HRANA News Agency – Iranian blogger Hossein Ronaghi Maleki is again in grave danger in prison because of his kidney disease and authorities refused to allow him medical leave.
According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Hossein Ronaghi Maleki was arrested during the 2009 elections protests for publishing his critique of the government on his blog. He was reportedly held in solitary confinement for more than 300 days. He has been sentenced to 15 years in jail and was on medical furlough on bail when he was arrested in the aid camp in Eastern Azerbaijan.
He was beaten when he was arrested by security forces and caused his kidney disease get worst. Ronaghi was held in Tabriz prison, where there was inner bleeding in his kidney with no medical help. He was transferred to Evin prison in Tehran, but his request for medical leave was denied by authorities while being in grave danger if does not receive all necessary medical attention.
Ronaghi Maleki has written to the head of Iran’s judiciary to call for action against the security officers that “assaulted” the arrested relief workers at their camp and the judges who gave “unfair and inappropriate” verdicts in their cases.
Category: News
Statement by the spokesperson of the High Representative, Catherine Ashton, on reports of the imminent execution of Iranian prisoner Gholamreza Khosravi Savadjani
HRANA News Agency – The spokesperson of Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission, issued the following statement today:
“The High Representative is deeply concerned about reports that the execution of Iranian prisoner Gholamreza Khosravi Savadjani may be imminent. She appeals for clemency and urges that the sentence be commuted. His death sentence contravenes Iran’s international obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The EU holds a strong and principled position against the death penalty. The High Representative restates her call on Iran to halt all pending executions and to introduce a moratorium on the death penalty.”
Baha’i Student Farnod Jahangiri Expelled from Babolsar University
HRANA News Agency – Baha’i student Farnod Jahangiri was expelled from Babolsar University in Mazandaran Province on October 12, 2011.
According to a report by Population of Combat against Education Discrimination (PCED), Farnod Jahangiri is a resident of Hamadan and was studying English Language and Literature at Babolsar University.
During the last few months, a number of Baha’i students have been expelled from universities in Iran.Ruhollah Tashakor, Alborz Norani, Ava Tavakol, Mona Momeni, Arkideh Aghaie, Hananeh Kanaanie, Homan Rahmanian and Malika Vazirzadeh are amongst those students.
Furthermore, Iranian authorities have blocked the entrance of many Baha’i students into universities during the process when students choose their majors and receive the admission papers.Similar to past years, Baha’i students are told that their application files lack all the necessary documents.This excuse is particularly used in order to deny admission to Baha’i graduate students and political and social activists seeking to enter graduate schools.
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82-Year Old Iraqi Attorney Hassan Tafah in Critical Condition
HRANA News Agency – Hassan Abdul-Hassan Tafah’s physical health has deteriorated further, and he is in critical condition.Hassan Tafah is an 82-year old lawyer and human rights activist of Iraqi descent convicted of spying and locked up in Ward 4, Hall 12 in Rajai-Shahr Prison.
According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), in 2008, Hassan Tafah was sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Revolutionary Court on charges of spying.He suffers from a number of medical problems including anemia, low blood pressure, kidney and prostate diseases.Furthermore, he has recently been diagnosed with blood cancer.
Iranian judiciary officials have taken no major steps towards providing medical care for Hassan Tafah and have made every effort to block his access to health care.
Hassan Tafah is originally from the southern Iraqi city of Basra, an attorney and a former member of Communist Party of Iraq before seeking refuge in Iran.He was arrested in 2007 during negotiations and talks with Iranian intelligence and security officials and charged with spying.The Revolutionary Court then found him guilty, sentenced him to 15 years in prison and fined him approximately $180,000.
Copyright © 2009-2011 All Rights Reserved
31 Women Drivers Forced out of United Bus Company of Tehran
HRANA News Agency – Farahnaz Shiri together with 30 other women bus drivers have been forced out of the United Bus Company of Tehran (UBCT) while none of them knows the reason for the mandatory buyback of their employment service.Farahnaz Shiri was the first driver of Bus Rapid Transit System (BRT) in Tehran serving the route between Azadi Square to East Depot.She is also the recipient of Appreciation Award for Transportation Day in Iran.
In an interview with Shargh News, Farahnaz Shiri said, “When Mr. Bijani was the director of UBCT, I joined the company with his support and encouragement in September 11, 2007. I continued to work at UBCT until March 11, 2010.By then, my contract had ended for six months, but no one paid any attention to my requests to renew it.”
Farahnaz Shiri added, “Finally, UBCT decided to offer me a new contract although according to Labor Laws, the old contract had to be renewed.Five other women bus drivers had become permanent employees before me, but I was left in a state of limbo.Although I followed up vigorously and wrote lots of letters, UBCT refused to offer me permanent employment.This situation continued until April 30th when I was fired.”
Following her dismissal, Farahnaz Shiri took legal actions and returned to work when a judge ordered her reinstatement.Nevertheless, one day in June 2011, when Farahnaz Shiri together with 30 other women bus drivers serving the route between Azadi Square to East Depot went to work, there were no buses for them to drive, and their health insurance payments had lapsed.
Needing medical care for her illness, Farahnaz Shiri told Shargh News, “I don’t have proof of insurance and can’t afford paying the medical bills myself.One day when I went to pick up my bus, my schedule was blocked.Thirty other women also lost their jobs at the same time.The majority of these women are breadwinners and must provide for their families.Before our contracts expired, UBCT forced a mandatory buyback on us.”
Copyright © 2009-2011 All Rights Reserved
People Protest Against Police and Judiciary in Khomeynishahr
HRANA News Agency – Residents of Khomeynishahr in Esfahan Province gathered in front of the courthouse to protest against the police and the judiciary officials who have failed to investigate several rapes that occurred during a celebration in a garden near the city.
According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), eyewitnesses have said that a number of men equipped with non firearm weapons attacked a family gathering, kidnapped the male guests and raped the women before fleeing the premises.It has been reported that a pregnant woman was raped during this incident.
While this crime was occurring, one of the victims attempted to contact the police by placing an emergency call, but this plea for help was ignored.Afterwards, when the public heard the victims’ stories, the citizens of Khomeynishahr became outraged and gathered in front of the courthouse in protest.
During this rally, Khomeynishahr’s Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor assured the protestors that his office will find the perpetrators of this crime and will punish them to the full extent of the law.He further added, “Twelve suspects have been identified, and four of them have been arrested.The rest are being hunted down by the police.”
Although one week has passed since this crime took place, state media and news agencies have not reported the incident and prevented the news from being disseminated.Additionally, there have been contradicting accounts of police intervention which has sparked the most recent protest.
Catastrophic Situation of Working Street Children
HRANA- Investigative research done at Beheshti University on Iran’s street children shows that these children suffer from a multitude of physical and mental health problems.These children often have very poor reading and writing skills, communication skills, and are underdeveloped emotionally.
Continue reading “Catastrophic Situation of Working Street Children”
Disabled Student Dies in Fire at War Exhibition in Mahshahr
HRANA – A disabled student died on Tuesday in a fire at an exhibition organized by the Student Basij at the Mahshahr campus of Azad University in commemoration of the “Liberation of Khorramshahr”.
According to information received by HRANA, the fire broke out when an electrical cable caught on fire inside the exhibition tent. Reports indicate that the fire was caused by the organizer’s failure to comply with basic safety standards; a single outlet strip of inappropriate electrical capacity was used to power multiple cooling devices and flammable materials were used for the exhibition tent. As a result, once the fire started, it spread uncontrollably and the surging flames engulfed the area at frightening speed.
Most students and individuals at the scene were able to escape but some students, like “Gholam Reza Ghanbari”, were not so lucky and lost their lives. Mr. Ghanbari, who was disabled and in a wheelchair, was unable to escape and burned in front of the helpless and traumatized survivors. Other individuals suffered from minor injuries.
Upon seeing this devastating scene, students began to protest vehemently but were severely dealt with by university security forces.
University officials have closed the university until further notice in order to control the student protests in response to this tragic event.
Four prisoners hanged across Iran, one of them publicly
HRANA News Agency– Three prisoners convicted of drug trafficking, have been hanged on Tuesday Morning in Choubin prison.
According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Qazvin court reported tht F. KH. on charge of smuggling 500 grams Shishe and 995 grams Marijuana got arrested by police and after the judicial process sentenced to death.
Also The other two names released in the report as A. N. and A. H.
Another prisoner, Reza Shahmoradi, hanged in Khorram Darreh on charge of killing a police on Wednesday morning in public.
He is sentenced to death in accusation of sergeant Behzad Jafaris’ murder during his work hour.
According to the statics department of human rights activists in Iran during 2012 the enforcement of executions 9% increased
Mohammad Ali Amoori, prisoner who sentenced to death, deprived to meet his lawyer
HRANA News Agency– Karoun prison officials on Monday, January 14th, refused Mohammad Ali Amoori’s meeting with his lawyer.
According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), while Dr. Ehsan Mo’azedi was going to meet his client Mohammad Ali Amoori, the prison officials prevented the meeting.
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