Category: Freedom of Expression

Security Agents Raided Yalda Celebrations in Gorgan

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Freedom of Expression
Gorgan

 

HRANA News Agency – Yalda celebrations organized by youth groups and social activists in Gorgan, Golestan Province, was cancelled after police and security agents raided the ceremony.Yalda is the Persian Winter Solstice Celebration observed on the longest night of the year.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), more than one hundred young citizens and social and cultural activists from Golestan Province planned Yalda celebrations which was ultimately cancelled after security agents raided the ceremony.

Prior to the celebrations, all the expenses were paid and preparations were made for a modest ceremony planned to be held in the garden of a restaurant.Guests intended to recite poems, read stories and eat dinner.

One of the organizer of Yalda celebrations in Gorgan told HRANA, “This ceremony was not political in nature at all.It was a small and simple gathering to observe Yalda, a thousand-year-old Iranian tradition.Before the celebrations began, police raided the restaurant and threw all the guests out.Then security agents cut off the electricity and prevented us from carrying out the program.”

Copyright © 2009-2011 All Rights Reserved

 

30 arrested connected to underground studios

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Freedom of Expression
Abbas Ja’fari Dowlatabadi

HRANA News Agency – Iranian state media closed to security sources informed 30 individuals have been arrested for collaboration with “anti-Revolutionary network”.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), quoted from YJC, Tehran’s Prosecutor General said on Tuesday that 30 individuals have been arrested for collaboration with “anti-Revolutionary networks.”

Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi announced today that the 30 individuals have been arrested by Islamic Republic Ministry of Intelligence forces.

He told reporters that the detainees were “working in various parts of the country, were organized, and their arrest has been a heavy blow to the anti-Revolutionary [movement].” He added that some of the networks “collaborated with the Baha’is.”

He did not give details about the identities of these detainees, but an earlier report by state news agency Reporters Club indicated on Monday that following the arrest of the “director of a satellite network”, at least 30 people have been arrested and charged with activity in “underground studios” and “collaboration with satellite networks.”

The report indicated that the individuals “collaborated with foreign satellite networks… enemies of the Iranian people, and were linked to the Baha’i sect.”

Iranian authorities consider foreign satellite programs as a potential threat to national security and have made numerous efforts to block them from Iranian viewers.

Iranian State TV reacts to the HRA’s Free VPN

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Freedom of Expression
America

HRANA News Agency – On the website “Webgardi” (browsing), a part of “20:30 News”, one of the most viewed and watched websites and News broadcasts of Iranian state TV, there was a report about the free VPN of HRA’s Pillar Fourth Committee.

According to a report by HRA’s Pillar Fourth Committee, the report of Webgardi says: “Pillar Fourth Committee, related to HRA, which is financially supported by western sources, has begun free VPN service for internet users in Iran to bypass governmental internet filters.”

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Intensification of security environment in Islamic Azad University of Karaj, Iran/ Photos

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Freedom of Expression
Karaj

HRANA News Agency – The authorities of the Islamic Azad University of Karaj have intensified the security environment by the beginning of the academic year.

 

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Final Ruling for Jafar Panahi & Mohammad Rasoulof

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Freedom of Expression
Jafar Panahi, Mohammad Rasoulof

HRANA News Agency – The Appeals Court of Tehran Province has issued its rulings for Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof who were sentenced to prison terms and bans by the lower court.Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof are two Iranian filmmakers and directors charged with acting against national security and propaganda against the regime.

According to a report by Iran Newspaper, Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof previously appeared in the 26th Branch of the Revolutionary Court with Judge Mir Abbasi presiding over the trial.During the proceedings, a representative of Tehran’s Prosecutor read the charges against the accused and said, “Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof have been convicted of acting against national security through social activities and conspiracy to disturb public peace and safety and the crime of propaganda against the regime.”

Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof intended to make a film titled “Farda” in order to illustrate the current social and cultural conditions in the Islamic society.

The representative of Tehran’s Prosecutor asked the court to punish the two filmmakers based on sections 500 and 610 of the Islamic Penal Code.Following the prosecutor’s statements, Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof presented their written answers to the judge’s questions, and attorneys defended their clients.

At the end, citing all the evidence presented to the court, Judge Mir Abbasi sentenced both defendants to 6 years in prison and banned Jafar Panahi from making or directing any films, writing any movie scripts, conducting any forms of verbal or written interviews with domestic or foreign media and leaving the country for a period of 20 years.According to the court’s ruling, Jafar Panahi is allowed to leave the country for pilgrimage to Mecca or for seeking necessary medical care after posting bail.

Following the defendants’ objections and requests for appeal, their cases were reviewed by the 54th branch of the Appeals Court in Tehran Province.The Appeals Court then issued its final rulings upholding the verdict against Jafar Panahi but reducing Mohammad Rasoulof’s prison sentence to one year.

Copyright © 2009-2011 All Rights Reserved

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Satar Beheshti, Iranian blogger, died in the detainee’s house of Cyber Police

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Freedom of Expression
Satar Beheshti

HRANA News Agency – Iran’s cyber police replied to the family of Satar Beheshti, Iranian blogger: “He died in the detainee’s house”.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), “When Satar’s brother-in-low went to follow his case, authorities told him, tomorrow come to Kahrizak Morgue, to give his body.” one of his relatives told HRANA’s reporter.

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Seven FATA officers detained in connection with Iranian blogger’s death

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Freedom of Expression
Esmaeil Ahmadi-Moqaddam, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, Saeid Shokrian, Sattar beheshti

HRANA News Agency – Seven police officers from Iran’s Cyber Police (FATA) were detained in Iran, with connection to the death of a local blogger, Sattar Beheshti.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), quoted from ISNA, Judiciary Spokesman and Attorney General Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei said that after interrogation, three of the detained officers were released.

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Ahmed Shaheed’s third report: Rights activists beaten, raped/ About 670 people were executed in Iran in 2011, 223 in First Five Months of 2012

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Freedom of Expression
Ahmed Shaheed

HRANA News Agency –  United Nations:  Human rights activists in Iran are subjected to beatings with batons, mock hangings, rape, sleep deprivation, and threats that family members will be raped or killed, about 670 people were executed in Iran in 2011, 223 People in First Five Months of 2012. the UN rights investigator said in a report released on Thursday.

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Search Engines in Iran filter the Word “AIDS”

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Freedom of Expression
Hamid Reza Shaeri

HRANA News Agency – Dr. Hamid Reza Shaeri, the President of AIDS Society in Iran, said, “In order to stop the spread of HIV virus through sexual intercourse, AIDS education must begin in schools and universities and among the young people.”

In an interview with Khabar Online News Agency, Dr. Hamid Reza Shaeri added, “Since 1996, those infected with the HIV virus have increased in Iran.In 2004, this number reached its peak while the infection spread rapidly amongst drug addicts and prisoners.During the last seven years, the disease has been under control.”

Dr. Hamid Reza Shaeri said, “When the young population in Iran can’t even search for the word “AIDS” on the Internet because this word is being filtered, how do we expect them to know anything and have accurate information about this disease?”