Iran: woman and child

Radio Free Europe writes that Zahra Rahnavard, wife of presidential election-candidate Hossein Mousavi, wrote an article in which she criticized discrimination against women.
She wrote that past elections experienced that during the electionecitement, women are considered first-class citizens and half of the population to gain their votes, but as soon as the elections are over, women are downgraded to second- and thirdrate citizens.
She added that Iran should review its laws in order to end the discrimination against women and should join international conventions that safe-guard womens rights, especially in the workspace.
Hossein Mousavi has so far been silent about women's rights , but in a pressconference at April 6th, he said that he would stop the police patrolling the streets and arresting citizens for failing to observe the Islamic dress code.
Rahnavard has a Ph.D in political science and served as a political advisor during the presidency of Khatami and was dean of Iran’s Al Zahra University.
She is writer, sculptor and painter.



Stop Child Executions in Iran asks your attention for juvenile offender Delara Darabi who is in imminent danger of execution .Prisonauthorities told her, to prepare herself as she would be executed any day.
Her lawyer says that he has new evidence and if there is a review, Delara will be freed of charges.
In 2007 Stop Child Executions made this video:
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More then 20.000 people undersigned a petition to save her life.
The petition can be read here .


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

Iran: government

IRNA reported that today in Adelabad three men were hanged for "moharebe"(enemy of god) and "corruption on earth".
The men, Mohsen Eslamian, 21, and Ali Asghar Pashtar, 20 both students and Rouzbeh Yahyazadeh, 32 were sentenced to death for the bombing in Shiraz last year. They were also accused of having ties with a monarchist opposition group outside Iran and of taking orders from an Iranian "CIA agent" to try to assassinate a high-ranking official in Iran.
Humanrightsdefender Abdolfattah Soltani says that the men were not given a fair trial since they couldn’t choose their defending lawyers.
source: news.smh.com.au



IRNA writes that the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has unveiled a media plot by the Netherlands against Iran.
Since 2005 has the Dutch Foreign Ministry 15 million euros allocated for a project "Media Pluralism in Iran".
Press-TV writes that originally the plan was aimed at launching Persian-language TV channels to overthrow the Iranian government through media propaganda.
Political opponents forced the Dutch government to finally revise its plans and substitute a series of websites instead of the planned opposition TV channels.
IRNA also revealed the names of some websites.
In the years 2007 and 2008 came similar accusations.(See wikipedia (Dutch) radio Zamaneh).
source: Press-TV


According to Reporters without Borders is Esmail Jafari,journalist and blogger van Rah Mardom (“Voice of the People”) from Bushehr released from prison of Bushehr at March 18, after paying a bail of 40,000euros.
He was arrested on 15 December after being sentenced to 5 months in prison on charges of anti-government propaganda and threatening national security.
source: rsf.org


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

Iran: mechanic

GlobalVoicesOnline writes that Iran Revolutionary Guard announced on the site Gerdab (fa) the names of about 90 sites that they closed down on accusation of being involved in pornographic and anti-Islamic activities.
source: GlobalVoicesOnline.org

The execution of Shahriar, which was scheduled for April 3rd, has been postponed with at least a month.
Shahriar is convicted of a murder 4 years ago, but according to the psychiatrists he has been suffering from schizophrenia and was using heavy medication at the time of the offence.
His execution had been postponed already in Februar 2008.
source: iranhr.net

The acting judge told that the Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi has been charged with espionage.
She is suspected from under the cover of reporter contacting certain governmentemployees and gather information and documents and transferred them to American intelligence services.
The deputy prosecutor of the Revolutionary Court said there were documents in her case and that she has admitted to all of the charges.
Her lawyer says that he has not read the file yet and cannot confirm.
source: latimes.com


The fourth international IranOpen RoboCup competition was held in Qazvin from 4-6 April.
321 Iranian and foreign teams competed in robotics, there were teams from Germany, the Netherlands, Brazil, Mexico and Thailand competing in 19 leagues.
The Iranian teams MRL of Qazvin Azad university and Sourena of Amir Kabir University of Technology shared the first place in The Homeleague.
Rescue Robot and Soccer small size were won by Qazvins MRL team and together with the German WFWolvesteam they shared the first place in Mixed Reality league.
Rescue Virtual Robot League and Rescue Agent Simulation were won by the SBCEteam of Shahid Behesti university.
The German Darmstadt Dribblers won the Humanoid league.
Manual Deminer league was won by Allameh Helli university and the Automatic Demining league was won by Zahedan Azad university.
These last two leagues were launched by the organizors while Iran is a country with a high number of unexploded land mines that inflict heavy casualties every year.
source: Press-TV


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

Iran: price(ze)

GlobalVoicesOnline writes that Hossein Derakhshan, the Iranian blogger who is imprisoned for 4 months, is nominated for the The Economist New Media Award.





The American State Department urges Iran to release Silva Harotonian, 34 who was arrested in June 2008 and in January 2009 sentenced to three years in prison.
The charge was "promoting a Velvet Revolution in Iran". She made an appeal against the sentence.
Haratonian is Iranian from Armenian descent.
She came from Armenia to work as administrator for a Health Exchangeprogram with International Research & Exchanges Board, a non-profit organization based in Washington, DC.


The head of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) said that Iran in the last three years had discovered seven new olieveldenoil fields.
He gave no further details but he said that one of the fields has an oil reserve of nine billion barrels.
The total amount of oil did increase last year from 90 billion barrels to 138 billion barrels.



Pakistan’s ambassador to Iran attended a meeting with National Security and Foreign Policy Committee from the Iranian parlement to talk about the in Pakistan kidnapped Iranian diplomat Heshmatollah Attarzadeh.
He said that according to international conventions the local governments are responsible for the safety of foreign diplomats residing in the host countries.
The Iranian lawmakers are also very concerned about the increase in Pakistan of sektarian killings.



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

Iran: preparative

The Iranian Football Federation announced Monday that Mohammad Mayeli-Kohan is bappointed as the head coach of Iran's National Football Team. As of early May he prepares the Iranian national team for their three upcoming games against North Korea, the United Arab Emirates and South Korea.
On request of Mayeli-Kohan his assistance is Mansour Ebrahimzadeh.
source: Farsnews.com



The managing director and president of automaker Iran Khodro Company, Manouchehr Manteqi, has been unexpectedly dismissed.
Website Tabnak reports that his dismissal came after the idea of merging Iran Khodro (IKCO) with Iran's second-largest car company, Saipa, gained ground.
After the unexpected dismissal by the Minister of industrie and mines, most of his deputie-directors have also resigned.
The new appointed director of IKCO has the task of pursuing the merging of the two companies.
source: Farsnews.com



Over-fishing, poaching as well as pollution caused by sewage entry into the Caspian Sea are the main causes of the danger of extinction of the sturgeon.
According to the Iranian Fisheries Institute is the production of caviar fallen from 200 tonnes, 15 to 20 years ago to less than 10 tonnes.
Scientists estimate that if this does not stop, de sturgeon can be extinct in 14 years.
The Caspian Sea produces 90% of the world's caviar, harvested by Iran, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Russia.
source: Press-TV


The lawyer of the minor juvenile offender Delara Darabi , said that he has been told in a phone conversation that there were rumours in prison that his client, after been for 5 years in prison was going to be executed soon.
He says this can be the case, because there are no legal possibilities left and that the only option is for the family of the victim pardon her.
Darabi has been on death row for the last 5 years in Rasht prison, after she was convicted for murder.
source: iranhr.net



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

Iran: status

The lawyer from Roxana Saberi has said that her parents have visited her in Evinprison.
He says that the indictment has been sent to branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court and that until they are published, he has no further information.
The Revolutionary Court handles security-related charges.
According to Iran Saberi was arrested, while working as a journalist without proper credentials.
source: Reuters


The Iranian police has handed the security in the Eastborder regions to the Revolution Guards Corps.Sunday told Brigadier General Ismail Ahmadi-Moqaddam to the press that the Iran Police Force will end its mission in the region.
The borderregion between Iran and Afghanistan and Pakistan is a heavy used drugssmuggleroute.
Also the group Jundollah operates in this area, and attacked, kidnapped and murdered many policeofficers.
source: Press-TV



Dozens of workers in Shaho Yarn Mill in Sanandaj were expelled from their jobs after protesting against the manager.
The manager announced new rules for the payment of benefits to 22 workers, including retirement and insurance benefits.
source: ihrv.org


The Human Rights committee of the Student Islamic Society in Amir Kabir University announced its concern over the health of nine imprisoned students.
Four students are imprisoned since Februar, five students were arrested in March.
In a statement of the Committee, published Sunday, it said that the detained students are being tortured both “physically and psychologically”
source: ihrv.org


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

Iran: halted

The campaign coordinator of presidential candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi says that Mousavi will not withdraw from the elections.
He reacted after reports that Mousavi had decided to withdraw from the race in favor of Mehdi Karroubi.
Mousavi was premier of Iran until the post was abolished and is critical of president Ahmadinads economical reforms, he is a candidate for the reformist camp.
Karroubi, secretary-general of the Etemad-e-Melli (National Confidence) party, was the first to announce his candacy.
MIRO (Mujahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization), a smaller reformist organization which participates in political activities, has not yet decided on whether to support presidential candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi.
Source: Press-TV



ILNA writes that newspaper Farhang-e Ashti (culture of reconciliation) has stopped due to financial problems.
The newspaper's employees were told by sms not to have to work for at least four months.
Also their salaries and bonuses were not paid.
source: irannewsdaily.com


According to reports from ward 6 of Gohardasht Prison in Karaj died March 29, a prisoner, Gholam-Hussein Shahbazi from lack of medical attention.
Shahbazi suffered a heart attack and although fellowprisoners pounded on the prison doors for about 30 minutes, the guards did not pay any attention. When they finally did, Shahbazi was dead.
Shahbazi had been imprisoned in Evin and Gohardasht Prison for about 14 years on financial charges.
source: ncr-iran.org


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

Iran: term

Daily Etemad writes that April 4th in Tehran a man will be executed who committed a murder 5 years ago when he was a minor.
The man Shahriar who suffers from schizophrenia was also staying at the mental hospital at the time of his trial.
source: iranhr.net



The daily Los Angeles Times writes that the parents of Roxana Saberi travel to Tehran this weekend to help the release of their daughter from prison.
Her lawyer last met with her on March 18 in Evin prison.
He wants with Saberi's parents to go to court again today to try to get permission to visit her in Evinprison.
Human rights groups have condemned Iran for holding Saberi for more then a month without formal charges, as required by Iranian law.
source: latimes.com


An official of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization (CHTHO) registered during the first ten days of Iranian New Year (Nowruz) a 25% increase of museumvisitors.
Till now, about 10 million tourists paid visits to museums out of which one million tourists visited museums located in Khorasan Razavi Province.
About 300 museums are affiliated to the CHTHO, each one featuring art, archeology and anthropology.
The CHTHO plans to establish 273 museums as eco-museums in near future.
source: chnpress.com


At least 420 people got killed at roadaccidents in Iran during the first 12 days of the new year.
The main factor for the accidents are exceeding the speed limit and not fastening the back seat belt.
A MNAreport says that there were 827 caraccidents in the first five days.
Roadaccidents claim the lives of over 25,000 people in Iran each year.
source: english.farsnews.com


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

Iran: view

Radio Netherlands reports that Actiongroup Iranian Students has filed a complaint against the Dutch state on grounds of discrimination.
Their lawyer says the law is in violation of the first article of the constitution and of various human rights treaties.
Last year a new law (Dutch pdf) passed in which Iranian students with or without Dutch passport are forbidden to study on all universities and research facilities where they would have access to nuclear technology.
This law is based on UN resolution 1737, where states are requested to prevent the spread of nuclear technology to Iran.
The Netherlands is so far the only country which refuses Iranian students.
source: radio netherlands


Persecution.org reports that March 5 two christian women in Tehran were arrested for practicing Christianity.
Marzieh Amairizadeh Esmaeilabad en Maryam Rustampoor are transferred to Evinprison. Their appartment has been searched and officials say that the are accused of anti-governmental activities.
Officials said they have to post bail of $400,000 to get released from prison.
source: persecution.org



Washington said also denied that at the Afghanistanconference in The Hague was a "cordial exchange", it was in fact a mere "handshake".
The spokesman for the US state department said on Wednesday that Richard Holbrook exchanged a 'brief handshake' with the Iranian counterpart but it was not a lengthy encounter.
Hilary Clinton had said before that there was a cordial meeting between them.
The report also was rejected by Iran and Tehran said that the conference was about assisting Afghanistan and not about settling differences.


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

Iran: end or start?

Tehran denied that there was "a cordial exchange" or "negotiation" between an Iranian diplomat and an envoy of the USpresident at the Afghanistan conference in The Hague.
American foreign minister Hilary Clinton said that Richard Holbrook had a brief and cordial exchange with the head of the Iranian delegation.

There also reportedly was handed a letter to the Iranian delegation, urging an intervention in the case of the search for missing American Robert Levinson who disappeared on Kish island in 2007.




The letter also asks to see in the cases of Roxana Saberi, American-Iranian journalist who is in Evin prison since February on charges of working "illegally" as a reporter and Esha Momeni, a student with California State university, who, since October 2008 is not allowed to leave the country before her trial.
source: Press-TV


Everwhere in Iran Iranians celebrate Sizdah-Bedar,
the traditional Persian festival of nature. With this festival the Nowruz celebrations end and routine life resumes.
This is the thirteenth day and Iranians traditionally spend this day in outside nature with picnics, music, and playing group games. They eat traditional things like nuts.
People will also release goldfish into a pond or river as a symbol of freedom.
Sizdah Bedar tradition is over 4000 old and date back to the Zoroastrians, they asked the gods for rain and destroyed drought.
source: Press-TV



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

Iran: possibility, or not

The Congress of World Azerbaijans reports that activist of the movement for rights of South Azerbaijanis Amir Abbas Benai Kazimi was arrested in Tabriz.
He was taken to an unknown place. His family was prohibited to mention his arrest.
source: today.az


Iran declines the claims made by the United Arab Emirates on three Persian Gulf islands.
Tehran possesses historical, legal and geographical documents verifying its sovereign right to the islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa.
In spite of all these written evidence, the UAE persists the claim.
The three Persian Gulf islands were historically owned by Iran but colonialised by Britain in the 1800s.
The islands were then returned to Iran in 1971 through a legal process, even before the state of the UAE was created.
source: Press-TV


Ten of the twelve women’s rights activists detained last week have been released after bail of $50,000 was set and paid.
Khadijeh Moghadam and Mahboubeh Karami are still in Evinprison because acceptance of their bail was refused without explanation.
The others have to report for interrogations on Sunday, 5 April. They have been charged with “disturbing public opinion” and “disruption of public order” .
source: iranhumanrights.org



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