HRANA News Agency – Following reports that Iran’s Supreme Leader has pardoned 130 prisoners charged with security crimes, the Tehran Prosecutor’s office announced that so far about 90 prisoners have been released.
It is customary for Iran’s Supreme Leader to grant some pardons on the occasion of Eid of Fetre, at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.
Continue reading “Iran: Prisoners released after annual pardons”
Category: News
Protests Against Gender Segregation in Zanjan University
HRANA News Agency – During the last few days, hundreds of students in Zanjan University have demonstrated against gender segregation imposed in the university cafeteria, buses and the Technical Engineering Library.
According to a report by Daneshjoo News, following recent demonstrations at Amir Kabir University, Kurdistan University, Shahrekord University and Yazd University, protests have broken out in various other colleges throughout Iran.On Tuesday, October 4, 2011, more than 500 students in Zanjan University demonstrated in front of the Mechanical Engineering building and shouted slogans against limitations imposed by the implementation of the gender segregation plan.
During these demonstrations, students voiced their objections to new gender segregation schemes imposed at the university cafeteria which was already divided into two sections separated by a glass wall.Students also protested against segregated university buses and pointed out that such a policy would result in more fuel consumption.Demanding an immediate halt to the implementation of gender segregation plan, students further objected to the limitations imposed at the Technical Engineering Library since last year.
Mr. Faraji, the representative of the Supreme Leader’s Office, appeared amongst the students and said, “It is our religious and moral duty to look into students’ objections.”He added, “It has been three years since government officials have been studying the gender segregation plan and have concluded that this policy benefits all students.”
In return, students asked the following questions from Mr. Faraji who refused to answer any of them:
- Gender segregation requires extra expenses.Why doesn’t the university spend this budget on students?
- Why is money wasted on gender segregation when officials claim that the university doesn’t have any money?
- Why can’t a student study with his spouse at the library?
- How does a purchase made by male and female students at the same counter cause problems or threaten our religion?
- Why aren’t students allowed to study with a smart classmate from the opposite sex?
Mr. Faraji further explained that any changes to the gender segregation plan had to be postponed until the head of Zanjan University returned to the campus.Meanwhile, the implementation of gender segregation plan continues while the Chancellor is absent.
At the end of the demonstrations, students declared their intention to protest again next Sunday at 11:30am if gender segregation measures are not halted by Saturday when the Chancellor returns from his trip.
Copyright © 2009-2011 All Rights Reserved
Workers of Flarc Company on Strike for Unpaid Wages
HRANA News Agency – One hundred workers of Flarc Company in Kamyaran County have gone on strike to demand their unpaid wages for the last five months.Flarc Company is a contractor working on a project to build an irrigation system utilizing rain for farmlands.
According to a report by the Coordinating Committee for the Establishment of Labor Organizations, workers of Flarc Company in the village of Alak, Kurdistan Province, are on strike for their back wages.Flarc Company employs 100 workers and staff who haven’t been paid for five months.The workers have been on strike for more than two days and have blocked the company’s entrance preventing managers to enter the building or various equipment to be transported in an out of the grounds.
Copyright © 2009-2011 All Rights Reserved
Somayeh Tohidlou Flogged in Shackles
HRANA News Agency – The flogging sentence against Somayeh Tohidlou was carried out on Wednesday, September 14, 2011.Somayeh Tohidlou is an activist with ties to Mir Hussein Mousavi’s 2009 presidential campaign.
According to a report by Jaras News, Somayeh Tohidlou is a 33 year old PhD student of sociology in Tehran University.Yesterday, while in shackles, she was flogged in Evin Prison.The Revolutionary Court had sentenced her to one year in prison and 50 lashes on charges of insulting the president [Mahmoud Ahmadinejad].After being released on bail, her sentence was commuted to 50 lashes.
From 1996 to 2001, Somayeh Tohidlou was a member of the Central Council of Islamic Association in Tehran University.Currently, she is a PhD student and a blogger.
Two Thousand Satellite Dishes Confiscated in Tehran
HRANA News Agency – The Commander of Tehran’s Relief Special Unit released the news of a project to collect satellite dishes in the west regions of the capital city and added, “A large number of LNB satellite reception components together with satellite dishes have been discovered and confiscated.”
According to a report by ISNA News Agency, Colonel Ardeshir Motahari announced the implementation of a project to collect various satellite equipment in the west of capital city on Thursday, May 19, 2011, and added, “There were thirteen operation units each consisting of eight agents who operated within the area enclosed by Ferdowsi Blvd., Marzdaran St. and Alborz St.”
Colonel Ardeshir Motahari reported, “In this project, 2,732 satellite dishes, 4,018 LNB satellite reception components, 39 rotating engines and 92 switches were confiscated.”
Political Prisoner Mohammad Sayadi Has Been Expelled from Bou Ali Sina University
HRANA – While serving his two-and-a-half year prison sentence, Mohammad Sayadi, former political chairman of the Student Islamic Society in Hamedan, has been expelled from university.
According to Daneshjoo News, the administration of Bou Ali Sina University has unofficially reported this expulsion, and at present, they are completing the requisite procedural steps.
It should be noted that during the two semesters preceding Mr. Sayadi’s detention, the administration had started to build educational evidence against this student activist by posting low grades on his records and changing his educational status to conditional. Their continued efforts to build a case against Mr. Sayadi have resulted in his expulsion while he is in prison.
Eight prisoners sentenced to death in Kerman
HRANA News Agency– Judicial department in Kerman sentenced eight people to death in accusation of smuggling industrial drugs.
According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), quoted from Khorasan, head of 2nd branch of Kerman revolutionary court said “This group which their main work was distribution of psychotropic drugs such as Shisheh, they brought the drugs from Tehran and were doing chain distribution in Kerman.”
Continue reading “Eight prisoners sentenced to death in Kerman”
No news from a detained Baha’i citizen after 3 months
HRANA News Agency – Ramin Shahriary, Baha’i citizen from Islamshahr has been detained 3 month ago and totally he was able to call his family only once.
According to the reports by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Ramin Shahriary, Baha’i citizen from Islamshahr who was summoned to intelligence office and detained 3 months ago, has contacted his family only once.
Continue reading “No news from a detained Baha’i citizen after 3 months”
Heart surgery Done on Asadollah Hadi, Political Prisoner
HRANA News Agency – Asadollah Hadi, the political prisoner at Ward 350 of Evin Prison has been hospitalized at the heart hospital of Tehran and heart surgery has been done for him.
According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), after a week of waiting and being rejected for his transfer to the hospital, finally he has been transferred to the heart hospital of Tehran and heart surgery is done for him.
Continue reading “Heart surgery Done on Asadollah Hadi, Political Prisoner”
Fear of Imminent Execution: Younes Aghayan Was Transferred to Solitary Confinement
HRANA News Agency – Younes Aghayan, ethnic prisoner sentenced to death was transferred from Mahabad prison to solitary confinement in Urmia prison, yesterday.
According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Younes Aghayan, a follower of the Yari faith (Ahl-e Haq), ethnic prisoner who is sentenced to death, was transferred from Mahabad prison to solitary confinement in Urmia prison. There is fear of his execution.
Continue reading “Fear of Imminent Execution: Younes Aghayan Was Transferred to Solitary Confinement”