Iran: old or new

For the first time Iran gained a slot for the woman's ski tournament at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.
One out of present three woman candidates has to qualify in the ski-tournaments which are to be held in December 2009.
85 countries are participating in the 2010 Winter Games in Canada.
source: Fars newsagency


In june 2008, Silva Harotonian, an employee from IREX was arrested and detained by authorities in Tehran, January 19, she was sentenced to a three-year prison term in Iran on charges of trying to soft topple the Iranian government.
Harotonian is an Iranian citizen from Armenian descent and is employed for IREX since 2007 in an exchange programme to enhance cooperation between Iran and the United States.
She works as an administrative support for Maternal and Child Health Education and Exchange Program (MCHEEP), in Yerevan, Armenia.
On the site free Silva is backgroundinformation and a petition.
source: payvand.com


Naser Zarafshan,a member of "Iran writers Association" and " Iran Lawyers Society ", is banned to leave the country and his passport is confiscated. He is as well lawyer for the family's of the victims of "chain murdering" in 1988.
He was invited to European Parliament by the president of all Europe Green Party to discuss on environmental issues in Iran and the future relation of Iran and Europe.
In May 2008 he was stopped at the airport in Tehran and they took his passport under the pretext that he had a case file in court .
source: Iran watch Canada


On the day before the last Wednesday for the end of the Iranian calendaryear, the ChaharShanbeh Soori fest is celebrated in Iran.
People go out and make fires and jump over them. Originally there were seven fires to pretend that the sun will not set.
The tradition dates from the Zoroastrian era. Following this tradition the jumping is to banish misfortune, marking the arrival of spring and the revival of nature.
Also a lot of people and children dress in costumes, make a lot of noise and go from house to house for a treat. These can be nuts, chocolate and candy.
Nowadays the fest is celebrated quite different from what was practiced during ancient times. The explosives are louder and the fires more dangerous and accidents happen.
source: Press-TV
photo's: http://www.payvand.com/news/09/mar/1232.html


In Iran there are childoffenders, still on death row.

Children are being hanged to death.
A child will be hanged to death.
Poster amnesty.nl