Fighting Continues in Kurdistan

HRANA News Agency – Since the fighting between PJAK (Partiya Jiyana Azad a Kurdistane) and the Islamic Republic’s military forces began, the degree of violence seen in regions alongside Iran’s western and northwestern borders have been unprecedented in recent years.
According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), on July 13, 2011, the fighting broke out between PJAK and the Islamic Republic’s military forces.Although more than one week has past, the violent confrontation between two sides continues.During this time, a number of fighters on both sides of the conflict have been killed and wounded.
The mountainous regions of Shaho and kosalan have witnessed heavy fighting while the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps has maintained its heavy presence in these regions.
On Tuesday night, July 19, 2011, local residents reported that the two sides fought violently in a region called “hah Vari Sardasht” on a road between Kamyaran and Sarvabad.As a result, several individuals were killed.
Reports from Sardasht and Piran Shahr indicate hospitals and clinics in these two cities face shortage as the number of those injured increases.Meanwhile, several wounded patients were transferred to hospitals in Urmia.
One of the most important causalities of this fighting has been the amount of damage sustained to the environment and civilians’ residences.While evacuation of local residents from border towns have brought about the displacement of dozens of citizens in these areas, shelling of mountainous regions have caused forest fires and irreversible damage to the environment and rural farmland alongside the border.
Furthermore, nightly curfew imposed by the Islamic Republic’s military forces has disrupted lives and caused public discontent.

 

Security Measures for Anniversary of Ghassemlou’s Assassination

HRANA News Agency – On the 22nd anniversary of Dr. Abdual Rahman Ghassemlou’s assassination, a number of cities in western Iran are witnessing increased security measures, and the presence of military forces are felt throughout the region.

Dr. Abdual Rahman Gahassemlou was a political activist and the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party from 1973 to 1989.On July 13, 1989, he was assassinated by perpetrators believed to be agents of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), on the anniversary of Dr. Abdual Rahman Ghassemlou’s assassination, Kurdish citizens in various cities throughout Kurdistan and Western Azerbaijan Provinces are on strike in order to protest against this crime.This observance has become a long standing tradition amongst Kurdish citizens in the past few years.
In recent days, Iranian security and intelligence forces have summoned businessmen, vendors and salesmen to warn them not to close their shops and the bazaar.
As this report is being prepared, the heavy presence of military forces in various cities throughout West Azerbaijan Province has created tense security atmosphere in places such as Bukan, Saqqez, Urmia and Mahabad.
 

Kurdish Political Prisoner Jamal Alizadeh on Hunger Strike

HRANA News Agency – Kurdish political prisoner Jamal Alizadeh has gone on hunger strike in Urmia’s central prison in the West Azerbaijan Province.

According to a report by Mukrian News Agency, Jamal Alizadeh is a resident of Peeran-Shahr who has been behind bars in Urmia Prison for more than five months.On July 9, 2011, Jamal Alizadeh began his hunger strike in order to protest against prison officials’ lack of response to his request.Jamal Alizadeh has asked to be transferred to a prison in the city of Naqadeh.
The Revolutionary Court has sentenced Jamal Alizadeh to fifteen months in prison on charges of cooperating with a Kurdish political party.
 

19 Iranian Arabs Detained In Khuzestan Province

HRANA News Agency –Security forces in Iran’s Khuzestan Province have arrested nineteen Iranians from the Sunni Arab minority, a human rights source reported on Tuesday.
According to the Human Rights Activists news agency, at least nineteen Iranians of Sunni Arab origin have been detained in various cities in the country’s Khuzestan Province.
The group said that it was common practice for the security forces to round up citizens with Sunni Arab backgrounds ahead of Eid al-Fitr, a Muslim holiday that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
In February, Ardeshir Amir-Arjomand, a top advisor to opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, condemned the violent clampdowns in the province.
“The security, territorial integrity, independence and sustainable development of the country can only be realised with the participation of all Iranian citizens irrespective of their gender, language, ethnicity, religion or political leaning, and in accordance with accepted international human rights conventions,” said Amir-Arjomand, who is also the spokesperson for the Coordination Council of the Green Path of Hope, the opposition Green Movement’s leading decision-making body.
“The use of unjustifiable violence in dealing with the legitimate demands of ethnic and religious minorities is in violation of national interests and the [Islamic] Revolution’s fundamental ideals,” he added. “The Coordination Council of the Green Path of Hope condemns the repression, arrest and the illegitimate use of violence against Khuzestani citizens who pursue their demands through peaceful means.”
Rights groups have repeatedly documented the discriminations against ethnic Arabs and the lack of socioeconomic development in the region.

Killing Traveling Salesmen and Vendors in Western Regions of Iran

HRANA News Agency – While the operation to stop illegal transportation of goods and fuel in the western regions of Iran is underway, traveling salesmen and vendors working in border towns in Kurdistan Province and Western Azerbaijan are being killed regularly.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), during the last fifteen days, Iranian security forces have killed seven citizens in these regions, injured seven and arrested a score of other individuals.
Detailed statistics related to the slaughter of traveling salesmen and vendors are as follows:
On June 20, 2011, Iranian security forces suspecting that a group of citizens living in border town in Qolqoqh region have illegal merchandize in their possession, opened fire on them and killed a Kurdish citizen identified by the name “Savarn” and injured another individual.
On the same day, along the Saveh-Tehran road, Iranian Special Forces Unit attempted to pursue a vehicle suspected of carrying illegal merchandize and shot at this car several times.During the chase, Esmail KarimpourHashem Shabaninejad, a citizen from the city of Saqqez in Kurdistan Province, was hit by a bullet and killed.
During the first few days following June 21, 2011, along the Elam-Andimeshk road, Iranian security forces placed a trap to catch a passenger vehicle suspected of carrying illicit merchandize.The driver of this car, Sharif Shafie, is a Kurdish citizen from the city of Kamyaran.Trying to escape, Sharif Shafie stopped his car and ran towards the surrounding grounds.Meanwhile, security forces opened fire at him, causing severe injuries to both of his legs.Sharif Shafie was then transferred to a hospital after being arrested by the police and treated violently.
During the same time, in the border region of Qandiel Mountains near the city of Sardasht, Iranian security forces opened fire on a Kurdish citizen identified by the name “Abdollah” and kill him.The police suspected that this citizen was carrying illegal merchandize.
On Friday night, June 24, 2011, in the region surrounding the village of Golini near the city of Sardasht, a young Kurdish citizen, Malmal Salehiyan, was killed by Iranian security forces.Malmal Salehiyan was a resident of Marah Qan Village.
On Saturday night, June 25, 2011, in the border region of Gillehshin near the city of Ashnoveh, Iranian security forces opened fire at two Kurdish citizens, kill Jamal Fatehi and injure Abrahim Talaqan.
On Tuesday, June 28, 2011, suspecting that a Kurdish citizen was carrying illicit merchandize, Iranian security forces from Belesan Checkpoint near the city of Baneh shot at a victim identified by the name “Sardar” and killed him.Sardar is survived by three children.
On Thursday, June 30, 2011, Iranian security forces raided the village of Abaraz near the city of Salmas in order to arrest a number of citizens.When faced with the residents’ resistance, the police opened fire at the people, severely injured three citizens and arrested a number of others.Esmat Alkhani, Sajad Mamedi and Parvane Auri were injured during this raid.
On Sunday, July 2, 2011, in the border regions of Chadarga near the city of Nosod, Iranian security forces confronted a group of border salesmen and opened fire at them.As a result, a Kurdish citizen identified by the name Vali was injured.This individual is a resident of Razav Village near the city of Sarvabad.
In another border region of Sardasht, another Kurdish citizen identified by the name “Salehi” was killed by the security forces.
Due to the fact that Iranian security forces operating in the border regions aren’t held responsible or prosecuted for opening fire on people, such killings are on the rise.
 

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Three Kurdish Political Prisoners Still on Hunger Strike: Day 24

HRANA News Agency – On Sunday, June 26, 2011, three Kurdish political prisoners entered their 24th day of hunger strike in Rajai-Shahr Prison.However, prison officials refuse to pay any attention to these prisoners’ demands and have failed to take the necessary steps to meet their needs to end this hunger strike.

According to a report by Kaleme News, three Kurdish political prisoner, Anvar Khezri, Kamran Shakhi and Seyed Ebrahim Seyedi, in protest to being locked up amongst ordinary criminals such as rapists, murderers and drug traffickers have been on hunger strike for 24 days.Meanwhile, prison officials remain indifferent towards these Kurdish activists and refuse to transfer them to the political prisoners’ cell block.
Anvar Khezri, Kamran Shakhi and Seyed Ebrahim Seyedi have been illegally transferred from Ward 350 of Evin Prison to Rajai-Shahr Prison in violation of their basic rights.While ordinary prisoners only spend one day in the quarantine ward of Rajai-Shahr Prison in order to determine whether they are addicted to narcotics or not, these three political prisoners spent 50 days in the same ward which lacks basic health and sanitary conditions.After this time, they were transferred to Ward 6 of Rajai-Shahr Prison instead of the political prisoners’ cell block.
Ramzan Ahmadkamal, Davood Abdullahi and Ramzan Saeedi are three other Kurdish political prisoners that are currently locked up amongst inmates convicted of violent crimes and also prisoners with dangerous communicable diseases.According to the principles governing the separation of prisoners based on their crimes, these three individuals must also be kept in the cell block allocated to inmates arrested for political reasons.
Anvar Khezri, Kamran Shakhi and Seyed Ebrahim Seyedi have demanded to be transferred to the political prisoners’ ward in Rajai-Shahr Prison.Otherwise, they will continue their hunger strike indefinitely.
 

Azarbaijani Civic Activist Hossein Mohammadi Alvar Arrested

HRANA – On May 4th, Tabriz intelligent agents arrested Hossein Mohammadi Alvar, a civil rights activist in Azerbaijan and a fan of Tractor Sazi F.C.
According to Savalan Sesi, a few hours after a phone call between this Azeri civil rights activist and the chairman of Tractor Sazi F.C., Tabriz intelligent agents went to Mr. Mohammadi’s father’s house and detained Mr. Mohammadi without an arrest warrant. They also confiscated his computer, books, and personal belongings.
His arrest took place shortly after his phone conversation with the chairman of Tractor Sazi F.C., in which Mr. Mohammadi requested a lawful action about an incident that occurred in a recent soccer game between Tractor Sazi and Sanat Mes Kerman. In that game, 13,000 Persian fans of Sanat Mes Kerman chanted racist slogans against Tractor Sazi team and Azeris, and Mr. Mohammadi demanded Tractor Sazi F.C. to peruse this incident through the Football Federation of Iran.
Furthermore, according to family members of Mr. Mohammadi, he called his home on May 8th and told his family that he has been kept in solitary confinement in Tabriz Intelligence Service.
Before this, Mr. Mohammadi was arrested on April 2nd while attending a gathering in support of Lake Urmia and was release on bail.
 

Prison Sentence for a Teacher in Kurdistan

HRANA News Agency – Mohammad Moniri, a teacher from the city of Saqqez in Kurdistan Province, has been found guilty by Saqqez’s Revolutionary Court and sentenced to serve prison time.

In an interview with Mukrian news Agency, Mohammad Moniri’s attorney confirmed the news of this conviction and said, “The first branch of the Revolutionary Court in Saqqez found my client guilty of cooperating with the opposition groups and propaganda against the regime and sentenced him to five years in prison.The Appeals Court in Kurdistan then reduced this ruling to six months.”
On June 19, 2011, Mohammad Moniri reported to Saqqez Central Prison to begin serving his sentence.Mohammad Moniri was arrested last year but after a while, he was released on bail.
 

Kurdish Cleric Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison

HRANA News Agency – Mamosta Sedigh Hasani has been sentenced to 14 years in prison by the first branch of the Revolutionary Court in Saghez, Kurdistan Province.

In an interview with Mukrian News Agency, Khalil Bahramian, Mamosta Sedigh Hasani’s attorney, reported the news of the verdict and stated, “Mamosta Hasani was arrested a while ago in Saghez and has been sentenced by this city’s Revolutionary Court to 14 years in prison on charges of collaborating with the opposition parties and concealing a weapon.”

Khalil Bahramian added, “As the attorney handling this case, I have objected to the court’s ruling, and the case has been referred to the Kurdistan’s Appeals Court.In the briefing submitted to the appeals court, I have stated that facts of this case together with legal reasoning don’t support the verdict.The truth is that Mamosta Sedigh Hasani was easily deceived by another individual whose party affiliations were not known by my client.This person placed a gun with two rounds of clips in my client’s barn in the village where Mamosta Sedigh Hasani lives.This weapon has neither been fired nor are any bullets missing from either clip.”

At the end, Khalil Bahramian mentioned, “The second reason for the appeal is that my client has no connections or party affiliations with the opposition groups.He is merely a farmer and a cleric.Perhaps the only charge against him could be the concealment of a weapon.For this crime, the punishment is light and doesn’t exceed one year in prison.”

Mamosta Sedigh Hasani is currently being held in Saghez’s central prison.
 

Tense Security Environment in Azerbaijan

HRANA News Agency – On the eve of the fifth anniversary of protests in Azerbaijan Province, a large number of cities in this region are witnessing the presence of security forces in the streets and main squares.

 

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), tense security environment clearly hangs over the cities of Tabriz, Ahar, Marand and Maragheh.  Eyewitnesses have reported the presence of special units and military and security forces throughout the region including town squares, streets and universities.

 

Prior to May 22, 2011 which coincides with the fifth anniversary of protests in Azerbaijan Province, law enforcement and security agents have systematically begun to arrest political and civil activists in Azerbaijan.

 

Last year, eleven activists were arrested during the same time, and each one of them was sentenced to five years in prison.  Two well-known political activists, Alireza Farshi and Sima Didar, were amongst the detainees who are currently serving their prison terms.

 

Additionally, amongst tens of activists who have been arrested and summoned to court are Ibrahim Nuri, Siamak Koshi, Saeid Naimi, Ayoub Shiri, Sima and Mehdi Derakhshan, Akbar Azad, Sima Didar, Alireza Farshi, Hadi Hamidi Shafiq.

 

As the fifth anniversary of protests in Azerbaijan approaches, security forces have attempted to confiscate satellite dishes in some of the cities.  Since this morning, access to Internet has also been interrupted.   Eye witnesses have reported to HRANA that isolated clashes in streets surrounding the University of Tabriz have occurred, and a few citizens have been arrested in the city of Tabriz.

 

Furthermore, according to an eyewitness, heavy presence of law enforcement agents are such that there are four policemen stationed in every 100 meters.  As this report was being prepared, people continue to gather in the streets.

 

Beginning on May 22, 2006, for a period of one week, various cities in Azerbaijan witnessed widespread protests and clashes in response to a newspaper article that had published an insult to Azeri citizens.  Tens of people were arrested or killed during these demonstrations.