March 8, 2010 ZAHRA KAZEMI v. ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
March 8, 2010 International Women’s Day
Montreal - Canada
ESTATE OF ZAHRA KAZEMI v. ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN: HEARING RESUMES ON MARCH 8, 2010
Montreal, February 25, 2010 – This March 8, International Women’s Day, will be held the last day of the hearing of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s motion to put an end to the legal proceedings launched by Stephan Kazemi, Zahra Kazemi’s son, further to her arrest, detention, torture and murder by Iranian authorities in July 2003. The attorneys for Mr. Kazemi, as well as those for the Canadian Centre for International Justice and for Amnistie internationale Canada, Section francophone, will be granted one last chance to explain to the Superior Court that this case must follow its course before a Canadian court, in furtherance of fundamental human rights recognized throughout the world and so that justice may be done.
The hearing will begin at 9:15 a.m., in room 16.04 of the Montreal Courthouse, located at 1 Note-Dame Street East.
For any additional information, please contact:
Stephan Kazemi
Tel: (514) 762-2844
Cel: (514) 559-4197
info@zibakazemi.org
www.zibakazemi.org
IRVING MITCHELL KALICHMAN S.E.N.C.R.L./LLP
Kurt A. Johnson & Mathieu Bouchard
Tel: (514) 935-4460
www.imk.ca
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Bloggers Against the Death Penalty call to save the life of Mohammad Amin Valian
Mohammad Amin Valian, 20, was arrested on January 12, in Damghan after he published an article in a student newspaper at the University of Damghan. He was not allowed visitation nor he was able to have a legal representative. He was taken to the court directly from the solitary confinement of the Revolutionary Guard's prison.
The death penalty is based on a photo of Mohammad Amin, taken on Ashura day. He was given false information and has been under so much mental and physical pressure that he said in his court (quote from ISNA):" When I was in prison, I saw on TV the trial of the reformist leaders"!
Bloggers Against the Death Penalty (BADP), call on the international community to pressure the Iranian government to reverse the unjust penalties given to the students and innocent people, which are aimed to terrorize the Iranian people and prevent them from participating in protests.
We are urging the members of the UN High Commission of the Human Rights to use all their power to save Mohammad Amin's life. We ask that the countries all around the world suspend all relations with the Iranian government until Iran stops the executions. We demand that Iran's dossier of severe abuse of human rights be referred to the UN security council as soon as possible. We call on the bloggers all around the world to raise their voices to save the life of Mohammad Amin and all the political prisoners in Iran.
Bloggers Against the Death Penalty
http://nabeedam.blogspot.com/
cc:
HE Ban Ki Moon
HE Navii Pilay
UN High Comission of Human Rights
EU Comission of Human Rights
Amnesty International
Human Rights Watch
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CHRR Member Navid Khanjani Arrested
3 March 2010
Committee of Human Rights Reporters (CHRR) - Student and civil activist Navid Khanjani was arrested at his home in Isfahan on March 2, 2010.
According to reports, around 11:30pm, six security forces searched his home and confiscated his personal belongings, including his computer. Security forces had brought Navid’s sentence from the Revolutionary Court along with them.
The forces informed Navid that he will be taken to Nikbakht court in Isfahan and transferred to Evin prison tomorrow.
Navid Khanjani is a member of the Committee of Human Rights Reporters and founder of Population of Combat against Educational Discrimination. He is regarded as a significant figure in educational rights awareness.
Additionally, due to his belief in the Baha’i faith, Navid Khanjani was banned from continuing his education.
Currently there are a total of seven CHRR members who are detained. The names of detained CHRR members are: Shiva Nazar Ahari, Koohyar Goodarzi, Navid Khanjani, Saeed Jalalifar, Saeed Kalanaki, Saeed Haeri, and Mehrdad Rahimi.
Source: Committee of Human Rights Reporters
http://chrr.us/spip.php?article8702
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Five Baha’is in Shiraz Sentenced to Ten Months Imprisonment
3 March 2010
Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court in Shiraz sentences Five Baha’is to 10-month imprisonment.
Haleh Houshmandi, Keyvan Karami, Farham (Hadi) Masoumi, Afshin Ahsanian and Vahdat Dana have each been sentenced to 10 months in prison by branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court in Shiraz.
According to Committee of Human Rights Reporters (CHRR), Houshmandi and Masoumi have a prior one year suspended term related to their work in a UNICEF sponsored program for street and poor children in the low-income neighborhoods of Shiraz. The group of 54 Bahai’s who worked as social workers within the program had all been arrested in May of 2006 and subsequently tried for undertaking propaganda activities against the system.
Raisee and Dadfar, the two lawyers representing the defendants plan to appeal the verdicts- which were conveyed to them over the phone- but have to wait to receive official notice of the ruling.
Haleh Houshmandi, Keyvan Karami, Farham (Hadi) Masoumi and Afshin Ahsanian were arrested in the winter of 2009 while Vahdat Dana was arrested April 5, 2009.
Source: Committee of Human Rights Reporters
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Payman Aref Sentenced to 1 Year in Prison and 74 Lashes
3 March 2010
Journalist and student activist, Payman Aref, has been sentenced to 1 year in prison and 74 lashes.
RAHANA – The 26th branch of the Revolutioanry Court issued its judgment for Payman Aref, a journalist and rights activist who was arrested shortly after the June presidential election.
According to RAHANA, Aref was tried on February 23 by judge Pirabassi at the 26th branch of the Revolutionary Court. Aref who was represented by Messers Dadkhah, Oliyayifar and Faghihi during the hearing, was tried on 2 counts of membership in an anti Islamic Republic group and propaganda activities against the system (based on his membership in the National Front of Iran) and one count of insulting the president (based on an open letter he had written to Ahmadinejad on May 26, 2009).
On Tuesday March 2, Aref was brought from Evin prison to court where his verdict was communicated to him. The court acquitted Aref on one count of membership in an anti regime group but found him guilty of two other charges. He has been sentenced to one year in prison for anti-regime propaganda activities and 74 lashes for insulting the president.
Furthermore, because of his prior conviction and his contempt for authorities, the court decided the above mentioned punishments were not sufficient and based on article 19 of the Islamic Penal Law, sentenced Aref to a lifetime ban from journalism and any membership in political parties.
Aref was arrested on June 18, 2009 to serve a 1 ½ year prior prison sentence given to him on 2005 by judge Haddad-who was the head of the 26th branch of the Revolutionary Court at the time-for a speech he gave in 2002 at Tehran University in support of Dr. Aghajari.
Source: http://www.rhairan.org/en/?p=1399
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Omid Montazeri sentenced to six years suspended prison term
1 March 2010
Committee of Human Rights Reporters – In a court hearing for Ashura [protesters], Omid Montazeri was sentenced to a six-year suspended prison term.
Montazeri’s sentence was issued to him early morning Feberuary 27, 2010 by judge Salavati. Omid Montazeri’s lawyer has not been allowed to participate in the court procedures. His lawyer has also not been allowed to view his client’s file. The court procedure [for Montazeri] is completely illegal and against the principles of the constitution.
Montazeri was arrested on December 28, 2009, upon his arrival at the tracking office of the Ministry of Intelligence to obtain information on the arrest of his mother (Mahin Fahimi) and her guests who were all arrested at his family’s residence. It has been two months now that Omid Montazeri has been in detention. Mahin Fahimi was released on bail on February 9, 2010.
Many human rights activists around the world have demanded the release of Montazeri.
Montazeri was completing his last term in Allameh Tabatabai University to obtain a bachelors degree in law. He is also known as a poet and journalist. The articles he wrote about were culture related or editorials. His work has been published in Iranian newspapers such as Farhang Ashti and Khabar.
Omid Montazeri’s father, Hamid Montazeri, was a political prisoner who was executed by the regime in 1988.
Source: Committee of Human Rights Reporters
http://chrr.us/spip.php?article8673
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Ali Kantoori Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison
28 February 2010
CHRR - Student Activist Ali Kantoori Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison. Ali Kantoori’s lawyer was notified of the 15-year prison sentence on February 23, 2010. The student activist and his lawyer have 20 days to file an appeal. During his trial, student activist Ali Kantoori denied all charges, and according to his lawyer, there was no evidence in the file that pointed to his guilt.
Kantoori’s case had been originally assigned to branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran but was sent later to the Sanandaj court.
Ali Kantoori was arrested in December of 2007 near his house in Qazvin and released on $150,000 (USD) bail after spending five months in Evin prison and Ghezel Hesar prison. This is the second prison sentence for the student activist, who had previously received a 32 months for other national security related charges.
In August 2009, Kantoori’s house was raided by six plainclothes agents who seized a number of his personal belongings after searching the house.
Source: Committee of Human Rights Reporters
http://chrr.us/spip.php?article8653
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Protesters continue to be killed in Iran
No Accountability, Only Threats
More than 72 individuals lost their lives in post-election protests in Iran but, nine months after the electoral coup, none of the murderers have been identified and the Islamic Republic officials do not regard themselves to be accountable for the deaths. Rooz has spoken with the families of the killed protesters abou...t their complaints, the responsiveness of officials, and threats and pressures facing them. The families, whose numbers are increasing as the popular protests continue, are under enormous pressure not to investigate the deaths of their loved ones...