A Daily Overview of Human Rights Violations in Iran for December 16, 2018

The following is an overview of human rights violations in Iran on December 16th,2018 based on the information compiled and verified by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).


(1) Negin Ghadamian, a Baha’i prisoner of conscience wrote an open letter about her social deprivation as a Baha’i citizen. She is a teacher at the Baha’i Institute for Higher Education (BIHE) who was arrested on December 16, 2017, at the airport as she and her husband Pouya were about to board a plane bound for Switzerland. Ghadamian was first arrested in 2011 after Intelligence Ministry agents raided the homes of staff and faculty members of the BIHE. In 2013, Ghadamian was summoned to the Revolutionary Court at Evin prison and was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of “acting against national security through membership a the Baha’i deviant sect” and working with the “illegal” BIHE.

(2) More than 11 protests had been held in Iran. National Steel Company workers in Ahvaz continued their protest for the 37th day. Moreover, shareholders of the bankrupt Caspian Institution, Unemployed youth in Pariz, 400 of retired workers of long distance communication in Shiraz, 200 of Borujerd municipality employees and workers, the workers of Farabi Petrochemichal Company n Bandar-e Mahshahr, retired employees of Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences, relinquished parliament member of Isfahan, farmers in Isfahan, Urmia University students, participants of Iranian universities’ entrance exam (Konkour), and hawkers in Sanandaj

(3) A few detained Bahai citizens, Sunni clerics and activists were released on bail. Five Baha’i citizens, Monica Alizadeh, Shabnam Isakhani, Shahriar Khodapanah, Kambiz Misaghi, and Kheirollah Bakhshi, have been released on bail in Tabriz. Another two Baha’i prisoners, Elham Salmanzadeh and Parvan Manavi, were released on bail. Moreover, two Sunni clerics, Molavi Ayyub Ahmadi, and Molavi Hashem Jafarzadeh, were released on bail. Mohammad Reza Ramezanzadeh, a detained teacher, was released on bail. He was arrested at the teacher’s strike in Bojnord. Finally, Asghar Firouzi, a former political activist, was released on bail on December 16, 2018. He was in prison before and after the Islamic Revolution.

(4) Shargh Daily and Cheshmandaz magazine were convicted. They were charged with “publishing articles deemed offensive to Islam”.

(5) Two converted Christians were arrested, beaten, and tortured by intelligence agents in Ahvaz.

(6) A 50 years old prisoner was executed at Mashhad Central Prison. He was accused of murdering his wife because of a family conflict in 2011.

(7) Two Baloch youth were killed while driving, by police. The cause of shooting is still unknown.

(8) Ali Madani, a civil activist, was summoned back to Evin to begin serving his sentence of three and half years’ jail time and 74 lashes.

(9) A detained labor activist, Behnam Ebrahimzadeh’s whereabouts is still unknown.

(10) Mostafa Daneshjou, lawyer of the detained Gonabadi Dervishes, was sentenced to eight years in prison. A Baha’i citizen, Yekta Fahandezh Saadi, was sentenced to 11 years in prison in the Shiraz Revolutionary Court.

(11) An accused individual in the city of Neka received an alternative sentencing to get a membership at a local library and have an active engagement in reading ethical and religious books.

A Daily Overview of Human Rights Violations in Iran for December 11, 2018

The following is an overview of human rights violations in Iran on December 11th, 2018 based on the information compiled and verified by Human Rights Activists NewsAgency a(HRANA).

(1) Esmail Bakhshi Faced New Accusations by the Public Prosecutor’s Office

(2) The Defenders of Human Rights Center Awarded the Human Rights Prize to the Teachers Association of Iran

(3) All Rock Concerts Set to be Performed in the Azadi Tower Were Canceled

(4) Reza Shahabi and Few Other Members of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company Were Arrested; the Self-immolation of a Worker

(5) Arash Keykhosravi Was Released

(6) Mohammad Habibi, An Imprisoned Teacher is Suffering from not Receiving Proper Medical Care

(7) Asghar Firouzi, a Former Political Activist, Was Arrested in Mashhad

(8) Abbas Lesani’s Family are Experiencing Financial Hardship

(9) Meysam Al-e Mehdi Was Arrested On the 32nd Day of the Protest of the Workers of Iran National Steel Industrial Group

(10) Two Azerbaijani Turkic Minority Rights Activists Were arrested in Urmia

(11) Five Workers Were Injured in Their Workplace in Last Two Days in Asaluyeh and Urmia

(12) A Classroom’s Ceiling Collapse at a Ramhormoz School Injured Two Students

(13) 38 Child Marriages in Eslamabad-e Gharb in Eight Months

(14) More from Iran

        

(1) Esmail Bakhshi Faced New Accusations by the Public Prosecutor’s Office

Farzaneh Zilabi, the defender lawyer of Esmail Bakhshi, the detained worker of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Business, said that he has a new accusation and it will be investigated in branch 12 at the Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz. Zilabi added: my other case, Ali Nejati, Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Agro-Business union member who was arrested recently, has new accusations too.

(2) The Defenders of Human Rights Center Awarded the Human Rights Prize to the Teachers Association of Iran

The Defenders of Human Rights Center awarded the “Human Rights Activist” prize to the “Teachers Association of Iran”. The Defenders of Human Rights Center awards a symbolic statue of Cyrus’ Cylinder
every year on Human Rights Day.

(3) All Rock Concerts Set to be Performed in the Azadi Tower Were Canceled.

Farshad Ramezani the lead singer of Degardis group, confirmed the cancelation of all the planned rock concerts in Azadi tower. Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported that Ramezani confirmed the cancelation of his concert and added that Hooman Ajdari, Badzang, and Kanal’s groups concerts were also canceled. He believed this situation is caused by deviant behavior of the other rock groups who had performed earlier in Azadi tower and their fans actions.

(4) Reza Shahabi and Few Other Members of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company Were Arrested; the Self-immolation of a Worker

Reza Shahabi and Hassan Saeedi, members of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company and three other people were arrested. They were arrested on December 10 and  have been transferred to the Evin prison but were released on December 11.  In addition, In the last few days, a worker from this company committed suicide by self-immolation because of financial issues.

(5) Arash Keykhosravi Was Released

Arash Keykhosravi, the attorney at law was released on bail of 300 million Tomans [$25000]on December 11, 2018. Ghasem Sholesadi another lawyer was also released on bail on December 4th. These lawyers were sentenced to six years jail time on December 10 and their lawyers appealed to this verdict.

(6) Mohammad Habibi, An Imprisoned Teacher is Suffering from not Receiving Proper Medical Care

Mohammad Habibi did not receive proper medical care although the doctor diagnosed his kidney disease and requested his transfer to a hospital. Prison officers refused and deprived him from getting medical care.

(7) Asghar Firouzi, a Former Political Activist, Was Arrested in Mashhad

Asghar Firouzi,a political activist who spent his jail time before and after Islamic Revolution, was arrested on December 4th in his library in Mashhad suburbs by security forces and was transferred to an unknown place. The reasons behind his arrest were undisclosed.

(8) Abbas Lesani’s Family are Experiencing Financial Hardship

Abbads Lesani, a former political prisoner and an Azerbaijani Turkic minority rights activist who resides in Ardabil with his family is experiencing financial hardship. Security forces have shut down his son’s business repeatedly and his son-in-law, who was a contractor at Mohammad Bagher University in Tehran was expelled from his work. They have been notified that his contract was canceled.

(9) Meysam Al-e Mehdi Was Arrested On the 32nd Day of the Protest of the Workers of Iran National Steel Industrial Group

On the 32nd day of the protest of the workers of Iran National Steel Industrial Group, Meysam Al-e Mehdi was arrested. Moreover, the protest of the workers of the Iran National Steel Industrial Group is still ongoing and more than 10 workers were summoned and threatened.

(10) Two Azerbaijani Turkic Minority Rights Activists Were arrested in Urmia

On December 10, Reza Jafarzadeh and Akbar Gholizadeh, Azerbaijani Turkic minority rights activists, were arrested and they have been transferred to an unknown place.

(11) Five Workers Were Injured in Their Workplace in Last Two Days in Asaluyeh and Urmia

According to Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA), the gas cylinder explosion in the Ethan production line in Asaluyeh injured four workers. Moreover, a construction worker in Urmia was severely injured in his workplace.

(12) A Classroom’s Ceiling Collapse at a Ramhormoz School Injured Two Students

Omid Hosseinzadeh, the head of Education department of Ramhormoz confirmed that on December 9, 2018 A classroom’s ceiling collapsed at a Ramhormoz school and two students were injured in this incident.

(13) 38 Child Marriages in Eslamabad-e Gharb in Eight Months

The governor of Eslamabad-e Gharb confirmed that there has been more than 1000 marriages registered in the last eight months of the current year. He said that in this city 38 child marriages were submitted. He encouraged families to go to counselling consulting the right age of marriage for their children which would significantly affect their future.

(14) More from Iran

A video was published on social media of a bear cub crying in Shiraz zoo to catch a piece of bread because of hunger attracts attention one more time to the poor animal care in Iran’s zoo.

Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA) reported that Two park rangers were injured in an incident with poachers in Taleqan, a county in Alborz province.

Abdolmajid Bahramzehi, the Baluch political prisoner who was detained for the last seven months, has not made any contact with his family in last 53 days. In their last visit 53 days ago, he confirmed that he had been beaten by intelligence officers. His family are concerned about his situation.