Iran: Narges Mohammadi in solitary confinement – pain & suffering far beyond prison

Political prisoner Narges Mohammadi – A human rights advocate in solitary confinement

Narges Mohammadi, political prisoner and human rights advocate in Iran, has recently been sentenced by the mullahs’ so-called judiciary system to another 10 years behind bars. Mohammadi has in a letter to the Pen Association unveiled the extremely critical situation of solitary confinement detentions in Iran under the mullahs’ rule.

Iran: youths released from prison face enormous difficulties

Sho’le Pakravan, the mother of Reyhane Jabbari in Iran

By: Mrs. Sho’le Pakravan

Fereshte Asanlu hosted a gathering of mothers in Iran. We were all worried about a young man recently released of prison and engulfed with heavy debts. For a few days after returning home they see their friends and relatives. Then, real life kicks in. Unemployment, living problems… Let me explain more.

Omid Alishenas, the son of Simin, is a construction engineer. He was sentenced to 10 years behind bars for his activities for labor children! It has been a few months since he has been released from prison under a very heavy bail. However, he remains unemployed.

Months ago when Arash Sadeghi and my dear Golrokh came to my home I asked him what is your job? He said I am unemployed. I said it is obvious there will be no government jobs for you. But what about opening a store to sell goods? He said for such a permit he would have to work for many months to finally earn a profit. I said yes. He also said how do I know how long I will remain out of prison? At any moment they may issue a new verdict and force me to return to prison.

Iran: What did cartoonist say upon release?

“Some people may think that art cannot express protest or it cannot be so important… But I believe, an artist’s responsibility is to challenge and be challenged.

When you are being challenged, the price may be very heavy. It may be prison or many other things… However, we must remember that every artist has a mission,” said Atena Farghdani, the young artist as walked out of jail. 

Ms. Faraghdani spent 18 months in prison for exercising freedom of expression and painting cartoons critical of the government.

Mr. Gérard Deprez, Head of the Friends of a Free Iran at the European Parliament, wrote to EU High representative on Foreign Affairs, Federica Mogherini, before her trip to Iran on April 12, 2016, and asked for Ms. Faraghdani's release.

Iran- Denial of Adequate Medical Treatment to Political Prisoners Unacceptable

GENEVA– A group of United Nations human rights experts today warned that over a dozen political prisoners in Iran , including some prominent human rights defenders, lawyers and political activists, are at risk of death in detention due to their worsening health conditions and the continued refusal by the Iranian authorities to provide them with medical treatment.

Iran: U. dean Dr.mohammad maleki, calls for protests

Former Tehran U. dean Dr.mohammad maleki, calls for protests against ruling dictatorship in Iran. He calls on college students and professors to set aside their fear and break the silence in the face of criminal measures implemented by anti-Islam ruling agents in Iran.

Iran: notorious Ministry of Intelligence orchestrating drug mafia of Gohardasht Prison

Narcotics are a weapon in the hands of the ruling mullahs to implement even further crackdown

It has been years that inmates have from inside Iran’s infamous prisons reported regime elements have turned prisoners into a source of income through selling drugs. Of course, the state-controlled prison management is engaged in this dirty and inhumane business with two different objectives. First, weakening and eliminating any ability and/or will to protest and resist inside Iran’s dungeons; second, providing a hugely profitable source of income for the regime through selling narcotics to the large number of prisoners taken captive by the mullahs’ crackdown apparatus.

Iran: Political prisoners are living under horrifying situation

Seifzadeh described thedenial of medical care and critically needed hospitalization

Mohammad Seifzadeh, the prominent Iranian human rights lawyer who for years defended political prisoners in Iran and railed against the inhumane conditions of their incarceration, was freed on March 10, 2016 after serving his own five-year prison sentence, and spoke at length about the harsh conditions he experienced first-hand as a political prisoner.

Iran: political prisoner Arzhang Davoudi calls on Federica Mogherini

Letter of political prisoner Arzhang Davoudi to EU foreign policy chief before her visit

Her Excellency Madame Federica Mogherini

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs

I am one of the most senior political prisoners in Iran who has always respected and acknowledged the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related covenants, and from day one I have based my political activities on these frameworks. However, I have always faced charges of peacefully struggling for freedom, democracy, rights and justice.

Iran: letters of political prisoners to Italian Prime Minister

Gohardasht Prison in Karaj, west of Tehran

Gohardasht Prison in Karaj, west of Tehran – April 10, 2016

Political prisoners Reza Akbari Monfared and Hassan Sadeghi have written separate letters to Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi describing the crimes taking place inside Iran and asking him to inspect these dungeons during his visit to Iran.

Letter of political prisoner Reza Akbari Monfared to the Italian Prime Minister

Dear Mr. Prime Minister of Italy

I have learned of your scheduled visit to Iran.

Iran MP sheds light on notorious detention center southeast of Tehran

Out side view of Kahrizak detention center

Kazem Jalali, a member of Iran’s so-called parliament, said in a recent interview that youths arrested during the 2009 protests were transferred to the Kahrizak detention center.

This site was where many youths were tortured and raped.

“The mere transfer of people’s children to Kahrizak was wrong and a completely inappropriate decision,” Jalali said.

“At that time we were told there was no room in Evin Prison! However, when we went to Evin Prison at that time we saw in fact that Evin had plenty of room and we referred to this matter in our report. There were many such cases at that time.” (State asriran.com – March 31, 2016)

We wish everyone around the world a happy and joyous Spring

The Spring Equinox marks Norooz, the start of the Persian New Year. The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran takes this opportunity to wish everyone around the world a happy and joyous Spring, and a world free of pain, suffering, abuse, persecution, torture, and execution; a world in which no one is prosecuted and imprisoned for the peaceful exercise of their basic rights to freedom of thought, expression, religion, assembly, and association. Iranian cartoonist Touka Neyestani remembers Iranian political prisoners on the occasion of Norooz on this Year of the Monkey.

https://www.iranhumanrights.org/2016/03/cartoon-143/

Iranian Political Prisoner Goes on Hunger Strike To Protest Denial of Health Care

Prisoner of conscience Hossein Ronaghi Maleki has been on a wet hunger strike since March 26, 2016 to protest being denied medical care for his kidney disease, according to his mother, Zoleikha Mousavi.

“We had a face-to-face meeting with Hossein in Evin Prison on March 27. He told us that he had started a hunger strike and would not stop until they pay attention to his condition,” Mousavi told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. “I’m tired of seeing my son go on hunger strike several times a year to get medical treatment. I want him free.”

https://www.iranhumanrights.org/2016/04/hossein-ronaghi/

A glim of hope from prisons inside Iran before New Years

From a large number of letters and news reports that I have received recently from inside Iran’s prisons on the verge of the Persian New Years, “Norouz”, I have brought three different examples so that we can be in sympathy with their pains and sufferings.

Massoud Arab Choubdar launches hunger strike in solidarity with political prisoners Farid Azmoudeh and Iraj Hatami

Tuesday, 29 March 2016

Massoud Arab Choubdar in a letter to the child of Farid Azmoudeh, currently in prison, saying he has launched a hunger strike in solidarity with Farid Azmoudeh and Iraj Hatami.

Iran – A graveyard in Zahedan for those executed

Zahedan – Prisoners killed under torture are secretly buried in this graveyard

A graveyard in Zahedan in Bloochestan County, south east of Iran, is allocated to bury the executed political prisoners.

This remote graveyard is located about two miles from “Behesht Mohammad” graveyard on the road from Zahedan to Mirjave.

This graveyard holds the bodies of the executed political prisoners, the secretly executed prisoners; prisoners killed under torture and amputated prisoners. 

Iran – Third inmate joins hunger strike in Gohar Dasht prison

Political prisoner Massoud Choobdar

Karaj, north of Tehran- Gohar Dasht Prion – Tuesday March 29^th, Massoud Choobdar political prisoner started his hunger strike in solidarity with two other inmates Farid Azmoudeh and Iraj Hatami already on strike.

How mullahs in Iran destroy human beings from within

Interview with a prison guard involved in executions

When the noose is prepared and doors leading to the prison courtyard are closed, he realizes an execution will be carried out soon. However, he has no idea he is the very person scheduled to carry out today’s execution.

“Rasoul” is a simple private 3^rd class soldier assigned in the units protecting the Prisons Organization in Iran. There was five months left to his duty period and one day his commander calls him over and says, “You have to be the guard carrying out the execution today.”

Iran- Female political prisoner deprived of medical attention

  

Ghadrieh Ghaderi was arrested in 2010 on charges of collaboration with Kurdish political groups. She then went through two months of torture and interrogations, in a solitary confinement, and finally was sentenced to 7 years imprisonment.

Ghadrieh who is now in a prison in Yassoge, south central Iran, is suffering from multiple diseases such as severe headaches and anesthesia. The prison authorities, however, do not allow her transferee to hospital although her family is willing to put a bond of about $25.000 for her return.

Political prisoners ask the UN to investigate Iran’s human rights dossier

Political prisoners at Gohardasht prison

Nine political prisoners of Gohardasht prison, in Karaj, north of the capital Tehran, have written an open letter and expressed their support for Ahmad Shaheed, the UN special Rapporteur’s report on human rights violations in Iran. 

The letter reads in part, “we the political prisoners not only reiterate and support the contents of this report, but also ask the UN to investigate Iran’s human rights dossier independent of the its’ nuclear and state terrorism files.”

Iran - hunger strike in Gohar Dasht Prison

Two political prisoners, Iraj Hatami and Farid Azmoudeh, two political inmates at Gohar Dasht prison have been on hunger strike since March 14^th in protest of keeping them among ordinary and criminal prisoners. Both prisoners are in weak physical position and suffer from high blood pressure when they are deprived accessing medical treatments.

Iran: Nowruz celebration in jails

Ancient Nowruz, Iranian New Year, has already come to Iran. Iranians celebrate their new year at the springtime when the wintery cold and darkness goes away to give way to Iran’s season of   growth and prosperity. The meaning of Nowruz for Iranians goes beyond just a new year to a sort of national identity.

For more than a thousand years Nowruz has brought sprite and happiness to the utmost corners of Iran and love and friendship among its masses. This is why Political prisoners, although enchained in Mullahs jails, show their hope for a free Iran by celebrating Nowruz in their cells.