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March 27, 2010

1388 was a black year for human rights in Iran. The peaceful protests of the people for their civil rights were brutally repressed and scores of citizens were subjected to violent treatment.

1388 was a black year for human rights in Iran. The peaceful protests of the people for their civil rights were brutally repressed and scores of citizens were subjected to violent treatment. Political activists, journalists and others were subjected to retaliatory measures such as court summons, arrests and prison sentences and many had to face heavy jail terms or death sentences.

The Reporters and Human rights Activists of Iran hopes that in the new year the country will not witness such widespread volume of rights violations in Iran and urges the judicial and intelligence authorities to respect the rights of the Iranian people.

Iranian calendar year 1388 ends on March 20, 2010.

Headers 2 to 13 (Numbers: 1 to 12) refer to the Persian calendar months: Farvardin, Ordibehesht, Khordad, Tir, Mordad, Shahrivar, Mehr, Aban, Azar, Day, Bahman and Esfand.

The following are the statistical reports covering various fields.

Press	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Total
Bans	-	2	2	4	2	1	3	3	4	-	3	2	26
Journalists Fired	300	50	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	351
Courts , Summon, Interrogation	5	1	3	2	5	23	5	9	5	1	2	5	66
Sentences Handed	5	1	1	-	1	2	4	6	7	5	8	3	43
Arrest of Journalists & Bloggers	1	5	31	17	7	9	6	4	5	28	24	10	147
Warnings	-	2	5	4	2	2	-	-	18	1	22	7	63

Last year, journalists and media outlets and other communication means were subjected to the highest number of retaliatory measures and their rights were violated repeatedly. Millions of websites and political, social and cultural blogs were filtered. The Iranian regime denied free access to information to its citizens. Bloggers and administrators of websites became under pressure more than ever.

On different junctures, people were denied access to the internet and other means of communication such as cell phones and text messaging. In the black year of human rights in Iran, 147 journalists were arrested and 47 received prison sentences. 63 newspapers received warnings from the Ministry of Guidance or other government authorities.

Students	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Total
Summons, Courts,  Sentences	8	5	3	-	3	118	17	13	70	44	21	12	314
Education ban	10	38	-	-	3	49	85	44	65	203	300	54	851
Arrests	7	4	173	49	8	7	17	82	77	85	39	18	565
Publication Bans	-	3	-	-	-	-	1	1	3	-	-	-	8
Disciplinary Committee	9	18	2	-	96	41	71	20	421	602	465	8	1753
Expulsions	-	-	-	-	-	5	2	9	3	10	-	4	33

In 1388 and especially following the disputed June presidential election and its aftermath, students faced the worst possible treatments. The attack on the Tehran University dormitory was reminiscent of the tragic events on June 1999 of which the main culprits have yet to be identified. The judiciary have shown no determination to investigate the attack and its effect on students who became its victims.

Last year, an unprecedented 314 students were summoned by different judicial and intelligence authorities and were subjected to interrogation or tried by courts. Many were banned from continuing higher education as a result of their religious (Baha’i) or political beliefs.

89 student publications were banned in the course of 1388 and their managing directors were subjected to various punitive measures. 1753 were summoned by university disciplinary committees across the country and handed expulsion or exile orders and warnings. 33 students were expelled for political or religious reasons.

Women	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Total
Summons & Interrogations	18	3	1	4	1	3	1	12	2	1	2	-	48
Trials & Sentences	7	4	2	1	2	2	1	-	3	1	1	1	25
Arrests	14	6	-	2	-		-	2	28	35	2	3	92

Iranian women had to face numerous difficulties in order to stipulate their rights. Women’s rights activists were summoned and interrogated on 48 occasions. 25 trials were held resulting in different rulings and there have been 95 reported cases of arrests

Workers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Total
Layoffs	7990	350	1	40	-	-	6646	110	1310	6574	234	48	23303
Sentences	5	1	2	-	3	2	5	-	-	-	-	1	19
Trials, Summons, Interrogations	91	9	9	1	8	3	6	36	-	2	2	7	174
Arrests	90	95	-	-	-	-	1	1	-	3	-	18	208

Iranian workers faced financial difficulties to make ends meet and in the meantime were subjected to harsh treatments. The May 1^st gathering turned violent and scores of workers were arrested.

In the course of 1388, at least 23303 workers were laid off from work making it hard for them and their families to subsist. Workers were found guilty on 19 occasions by different courts. 174 workers were summoned, interrogated and tried by judicial and intelligence authorities. There have been 208 reported cases of arrests among workers in 1388.

Religious Minorities	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	TOTAL
House Raids Baha’is	-	3	-	3	-	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	8
Summons Baha’is	11	3	4	3	-	-	-	8	-	-	-	-	29
Trials Sentences Baha’is	-	10	-	10	1	5	-	2	3	-	-	2	31
Summons, Interrogations Christians	-	2	5	1	-	-	-		-	-	-	-	8
Trials Sentences Christians	2	-	-	-	2	20	-	-	-	-	-	2	26
Summons Sunnis	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	-	-	-	-	3
Trials, Summons, Sentences Dervish	-	-	-	-	-	-	4	-	1	-	-	23	28
Arrests	3	1	1	-	23	-	3	8	10	37	27	13	126

Contrary to the Islamic Republic’s claims, in 1388 violations of the rights of religious minorities remained widespread. Scores of citizens belonging to religious minorities were denied their rights as citizens. The houses of many became subjects of raids and search by intelligence agents. Scores of students were expelled from universities as a result of their religious faith. The places of worship such as Hosseiniehs (Sunnis) and Khaneghahs (dervishes) were arbitrarily raided by intelligence agents.

In the course of 1388, there were at least 8 reported cases of attacks on Baha’i houses or businesses. Baha’i citizens were summoned by different judicial or intelligence authorities on 29 separate occasions. There have been 26 cases of summons of Christians as well as 28 cases of summons among dervishes.

There have been a total of 126 reported cases of arrests of religious minorities.