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Nasim Soltan Beigi Reported to Evin Prison to Start Serving Her Three Years Prison Term

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Nasim Soltan Beigi Reported to Evin Prison to Start Serving Her Three Years Prison Term

Nasim Soltan Beigi Before Departing For Evin Prison: I have A Dream… A Dream Of Freedom…

Former Allameh Tabatabaei University student activist, Nasim Soltan Beigi reported to Evin on Saturday to start serving her three years prison term.

Nasim Soltan Beigi was sentenced to six years imprisonment by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court. Her sentence included: 3 years on charges of “Anti-national Security Acts”, one year for “Propagating Against The Regime”, & a 2-year suspended term for a case filed against her in 1987.

Upon appeals, her case was sent to the Court of Appeals for review.

Prior to her last arrest, Nasim was arrested in 2007 and later released on a 50 Million Toman bail. Previous to that, she was arrested in 2006 during a women’s rights activists’ protest. This arrest resulted in a two year suspended prison sentence.

Soltan Baigi had worked as an environmental and urban reporter for various newspapers and publications, such as Sabz Press, Shargh and Arman.

Prior to her departure to Evin she wrote on her Facebook page:

“And the earth spun until finally it stopped at the point where Evin is… the bells rang again, the doors were knocked and the summons arrived…it’s time to depart, and the clamor of moments are a relentless call of readiness…these are strange times my darling…times that even the insiders are being imprisoned, much less for us outsiders…

These days even the sky is in a turmoil…and disasters relentlessly occur one after another…and it was during one of these storms that finally the bells also rang for me…the bells that I had been awaiting for sometime now…I must go…I must go for the third time…I don’t know how long those thick walls and doors will be my host and the host of many others like me…but what was in our voices that we must be enchained this way?

Darkness may naively believe that it has the power to enchain Freedom…my crime is believing…believing that in a humane world the wolves are not human…my crime is counting the days till we achieve this realm of humanity…

These days I continuously murmur to myself…I…I have a dream, a dream of Freedom…the dream of a continuous dance of joy…I have a dream…a dream of awakening kind…a dream of soothing this recurring pain…the pain of the world that is being stripped of Love… the pain of a tree that is drying from it’s roots…the pain of women that are sentenced to torments… or the children that must labor… my dreams becoming reality is the cure for my pain.. the cure for these pains is the world that I long for…

This is my dream… a world without hatred…a world without hatred is my dream.. I… I have a dream, a dream of many colors…a dream of a Green world without any war…I have a dream that is not impossible… a world void of stop signs… a world that does not manufacture bombs and missiles…does not drop bombs on sleeping children… a world where prisons don’t exist… and people don’t die for the crime of asking questions…people don’t die…

Source: Nedaye Azadi

US: Hackers in Iran responsible for cyberattacks

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US: Hackers in Iran responsible for cyberattacks

 

By LOLITA C. BALDOR

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. authorities believe that Iranian-based hackers were responsible for cyberattacks that devastated Persian Gulf oil and gas companies, a former U.S. government official said. Just hours later, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the cyberthreat from Iran has grown, and he declared that the Pentagon is prepared to take action if American is threatened by a computer-based assault.

The former official, who is familiar with the investigation, said U.S. authorities believe the cyberattacks were likely supported by the Tehran government and came in retaliation for the latest round of American sanctions against Iran.

Before Panetta’s remarks on Thursday, U.S. officials had said nothing publicly about the Gulf attacks or the investigation. But Panetta described them in a speech to business leaders in New York City, saying they were probably the most destructive cyber assault the private sector has seen to date.

Panetta did not directly link Iran to the Gulf attacks, but he said Tehran has “undertaken a concerted effort to use cyberspace to its advantage.” And, he said the Pentagon has poured billions into beefing up its ability to identify the origin of a cyberattacks, block them and respond when needed.

“Potential aggressors should be aware that the United States has the capacity to locate them and hold them accountable for actions that harm America or its interests,” said Panetta in a speech to the Business Executives for National Security.

A current U.S. official acknowledged Thursday that the Obama administration knows who launched the cyberattacks against the Gulf companies and that it was a state actor.

U.S. agencies have been assisting in the Gulf investigation and concluded that the level of resources needed to conduct the attack showed there was some degree of involvement by a nation state, said the former official. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is classified as secret.

While Panetta chose his words carefully, one cybersecurity expert said the Pentagon chief’s message to Iran in the speech was evident.

“It’s not something where people are throwing down the gauntlet, but I think Panetta comes pretty close to sending a clear warning (to Iran): We know who it was, maybe you want to think twice before you do it again,” said cybersecurity expert James Lewis, who is with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “I think the Iranians will put two and two together and realize he’s sending them a message.”

He said Panetta’s remarks were an important step by the U.S. because the Iranian cyberthreat “is a new dimension in 30 years of intermittent conflict with Iran for which we are ill-prepared. It’s really important to put them on notice.”

The cyberattacks hit the Saudi Arabian state oil company Aramco and Qatari natural gas producer RasGas using a virus, known as Shamoon, which can spread through networked computers and ultimately wipes out files by overwriting them.

Senior defense officials said the information was declassified so that Panetta could make the public remarks. The officials added that the Pentagon is particularly concerned about the growing Iranian cyber capabilities, as well as the often discussed threats from China and Russia. The two officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the cyberthreats publicly.

In his speech, Panetta said the Shamoon virus replaced crucial system files at Aramco with the image of a burning U.S. flag, and also overwrote all data on the machine, rendering more than 30,000 computers useless and forcing them to be replaced. He said the Qatar attack was similar.

Panetta offered no new details on the Pentagon’s growing cyber capabilities or the military rules of engagement the department is developing to guide its use of computer-based attacks when the U.S. is threatened.

He said the department is investing more than $3 billion a year in cybersecurity to beef up its ability to defend against and counter cyberthreats, including investment in U.S. Cyber Command. And the Pentagon is honing its policies so that any actions comply with the law of armed conflict.

“Our mission is to defend the nation. We defend. We deter. And if called upon, we take decisive action to protect our citizens,” he said.

He added, however, that the Defense Department will not monitor American citizen’s personal computers, or provide for the day-to-day security of private or commercial networks.

Panetta used the Persian Gulf attacks in his remarks as a warning to business community that it must embrace stalled legislation that would encourage companies to meet certain cybersecurity standards. And he is endorsing a planned move by President Barack Obama to use his executive powers to put some of those programs, including voluntary standards, in place until Congress acts.

“These attacks mark a significant escalation of the cyber threat,” Panetta said. “And they have renewed concerns about still more destructive scenarios that could unfold.”

U.S. authorities have repeatedly warned that foreign Internet hackers are probing U.S. critical infrastructure networks, including those that control utility plants, transportation systems and financial networks.

“We know of specific instances where intruders have successfully gained access to these control systems,” Panetta told the business group. “We also know that they are seeking to create advanced tools to attack these systems and cause panic and destruction, and even the loss of life.”

Business leaders, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, opposed the legislations, arguing it would expand the federal government’s regulatory authority over companies already struggling in the tough economy. The bill also encourages more information sharing between the government and private companies.

Panetta pressed the group to support the stronger cybersecurity measures, warning that failure to do so could have catastrophic consequences.

“Before September 11, 2001 the warning signs were there. We weren’t organized. We weren’t ready. And we suffered terribly for that lack of attention,” said Panetta. “We cannot let that happen again. This is a pre-9/11 moment.”

‘Iran To Prosecute Detained Christian Converts’

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‘Iran To Prosecute Detained Christian Converts’

Five Christian converts will be tried in southwestern Iran on charges linked to their Christian activities, after spending eight months in prison, an Iranian Christian news agency reported Wednesday, October 10.

Mohabat News said Mojtaba Hosseini, Mohammad-Reza Partoei Kourosh, Vahid Hakkani, Homayoun Shokouhi and his wife Fariba Nazemian face the feared Revolutionary Court in the city of Shiraz on October 17.

They have been charged with “creating illegal groups”, “participating in house church services”, “propagation against the Islamic regime” and “defaming Islamic holy figures through Christian evangelizing, the agency said.

There was no immediate known response from Iranian authorities but Mohabat News, comprised of Christian rights activists and writers, has previously reported on Christian court cases.

The Christians were reportedly detained after security forces raided a house where they gathered for worship.

MORE PROSECUTION

This is not the first time some of them are prosecuted. In May 2008, Mojtaba Hosseini and Homayoun Shokouhi already received a five year suspended sentence with eight other Christian converts because of their faith, Christians said.

With one year still remaining of that sentence, trial observers said their prior case may also be reviewed and impact the upcoming trial, where prosecutors are expected to seek long prison terms.

Since their arrest, all five Christian prisoners were reportedly held separately in wards of Adel-Abad prison in Shiraz with murderers and drug dealers.

Family members are reportedly facing difficulties as well. “Homayoun Shokouhi and his wife, Fariba Nazemian, have two children, a 17 year old son and a 12 year old daughter. Their children are totally alone since their parents’ arrest and are going through many difficulties,” Mohabat News said.

Iranian officials have not accepted please for a temporary release on bail, according to Iranian Christians familiar with the case.

HANDS, FEET TIED

Local Christians said the believers’ hands and feet were chained when they were transferred to pretrial hearings, which critics claim would violate Iranian prison riles for prisoners of conscience.

Iran’s Islamic government has increased its pressure on Iranian Christian converts in recent years amid concerns among officials about spreading Christianity in the country, rights activists say.

Authorities are known to have detained Christians throughout Iran as well as closing churches and preventing Farsi-speaking people from entering congregations.

Iran’s government has defended its policies, saying it defends Islamic values.

Source: Inside of Iran

New warden steps up pressure on prisoners

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New warden steps up pressure on prisoners

Iranian opposition media report that Evin Prison was raided by special guards today, and political prisoners were subjected to body searches.

The Kaleme website reports that on Tuesday, special guards swarmed section 350 of Evin Prison, transferred all prisoners to the yard and searched their bodies as well as their cells, in an unprecedented move.

The report indicates that the prisoners reacted to the operation by giving anti-regime slogans as well as slogans in support of opposition leaders MirHosein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi.

In recent months, several reports from families of prisoners indicate that Evin Prison authorities have been subjecting  political prisoners to mistreatment. The reports have been linked to the arrival of the new prison warden, Ali Ashraf Rashidi, who had been the head of Kermanshah Prison.

Kaleme reports that the new warden is using security personnel to further increase pressure on prisoners with the use of threats.

A group of families of prisoners has issued a statement in protest against the increased pressure on their kin since the transfer of the new warden, demanding that the authorities respect the rights of prisoners according to the constitution.

Source: Radiozamaneh

Another member of Baha’i faith arrested

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Another member of Baha’i faith arrested

Iran Daily Brief: Adiv Shuai, a member of the Baha’i faith from the city of Mashhad, was arrested by Intelligence Ministry agents and transferred to an unknown location.

Iran: beating war drums to escape devastating crisis

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Iran: beating war drums to escape devastating crisis

Iranian military leaders are competing to describe the war that will take place, bypassing the Iranians’ panting of a currency that is swiftly collapsing, and the skyrocketing commodities’ prices that became beyond their reach. While the middle class can no longer afford the price of meat, the poor are now dreaming about a glass of milk. As for the “Revolutionary Guard” (IRGC) commanders, they – remarkably all enjoying good health as well as the leaders of the regime’s army – are talking about the “inevitable” war against Israel.

There are two scenarios that would instigate this war according to them: In the first one, Israel would attack Iran and its nuclear facilities; and in the second, Israel and other international forces would attack Syria. They emphasized that if hostilities break out with the current regime in Syria, the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will take part in the war to support the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Last year, the International Monetary Fund estimated Iran’s foreign-currency reserves at $80 billion, but the market turmoil in Iran is likely a sign that the regime has spent that down and the reserves have dropped by 50 percent or more. According to Gary Hufbauer, a trade expert at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, the collapsing exchange rate and shortages could be countered by using some of the hard currency. He added that the government in Iran does not want to let go its reserve money, which means that it does not want to let go what is left on hand.

Two weeks ago, on Wednesday, demonstrations in Tehran erupted, but the Iranian leadership was preparing itself months ago for such events. It established new “Basij” troops for cities and villages and these troops are waiting for the zero hour. This is why the military commanders have started to “describe” their preparations for war. The preparations were confirmed by the statement of Commander-in-chief of the Jerusalem Brigade in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Mohammad Ali Jaafari, about the presence of the guards in both Lebanon and Syria. In his interview with the weekly “Dey,” Cleric Ali Shirazi, representative of Iran’s Jerusalem Force for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and responsible for missions outside the country, implicitly confirmed the presence of the Guards in Syria and Lebanon and said that “if a war does break out, it will not be a long one and the result will be to the benefit of the Islamic nation” adding “[w]hen the commanders (of the revolutionary Guards) make such statements, it is because they know that Israel will eventually make a stupid move.”

As for Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi Mesbah Yazdi, he confirmed the presence of “Revolutionary Guards” in Syria and Lebanon through implicit statements last week saying: “At this stage, we do not see the need to intervene in Syria’s issues as we are actually doing in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. The Syrian army is in good condition today and we do not see the need for an extensive military presence to decide to send troops to provide open support for Bashar al-Assad. Our moral and consultative support is enough for the moment.”

Ramadan Sharif, the spokesman for the “Revolutionary Guards” toned down the remarks of his commanders saying that “the Islamic republic of Iran has military attaches in other countries in the framework of international principles and norms.” He added, “currently about 15 countries including Lebanon and Syria, have military attaches from the “Revolutionary Guards” while a number of other countries had military attaches from the regular armed forces.”

But criticizing these “wars’ remarks” and revealing the presence of “Revolutionary Guards” outside Iran did not instigate reactions from outside Iran only. Mohammad Reza Tabash, a member of the Shura Council, said that such remarks can damage the “country’s national interest and would harm the people of Iran.” He added: “Lebanon refuted these remarks which would certainly exacerbate the economic disarray inside the country, and speed up the transfer of human and material assets from the country.”

In his statement about the preparation for the war with Israel that is “inevitable”, Major General Mohammed al-Jafari said “We should be prepared for this war which will be – characteristically – different from the eight-year war with Iraq. We must benefit from our gained experience from the (divine defense), in reference to the war with Iraq (an expression that calls to mind the “divine victory” expression used by the Secretary General of Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hassan Nasrallah).

Iranian leaders insist on talking about the inevitability of war because they believe that this will lead to a third world war. This is what they think, but several close and former friends of the Supreme Leader implicitly warned him against the war with Israel or the United States.

For instance, Hossein Alaei, the first commander of the IRGC naval forces, wrote about the lessons learned from the Iraqi-Iranian war and its results, and about the fate of Saddam Hussein and his sons. He said: “When we look at the results of that war, we see that Saddam Hussein did not just fail to achieve its goals, but he also lost his life, as well as his two children while promoting for the war. The dictatorial and aggressive nature of Saddam made him spend all his political life waging wars against Iran, Kuwait and the United States. In the end he lost his regime, ended the political life of the (Baath Party) and stopped Iraq’s development. He also led hostile forces to flow to the Gulf and allowed the US policies to get involved in the Gulf regional matters.”

As soon as Alaei published his article, the supporters of the supreme leader revolted against him and the Basij gathered in front of his house.

Another person who has counseled Ayatollah Khamenei to be careful about the country slipping into a state of war is Dr. Ahmad Sadr Haj Sayyed Javadi, the Minister of justice of the post-revolution government of Mehdi Bazargan.

Sayyed Javadi was an attorney during the Shah’s reign and one of his clients was no other than Ali Khamenei, the current supreme leader of Iran. In a letter addressed to Khamenei about the wrong foreign policies of the country and to Iran’s international position that he wrote in the summer of 2011, Javadi said “drawing a graph on the activities and goals of Mr. Ahmadinejad and his allies and supporters in the domestic and international sphere, and also noting the volume of wealth and financial benefits that have directly gone into his pockets through the sale of oil and uncontrolled imports into the country… we can see that his real objectives go beyond the stated goals of launching a peaceful nuclear program and the provision of electricity for people. They are in fact in the direction of creating an international terrorist movement similar to al-Qaeda, but of course with a Shiite ideology. If this movement is not stopped in time, there are fears that the people of the world will witness in the not too distant future a repeat of the threats and atrocities of a world war.”

Among the criticizing letters, a commander of the IRGC also had written an anonymous letter to Khamenei warning him about the possibility of a “NATO” and an American strike at Iran. He said: “Do you believe that American or NATO’s warplanes are run by impotents?! Who do you trust in the IRGC when you make such threats?! What about the military?! All the generals in the army have turned into cab-drivers who spend their evenings and nights driving a “Peykan” car to escape starvation. Do you trust the IRGC? There is nothing there. Those who are supposed to plan and manage the war are busy exchanging shares at the stock market, or are in the business of buying and selling underwear and cosmetics.” The body of the IRGC has realized that they will not be fooled.

Mohammad Nourizad who used to be a close friend but turned into a regular critic of Ayatollah Khamenei, has talked with “Rooz” website about the reasons for the possibility of war. He said: “We are concerned that as a way to get out of its current crisis, the rulers of the country may resort to war and the military option. When the country is in the hands of such a group, opponents are imprisoned and thieves are put in places of power, war therefore becomes the best course of action.”

Will there be a war? Is stirring the Syrian- Turkish front part of the Iranian scenario that Iranian leaders aspire? The West is still waiting for Iran’s response to the proposal about the uranium enrichment. Will the leaders of the “Revolutionary Guards” think about saving their money and wealth, or will they decide to get on the sinking Syrian ship estimating that “third world war” is inevitable? Will the Iranian people accept to be taken to a collective suicide? What is happening to the Syrian people is a lesson and the peoples of the region should avoid it!

Source: Inside of Iran

Downed drone has Iranian origin

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Downed drone has Iranian origin

Lebanese leader Hassan Nasrullah has announced that the unmanned aerial vehicle recently downed by Israel was built in Iran and assembled in Lebanon.

The leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah said on Thursday, in a speech aired on Al-Menar television network, that the UAV flew hundreds of kilometres over the Mediterranean and entered Israel from the south and continued its flight over “sensitive bases” before being downed.

He announced that the UAV was downed by Israel near Dimona, which is one of Israel’s nuclear bases.

Nasrullah stressed that this is not the first time they had carried out the intelligence operation and it would not be last time.

Last Saturday, Israel announced that it had shot down a UAV that had entered Israeli airspace from the Mediterranean Sea.

Hassan Nasrullah said that after the 33-day war between Israel and Hezbollah, Israeli aricrafts entered Lebanese airspace on several occasions, and Hezbollah has the right to carry out reconnaissance flights over Israel.

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stressed that Israel will protect its borders, and Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak has said that Israel will carry out retaliatory acts in response to the UAV invasion of Israeli airspace.

Source: Radiozamaneh

New phase in construction of Iranian destroyer to be unveiled soon

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New phase in construction of Iranian destroyer to be unveiled soon

At the ceremony marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of the Iranian Military Command College and Headquarters, Iranian naval commander, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, announced that in two months, on Navy Day, the public would be introduced to the new phase in the construction of the Iranian destroyer Sahand. Sayyari emphasized, “The navy is ready to be present in the Atlantic, Pacific, southern Indian oceans and in the Antarctic. International waters belong to the world, and we will always maintain a presence in international waters to secure our interests.”

Source: Iran Daily Brief

Arrested after interview on BBC and VOA on expected execution of brother

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Arrested after interview on BBC and VOA on expected execution of brother

Plain clothes police arrested Majid Zadeki, younger brother of death row prisoner, Saeed Zadeki, after conducting an interview with the BBC and Voice of America. Zadeki was arrested last night at midnight. Saeed Zadeki was sentenced to death on drug-related charges, and he is one of the 10 death row prisoners who were sent to solitary confinement ahead of their execution. His family insists he is innocent and conducted interviews with the foreign media.

Source: Iran Daily Brief

New UN Report on Iran: Systematic Violations of Human Rights and a Culture of Impunity

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New UN Report on Iran: Systematic Violations of Human Rights and a Culture of Impunity

UN Special Rapporteur Calls for Immediate Release of All Political Prisoners and Prisoners of Conscience, and a Moratorium on Executions.

(October 11, 2012) Cataloguing “a wide range of human rights violations,” UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran Ahmed Shaheed released his third report today. The Iranian government has thus far failed to cooperate with the mandate of the Special Rapporteur and to address the issues raised in his two earlier reports.

The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran welcomed this latest UN report and called on the Iranian government to seriously engage with the Special Rapporteur and allow him immediate access to the country. The Campaign also called on related UN mechanisms, including Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, and member states of the UN General Assembly, to take further steps to address the dire situation of human rights in Iran.

The report was published today in New York for distribution to the UN General Assembly. Shaheed is scheduled to present its contents at the Third Committee of the General Assembly on October 24, 2012, at which time the Iranian delegation will have an opportunity to respond.

In the Conclusions and recommendations section of the report, the Special Rapporteur states that he has so far “catalogued a wide range of human rights violations” and “asserts that these violations are products of legal incongruities, insufficient adherence to the rule of law, and the existence of widespread impunity.”

The Special Rapporteur also concludes, “The submissions and interviews considered for this report provide a deeply troubling picture of the overall human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran, including many concerns which are systemic in nature.”

Continuing with his conclusions, the Special Rapporteur refers to the importance of perpetuating “a culture of tolerance” and asks the Iranian government to prevent discrimination against women and girls, as well as ethnic and religious minorities. He specifically asks the Iranian government to comply with international standards for the minimum age of marriage for girls.

In his latest report, Ahmed Shaheed renews his request for an extensive, impartial, and independent review of Iran’s 2009 post-election violence and calls for the immediate release of all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience. The Special Rapporteur also urges a moratorium on all capital punishment, especially that of juveniles, pending demonstration of fair trial standards.

Before the 23-page report was finalized, a copy of it was submitted to Iranian authorities for their response, according to UN protocol. Unlike the two previous reports, where instead of responding to the report Iranian authorities questioned the Special Rapporteur’s mandate and his character, they did respond to this most recent report in the allotted time. However, Iranian officials did not address the specific instances of violations of human rights, attempting instead to discredit the resources used to prepare the reports, as well as statements made by human rights defenders, international organizations, and victims of human rights violations.

According to the report, Iranian authorities have referred to the report’s conclusions as “based on unfounded claims.” Iranian authorities stated that the Iranian Constitution guarantees the rights of all Iranians regardless of their gender, religion, ethnicity, and race. They further claimed that the instances documenting a lack of due process are “fabricated,” as, according to the Iranian officials’ interpretation, Iranian laws prohibit prisoner abuse and use of forced confessions, and facilitate access to legal consultation.

The Special Rapporteur characterized the Iranian government’s failure to review the numerous, specific cases of violations of human rights as indicative of “a culture of impunity.”

In response to the claims raised by Iranian authorities, the report states that Iran does indeed have a legal framework and the required mechanisms for respecting human rights. Shaheed emphasized, however, that the existence of such mechanisms does not discredit the testimonies of the 221 individuals he interviewed between November 2011 and July 2012. He also expressed regret about the Iranian government’s failure to note and review the numerous instances of human rights violations cited in the report.

In the Note by the Secretary-General introducing the report, it is noted the report does not contain all instances of human rights violations, but rather “an overview of the prevailing human rights situation, with a focus on systemic issues that pose obstacles to the ability of the Islamic Republic of Iran to comply with its international obligations.”

The Special Rapporteur reviewed 124 cases of human rights violations between February and July 2012, conducting 99 interviews with relevant individuals inside and outside the country. Seventy-five of these interviews were given by people with first-hand experience of violations, and the remaining twenty-four were provided by reliable sources or eyewitnesses of human rights violations.

The report indicates that the Special Rapporteur reviewed several documents related to the subject of human rights, including Iranian laws pertaining to the issue, national and international reports, content published in the media, and reports by non-governmental organizations and human rights defenders.

The Special Rapporteur’s report is presented in six sections: I. Introduction, II. Methodology, III. Civil and political rights, IV. Economic, social and cultural rights, V. Rights of the child, and VI. Conclusions and recommendations.

Section III, civil and political rights, which comprises the majority of the report, includes a variety of sub-sections: Freedom of expression and the right to information, Freedoms of assembly and association (Human rights defenders), Freedom of religion (Baha’i community, Christian community, Dervish community), and Administrative justice (The revised Islamic Penal Code; Rights of due process; Independence of the legal community; Situation in prisons; Torture, cruel and degrading punishments and executions).

According to the new rules of the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee, UN reports like the Special Rapporteur’s must be around 10,000 words in length. Previously, the Special Rapporteur included details of various cases in report appendices. But according to the new rules, the appendices are now also included within the 10,000-word limitation. In this report, therefore, the Special Rapporteur announces the implementation of a website to present all the information and details used to compile the reports, as well as responses submitted by Iranian authorities. The website will soon be available at: http://www.shaheedoniran.org/english/reported-cases/index.1.html.

The present report places special focus on systematic trends and legal impediments which violate the legitimate rights and liberties of Iranian citizens. Details of specific cases are expected to be placed on the above-mentioned website.

In paragraph 12 of the report, the Special Rapporteur expresses concern that “some elements of the Press Law and more recent legal developments undermine the rights to freedom of expression and to information. Despite legal provisions for public press trials in ‘the presence of a jury’, dozens of journalists have unanimously maintained that their trials were conducted behind closed doors, and that trial deliberations were always undertaken by judges and not juries.”

The report also discusses the issue of “blasphemy,” one of the subjects addressed by the new Islamic Penal Code. According to the report, “Article 263 of this law states that any person that insults the Prophet of Islam or other Great Prophets shall be considered as sabb al-nabi and punished by death.” The Special Rapporteur states that “acts of insult and defamation do not constitute ‘serious crimes’ for which the death penalty may be permissible” according to Iranian laws. “Despite attempts to refine the Code’s blasphemy provisions, the law remains vague on what constitutes an ‘insult,’” the report continues. The Special Rapporteur states that the general reference to “insults” in the Islamic Penal Code without specific manifestations is inconsistent with Iran’s international commitments.

In paragraphs 14 through 17, the Special Rapporteur discusses limitations imposed pertaining to Internet crimes and banning websites under different reasons. The report refers to 19 “netizens,” including four men sentenced to death, Vahid Asghari, Ahmad Reza Hashempour, Mehdi Alizadeh Fakhrabad, and Saeed Malekpour. The report states that witnesses reported all four men were psychologically tortured to deliver forced confessions.

The Special Rapporteur indicates that in his March report (PDF), he highlighted that more than 150 journalists fled Iran after the 2009 presidential election, but that according to recent reports this number could be as high as 400. He also reported in March that Iran “had detained more journalists than any other country in 2011. Of those detained, it is estimated that 50 per cent were kept in solitary confinement at some point during their detention; 42.8 per cent were forced into exile in 2010-2011; and half were serving sentences between 6 months and 19.5 years in prison on charges such as ‘working with hostile governments,’ ‘propaganda against the state,’ and ‘insulting religious sanctities.’”

In paragraph 21 of the report, the Special Rapporteur reflects the growing concern regarding “independent journalists and employees of Radio Farda and the BBC, who allege that their family members are frequently arrested, detained, interrogated and subjected to intimidation for the purpose of placing pressure on them to cease their reporting activities, or to solicit information. During interviews for this report, a BBC employee reported that his/her family member was detained and ordered to contact and encourage him/her to resign from the BBC. In another case, a family member of a BBC employee was reportedly arrested and pressured to contact the employee in London, who was subsequently subjected to an online interrogation.”

The case of Mohammad Shokrayeh, a Qazvin cartoonist who drew a cartoon of a Member of the Parliament and was sentenced to 25 lashes, is noted in paragraph 22 of the report. The prosecution and sentencing of Iranian filmmakers Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof are also mentioned.

The report also covers prosecution of human rights defenders and their sentences of 6 months to 20 years in prison for their activities. Interviewees told Shaheed of their detention and imprisonment and the interrogations of their family members and friends.

The report also extensively discusses freedom of religion, addressing the situation of Baha’i, Christian, and Dervish communities in Iran.

The cases of Arab and Azeri ethnic minorities are also addressed in the report.

In the Conclusion and recommendations of the report, the Special Rapporteur emphasizes that there is a serious need for an explicit definition of vaguely worded crimes such as “acting against national security.” The report calls on the government to “guarantee the space for public criticism or advocacy through peaceful activities.”

Source: Iran Human Rights

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