Tag: iran human rights

Baha’i shop closed down in Kashan + Film footage

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Religious Minorities
baha'is in iran, iran human rights, Javad Zabihian

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) – A shop ran by a Baha’i citizen in the city of Kashan was closed down on July 28th after police refused to issue the necessary permit.

Javad Zabihian is a Baha’i man who runs an eyeglass shop in the city of Kashan. He was refused a permit solely because of his Baha’i faith, a credible source told HRANA.

Zabihian’s shop had previously been closed down for two weeks in May 2016 on the order of the president of Kashan Chamber of Guilds. He was allowed to re-open after he committed to obtaining a permit.

As HRANA had previously reported, 22 Baha’i citizens in the northwestern city of Urmia whose shops have been closed for more than a year were also refused justice in High Administrative Court. Authorities had closed down their shops after the shop owners had briefly closed their shop to observe a Baha’i holiday.

Closing down of Baha’i shops in Iran continues despite promises from the administration of President Hassan Rouhani. On December 3rd, Shahindokht Molaverdi, Mr Rouhani’s special deputy on citizenship rights, told state-run media: “[We are following up with the President’s legal deputy regarding the matter of] closing down commercial places and barring Baha’is from practising their trade. We will follow this up through legal means to find a solution.”

United Nations special rapporteurs on the situation of human rights in Iran have repeatedly protested against anti-Baha’i actions by the Iranian authorities. The mistreatment of Baha’is is a clear example of the Iranian authorities ignoring their human rights commitments.

Baha’i citizens of Iran are barred from basic religious freedoms. This systematic discrimination runs counter to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which guarantee the freedom of religion, conversion and individual or collective religious statement.

Unofficial sources maintain that there are more than 300,000 Baha’is in Iran, making them the largest religious minority group in the country. The Iranian constitution, however, only recognizes Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Zoroastrianism.

Increase in Arrests of Baha’i Citizens in Shiraz

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Prisoners, Religious Minorities
baha'is in iran, Dorna Esmaili, Hooman Esmaili, iran human rights, Kourosh Rouhani, Mahboob Habibi, Negar Misaghian, Pezhman Shahriari, religious minorities in iran

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) – On Friday, August 17, 2018, Baha’i citizens Pezhman Shahriari, Dorna Esmaili, Hooman Esmaili, Kourosh Rouhani, Negar Misaghian and Mahboob Habibi were arrested by security forces and transferred to the Intelligence Ministry’s detention center in the city of Shiraz.

An informed source told HRANA: “Negar Misaghian and Dorna Esmaili were released hours after [their arrest].”

Unconfirmed reports from sources close to the security apparatus say at least 40 Baha’i citizens in Shiraz were arrested today, during a planned operation. HRANA is in the process of investigating this claim.

Baha’i citizens of Iran are systematically deprived of religious freedoms, while according to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, all people are entitled to freedom of religion, belief, and changes thereof, as well as the right to express and practice those beliefs as individuals or collectives, in public or in private.

Though unofficial sources estimate the Baha’i population of Iran at more than 300,000, Iran’s Constitution officially recognizes only Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism, and does not acknowledge the Baha’i faith as an official religion. As a result, the rights of Baha’is in Iran are systematically violated.

Security Forces Storm the Residences of Civil Activists

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Freedom of Expression, Prisoners
Evin Prison, iran human rights, jila makvandi, Mohammadreza (Davoud) Farhadpour, Nasrin Sotoudeh, Reza Khandan

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) – This morning, Saturday, August 18, 2018, security forces of the Ministry of Intelligence stormed the private residences of Reza Khandan, Mr Khandan’s sister, Mohammadreza (Davoud) Farhadpour and Jila Makvandi. The security forces produced inspection orders issued by Branch 7 of Evin Court, searched the residences thoroughly and confiscated a number of items belonging to the aforementioned individuals.

Reza Khandan, the husband of Nasrin Sotoudeh, told HRANA, “This morning, Saturday, August 18, between 8 and 10 am, security forces of the Ministry of Intelligence entered our home and searched every inch of it. After that, they went to the home of Mr Mohammadreza (Davoud) Farhadpour and searched his home in its entirety as well. At the same time, in an unusual attempt, the security force went to my sister’s home and violently searched the entire place, going so far as individually inspecting every page of her child’s notebook. Two hours later, they arrived at our neighbor’s door and asked them a number of questions about us. It is likely that their invasion of my sister’s privacy is merely an attempt to further pressure my family; there simply is no other explanation for it. The security forces had in hand an order issued by the Branch 7 of Evin Court.”

Reza Khandan added, “The security forces were only looking for [pinback buttons] with [the words] ‘I oppose mandatory veiling’. They also took some of the letters that my wife, Nasrin Sotoudeh, had sent from prison.”

This morning, Jila Karamzadeh Makvandi reported of her home’s inspection in a post affixed with the inspection order. She wrote, “This morning at 10 am agents from the Ministry of Intelligence inspected our home using this order. The inspection was in regards to Dr Maysami’s books and the [lapel pins] with the engraving‘I oppose mandatory veiling.’”

Furthermore, in the order issued by Branch 7 of Evin Court and posted by Jila Karamzadeh Makvandi, in addition to the inspection of her residence, it is stated that Farhad Maysami is being held in solitary confinement.

Security Forces Arrest More Citizens in Ahvaz

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Ethnic Minorities, Prisoners
ahwazi arab, arrests in ahvaz, ethnic minorities in iran, iran human rights, irgc

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) – Several citizens in the southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz were arrested by security forces in the aftermath of a football match between Esteghlal Ahvaz and Tehran’s Persepolis that took place on August 9th. After the match, fans chanted slogans against the Iranian authorities.
The arrestees, who are among the Arab citizens of Ahvaz, were reportedly arrested by security forces of the Intelligence Department of Ahvaz’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
HRANA was able to identify two of the arrestees as Imen Beit Sayah, 16, and Bashir Sorkhi. Mr Sorkhi was reportedly arrested on August 15th and taken to an unidentified location. Mr Sayah was arrested on August 9th and taken to an unidentified location.

Bashir Sorkhi (left) and 16-year-old Imen Beit Sayah (right)

After a week, the family of the arrestees still have no information about the whereabouts of their children.
On August 16th, HRANA had reported on the arrest of another Ahvazi citizen by security forces.

Kerman Authorities Prevent Burial of Local Baha’i Resident

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Religious Minorities
abbas kholousi, baha'is in iran, iran human rights, religious minorities in iran

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) – Kerman security forces prevented the burial of local Baha’i resident Abbas Kholousi, who passed away on August 7, 2018, forcing the deceased’s family to bury him in the faraway city of Rafsanjan.

“Mr Khoulousi passed away August 7th,” a source close to the matter revealed to HRANA, “and despite his family’s insistence on a burial in Kerman where he lived, local security forces prevented them from doing so, forcing them to bury him in Rafsanjan four days later. The security forces had summoned and pressured Khoulousi’s son, saying that if the family did not comply with the order, security forces would transport Mr Kholousi and bury him in Rafsanjan themselves.”

The source added, “Authorities made this demand in spite of Baha’i Law, which says that the journey between the deceased’s residence and burial place should not exceed an hour, and the distance between Kerman and Rafsanjan is greater than that. Regardless, the funeral was held today, with a great number of Kerman and Rafsanjan locals in attendance.”

Last March, HRANA reported on the shutting down of the Baha’is Golestan-e-Javid cemetery by the Kerman municipality.

Kerman’s judicial authorities ordered the shutdown of the cemetery on March 15, 2018, and Baha’i burials on the cemetery grounds have been forbidden since. This shutdown followed a 2015 judiciary order mandating that each province designate at least one city for Baha’i burials. On the morning of March 16, 2018, Baha’i visitors to the Golestan-e-Javid cemetery learned of its shutdown by arriving there to find its gates locked and a written notice of its closure. The visitors were prevented from entering the cemetery.

The notice outlined the graveyard’s closing and a ban on further burials within it, reading: “By the order of judicial authorities, adherent to article 688 of the Islamic Penal Code, due to environmental and sanitation issues, and observing clause 6, article 96 of Municipal Law, interment here is forbidden, effective March 15, 2018.”

Reports by HRANA in recent years have documented a consistent pattern of institutional and judicial orders that have resulted in the shutdown or demolition of Baha’i cemeteries across the country.

The Baha’i citizens of Iran are systematically deprived of religious freedoms, while according to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, all people are entitled to freedom of religion, belief, and changes thereof, as well as the right to express and practice those beliefs as individuals or collectives, in public or in private.

Though unofficial sources estimate the Baha’i population of Iran at more than 300,000, Iran’s Constitution officially recognizes only Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism, and does not acknowledge the Baha’i faith as an official religion. As a result, the rights of Baha’is in Iran are systematically violated.

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Fifteen Days after Arrest, Farhad Meysami Still Held Incommunicado

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Prisoners
ahmad meysami, civil rights activists in iran, Evin Prison, iran human rights, Prisoners of conscience

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) – On August 12th, Farhad Meysami’s mother, along with lawyer Arash Keykhosravi, went to the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Evin Prison to inquire about his status and register Keykhosravi as Meysami’s attorney. Evin’s interrogation branch 7 denied the registration, referencing clause 48 of Iran’s Criminal Procedures Regulations.

HRANA reported on Meysami’s arrest by security forces in his home on the evening of July 31, 2018. He was transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison and has not been heard from since.

Keykhosravi confirmed that he was denied the right to represent Meysami on August 12th, adding that Meysami’s mother was frantically seeking answers after receiving a phone call in which sounds of her son’s torture, and supposed confession, could be heard. The interrogator at Branch 7 denied the call was made by prison authorities, and promised her a well-check phone call from her son.

Stating that there is no further information available about Meysami’s charges, Keykhosravi continued, “Many cases involving security charges have no security basis at all. When someone criticizes an issue or actively stands up against something, the government immediately treats it as a national-security case and deprives that person of their basic and fundamental rights. As it concerns Mr. Meysami, we suspect he was arrested for his criticism of the mandatory hijab, which affects neither domestic nor foreign security. Objections like these are the mere expression of differing ideas and perspectives. Elevating such cases into security accusations is a violation of people’s fundamental rights, including the right to choose a lawyer, which is revoked per clause 48 of the Criminal Procedures Regulations.”

According to clause 48 of the new Criminal Procedure, during the initial stages of investigation against those accused of political and national-security crimes, defendants must pick their attorney from a list of lawyers pre-approved by the judiciary. Citizens’ rights organizations claim that this law infringes on the rights of the accused.

Azerbaijani Turkic Activists Arrested After Ceremony in Mount Sabalan

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Ethnic Minorities, Prisoners
azerbaijani activists, iran human rights, Prisoners of conscience

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) – Security forces in Meshginshahr (northwestern Iran) reportedly arrested several Azerbaijani Turkic minority activists on Friday, August 10th after attacking their camp in Mount Sabalan.
The activists, who had reportedly planned to climb Mount Sabalan, were arrested while reading poetry in their camp. There is no information available at this time about their condition or the charges issued against them.
HRANA was able to confirm some of their names: Aidin Zakeri, Tohid Amir Amini, Saleh Pichganloo, Reza Ebrahimi, Rahim Nowrouzi, Mojtaba Parvin, Mostafa Parvin, Yousef Kari, Mehdi Houshmand, Babak Nikzad, Younes Shokri, Javad Shokri, Hossein Salavan, Mohammad Ghohoumzadeh, Rasoul Ghohoumzadeh, Ealman Mohammadpour, Aisouda Mohammadpour and Ahmad Mohammadpour.
According to eyewitnesses, some of the activists were beaten for resisting arrest. One of the detained activists informed his family in a phone call that they were all transferred to a detention center in Lahroud (near Meshginshahr).

Security Forces Arrest Citizen in Ahvaz

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Freedom of Expression
iran human rights, iran protests, majed savari

Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) – Majed Savari, a citizen from the city of Ahvaz (southwestern Iran), was arrested by Ministry of Intelligence forces early morning on Wednesday, August 15, 2018. According to an informed source, Mr Savari was transferred to an undisclosed location.

“He had participated in the popular protests against environmental pollution and the transport of water out of Karoun River. His family does not have any information about the reason for his arrest yet,” says the close source.

Majed Savari is a 26-year-old civil engineering student.

Political Prisoner Farhad Ariai on Hunger Strike

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Prisoners
Farhad Ariai Sahrapeyma, iran human rights, political prisoners in Iran, prisoner hunger strike

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) – Farhad Ariai Sahrapeyma, a political prisoner in the labor ward of the central prison of Urmia, who has served six years of a seven-year sentence, began a hunger strike on Wednesday, August 15, 2018.

Mr Ariai, who is eligible for early release, began his hunger strike in protest to the court’s refusal to grant him early release and its lack of enforcement of Article 134 of Iran’s Islamic Penal Code. Article 134 holds that people convicted of crimes should serve only the term of their most serious sentence instead of the sum total of all of their sentences.

According to an informed source, Mr Ariai was immediately transferred to solitary confinement after beginning his hunger strike. Mr Ariai has previously gone on hunger strike. Last year, he began a hunger strike to protest his deprivation of furlough, after which guards forcefully handcuffed and transferred him to the labor ward in prison, where he has been held since.

Farhad Ariai Shahrapeyma was arrested in December 2012 and charged with “Cooperation with opposition groups” and “Propaganda against the regime”. He was sentenced to a seven-year prison term.

In January 2016, HRANA had published a list of 27 political prisoners and prisoners of conscience who were held in the regular prison wards of Urmia central prison.

Revolutionary Court Racks up Punishments on Journalist Seyed Tabib Taghizadeh

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Freedom of Expression
Evin Prison, freedom of expression, iran human rights, persecuted journalists, Seyed Tabib Taghizadeh

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) – Seyed Tabib Taghizadeh, journalist and editorial board member of the website Baztab-e-Emrooz, has received a phone call from branch 1 of Evin Prison’s Office of Enforcement summoning him to serve a prison sentence–but that’s not all.

While Taghizadeh had been living in the shadow of the two-year suspended imprisonment issued to him in April 2018 for “acting against national security through connections with antagonistic media,” his attorney Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabai told HRANA that new constraints have been tacked onto his client’s sentence, per a request from the bailiff of branch 23 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, presided by Judge Shahmirzadi.

“According to the [updated] verdict,” his attorney explained, “Mr. Taghizadeh […] will be banned from professional media activities for five years; he will also be prohibited for three years from traveling, political activity, membership in political parties, and cyber activities.” Per the terms of his amended sentence, Taghizadeh will also be mandated to present himself in Evin court once per year.

Taghizadeh was arrested for working to rehabilitate the Baztab-e-Emrooz website after it was filtered in his home during a February 8, 2016 raid by authorities. Upon his arrest, he was transferred to solitary confinement in ward 209 of Evin prison where he stayed for 36 days. After having a stroke in prison, he was released on bail.

A close source to Taghizadeh previously told HRANA that he proclaimed innocence, denying a relationship with the former editorial board of Baztab-e-Emrooz. However, the court cited instances of [filtered] web content that was later republished, such as news of an attack on Ayatollah Sanei’s office that had appeared in Farsi-language media outside of the country. Such instances were raised and accepted as sufficient evidence of Taghizadeh’s connection to “antagonistic” media.

Reporters Without Borders, a news agency specializing in the restrictions placed on reporters working across the world, identified Iran in its 2017 report as one of the world’s top 5 prison funnels for media activists. As imprisoned reporters are released after completing their sentences, more continue to find themselves on trial or behind bars for their work.