Maryam Rajavi: No to Death Penalty in Iran

Why does the world remain silent when Iranian political prisoners are tormented to death or hanged?

June 18, 2018 - Why does the world remain silent when Iranian political prisoners are tormented to death or hanged?

Why is the world silent when juveniles are executed in Iran?

Why is this barbaric tyranny not pressured to publish at least a complete list of names of those it 

Iran: Slain Dervish Mohammad Raji Buried Under Security Supervision

On March 5, the body of Mohammad Raji, a Gonabadi Dervish who was killed during interrogations in prison, was nightly buried with the presence of his family and under the supervision of intelligence agents in a cemetery in Aligoudarz.

This is while authorities did not keep their promise of releasing his son for the funeral despite his family having paid a 26,700-dollar bail. His son was detained with other Dervishes during the Golestan Haftom protests for the release of a fellow Dervish from prison.

Political Prisoner Sentenced To Five Years Of Prison For “Cooperating With Dissident Groups”

The 1st Branch of the Zahedan Revolutionary Court presided over by Bameri, sentenced Abdullah Qanbarzehi, to five years in prison for “cooperating with dissident groups”. The 25-year-old political prisoner was arrested by the Intelligence Agency in Zahedan and was subjected to interrogation along with torture for one month in solitary confinement in the Zahedan Information Office. The Miracle Bed is a common method of torture for obtaining confessions from prisoners, especially in the Zahedan Intelligence Detention Center. In this type of torture, the prisoner is tied to the bed and is flogged until he stops resisting and makes confessions that can be used against him.

Statement by the U.S. Delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Council, Against Iran Regime's Justice Minister

Geneva

February 27, 2018

The United States is appalled to learn that the government of Iran is sending its Justice Minister, Seyyed Alireza Avaei, to address the UN Human Rights Council. Minister Avaei oversaw the summary executions of Iranians in the late 1980’s. As the recent head of the Tehran judiciary and current Minister of Justice, Avaei oversees systematic arbitrary arrests and detentions of Iranians engaging in peaceful political and civic activism, and imprisons them in a network of facilities notorious for suspicious deaths, the use of torture, and denial of medical care.

Iran: Women political prisoners detained in grim conditions

Iranian women political prisoners Golrokh Iraee and Atena Daemi are held in horrible conditions in a small, dark room in Qarchak Prison while they are denied having telephone contacts or family visits.

This was tweeted by Atena Daemi’s father on Thursday, February 22, 2018. Mr. Hossein Daemi said the lives of these imprisoned women are in danger.

According to Mr. Daemi, his daughter Atena and Golrokh Iraee who is still on hunger strike, are not well.

Since February 1, they have been deprived of having telephone contacts or going for fresh air after dervish women were transferred to the same ward. They are also deprived of shopping at the prison’s store and their conditions resemble solitary confinement. At the same time, they are 

Iran: Two Men Executed In Ahwaz

On Thursday, February 15, the Ahwaz Intelligence Department announced the execution of two young Arab men.  The two have been identified as Seyed Habib Rahmani and Mehdi Hardani. Thirty-year-old Rahmani was married and had three children. His family was threatened by the Intelligence Department that they could not hold a funeral for their son. The Intelligence Agency also confirmed the execution of Mehdi Hardani and announced it to his family. It is not clear why he was arrested or executed.

Iran: At least 70 dervish women protesters taken to Qarchak Prison

Seventy of the women arrested during the dervishes’ gathering in Golestan Haftom Ave. in Tehran have been brutalized and taken to the Quarantine Ward 3 of the notorious Qarchak Prison in Varamin.

A spokesman for the State Security Force acknowledged that at least 300 people were arrested during a raid on the protest gathering of dervishes in Tehran launched on Monday night, February 19 and carrying on until Tuesday morning, February 20, 2018. The actual number of those arrested must be considered higher.

A large number of 

Iran: To remain as a thorn in the eyes of my enemies – Atena Daemi

Woman political prisoner Atena Daemi sent an audio message from the Quarantine ward of Qarchak Prison in Varamin and announced, “I ended my hunger strike today, February 15, 2018, to stay alive and remain as a thorn in the eyes of my enemies.”

In another part of this audio message, she said, “I end my hunger strike so that my pen will continue to target your hearts. And I tell you, ‘Don’t tire yourselves because I will never back down from my positions. I will never apologize for the crime I have not committed, because as a human being I am entitled to freedom of speech, opinion, and protest, and no one should deprive me of my rights. I tell you that every day I will let the world know of the 

THE RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OF THE MEK

by Mahmood Hakamian 

The main political opposition to the Iranian Regime is a group dedicated to bringing freedom and democracy to Iran: The People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).

The MEK differs from the Regime in both their interpretation and implementation of Islam, with the MEK seeing Islam a modern and tolerant religion, which is perfectly attuned to modern society, and believing that this is the only true interpretation of Islam.

In 1982, MEK leader Massoud Rajavi, said: “The Islam we want is nationalistic, democratic, progressive, and not opposed to science or civilization. We believe there is no contradiction between modern science and true Islam, and we believe that in Islam there must be no compulsion or dictatorship.”

Iran: Detained Civil Activist Had Family Visit Under Tight Security Measures

Human rights activist Behnam Mousivand, who was arrested on February 1, was allowed a visit with his mother yesterday in Evin Prison. He was taken to the prison’s yard in a car with tinted windscreens while being accompanied by three guards. Behnam Mousivand was not allowed to talk with his mother in his mother tongue. He has become very thin and told his mother he would have been killed by now if not for reports about him on the Internet. After the visit, he was transferred to an unknown location

What Happened to the MEK During the 1979 Revolution? Part 4

This is the fourth and final piece in a series about the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

When we left off last time, the mullahs had stolen the 1979 Revolution from the MEK and the people of Iran and were instead using it to serve their own interests. Ruhollah Khomeini had returned from exile only to appoint Supreme Leader (essentially, naming himself king) and appoint the clergy to the government against the wishes of the Iranian People.

The MEK had made clear that they were opposed to this, rejected the mullahs’ offer of ill-gotten power, and had launched a campaign to run against the mullahs in the proposed 1980 election. For that, the Supreme Leader ordered his terrorist gangs (Hezbollah) to attack the MEK.

The MEK took a position of non-violence and waited for the election, which would rightly see them elected as members of parliament. The mullahs

Iranian Academic’s Death Puts Spotlight on Political Infighting

• Feud between hardliners, president expands to surprise arena
• Involvement of Western-linked activists fuels showdown

Bloomberg, February 13, 2018 - Iran’s environmental woes have ignited a new front between Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his hardline opponents, with the stakes raised by the death in prison of an Iranian-Canadian environmentalist and several arrests.
An area of activity once considered innocuous in Iran has taken on political overtones, in part because it involves dual nationals and expatriates, disparaged by hardliners as tainted by Western mores. At least four environmentalists have been taken into custody, and Iran’s hardline judiciary said several 

We Should Listen Closely To Iran

Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei (Photo by Supreme Leader Press Office / Handout/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

As the world continues to debate the recent Iranian outburst of protests, its "lack of leadership" as they claim, and the road ahead, there is no doubt in the minds of senior Iranian regime officials over who led, and continues to lead, this latest uprising that continues to rattle the very pillars of the mullahs' rule.

THE IRANIAN MPS ABSURD VISIT TO EVIN PRISON, A SHOW TO DIVERT THE PUBLIC OPINION

By Mahdavi Nasim

On Tuesday, February the first a number of MPs visited Evin prison to investigate the conditions of detainees of recent protests In Iran.

Deputy Chairman of the Judicial Commission of the Parliament, referring to the of MPs’ visit on Tuesday, criticized the presence of a large number of security agents during the visit.

 “The MPs could not talk privately with the prisoners. The huge number of the companions and those who escorted the delegation was surprising because about 50 security staffs were accompanying MPs during the visit, they were a significant number. It was

Iran: Woman, 65, was taken to jail by walker

Maryam Kalangari, 65, was taken to the Central Prison of Arak, in Markazi Province.

Ms. Kalangari had been previously sentenced to five months in jail by the Revolutionary Court of Arak on the charge of “disseminating propaganda against the state.”

On January 13, 2018, agents of the Implementation of the Sentences Office broke into her residence and took her to jail by a walker and despite her illness.

Ms. Kalangari suffers from various illnesses, including heart and lungs complications, arthritis and osteoporosis, and is not able to endure prison conditions.

Her brother and two sons are in jail on similar charges. They are survivors of victims of the massacre of political prisoners in 1988.

Iran: Human Rights Violations Continue

Iran protesters killed under torture

NCRI Staff

NCRI - Iran Human Rights Monitor has compiled a report detailing the human rights situation in Iran for the month of January 2018.

Last month, there was a huge crackdown on protesters. At the end of December, the people of Iran took to the streets because of the poor economic situation that is caused by the regime’s mishandling of the nation’s wealth. The protests quickly turned into anti-government demonstrations. The security forces violently suppressed the protesters and there were at least 50 deaths. The report also indicates that more than 8,000 protesters were arrested.

The report mentioned that teargas and water cannons were used to disperse crowds and unarmed protesters were shot at. Plainclothes agents went from home to home to arrest people and there have been reports of detainees being tortured “to the brink of death”. There have also been accounts of detainees being put into freezer rooms to force confessions out of them.

WHY AREN’T THE PROTESTS FOR JUSTICE AND DEMOCRACY EXTINGUISHING IN IRAN?

By Mahdavi Nasim

Disappointed by the deteriorating economic condition and rampant official corruption, the suppressed Iranian people poured into the streets and demanded radical political changes in Iran. The events led to widespread protests that astounded the world and shook the pillars of the power in the country.

Impotent to respond to the legitimate demands of people, as it was expected, the tyranny regime answered back the protesters with an iron fist by security forces and Basij Para militias affiliated to the IRGC. The crackdown’s toll rose to 50 and about 8000 arrests, more than 20 were tormented to death in the custody in different cities according to the reliable sources inside Iran.

RIGHT TO PEACEFUL PROTEST Iran MP Says There Is No Footage Of Protester Committing Suicide

Despite regime’s claims, member of parliament Alireza Rahimi has revealed there is no footage of Sina Ghanbari committing suicide in Evin prison.

Alireza Rahimi wrote the news on his telegram channel just days after a group of 11 deputies on January 30, visited notorious Evin Prison and ward 209 where detained protesters had been held.

Commenting the tour Head of parliamentary Legal Justice Commission had claimed 11 deputies watched a video in their visit to Evin Prison which showed Ghanbari had committed suicide and deputies had visited the place where it is claimed he committed suicide.

Iran: Political Prisoner’s Complaint Letter Against Five Prison Authorities To UN Human Rights Rapporteur

In a letter to the United Nations human rights rapporteur on January 31, the political prisoner Arash Sadeghi, who is on hunger strike, warned about the situation of Atena Daemi and Golkorki Iraee, while accusing five authorities of the Iranian regime’s Prisons Organization.

Excerpts of Arash Sadeghi’s letter:

Honourable Zeid Raad al-Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Ms. Asma Jahangir, Special Rapporteur on Situation of Human Rights in Iran

As you are aware, more than a year has passed since my wife was arrested, and during this period I have repeatedly written various letters in this regard.

Last year, following 72 days of hunger strike, I terminated my strike after the judiciary’s promise to release my wife and re-examine her case.

Iran: Women’s Ward Inmates Protest Illegal Transfer Of Atena Daemi, Golrokh Iraee

A group of women imprisoned in the Women’s Ward of Evin Prison published an open letter protesting the illegal banishment of Atena Daemi and Golrokh Iraee to the notorious Qarchak Prison.

They expressed concern over the conditions of their fellow inmates and demanded immediate and effective measures.

Azita Rafizadeh, Nassim Bagheri, Maryam Olangi, Zahra Zehtabchi, Nigara Karim Ava, Fatemeh Mohammadi, Elham Farahani, Nargess Mohammadi and Maryam Akbari Monfared are among the signatories of this open letter.

Atena Daemi and Golrokh Iraee have started a wet hunger strike on February 3, 2018, in protest to their illegal transfer to Qarchak Prison and demand to be returned to Evin.

Detainees in the Women’s Ward of Evin wrote in their letter, “Varamin’s Qarchak Prison is a place for detaining women with general crimes. There is no classification or separation of prisoners in this prison. The prison fails all standards for detention of prisoners. No drinking water, poor hygiene and no air ventilation are only a small part of the problems of detainees in this prison.”

The assistant prosecutor of Evin, Haj Moradi, had claimed that Ms. Daemi and Ms. Iraee had been banished due to complaints from prisoners and staff in the Women’s Ward.

The two were

According to NCRI Women’s Committee the two, Atena Daemi and Golrokh Iraee were beaten up and banished to the notorious women’s Qarchak Prison, in Varamin, Tehran Province.

The prisoners of the women’s ward of Evin had resisted interrogation over a fabricated case recently filed against them. They were beaten on Wednesday, January 24, 2018, and transferred out of Evin.

Varamin’s Qarchak Prison is a notorious detention center for ordinary and dangerous women criminals where the living conditions are viciously below the standard. Women political prisoners are transferred to Qarchak for physical and psychological torture.