000,000 Tomans bail.

He was rearrested March of 2011 and is currently incarcerated in Ward 350 of Evin prison.

Mehdi Alizadeh is a codefendant in the same case as Saeid Malekpour and Vahid Asghari, both of whom have also been sentenced to death.

Recently Judge Abolghasem Salavati has issued death sentences for Javad Lari, Vahid Asghari and Amir Mirzaei Hekmati

Source: HRANA

8000 Prisoners In Evin Are Under Harsh Conditions With No Heating, Cold Cells And No Medical Care

The prisoners confined in Evin prison are under very harsh condition these days due to shortage of heating fuel.

According to reports received by Kalameh, the heating system in Evin prison has not been working recently due to a lack of heating fuel, thus creating an unbearable condition for the prisoners.

In the last few days the prisoners have had to use cold water for taking showers.

It should be noted that the political prisoners in Wards 209, 350, 2-A and the women’s political prisoner ward, already were under harsher condition then the regular prisoners.

Evin officials have told the prisoners that they will not have heating fuel for another ten days.

Evin prison holds 8000 inmates, including the political prisoners, that have been without heat or hot water and not able to bathe for the last few days.

Most of the inmates are suffering from a cold and other illnesses, and are under harsh conditions, causing much concern and worries for the families of the inmates.

The families of inmates in Evin don’t know which authorities to complain to. Their only request is for the authorities to pay attention to the welfare of the prisoners and to put an end to these existing harsh conditions.

Evin Detention Center is located in Evin valley in northern part of Tehran and the area usually has lower temperature than other parts of Tehran. This temperature variation is even more so in the winter months, and, coupled with the lack of proper facilities, is making the families of the inmates more concerned and worried for their well being.

According to reports, these days common cold is highly prevalent among the inmates in Evin. But the medical clinic in Evin is not able to provide care and medicine to all the inmates. In particular, the political prisoners are deprived of medical care.

Critical conditions for political prisoners:

Most of the political prisoners in Evin are incarcerated in Wards 209, 350 and Ward 2-A which is under the control of IRGC.

Because these prisoners already were kept under more restrictive conditions, they now have to bear even harsher conditions.

Ward 350 in Evin is located in the basement and these days, it has been divided into two sections for men and women.

This ward that is located in the basement of an isolated building lacking proper facilities and is in much worse condition than the other sections in Evin prison.

This ward has only four bathroom facilities, that even under the regular circumstances are sub-standard. It does not meet the needs of the 180 inmates, most of whom are political prisoners that were arrested during the post-presidential election events.

These days the prisoners in this ward suffer in extreme cold conditions and are deprived warm water for taking showers.

Currently, large numbers prisoners of conscience-political prisoners, including many journalists and student activist supporters of the Green Movement, are incarcerated in this ward.

At the far end of this ward there is a hall, without any facilities or fresh air, that houses the female political prisoners.

There are more than thirty female political prisoners incarcerated in this section that barely has the proper facilities for holding ten inmates.

The female political prisoners that were already deprived of fresh air or any proper amenities, and with sub-standard sanitation, now have to tolerate extreme cold and harsher conditions.

Nasrin Sotoudeh, Bahareh Hedayat, Zhilla Karamzadeh, Mahdiyeh Golro, Atefeh Nabavi and many more are incarcerated in this section.

Wards 209 and 2-A prisoners are in even harsher and in a more difficult situation:

Conditions are even much worse in Evin Wards 209 and 2-A. These Wards are essentially illegal and are not under jurisdiction of the Judiciary. They keep the prisoners in these wards under whatever condition they want and Judicial officials are not allowed to visit these sections.

Ward 209 cells are equipped with solid doors and the cells are very cold in the winter and very hot in the summer.

The cells in Ward 209 do not have beds, and even in the cold winter season, the prisoners have to sleep on the floor which is covered only by a thin carpet.

The cells in this ward are normally very cold in the winter and now with no heating, the prisoners are suffering much harsher conditions.

Officials even deny the prisoners in Wards 209 and 2-A any extra blankets. They even refuse to give the prisoners the warmer clothing that their families provide for them.

The families of inmates in Evin prison provide seasonal clothing for the prisoners which are given to the inmates by the officials.

The prisoners in these two wards have to spend the night on the cold floor of their cells.

Incarcerated in these 2 Wards are people such as, Behzad Nabavi, Abdollah Ramezanzadeh, Abdolfatah Soltani, Kohyar Goudarzi and large numbers of political and student activists.

Also, newly arrested prisoners, Parasto Dookouhaki, Marziyeh Rasouli, Arash Sadeghi and Saham Bourghani are now incarcerated in these wards.

At times, the arrested activists are kept in these illegal wards for months in a limbo status.

Most of the officials and authorities except for the very high rank Judiciary officials are barred from visiting these wards. Even numerous requests from the Parliament members to inspect these wards have been denied by the Intelligence officials.

After hearing of no heating fuel in Evin, the families of the political prisoners request that the District Attorney and the Judiciary officials address this situation. They ask the officials not to forget that they are responsible for the well being of these prisoners, especially the political prisoners that are incarcerated only for their ideology. The officials must provide the prisoners with proper conditions for the duration of their imprisonment.

Source: Kalameh

Blogger Dr. Mehdi Khazali On Day 12 Of Hunger Strike And In Poor Health

Blogger and an ophthalmologist Dr. Khazali has been on a hunger strike for 12 days and is not in a very good physical condition.

According to reports received by Kalameh, Dr. Khazali was violently arrested and beaten up by the arresting agents. He suffered a broken arm and has a cast on his arm.

According to Kalameh reporter, Dr. Khazali’s family had a short visit with him yesterday that added to their concerns about him.

Dr. Khazali has lost about 20 lbs from being on a hunger strike and his family says he is not in a very good physical condition.

The last time Dr. Khazali was incarcerated, he stayed on a hunger strike for 25 days before being released on bail.

After his fifth arrest, Dr. Khazali was banned from leaving the country after he made a short visit to UAE.

After the rigged presidential election, Dr. Khazali wrote many articles criticizing the current regime’s policies.

Ayatollah Khazali (Dr. Khazali’s father) has publicly denounced and distanced himself from his son’s position.

However, Dr. Khazali has many times indicated that, “Without a father’s approval, a son’s observance of fasting(during the month of Ramadan) becomes religiously prohibited.”

However, Dr. Khazali believes that one must not stop a mandantory Jihad due to a father’s disapproval.

Dr. Khazali says, “The point is to eliminate atrocities and tyranny, regardless of a father’s opinion or permission.”

After Dr. Khazali posted an article called “Janati Nameh” on his blog, his site was hacked and he was arrested, for the fifth time, on January 9, 2012 .

A while ago, Dr. Khazali wrote a letter to Ayatollah Khamenei and said he is willing to write a weekly letter to him describing the people’s complaints and sufferings.

In that letter he told Ayatollah Khamenei that he is free to either accept his suggestion (writing weekly letters) or to send him to solitary confinement for the fifth time.

Dr. Khazali had received a summons from Branch 9 of the Revolutionary Court, but his scheduled appearance time,, he was arrested in an ambush and new charges were issued.

Dr. Khazali’s current charges are: An interview with BBC about the upcoming parliamentary election, writing a letter to Ayatollah Khamenei, postings on his blog: “Janati Nameh”, “12 Esfand (election day)” and “The City Has a Dead Stench”.

According to the authorities, any activity supporting a boycott of the upcoming election is considered a crime.

In the last few days a number of journalists have also been arrested.

After the pro regime sites spread the rumor that Dr. Khazali had registered his name to run in the next parliamentary election, he denied the rumors and said that this will be the first election that he will not even cast a vote in any ballot box.

Dr. Khazali stressed that, “March 2nd, will be the time in an election that I will stay home and will not cast a vote.”

Dr. Khazali had indicated that on December 30, he went out on the streets and according to what he observed, he predicted that on election day hardly anyone will vote.

He said, “I went to the streets on December 30 (regime supported rally), checked around Tehran University and was even served Sandis. There were not that many people out; it was even less crowded than a regular Friday Prayer service.

The non-crowded streets indicate the message that, on March 2nd, there won’t be any crowds showing up for the election either.

After seeing the low turnout of the people on the streets on December 30, I felt that, on March 2nd, we will have a city that will probably have a stench of the dead.”

Source: Kalameh

Mehdi Karoubi Under More Strict Restrictions, Banned From Visits And In Solitary

While opposition leader Mehdi Karoubi has been detained under house arrest for nearly a year, with minimal resources, and deprived of a citizens rights, he has now been put under more restrictions and even family visits have now been banned.

Hossein Karoubi (Karoubi’s son) has told Kalameh that, “Since the day that Mr. Karoubi sent a message via my mother, Fatemeh Karoubi, regarding the upcoming parliamentary election, calling it a rigged election, they have banned my mother’s weekly visits with my father.

Furthermore, they have stopped giving him the two daily newspapers that, for a short period of time, they had been providing as reading material . My father now lives in a small apartment in solitary”.

Previously, Mrs. Karoubi, in meeting with pre-revolution political prisoners, indicated that, “Mr. Karoubi had asked me to inform the public about the upcoming elections, and I did so.

But after his message was published they stopped my visits with him and their treatment and conduct has become extremely rude.”

A while ago, Mehdi Karoubi had sent out a message regarding the upcoming election, saying, “The gentlemen are planning to organize a rigged and forced election process without any regards or respect for the people’s vote”.

Source: Kalameh

Dr. Mehdi Khazali: “I Will Go On A Hunger Strike Until Martyrdom”

Dr. Mehdi Khazali was violently arrested on Monday for the 5th time and was taken to Evin prison.

On Monday afternoon, agents violently arrested Dr. Khazali in an ambush. Dr. Khazali had received a summon from Branch 9 of the Revolutionary Court, but before he had a chance to appear in court he was arrested in an ambush and was charged with new charges.

The new charges stem from a post on Dr. Khazali’s blog called “Janati Nameh” in which he wrote “Ayatollah Janati’s inner child has died due to old age.”

Dr. Khazali has been arrested number of times since the 2009 rigged presidential election. His last arrest was last July. That arrest was also a violent arrest during which time Dr. Khazali suffered injuries.

He was released on bail after launching a hunger strike which lasted for 30 days.

Dr. Khazali, an Ophthalmologist, is the son of hard line cleric Ayatolla Khazali, a staunch supporter of Ayatollah Khamenei. Ayatollah Khazali has publicly denounced and distanced himself from his son’s positions.

Dr. Mehdi Khazali’s son wrote an account of his father’s arrest on his Facebook:

“Today after I was returning from finishing my exams, I received a phone call from my fathers office saying that he was involved in an accident at N. Kargar street and Abdinejad alley.

I immediately went to the location. I saw my father sitting in a car with 2 agents sitting on either side of him.

I asked around to find out what had happened. I was told that my father was passing on his motorbike, when an agent sitting in a car opened the door and hit my father causing him to fall to the ground.

Then 4 Intelligence Ministry’s cars showed up and the agents arrested my father. My father suffered broken teeth, his right arm was broken, and suffered knee injury as well.

They took my father to the same court which had issued a warrant for his arrest. I went to the same court. My father was arraigned in court while he was bleeding and was injured.

They issued a temporary detention order for my father. As they were taking him out of the courtroom, my father shouted, “I will go on a hunger strike and will stay on it until martyrdom, I will not touch their food.”

When I reached outside, I saw my father was inside an Intelligence Ministry’s car with 4 agents inside. One of the agents had one hand on his mouth and his other hand was pushing on my father’s broken arm.

My father was screaming, and I was screaming, what are you doing? They left soon after I got outside.”

source: Kalameh

Political Prisoner Mohamad Javad Lari Has Been Sentenced To Death Once Again

Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court’s presiding Judge, Salavati, has once again sentenced Mohamad Javad Lari to death.

Judge Salavati had before issued a death sentence for Javad Lari. Upon appeal, the Supreme Court over turned the death sentence and sent the case back to Judge Salavati’s court.

Javad Lari was arrested last year and was tried and sentenced to death by Judge Salavati. The death sentence was overturned by Judge Biyazi, the presiding Judge at Branch 32 of the Supreme Court. The case was returned to Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court presided by Judge Salavati.

Judge Salavati sentenced Javad Lari to death once again based on the testimony from an Intelligence Ministry’s agent and based on Javad Lari’s support of the Mojahedin Khalgh Organization (MKO) in the 80’s.

It should be noted that Intelligence Ministry’s special interrogator for Mojahedin members, Alavi, met with Javi Lari in Evin Ward 350 sometime ago and told him, “You have lived on borrowed time since the 80’s. You should have been executed at that time.”

57 years old Javd Lari suffers from heat ailment and in was sent to hospital from Evin prison several times in recent months.

Source: HARANA

PS: Javad Lari was a political prisoner in the 80’s. He was in prison for three years charged with supporting MKO. Javad Lari, a well known Tehran Bazar businessman was arrested September 2009.

Blogger Hossein Ronaghi Maleki Refuses To Be Sent To A Hospital

RAHANA – In protest to the authorities refusal of granting him a medical furlough, Blogger Hossein Ronaghi Maleki, with dire health situation, has refused to be sent to a hospital out side of Evin prison.

Hossein Ronaghi Maleki, with kidney condition and bleeding from kidneys is incarcerated in Ward 350 of Evin prison.

Despite an urgent need for Ronaghi Maleki to be properly treated in a specialized hospital outside of Evin prison, the Judicial authorities, the IRGC cyber unit, and some of the officials in the Intelligence Ministry’s units in the city of Tabriz and Malekan prevent medical furlough to be granted to him.

According to The Human Rights House of Iran, due to his dire health condition, Hossein Ronaghi was to be sent to a hospital on Saturday January 7, 2012, however, in protest of the denial of medical furlough, Ronaghi refused to be sent to a hospital.

Ronaghi indicated that being sent to a hospital for one or few days will not make any difference in his health situation, therefore he refuses to be sent to a hospital. Ronaghi is requesting to be granted a medical furlough.

Ronaghi’s continued bleeding from his kidneys has made his situation very worrisome. His family’s repeated requests for obtaining medical furlough have not been approved.

Since the beginning of this year (March 2011), this political prisoner has gone under four different operations, none of which were very successful due to his being returned to prison shortly after each operation.

Each time he was returned to prison, despite warnings from his physicians and the doctors from the medical examiners office that his health condition could become worse in prison.

This blogger and human rights activist has been incarcerated for more than two years without being granted a furlough.

Ronaghi was arrested on December 13, 2009 in the city of Malekan near Tabriz. He was immediately transferred to Ward 2-A in Evin prison.

He was kept in solitary confinement for 10 months under extreme physical and psychological pressure and torture for the purpose of obtaining false confession and forcing him to agree with giving a TV interview.

Ronaghi was tried and sentenced to 15 years in prison by Brach 26 of the Revolutionary Court. His sentence was upheld by the Court of Appeals in Tehran.

Despite his dire health and an extreme need for proper treatment, he is currently serving time in Ward 350 of Evin prison.

Source: HARANA

Journalist Mehdi Mahmoudian Was Severely Beaten By Interrogators In IRGC’s Ward in Evin

Kalameh – There are reports that Journalist Mehdi Mahmoudian has been severely beaten in the IRGC ward 2-A of Evin prison. Also There are reports that Journalist Masoud Bastani is in dire health situation.

According to Kalameh reporter, these two journalists who have been incarcerated since 2009 have encountered very difficult situation recently in Rejaei shahr prison.

According to reports received by Kalameh, last week Mehdi Mahmoudian, who is serving his six years sentence, was transferred to Ward 2-A of Evin prison for unknown reason. This Ward is under the control of the Revolutionary Guards.

During the transfer of Mahmoudian from Karaj to Evin prison, he was severely beaten. After arriving at Ward 2-A, Mahmoudian was the subjected of severe beatings with a baton and verbal insults by the interrogators. The interrogators threatened Mahmoudian for writing letters from prison.

The severity of Mahmoudian’s beatings were to the extend that he lost consciousness, and was taken to Evin’s medical clinic by the interrogators. At the clinic they had to connect Mahmoudian to an oxygen tank to help him breath.

Mahmoudian was recently hospitalized due a heart ailment, and the prison officials are well aware of his health condition. Also, interrogating a prisoner who has already been sentenced and is serving time is against the law.

Mehdi Mahmoudian was arrested and taken to Evin prison on September 17, 2009 during the post-election unrest.

Mahmoudian, the head of public’s relation office for the Participation Front wrote and published a very revealing letter to the Supreme Leader describing the horrific conditions and situation in Rejaei Shahr prison.

The dire health situation of incarcerated journalist Masoud Bastani

Despite dire health condition, prison officials and the Judiciary officials prevent Masoud Bastani to be sent to a hospital for proper treatment.

A regime critic, journalist Masoud Bastani who is serving his six years sentence in Rejaei Shahr prison suffers from such severe headaches that recently, he had to be taken to the clinic located in the prison several times due to his body becoming numb.

According to the doctors from the Medical Examiners office who examined Bastani in prison, he should, as soon as possible, be taken to a hospital outside of prison for tests and CT scans.

Already, Bastani suffered from digestive problems and suffered severe toothaches. In recent weeks, his severe headaches and his body becoming numb has added to his problems.

Despite Bastani’s dire health situation, prison officials refuse to send him to a hospital for proper treatment. This has caused much worry and concern for Bastani’s family and cellmates.

Masoud Bastani has been incarcerated since his arrest on July 5, 2009. He has been sentenced to six years in prison on charges of propaganda against the regime and collusion and gathering with the intent to create disturbance.

He was in Evin prison until January 2009. However, on January 25, 2009, against the Bureau of Prisons rules and regulations of separation of prisoners according to their crime, Bastani was transferred to Rejaei Shahr prison where hard core and dangerous criminals are imprisoned.

Bastani has been denied use of furlough throughout his incarceration and is one of the political prisoners who has been in prison since his arrest.

Source: Kalameh

40 People Have Been Hanged In Iran In Five Days

The Human Rights House of Iran reports, in the last five days 40 people have been hanged in various cities by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Kurdish site Kurdpa reports Salah Rashidi, son of Azim, a resident of Arbila village, convicted on drug trafficking charges, was hanged in Zanjan prison on Janurary 2, 2012.

According to a family member Rashidi’s body was turned over to his family a few hours after he was hanged.

Zanjan province Judiciary had reported five people were hanged on that day, all convicted on drug trafficking charges.

The Public Relations office of the Central province also reported two people were hanged on January 3, 2012.

According to this report, J. SH. was convicted by 2nd Branch of the Revolutionary Court in the city of Arak on charges of possession and trafficking of 2.5 Kilograms of crack cocaine.

Person with the initials A.A. was convicted and sentenced to death on trafficking of 4.4 Kilograms of crack, by the 1st Branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Arak. His death sentence was upheld by Iran Prosecutor General and was carried out on January 3, 2012.

The Human Rights and Democracy Activists site reported 22 hangings in Evin prison on January 3, 2012.

This report indicates that 22 prisoners were transferred from section 2 of Ghezel Hesar prison to solitary confinement in Evin prison on December 31, 2011 and January 1, 2012. All of the twenty two people were convicted on drug trafficking charges.

The names of some of the 22 prisoners are as follows:

1- 28 years old Gholamreza Farough Babolzehi, an Afghan citizen.

2- 38 years old Alireza Javid Shirazi. He was imprisoned in Ghezel Hesar prison for about 20 months.

3- 24 years old Aziz Shokri. He was imprisoned in Gezel Hesar prison for more than 20 months and was convicted and sentenced to death for possession of 20 grams of cocaine.

4- 32 years old Mohsen Kakavand. He was imprisoned in Gezel Hesar prison for almost 2 years.

5- 45 years old Mohsen Panhahi was in Gezel Hesar for two years.

6- Mahmoud Kermani.

7- 40 years old Yadollah Kermani, was in prison for about three years.

8- 40 years old Abdolraof Borohi, was in prison for about three years.

9- Asghar Shaikh Sotoudeh.

10- Abolhamid Dehmardeh.

11- 26 years old Saied Rezazadeh, was in prison for about 15 months.

12- 27 years old Mohamad Darvishi, was in prison for 3 years.

Kerman province Judiciary also reported five hangings in the city of Kerman and Bam. All were convicted on drug charges.

The following people were tried and convicted and sentenced to death by courts in Kerman. Their death sentences were carried out after legal procedures were followed:

1- Mohamad A., on charges of participating in carrying of 14 k and 700 grams of heroin.

2- Ali N., on charges of participating in carrying of 14 k and 700 grams of heroin.

3- Ahmad T., on charges of participating in carrying 12 K and 850 grams of heroin and 1 K and 850 grams of opium.

The following people were tried and convicted by the Revolutionary Courts in the city of Bam and their death sentences were carried out in the city of Bam.

1- Alireza B, with multiple previous criminal records, on charges of possession and trafficking of 29 K of opium and previous charges of trafficking more than 20 K of opium.

2- Hamzeh M., with eight previous convictions of various charges and possession of 2 Kilograms of heroin.

The above sentences were all upheld by the Prosecutor General and all of their request for clemency had been denied.

Semnan province Judiciary also had reported carrying out a death sentence in the city of Semnan.

According to this report, A. T., from city of Sarakhs, was sentenced to death by the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Semanan on charges of possession and trafficking of 952.3 Kilograms of crack cocaine.

He was hanged in Semnan’s central prison on January 4, 2012 after all the legal steps were taken and his sentence was confirmed by the Prosecutor General and the Judiciary Chief.

The Public Relations office of Semnan Judiciary reported the clemency request by this prisoner was denied twice by the Central Commission for amnesty and clemency.

Kermanshah province Judiciary reported three people convicted of armed robbery were hanged in public.

48 years old Alireza Ahmadi, son of Khodadad, 33 years old Sadegh Eskandari, son of Vali and 36 years old Sasan Besami, son of Jahangir were all hanged in Azadi squre in the city of Kermanshah on January 5. 2012.

All three were convicted of armed robbery of Sepah bank and all were sentenced to public hanging.

Mehr news agency also reported 53 years old Nazar Ali Moradi, son of Karamali was hanged at 6:30 AM on Thursday January 5, 2012 in Khorbon prison in the city of Varamin.

He was convicted of possession of 215 grams of heroine and 1 K and 10 grams of opium.

Cource: RAHANA