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Source: Persian2English

July 25, 2010

Iran Negah conducts an emotional interview with a young girl in the south of Tehran who describes her family’s life in Iran.

Translation by SIAVOSH JALILI

Interviewer: Hello Madam. Is your mother home?

Girl: No.

I: Where is she?

G: She’s at work.

I: Where does she work?

G: On Vali-Asr Street.

I: In Tehran?

G: Yes.

I: What does she do?

G: She works in a manufacturing company. She sews overcoats.

I: What does your father do?

G: [inaudible]

I: Why?

G: Because I don’t feel like talking about it.

I: Come on, tell me.

G: My father is an addict. He injected drugs into another addict who died [of overdose]. My dad is now in prison.

I: For murder or addiciton?

G: For both

I: Did the vicitim’s family ask for Dieh (blood money in return for giving consent and sparing the life of the defendant)?

G: No, we asked them not to give consent [and insisted on Qesas, the death penalty].

I: You, yourselves, asked them not to give consent?

G: Yes.

I: Why?

G: Well, we didn’t like our father.

I: He wasn’t working?

G: No.

[They enter inside]

I: The home is quite cold inside.

G: We only have this one furnace to warm ourselves.

I: It looks very worn out and old. Do you have oil to fuel the furnace?

G: My mom works in the factory from Saturday to Thursday. On Fridays, she works at someone’s home. Whenever she doesn’t work there she goes and brings pits of oil. This last Friday, she went and got two of them.

I: What does she do on Fridays at their place?

G: She cleans their house. There are nights when we don’t have dinner and we go to bed hungry. But we never bring it up with my mother. We don’t want to belittle her. My dad was shooting up for two years. When they came from the police station, they said, “Do you know that your husband has contracted AIDS?”

We are three sisters and one brother. The eldest got married eight months ago. Her husband had an accident and now he sits at home [as the result of the injuries]. I have a younger sister who is ten. She was adopted by a family in Kashan. They were supposed to take me instead. I prepared myself, but then I thought it was more important for Azita to go. I stayed to take care of the household chores. The lady who adopted Azita harasses her. She does not let her talk to us. The way our sister talks to us has changed. In a phone conversation she said, “You guys placed me here. My dad is a very good man. You threw him in jail.” My mom always cries after talking to her. I’m not very hopeful.

I: You’re not very hopeful that the officials and authorities will do something for you?

G: No.

I: Why not?

G: We have gone for help so many times. They don’t do anything, because that is how it is. God only gives to the rich. He gives more and more to the rich, but he doesn’t give anything to the poor people.

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Source: Human Rights House of Iran (RAHANA)

July 23, 2010

This article contains the names and sentences of 25 female political prisoners confined in Evin prison in Tehran. Out of the 25 female political prisoners detained in Evin prison, Mahboubeh Karami, Shiva Nazar Ahari, Kobra Zaghedoost, Farah Vazeham and Fatemeh Khorramjoo are in prison limbo, while the rest have received heavy sentences.

According to RAHANA’s reporter, there are also more female political detainees confined in harsh conditions inside solitary cells and other wards of Evin prison. Zahra Jabbari, an Iranian-Dutch citizen is one of those prisoners who has been detained in ward 209 of Evin prison since Ashura street protests of 27 December 2009.

The list of female political prisoners and their sentences is as follows.

Nazila Dashti, 3 years

Nazila Dashti was arrested in May 2007. She has been sentenced to 3 years imprisonment on charges of having ties with the MKO, and is currently confined in Evin prison.

Rashin (Ozra) Ghazi Mirsaeed, 2 years

Rashin (Ozra) Ghazi Mirsaeed is a citizen who was arrested on 20 June 2009 during street protests held against the disputed presidential election. She was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison by the lower court, but the court of appeals later reduced her sentence to 2 years in prison.

Mahboubeh Karami, Undecided

Mahboubeh Karami, a women’s rights activist and member of the One Million Signatures Campaign, has been detained since 3 March 2010. She suffers from various physical problems and depression which requires her to be transferred to medical centers and be hospitalized, but the judges and interrogators of her case abstain from setting bail for her release. Mahboubeh has spent most of her detention in solitary cells of ward 2-A in women’s section of Evin prison under intense mental pressures to give interviews and make televised confessions.

Bahareh Hedayat, 9.5 years

Prominent student activist Bahareh Hedayat was arrested on 1 January 2010. Branch 28 of the revolutionary court presided over by Judge Moghiseh has ruled out a total of 9.5-year sentence for her; 6 years in prison on charge of insulting the president, 2 years for insulting the Leader, and a total of 5 years for propaganda against the system, act against national security through collusion and conspiracy. Also, her previously suspended 2 years imprisonment on charge of acting against national security for holding the demonstration of 12 June 2006 (women’s demonstration) has been enforced and added to this sentence.

Motahhareh Bahrami Haghighi, 10 years

Motahhareh Bahrami Haghighi was arrested on 27 December 2009 during Ashura protests along with her husband and son Mohsen and Ahamd Daneshpour Moghaddam. The lower court had sentenced her to execution on charge of Moharebeh (enmity with God), but the court of appeals reduced her sentence to 10 years imprisonment plus exile to Rajaei Shahr prison near Karaj.

Reyhaneh Haj-Ebrahim Dabbagh, 15 Years

Reyhaneh Haj-Ebrahim Dabbagh was arrested on 27 December 2009 together with Motahhareh Bahrami, Mohsen Daneshour Moghaddam and Ahmad Daneshpour Moghaddam at their house. She was initially sentenced to execution, but her sentence was reduced by the court of appeals to 15 years imprisonment plus exile to Rajaei Shahr prison.

Maryam Akbari Monfared, 15 Years

Maryam Akbari Monfared, a housewife with 3 young children, was arrested at her house on 1 January 2010 after Ashura protests, and her trial was held on 6 May 2010. She has been confined on charge of Moharebeh (enmity with God) for having ties with a dissident organization, a charge that she has repeatedly rejected.

Fatemeh Ziaei Azad, 2 years

Fatemeh Ziaei Azad is a post-election detainee who has been sentenced to 2 years in prison. No more information is available on her status.

Hengameh Shahidi, 6 years

Hengameh Shahidi, a journalist, member and avisor to the Secretary General of Etemade-Melli Party (Mehdi Karroubi’s reformist party), was arrested on 25 February 2010 after being summoned to the follow-up office of Ministry of Intelligence to start serving her 6-year prison term. She had been previously released on 1 November 2009 on $90,000 bail after almost 4 months of detention in Evin prison. She is currently confined despite suffering from some physical distress.

Hengameh Shahidi was initially sentenced to 1 year in prison on charge of propaganda against the system, five years on charges of collusion and acting against national security, and 91 days on charge on insulting the president. But the court of appeals reduced this sentence to 6 years in prison.

Mahdieh Golrou, 3 years and 4 months

Mahdieh Golrou, student activist and member of the Advocacy Council for the Right to Education, was arrested on 3 November 2009. Her trial was held on Sunday 4 April 2010 at branch 26 of the revolutionary court presided by Judge Pir-Abbasi, and she was sentenced to 2 years and 4 months in prison. The judge had initially set a bail of $700,000 for her release, but her family were not able to submit that amount and she had to remain confined in Evin prison.  During this time, her previously suspended 1-year prison sentence has been also enforced, so she is currently serving a total of 3 year and 4 months in prison despite being severely ill.

Alieh Eghdamdoost, 3 years

Alieh Eghdamdoost, an elderly lady in her sixties, is women’s rights activist who was transferred to Evin on 30 January 2009 to start serving her 3-year prison sentence. Previously she had been arrested for attending the women’s demonstration on 12 June 2006, and is currently confined in Evin despite being over 60.

Kobra Zaghedoost, 1 year in prison limbo

Kobra Zaghedoost was arrested at Behesht-e Zahra cemetery in Tehran while attending the 40th day ceremony of post-election martyrs. She has been detained in prison limbo for almost one year and her file has not been investigated or heard at the court.

Zahra Jabbari, 4 years

Zahra Jabbari was arrested on 18 September 2009 during the Qods day protests. She was confined in prison limbo for almost 7 months and deprived of prison visit with her child despite being ill. Her trial was held on 6 May 2010 and branch 28 of the revolutionary court sentenced her to 4 years in prison. Prior to the trial, her lawyer had claimed there is nothing on her file that would make her be convicted.

Kefayat Malek Mohammadi, 5 years

Kefayat Malek Mohammadi was arrested with her husband during Ashura protests on 27 December 2009. She is currently detained in ward 350 of Evin prison and the lower court has sentenced her to 5 years imprisonment on charge of collaboration with the MKO.

Fatemeh Rahnama, 10 years

Fatemeh Rahnama was arrested on 29 July 2010. In a scenario made up by the pro-government media, Fatemeh Rahnama was named as the “mistress” of Shapour Kazemi (Mrs. Rahnavard’s brother) and a member of the MKO with a history of 8 years in prison. She has been sentenced to 10 years in prison despite having denied all these charges.

Fatemeh Rahnama, 48, suffers from severe depression and breast cancer, and her severe physical and mental condition has raised a lot of sorrow and sympathy from her inmates.

Farah Vazeham, Undecided

Farah Vazeham was arrested on 29 December 2009, two days after Ashura protests, and is being held in prison limbo after almost 7 months of detention.

Masoumeh Yavari, 7 years

Masoumeh Yavari was arrested on 18 September 2009 on her way from Golpayegan to Tehran to attend the Qods day demonstration. Masoumeh Yavari, a housewife with no history of political activity, has been accused of having ties with the MKO and the representative of Tehran’s prosecutor had requested the death penalty for her, but the court sentenced her to 7 years in prison.

Shabnam Madadzadeh, 5 years

Shabnam Madadzadeh, vice president of Tehran council in Tahkime-e Vahdat student organization and political secretary of Tarbiat Moalem University, was arrested on 21 February 2009. Her court hearing was delayed a number of times and finally, she was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment plus exile to Rajaei Shahr prison on charges of Moharebeh (enmity with God) and acting against national security.

Shiva Nazar Ahari, Undecided

Shiva Nazar Ahari, human rights and women’s rights activist, was arrested on 20 December 2009 for the second time during the past year and transferred to solitary confinement in Evin ward 209. Despite being detained for almost 8 months, her court hearing has not been held and she has been confined in prison limbo.

Fatemeh Khorramjoo, Undecided

Fatemeh Khorramjoo was arrested on 7 January 2010. She has been detained for 7 months in prison limbo and has been accused of collaboration with foreigners.

Parvin Javadzadeh, 8.5 years

Parvin Javadzadeh, 22, is one of the youngest female political prisoners in the women ward of Evin prison. She was arrested on 27 December 2009 (Ashura) by IRGC forces while crossing the street, and spent the first three months of her detention in complete solitary inside IRGC intelligence detention, thus suffering from severe mental and physical problems. Javadzadeh was a blogger who used to publish news related to the people protests and green movement to her personal weblog. She was initially charged with Moharebeh, but the court acquitted her of this charge and finally sentenced her to 8.5 years in prison.

Soosan Tabyanian, 1.5 years

Soosan Tabyanian is a Baha’i citizen who has been sentenced to 1.5 years in prison. She started serving her prison sentence on 7 June 2010.

Manijeh Nasrollahi, 3 years and 4 months

Manijeh Nasrollahi is a Baha’i citizen currently serving her 3 year and 4 months of imprisonment in the women’s ward of Evin. She was previously arrested on 17 June 2009 and released 2 weeks later, then arrested again on 27 February 2010 to start serving her prison term in Evin.

Sahba Rezvani, 3 years

Sahba Rezvani is a Baha’i citizen who was arrested on 16 December 2008 and sentenced to 3 years and 8 months imprisonment. She was initially detained in the prison of Sari, but later transferred to Evin prison in Tehran.

Atepheh Nabavi, 4 years

Atepheh Nabavi, a student deprived of continuing her education, was arrested on 15 June 2009 together with her cousin Ziaeddin Nabavi, a member of the Advocacy Council for the Right to Education, and transferred to Evin ward 209. She was confined in ward 209 for 3 months and later sentenced to 4 years in prison.

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July 18, 2010

Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejehei, Iran’s public prosecutor announced: “Proper veiling and Islamic dress code that upholds women’s chastity and modesty is a public issue. Indubitably this is an absolute legal and Sharia matter that is a religious imperative. Being un-Islamically dressed is a crime.”

Citing legal cases related to crimes against public morals and ethics in the Islamic punishments that are handed down, he specified: “Article 638 of this law clarifies that if any woman acts indecently and against this religious regulation in public places, other than the punishment of 10 days to two months detention, they will also receive 74 lashes. Also according to the punitive laws that we set in place in the year 1365 (1986) any shop keeper, importer or distributor of clothes injurious to morality, will first receive a warning by the Ministry of Islamic Guidance; if it happens a second time they will be severely reprimanded, a third time they will be threatened and finally, the forth time, their shops and business will be fined, their shops and businesses shut down for a period of anywhere between 3 to 6 months and they will receive 10 to 20 lashes.”

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Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
May 20, 2010

Iranian children in an undated file photo

A prominent Tehran-based lawyer has accused the government of failing to address the problem of child abuse in Iran, RFE/RL’s Radio Farda reports.
Nastrin Sotoudeh told Radio Farda that judicial authorities pay little attention to such mistreatment.

“When a man beats his wife or child, the court sees it as a ‘private family dispute’ and avoids looking into the details of the case,” he said.

The state Welfare Organization announced earlier this month that there have been almost 150,000 cases of child abuse recorded in Iran over the last six months.

Sotoudeh said one problem is that children’s rights are not taught in school.

She also ascribed what she described as an increase in child abuse to the political atmosphere in the country. She said the violent government crackdown on opposition activists after June’s disputed presidential election — which included charges of torture and sexual abuse of detainees — has sent a message to the broader society that abuse is acceptable.

Iran has ratified the United Nations 1994 Convention on the Rights of the Child.

But Sotoudeh said the government has failed to live up to the statutes of the convention.

“For instance, based on the convention, the age of criminal responsibility is 18,” Sotoudeh said. “However, Iran’s civil code sets the [age of criminal responsibility at] 15 years for boys and 8 1/2 for girls.”

She said Iran expressed reservations about signing the convention.

It declared when it ratified the document: “[T]he government of the Islamic Republic of Iran reserves the right not to apply any provisions or articles of the convention that are incompatible with Islamic laws and the domestic legislation in effect.”

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For Immediate Release

Contact:

* Manda Zand Ervin, Alliance of Iranian Women : (703) 447-3888 or (410) 531-6198
* Victoria Toensing : (202) 289-7701
* Beth Gilinsky, Women United: Code Red (212) 726-1124 or email : actionalliance1@yahoo.com

New York and Washington, May 5, 2010 — International human rights and women’s rights leaders, attorneys, scholars, columnists, Iranian human rights activists, media figures, women in the arts, and other prominent women have joined a nationwide campaign to urge Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to denounce the recent election of Iran to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

In an Open Letter to Secretary Clinton released today (text below) the leaders expressed their profound concern that Iran was “elected by acclamation” to the women’s rights seat.  Election by acclamation may occur when no United Nations member state requests an open vote.  The signatories, citing reports by the U.S. State Department and international human rights organizations of the Iranian regime’s record of barbaric human rights violations, are seeking answers from Secretary Clinton regarding the failure of the U.S. either to request or require an open vote on Iran’s election to the Commission.

The full text and a partial list of signatories to the letter follows, and more signatories’  names will be released this week.

###

AN OPEN LETTER TO SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON: DENOUNCE ELECTION OF IRAN TO U.N. WOMEN’S RIGHTS COMMISSION

May 5, 2010

Dear Secretary Clinton:

We write as women leaders from across America and from organizations concerned with women’s human rights representing oppressed women and minorities.

We call on you, Secretary Clinton, to denounce Iran’s election to a four-year seat on the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women as an appointment that shocks the conscience of civilized societies.

We also wish to express our utter astonishment that Iran was “elected by acclamation,”  which means that none of the United Nations’  member states – including the United States of America – requested or required an open vote on Iran’s election to the Commission.  Why did the United States fail to request an open vote?

In 1995, to an audience of the Fourth World Conference on Women, you declared: “It is time for us to say here in Beijing, and the world to hear, that it is no longer acceptable to discuss women’s rights as separate from human rights.” You added: “If there is one message that echoes forth from this conference, let it be that human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights, once and for all.”

http://www.nytimes.com/1995/09/06/world/hillary-clinton-in-china-details-abuse-of-women.html?pagewanted=1

Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney of New York said she “believed that you spoke from personal conviction.”

Therefore, we are puzzled and deeply troubled that, as Secretary, you have remained silent regarding human rights abuses under the brutal Islamic Republic of Iran regime.

The government of Iran is the perpetrator of well-known, well-documented and shocking human rights abuses against women.  There are sickening and horrific videos, websites, documented reports of gang rapes, stonings, mutilations, hangings, beatings, burnings and other barbaric acts of violence, intimidation, and humiliation against the women of Iran. Political dissidents, gays, non-Muslim minorities, apostates, and infidels are also targeted in widespread human rights violations and gruesome attacks — all these atrocities are egregious violations of the U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Two hundred and fourteen Iranian activists recently wrote to U.N. member states to oppose Iran’s election to the U.N.’s Commission on the Status of Women. Their letter states:  “Iran’s discriminatory laws demonstrate that the Islamic Republic does not believe in gender equality…Women lack the ability to choose their husbands, have no independent right to education after marriage, no right to divorce, no right to child custody, have no protection from violent treatment in public spaces, are restricted by quotas for women’s admission at universities, and are arrested, beaten, and imprisoned for peacefully seeking change of such laws.”
Click here for more on Iran’s human rights record.

he U.S. Department of State’s 2009 report on Iran’s human rights clearly states the egregious violations of Iran in this area:

•    The government’s poor human rights record degenerated during the year [2009], particularly after the disputed June presidential elections. The government severely limited citizens’ right to peacefully change their government through free and fair elections. The government executed numerous persons for criminal convictions as juveniles and after unfair trials. Security forces were implicated in custodial deaths and the killings of election protesters and committed other acts of politically motivated violence, including torture, beatings, and rape. The government administered severe officially sanctioned punishments, including death by stoning, amputation, and flogging. Vigilante groups with ties to the government committed acts of violence. Prison conditions remained poor. Security forces arbitrarily arrested and detained individuals, often holding them incommunicado. Authorities held political prisoners and intensified a crackdown against women’s rights reformers, ethnic minority rights activists, student activists, and religious minorities. There was a lack of judicial independence and of fair public trials. The government severely restricted the right to privacy and civil liberties, including freedoms of speech and the press, assembly, association, and movement; it placed severe restrictions on freedom of religion. Official corruption and a lack of government transparency persisted. Violence and legal and societal discrimination against women, ethnic and religious minorities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons; trafficking in persons; and incitement to anti-Semitism remained problems. The government severely restricted workers’ rights, including the right to organize and bargain collectively, and arrested numerous union organizers. Child labor remained a serious problem. On November 20, for the seventh consecutive year, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution on Iran expressing concern about the country’s “serious, ongoing, and recurring human rights violations.” (emphasis added)

•    Source: http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2009/nea/136068.htm
The Commission’s mandate is to review and report on women’s human rights and monitor progress toward improving women’s human rights.  Clearly, the election of Iran to such a Commission is an appalling example of hypocrisy. We await your public and clear condemnation of this outrageously sexist and insensitive decision by the U.N.

Signatories (partial list):

• Nazanin Afshin-Jam, International Human Rights Activist, President and Co-Founder of Stop Child Executions

• Irene Alter, President, Center for Policy Research in American Education

• Anne Applebaum, columnist

• Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Resident Scholar, AEI and Founder of the AHA Foundation (www.theAHAfoundation.org)

• Danielle Avel, Columnist

• Dr. Toby F. Block, Senior Academic Professional (retired) Georgia Institute of Technology

• Gretchen S. Bolton, Treasurer, AHA Foundation, Inc.

• Banafsheh Zand-Bonazzi, Planet Iran

• Shoshana Bryen, Senior Director for Security Policy, JINSA

• Joy Brighton, Stop Shariah Now

• Bernadette Brady, Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights

• Christine Brim, Center for Security Policy

• Debra Burlingame, Co-Founder, 9/11 Families for a Safe and Strong America

• Mona Charen, Syndicated Columnist, Creators Syndicate

• Dr. Phyllis Chesler, the Phyllis Chesler Organization

• Nonie Darwish, President FormerMuslimsUnited.org

• Korrine Diggs, Stop Modern Slavery, Founder and Director, Philadelphia Chapter

• Elaine Donnelly, President, Center for Military Readiness

• Barbara Donno, Nassau/Queens 9/12 Group

• Michelle Easton, President, Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute

• Dr. Rachel Ehrenfeld, Director, American Center for Democracy

• Manda Zand Ervin, Founder and President, Alliance of Iranian Women

• Clarice Feldman, columnist, Washington DC

• Diana Furchtgott-Roth, Senior Fellow and Director, Center for Employment Policy, Hudson Institute

• Danielle Frum, author and journalist

• Brigitte Gabriel, ACT for America.org

• Georgette Gelbard, Chairwoman, Cyber Counter Terrorism Center of the Middle East Forum
  

• Pamela Geller, Co-Founder, Stop Islamization of America

• Beth Gilinsky, Founder, Action Alliance and Women United: Code Red

• Catherine Gossman, College of Social Work, The Ohio State University

• Debra Guckenheimer, Ph.D., Northeastern Advance Postdoctoral ResearchAssociate, Northeastern University

• Meghan Gurdon, author and journalist

• Carol A. Haave, former Assistant Secretary for International Affairs, DHS

• Pamela Hall, New York – United American Committee

• Aggie R. Hoffman, Attorney at Law, Los Angeles, CA.
  

• Donna M. Hughes, Professor & Carlson Endowed Chair, Women’s Studies Program, University of Rhode Island

• Laura Ingraham, Laura Ingraham Show

• Margo Itskowitch, Women United, Los Angeles, CA

• Erica Saghar Kasraie, Spokesperson, Confederation of Iranian Students

• Karen Khan, attorney, Women’s Freedom Movement of Pakistan

• Judith Apter Klinghoffer, History News Network

• Andrea Lafferty, Traditional Values Coalition

• Barbara Ledeen, Women United: Code Red

• Janet Levy, Women Against Shariah

• Reggie Littlejohn, Founder and President, Women’s Rights Without Frontiers

• Mary Beth Long, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs

• Jody Lisberger, Ph.D., M.F.A., Director of Women’s Studies, The University of Rhode Island

• May Long, Christians and Jews United for Israel

• Sheryl Longin, Pajamas Media

• Lori Lowenthal Marcus, Founder and President, Z Street

• Hillary Markowitz, Mothers Against Terrorism

• Faith McDonnell, Director, Religious Liberty Programs, Institute on Religion and Democracy

• Ruth Messinger

• Myra Miller, The Winston Group

• Cleta Mitchell, Esq., Chairman, American Conservative Union Foundation

• Doris Wise Montrose, President, American Children of Holocaust Survivors

• Penny Nance, CEO, Concerned Women for America

• Betsy Giffen Nowrasteh and Cyrus Nowrasteh, The Stoning of Soraya M

• Kate O’Beirne, President, National Review Institute

• Eileen J. O’Connor, Assistant Attorney General, United States Department of  Justice, 2001 – 2007

• Daphne Patai, Professor, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

• Kathleen Parker, Washington Post syndicated columnist

• Joan Peters, Author-Historian: National Committee on American Foreign Policy

• Dianne Post, International Human Rights lawyer

• Racquel Reinstein, attorney
  

• Susan Rosenbluth, Editor and Publisher, Jewish Voice and Opinion

• Mary Rose Rybak, Managing Editor, First Things

• Nicole Sadighi, Fellow, Researcher at the Center for the Promotion of Human Rights and Democracy for Iran

• Melanie Shapiro, Citizens Against Trafficking, Co-founder

• Nina Shea, Director, Hudson Institute’s Center for Religious Freedom; Commissioner, US Commission on International Religious Freedom

• Christina Hoff Sommers, American Enterprise Institute

• Dr. Clare Spark, Independent Scholar Los Angeles

• Sarah N. Stern, Founder and President, Endowment for Middle East Truth

• Linda Stulberg, Women United: Code Red, Michigan

• Dr. Wafa Sultan

• Allyson Rowen Taylor, Women United: Code Red, California

• Giti Thadani, New Delhi – India

• Virginia Thomas, President/CEO, Liberty Central

• Victoria Toensing, Former Chief Counsel to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and for Deputy Assistant Attorney General,  Department of
  Justice

• Diana West, Washington Examiner syndicated columnist and author

Women United invites women across America to sign onto this statement.

To become a signatory, please contact (212) 726-1124 or actionalliance1@yahoo.com.  An updated list and copy of this letter can be viewed at http://wucr.wordpress.com/

More »

By Saeed Valadbaygi

Source: Street Journalist

May 3, 2010

Translator’s Note: I dedicate this translation to all the brave women of Iran who have been beaten, tortured, violated and raped by the brutal Islamic Republic of Iran, just because they dared participate in a demonstration or speak their mind. I demand that those responsible at the United Nations read this translation and ask themselves “How dare they elect Iran to the Women’s Rights Commission by acclamation?” This is just one of many hundred such stories…Shame on the United Nations! Shame on them!

I had no news from my good friend “Courageous Purity” and in order to not take any risks I hadn’t even called her on her cell, lest it create even more problems for her, particularly as we communicated often via email. When visiting Iran during the New Year holidays, I finally had the opportunity to see my family and to inquire about my dear friend Courageous Purity. No one was at her house, so I assumed that they must be traveling. In any event, after the New Year holidays, I left Iran without any news of her, until yesterday when I received an email from her that read:

On the 22nd of Bahman like all other times, we decided to go to the demonstrations with our friends. We planned to meet at 10am on the south side of the 2nd square at Ariashahr. When we arrived at our destination at 10am we realized that even though Ariashahr was looking more like a military post, people were still congregating on the sides of the streets, waiting for Mr. Karroubi to arrive. With time, more and more people arrived. As the crowd increased, you began to hear slogans. People were chanting “death to the dictator” and “we support you Karroubi” and many other slogans that I no longer recall (it was 80 days ago).

I suddenly heard bullets being fired. We were surrounded by tear gas and some people’s clothing was smeared with colored paint. We were standing perplexed by the color on people’s clothing when the coup government thugs attacked us. As we began running away, we bumped into each other. My clothes were tainted with paint as my body brushed against someone else’s that had paint on it.

While we were fleeing, I noticed that the coup government thugs had zoomed in on me. It became clear to me that they were going to arrest me. Though I began to run with all my mite, it didn’t take very long for them to surround me. As I stood facing them, one of the coup government thugs lashed out at me from behind with something that felt like a hose. The impact was so strong that I fell to the ground face down. I tried to scramble to my feet, when one of the thugs who was wearing boots put his foot on my neck, forced me back down and said “Don’t move an inch!”

Another thug tied my hands to my back. My body was still aching from the pain of the previous lashing when they pushed me face down into the floor of a van with blue curtains. I expected to see female police officers in the van, but was greeted instead by two very rude male officers, who approached us and called us every name in the book while they blind folded us.

I am not sure how many were in the van when it started moving. I was on the floor blindfolded, but I felt the van move. I’m not sure how long it was moving or where we were going to, but it felt as though we were in the van for a good 15 minutes. As soon as we arrived at the headquarters of the regime thugs, they began insulting us and calling us names again. They tossed us out of the car. I felt as though I was in a dark and enclosed area, because the voices were echoing.

They picked us up from the floor and spoke to us as though we were prostitutes. One of them said “We have to sleep with one of them every night?” I was petrified. I had been afraid from the moment they arrested me, but hearing these words was something else all together. Another one who seemed older said “Let’s undress all of them.” while the others laughed at us.

Another thug said “They have to increase our quota. This is not enough girls for us.” The thugs continued to humiliate us. We were very tired and thirst and hunger was beginning to set in too. Then they said “We’ll come back for you tonight.”

I’m not sure how many we were, but I could hear other girls weeping quietly. It was towards the end of the night when they came back for us. It was cold. We weren’t sure where we were and we didn’t even dare to get up or move. Suddenly we heard the frightful voices of the thugs. They began picking us up from the floor one by one and taking us to another room. They started with one girl. They told her to get up. She began screaming and protesting as they lifted her. It was obvious that she didn’t want to go with them. I could hear the sound of a slap, punch and kick, mixed with the girl’s cries and swearing by the thugs. We were engulfed with fear as we knew that one of us was going to be next.

As it turned out, I was the next in line. I began to scream. I yelled “I won’t come!” but they dragged me out while insulting, slapping and kicking me around to what looked like a room in the same area. They untied my hands and asked me to remove my clothes. I was crying and I was scared. I said “I won’t take them off.” I pleaded with them and asked “Don’t you have sisters?” when one of them slapped me hard in the ear and said “Don’t compare yourself to my sister you whore!”

I was paralyzed with fear. He said,”Take off your clothes”. I was really scared. I removed my clothes. He said “Why are you just standing there? Take the rest off too.” (my undergarments) I pleaded “These undergarments are all that are left of the honor of a girl, if I take these two items off too, I will be insulting your honor as well.” They started insulting me again and someone smacked me on my bottom and screamed “Hurry up, continue.” I said “I won’t take any thing else off. I know that you have enough honor and dignity that you too don’t want me to take off these last two items of clothing.” One of the thugs attacked me like an animal, he beat me and tore off my undergarments. Now I was completely naked…

I think there were four of them. They were eying me now that I was stark naked. One of them lifted me and put me on a desk, so that with utmost brazenness, they could all take a better look at me. He said “Haji, this one’s mine tonight okay?” I heard the one I believe was referred to as Haji reply “We haven’t stripped the rest of them yet. Wait, you might end up with a better one!” But the first man replied “I already checked them all out. This one’s the good one of the bunch.” Then the Haji said “Okay then take her.” As he began to lift me and take me out of the room, the Haji asked “Wait, would you prefer to stay?”

I felt a sliver of hope and said “Please Haji. Yes. I beg you. For the love of god save me. I’ll do what ever you say.” He said “Get her a chair so she can sit.” I sat on the chair. He said “I want you to answer every question I’m about to ask you correctly. I know your name already and I know where you work. I want you to tell me the names of your accomplices. I want you to tell me who you take your orders from. Are you one of Mousavi’s gang or are you a Karroubi follower? Which one of your coworkers is anti regime?” He asked me these questions and many more that I no longer remember….

I said “How am I to supposed to write the answers to so many questions when I’m blind folded?” He asked that they remove my blindfolds. I saw the Haji. He was approximately 50 years old and had a light colored, thin beard. There were three other very young boys with him. I’m guessing that they were around 17 or 18 years old. It dawned on me then, that it was these young men who had wanted to spend the night with me.

My head was aching. I kept thinking, what is the Islamic Republic promoting amongst the young Basijis? Sex? Casual intercourse? I was reminded of Imam Khomeini’s saying “Basij is the school of love”. Is Basij the school of love, or the school for love making? Or maybe it’s the school for learning how to have sex.

In the end, I wrote down everything the Haji asked me to and confessed to everything he wanted. Even if he had asked me to write that the bombing of the 7th of Tir was my doing I would have done it, though the truth is I was only 9 years old when it happened. When I finally wrote down everything he had asked me to, he told me I could get dressed and once I was dressed I was taken to another room (from the look of the walls, I felt as though I was in a mosque. When they opened the door to the room, I saw another girl in the room. They threw me in and I began talking to her when we heard the screams and pleas of the other girls outside who were being taken to see the Haji.

We slept in the same room that night. In the early hours of the next day, they came for us, handcuffed us, blindfolded us, put us in a car and took us to a destination that I think took about ten minutes to get to. When we arrived, we realized that we were at Evin prison.

I’m exhausted. I was just released from Evin. In my next email, I will tell you about my 80 day imprisonment at Evin.

Translated by Negar Irani

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Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
April 29, 2010

Female cutomers in a shop in Tehran (file photo)

A group of women’s rights activists in Iran and worldwide has written an open letter to the United Nations opposing the Iranian government’s bid for membership on the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), RFE/RL’s Radio Farda reports.

The letter refers to Iranian laws that gender-equality groups say discriminate against women. These include statutes relating to such matters as divorce, child custody, education, and the ability to choose a husband.

Women have been “arrested, beaten, and imprisoned for peacefully seeking change of such laws,” the letter says. “The Iranian government will certainly use [CSW membership] to curtail the progress and advancement of women.”

Radio Farda spoke to Shadi Sadr, a women’s rights activist and one of the letter’s signatories. Sadr explained that for years the UN has asked Iran to sign the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Iran, however, has refused to do so.

“Under such conditions, Iran’s attempt to join such an institution [as the CSW] is doomed to fail,” Sadr said.

Iran announced its candidacy for membership in the commission after it withdrew from its bid for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council last week.

The UN describes the commission as being dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women.

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Source: Reporters and Human Rights Activists of Iran (RAHANA)

April 22, 2010

Shiva Nazar Ahari appeared before the recently established Evin magistrate court to present her final defense before her indictment. The human rights activist rejected the charges related to November 4 and December rallies and told the magistrate court she was at her workplace on both days.

Shiva Nazar Ahari was first arrested on June 14, 2009 shortly after the election. She was released in September 2009, on $200,000 bail before being arrested again more than 120 days ago.

Nearly one year since the start of her ordeal, Nazar Ahari’s legal proceedings have yet to be completed. Since June 2009, the rights activist has been detained for a total of 220 days, including 100 days in solitary confinement.

Navid Khanjani and Koohyar Gudarzi are two other CHRR members, who are currently detained.

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Source: Reporters and Human Rights Activists of Iran (RAHANA)
April 15, 2010

Mottahareh Bahrami, who was at first held in ward 209 with Baha’i and media detainees, is currently detained in Evin’s women’s ward.

Bahrami was arrested on Ashura (December 27, 2009), along with her husband, her son and 2 friends. She has been sentenced to death for alleged links to the MKO. The case is currently undergoing the appeal process.

Mohsen and Mehdi Daneshvar are Mottahareh’s husband and her son who were arrested with her, along with a friend of the family called Rayhaneh Haj Ebrahim.

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Also from Persian2English

Jaras - Motahareh Bahrami was arrested during the Ashura protests on December 27, 2009. She has now been sentenced to death. Bahrami was detained in ward 209 of Evin prison for a period of time with Baha’i prisoners and then with journalists. She is currently detained in the female’s ward of Evin prison.

Motahareh Bahrami was arrested along with her husband Mohsen Daneshvar, her son Mehdi Daneshvar, and a friend Reyhaneh Haj Ebrahimi. Bahrami was accused of connections with the Mujahedin Khalgh Organization (MKO) and was sentenced to death. Her case is going through the appeals court.

Translation by Negs Ir

Ähnlichen Artikel zum Thema in deutscher Übersetzung auf Julias Blog lesen

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Source: Reporters and Human Rights Activists of Iran (RAHANA)
April 12, 2010

Mitra Aali completed her BA at Amir Kabir University in Tehran. During the time she was at Amir Kabir, Aali was a student activist and the editor-in-chief of the Simorgh magazine, which was published by the university’s Islamic Student Association. Upon completing her BA, Aali was admitted in a master’s program at Sharif University after ranking 7th in the entry exam. She was allowed to enrol only after she agreed to refrain from political activities.

During the course of her studies Aali was summoned once by Sharif University’s disciplinary committee. On another occasion, she was interrogated by intelligence agents in the basement of the university’s security office.

During the disputed presidential election in 2009, Aali worked for the Karroubi campaign. On June 14, 2009, two days after the election, she was arrested when her house was raided by agents from the Intelligence Ministry. She was released a day later after being interrogated at the investigations office of the Intelligence Ministry. On December 7, 2009, following a Student Day gathering on the university campus, agents attempted unsuccessfully to arrest the student activist, who was not at home at the time of their raid. Two months later, on February 10, 2010, Aali was arrested again at her home by plainclothes agents, who also seized her personal belongings. She was released 5 days later to a third party custodian.

A few days before Nowrooz, and as she was preparing her thesis, Aali was contacted by her interrogators, who asked her to report to the investigations office to retrieve her seized belongings. She was arrested upon appearance and taken to the notorious Ward 209.

Since that day, Aali has only called her family once and with her interrogator present. During the brief phone call, she was not able to talk about her charges or her condition. According to prisoners who have recently been releaseded from Ward 209, the student activist is still being held in solitary confinement and is under heavy pressure by the interrogators. Her family’s repeated visits to the Revolutionary Court have been to no avail, and judicial authorities refuse to provide an explanation for her ongoing detention.

Meanwhile, despite a written order by the case magistrate, the interrogators have instructed Evin officials to prevent the family from visiting with their daughter. The cancellation of prison visits and her ongoing detention has led to fears that she is being mistreated by her interrogators.