Human Rights Watch on Iran's Human Rights abuses

Human Rights World Report 2010: Iran Targets Human Rights Messengers

Payvand, 21 January 2010.

The 612-page report, HRW’s 20th annual review of human rights practices around the globe, summarizes major human rights trends in more than 90 nations.

Human Rights Watch cited Sudan and China as countries that routinely shut down human rights groups and Iran and Uzbekistan as countries that openly harass and arbitrarily detain human rights workers and other critics.

In Iran, Human Rights Watch covered the continuing governmental crackdown on peaceful activists following the disputed presidential election of June 2009. Human Rights Watch documented the arrests of thousands of ordinary and high-profile people, providing detailed accounts of state violence against peaceful protesters, arbitrary detention of human rights defenders, and abuse and torture in Iran’s illegal detention centers.

Disbarring Lawyers

In June 2009, following the disputed presidential elections, the Iranian government adopted new regulations that severely limit the independence of the Iranian Bar Association, giving the government control over a lawyer’s right to practice. Until then, the Bar Association, which has the exclusive power to grant or deny licenses to practice, had resisted government efforts to rein in lawyers who defend human rights.

Criminal Charges

The Iranian government has arrested scores of NGO activists and sentenced them to prison on the grounds that their work or speech allegedly “harms national security” or that they are “foreign agents.” Members of Kurdish rights organizations have faced even worse, with lengthy prison sentences, including the death penalty, for their work reporting on rights violations affecting the Kurdish community. In 2008, the government sentenced to death Farzad Kamangar, a member of the Organization for the Defense of Human Rights in Kurdistan, claiming without proof that he was a member of the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). It also sentenced Sadigh Kaboudvand, who headed the group, to 11 years in prison for his NGO activities, along with prison terms for 12 of his colleagues.

Torture and Ill-Treatment of Political Prisoners

Following the disputed election, both ordinary protestors and prominent opposition figures faced detention without trial, harsh treatment including sexual violence and denial of due process including lack of access to lawyers of their choosing.

Freedom of Expression

Iranian authorities continued to imprison journalists and editors for publishing critical views, and strictly controlled publishing and academic activities.

Freedom of Association

The government increased restrictions on civil society organizations that advocate human rights and freedom of speech. Security forces on December 23, 2008 shut down the Center for Defenders of Human Rights, led by 2003 Noble Peace Prize Laureate Shirin Ebadi.

Death Penalty

Iran carries out more executions annually than any other nation except China. These executions frequently occur after unfair or political crimes with inadequate access to legal counsel.

Human Rights Defenders

The government escalated its crackdown on human rights lawyers in 2009, subjecting some to arbitrary detention, travel bans, and harassment.

Treatment of Minorities

The government continues to deny members of the Baha’i faith, Iran’s largest

non-Muslim religious minority, freedom of religion.

See complete report on Iran by clicking on the following  image:

Iran

Issues: Torture and Ill-Treatment of Political Prisoners, Freedom of Expression , Freedom of Association, Death Penalty, Human Rights Defenders, Treatment of Minorities

Since 2005 the government has prevented independent experts of the United Nations Human Rights Council from visiting to investigate alleged human rights violations.

Credits: Payvand: Human Rights World Report 2010: Iran targets Human Rights messengers

IRAN: As many as 3 million protestors anticipated at Thursday rally

Los Angeles Times - February 8, 2010

The 22nd day of the Persian calendar month of Bahman, the date 31 years ago when Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini declared Iran an Islamic republic, is traditionally a time for official patriotic fervor and the unveiling of national achievements. 

But on Sunday, a source inside Tehran police headquarters told a friend of the Los Angeles Times in Iran that security forces expect as many as 3 million anti-government protesters to descend on the center of the capital during the holiday, which falls on Thursday this year, after loud calls by opposition leaders to take the streets. 

The government is also expected to be prepared, deploying about 12,000 baton-wielding Basiji militiamen from outside the capital and legions of supporters bused in from around the country.

"The government managed to collect and gather around 500,000 supporters," the friend of the newspaper said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "This number is very real. All of their efforts have amounted to 500,000."

Official warnings and acts of defiance, including a protest at a Tehran university (above), continued to ratchet up tensions in Iran ahead of the anniversary.

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a televised address to the air force, insisted Iran would demonstrate unity and "give all arrogant powers a punch in the mouth" on Thursday. He issued a stern warning to those who continue to oppose the June reelection of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, describing them as agents of the deposed monarchy 

"It is now completely known that those who stood against the Iranian nation's choice in the election don't belong to this nation," he said. "They are either counterrevolutionary or are following in the steps of counterrevolutionaries out of ignorance and obstinacy."

On the streets, officials continue to prepare for the holiday, setting up loudspeakers along the traditional march route (see video below) to drown out opposition slogans. Police chief Gen. Esmail Ahmadi-Moghaddam said security forces would team up with plainclothes pro-government Basiji militiamen and fan out across the city to "neutralize all conspiracies of the enemies." 

 

His deputy, Gen. Ahmad-Reza Radan, predicted the holiday "will mark the burial of sedition."
"Police will not tolerate any unofficial slogan or symbol," he said. 

Meanwhile, officials also stepped up pressure on the leaders of the opposition. The armed forces general staff issued a statement carried by the website of the Revolutionary Guard accusing opposition leaders of fomenting continued unrest. "In case they stick to their positions, they will inevitably meet the same difficult fate as their predecessors who stood against the supreme leader," it said. 

A group of hard-line lawmakers, who came to office after careful vetting by the unelected jurists of the equally hard-line Guardian Council, warned opposition leaders Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi that the 22nd of Bahman was their "last chance" before unspecified consequences. 

An Iranian court sentenced Mohsen Aminzadeh, the reformist former deputy foreign minister, to six years in prison on charges of organizing protests, disturbing the country's security and propagandizing against the system by giving interviews to international news outlets, his lawyer told the Iranian Students News Agency.

Still, opposition groups and figures continued their calls for supporters of the "green movement," the nickname given to the opposition, to head into the streets. 

Former President Mohammad Khatami called Thursday a potential turning point in the history of Iran. "God willing, all Iranians will attend the 22 Bahman rally in a bid to show support for the revolution and people's rights," he said in a meeting with reporters of the Iranian Labor News Agency, according to the website of his foundation, Baran.org.ir. 

"Those who groundlessly accuse protesters of subversion are voluntarily or involuntarily derailing the revolution from its correct track, and they call into question the principles of the revolution," he said. "Now tell me whether those who protest to deviation from the principles are subversive, or those who utter baseless accusations against people and the revolutionary forces?"

-- Los Angeles Times

Upper video: Students gather at Tehran's Sharif University on Sunday. Credit: YouTube

Lower video: Construction vehicles place loudspeakers along Tehran's Engehelab Street ahead of Thursday's rally. Credit: YouTube 

Upper photo: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Credit: Sepahnews

Lower photo: A portion of a YouTube video showing protesters at Sharif University on Sunday. 

Credit: Los Angeles Times: IRAN: As many as 3 million protesters anticipated at Thursday rally

Iranian opposition in protest call

Al Jazeera - JANUARY 30, 2010 

Iran's Revolutionary Guard says it will not allow the anniversary to transform into a protest [EPA] Iran's key opposition figures have implicitly called for a public demonstration on February 11, the anniversary of the nation's Islamic revolution. The call from Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, both defeated candidates in last year's presidential election, on Saturday came despite warnings from the Revolutionary Guard that such a protest would be crushed. The two men, who have spearheaded recent anti-government demonstrations, met on Saturday and invited supporters to rally on anniversary day, according to Karroubi's website. Both politicians also criticised Thursday's hanging of two dissidents, Mohammad Reza Ali Zamani and Arash Rahmanipour. The pair were accused of plotting to topple the government after Iran's election dispute broke out in June, and were allegedly members of the outlawed monarchist group Tondar and Mujahideen Khalq respectively. Hangings 'to scare people' Karroubi said the hangings were "to scare people so they do not take part in demonstrations". "We will by no means allow anything known as the 'green movement' to make an appearance" on the anniversary" Brigadier General Hossein Hamedani, Revolutionary Guard commander Mousavi and Karroubi agreed that the executed pair appeared to have been arrested months before the June 12 presidential election and had nothing to do with the post-poll violence. The hangings were the first reported executions of people tried since a wave of protests that broke out following the re-election of Ahmadinejad to a second four-year term. Iran's Revolutionary Court began the trial of 16 more people who took part in opposition protests last December on Saturday. Five of the defendants face charges including "corrupting God's earth" and "waging war against the Islamic goverment". Hundreds of thousands of Iranians march each year to mark the revolution which toppled the shah, but next month's event is expected to turn into another stage for anti-government protests. Karroubi's Sahamnews website also said the two leaders had invited people to turn out  in "massive numbers" on February 11 for the 31st anniversary of the revolution. Protest warning On Saturday, a senior commander of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards militia warned that any attempt by opposition groups to protest against the government on February 11 would be crushed. "We will by no means allow anything known as the 'green movement' to make an appearance" on the anniversary, Brigadier General Hossein Hamedani was quoted as saying on ISNA news agency. He said protesters would be considered as "foreign agents". "Any voice, colour and gesture which is different from that of the Islamic revolution and from Iranians' voice should be driven out  of people's marches ... and if there a few people who want to do something, they will be severely dealt with," he said. Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the former president and opposition supporter, meanwhile, urged people to maintain calm on the anniversary day. "Those who love Iran ... should try that this year's march be held calmly ... because any conflict and violence will serve the  interests of enemies," Rafsanjani was quoted on state television's  website. The anti-government protests which erupted after president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election have shaken the pillars of Iran's establishment and divided the clergy. Credits: Al Jazeera: Iranian opposition in protest call