Iran: Prosecute Officials in Detained Blogger’s Death

Beheshti Case Still Not Referred to Court; Family Members Harassed

March 7, 2013

http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/03/07/iran-prosecute-officials-detained-blogger-s-death

The failure to reveal what happened to Sattar Beheshti and start prosecuting those responsible, not to mention harassment of his family, suggests a cover-up.

Nadim Houry, deputy Middle East director

(Beirut) – Iran’s judiciary should conclude a speedy, independent, and transparent criminal investigation followed by prosecution of those believed responsible for the death of the blogger Sattar Behesht. Beheshti died in the custody of Tehran’s cyber police in November 2012. Iranian officials should stop harassing his family and hampering their efforts to seek justice and ensure that those responsible for the blogger’s death are held to account.
Although Beheshti died almost four months ago, there is no indication that the judiciary has concluded the criminal investigation into the officers accused of responsibility for his death, despite promises by officials that the case would be sent to the courts for prosecution before mid-February. Security officials have put his mother and other family members under close surveillance and have told them not to speak to the media or international rights organizations about the case, Human Rights Watch has learned.
“Four months after a blogger died in police custody, even his grieving family doesn’t know what happened to him,” said Nadim Houry, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “The failure to reveal what happened to Sattar Beheshti and start prosecuting those responsible, not to mention harassment of his family, suggests a cover-up.”
Officials informed the family of Beheshti’s death on November 6, seven days after cyber police raided his mother’s home at Robat Karim, near Tehran, and arrested him. The police unit, also known as “FATA,” was established in January 2011 to enforce laws aimed at regulating online speech and content considered to violate Iran’s national security or moral legislation.
Gohar Eshghi, Beheshti’s mother, told Human Rights Watch that an investigator from the prosecutor’s office visited her at her home on February 2. It was the first such visit to her home. The investigator said he was there to discuss the case, although the family has engaged a lawyer to represent them.
The investigator warned Eshgi against speaking to the media or others about her son’s death. He told her the case had been delayed partly because the authorities maintained that Beheshti’s father had not been “of sound mind” when he hired Giti Pourfazel as the family’s lawyer, which Eshgi said is untrue. She said the investigator’s contention appeared to be a delaying tactic to justify the authorities’ failure to deliver on promises they had made to the family about pursuing the legal case.
Pourfazel told Iran’s official Iranian Students’ News Agency in February that despite assurances by judiciary officials that the case would be transferred to the courts in mid-February, nothing had happened, and that the relevant authorities had so far failed to provide any information about where the case stands.
Eshghi told Human Rights Watch that she had initially followed the authorities’ instruction not to talk to the media about her son’s case but that she is no longer willing to remain silent in the face of the judiciary’s inaction. “All I want is for my son’s case to be taken up by the courts in an open trial,” she told Human Rights Watch. “I don’t want my son’s blood to have been spilled in vain.”
A parliamentary committee that investigated Baheshti’s death reported on January 7 that Tehran’s cyber police had arrested him lawfully but then detained him unlawfully in an unauthorized and substandard facility. The committee said that evidence from a forensic medical examination of his body indicated that he had bruises on his shoulder, legs, and back, but did not reach a conclusion about the cause of death. It called for the judiciary to conduct a further investigation.
Days after the news of Beheshti’s death broke, other prisoners in Ward 350 of Tehran’s Evin Prison, where many political prisoners are held, wrote to the authorities to say they had seen Beheshti before he died and that he had injuries that appeared to have been caused by beatings.
In December, amid international concern over Beheshti’s death, the authorities first removed the chief of Tehran’s cyber police from his post and later announced that they had made three arrests. Eshghi told Human Rights Watch that she believes these three are all still being detained. She said officials told her one of them was directly responsible for her son’s death.
On February 26, Ayatollah Larijani, the head of Iran’s judiciary, signed new regulations into law tightening oversight over detention facilities operated by police forces. Among other things, the new rules require regular inspections of such facilities by Iran’s State Prison Organization and accurate records of the admission and discharge of detainees. They prohibit interrogations in police stations and detention facilities. A few days later, Tehran’s prosecutor, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, announced that new measures would be taken to improve official oversight over detention facilities operated by the police in Tehran province.
Both the United Nations secretary-general and the UN’s expert on Iran, the special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, have expressed concern over Beheshti’s death. Citing a confidential source, the special rapporteur reported on February 28 that cyber police had tortured Beheshti “for the purpose of retrieving his Facebook user name and password” and said he had been repeatedly threatened with death during his interrogation and “beaten in the face and torso with a baton.”
The special rapporteur expressed concern also about official harassment of members of Beheshti’s family, including physical assaults, during a memorial service on the 40th day after Beheshti’s death.
“Sattar Beheshti and his family deserve justice, and they deserve it now,” Houry said. “The judiciary should stop lying and bring those responsible for his death to justice. They need to send a clear message to all who torture or harm prisoners that they will be held fully accountable.”

Index: MDE 13/011/2013

7 March 2013

To Permanent Representatives of Members of the UN Human Rights Council

Re: Renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/MDE13/011/2013/en/b0aa91a8-eda0-4788-a424-2b20c8d7530b/mde130112013en.pdf

Your Excellency

On 21 or 22 March 2013, the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) will vote on the

renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The situation has continued to deteriorate since the adoption of the last resolution by the Council in March 2012. Yet the government of Iran has refused to cooperate with the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran. It remains critical that the Human Rights Council affirm that the abuses in Iran should end and continue to mandate an in-depth monitoring of the situation in the country, in particular ahead of the presidential election scheduled for June 2013.

We therefore urge the Member States of the UN Human Rights Council to:

Support the resolution renewing the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of

human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran;

Strengthen the resolution of the Human Rights Council by condemning the patterns of systematic violations committed in Iran and the continued crackdown on dissenting voices and repeated failure to investigate both current and longstanding violations.

In his report to the 67thsession of the UN General Assembly, the Special Rapporteur gave a glimpse of “the systematic issues that pose obstacles to the ability of Iran to comply with its international obligations.” The report documented cases of long periods of solitary confinement without charge or access to legal counsel, physical and psychological torture during interrogations such as sleep deprivation, mock hangings, electrocutions, rape, unfair trials, long-term internal exile and long-term activity and travel bans. The Special Rapporteur concluded that “these violations are products of legal incongruities, insufficient adherence to the rule of law, and the existence of widespread impunity.”

Despite being once more denied access to the country, the Special Rapporteur had the

opportunity to follow 124 cases between February and June 2012. He conducted 99

interviews between February and June 2012, and 169 interviews between September and

December 2012 with individuals located inside and outside the country1. Despite asserting that it cooperates with the UN human rights mechanisms and standing invitation, Iran has continued to ignore the pending requests for visits by eight thematic Special Procedures.

In 2012, Iran replied to only 8 out of 28 Special Procedure communications. Since the adoption of the previous resolution of the Human Rights Council, Special Rapporteurs of the Human Rights Council released 11 public statements denouncing abuses occurring in Iran.

Patterns of abuses in Iran range from severe restrictions on free speech and a continued crackdown on human rights defenders and activists to an extensive use of the death penalty, torture, amputations, and also violence and discrimination faced by women and minorities.

Exercise of the rights to freedom of expression, as sociation and to information are subjected to severe restrictions. The Computer Crimes Law inter alia compels Internet service providers to document and store the computer histories and personal details of their users, systematically block websites, slow internet speeds and jam of foreign satellite broadcasts.

In July 2012, an appeal court sentenced Mansoureh Behkish, blogger and supporter of the

Mourning Mothers, to 3.5 years suspended, 6 months custodial of detention for propagating against the regime. In September 2012, authorities summoned journalist Jila Baniyaghoob to serve a one year prison sentence for “spreading propaganda against the system” and “insulting the president,” and banned her from journalism for 30 years. Dozens of journalists and bloggers are still detained in Iran’s prisons.

The death of blogger Sattar Beheshtin custody, allegedly under torture, in November 2012 sparked domestic and international outrage. A parliamentary committee announced in January that several arrests had been made in connection with Beheshti’s killing. The committee said investigations were ongoing but there are no signs that the case has been taken up by Iran’s courts. In October 2012 security forces arrested a blogger and outspoken critic of the government, Dr. Mehdi Khazali, for unknown reasons.

Despite an apparent order by the presiding judge allowing Khazali to post bail, authorities have so far prevented his release. He has been on a hunger strike protesting his detention and is reported to be in ill health.

In February 2013, a group of UN independent human rights experts denounced the arrest of 17 journalists, the majority of whom work for independent news outlets in Iran, and the imprisonment of 40 other journalists. The group of experts warned that “ahead of the June 2013 elections, the recent arrests may serve to reinforce self-censorship and severely constrict freedom of opinion and expression at a key moment in Iran’s political development.”2

Two former presidential candidates Mehdi Karroubi and Mir Hossein Mousavi, and his wife, Zahra Rahnavard, have remained under arbitrary house arrest since February 2011 even though no formal charges have been brought against them3.

Human rights activists continue to be persecuted by the regime. An appeal court sentenced human rights lawyer Abdolfattah Soltani in early June 2012to 13 years in prison and barred him from practicing law for 10 years for establishing the Center for Human Rights Defenders (CHRD), co-founded with Nobel peace laureate ShirinEbadi4.

In April, an appeals court informed defence lawyer Mohammad Ali Dadkhah that it had upheld his nine-year sentence on charges related to his interviews with foreign media and membership of the CHRD. He was barred from practice and teaching for 10 years. Authorities have detained lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh since her arrest in 2010, frequently held her in solitary confinement, and prevented her from regularly meeting or speaking with her family. An appeal court sentenced her to six years’ imprisonment and a 10-year ban on lawyering.

Other rights defenders in prison include defence lawyer Mohammad Seifzadeh, another CHRD founder who is currently serving two years and was sentenced to six more years, and Mohammad Sadiq Kaboudvand, the president of the Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan, who is serving an 11-year sentence.

Iran’s use of the death penalty remains a serious concern. According to Amnesty International, the authorities carried out more than 600 executions in 2011 and more than 500 in 2012 – many of them not officially announced by the government. The number of executions by public hangings has also increased dramatically. According to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, 55 public hangings took place in 20125.

The authorities have carried out public hangings in major metropolitan squares as well as sports stadiums. Crimes punishable by death include – along with murder, rape, and espionage, – repeat conviction for alcohol consumption, adultery, sodomy, and drug trafficking and possession, as well as economic and security offences.

Iran leads the world in the execution of juvenile offenders. Iranian law allows capital punishment for persons who have reached puberty, defined as 9 for girls and 15 for boys.

According to Human Rights Watch, in late 2012, there were more than 100 juvenile offenders on death row. The Special Rapporteur flagged the case of two men sentenced to death in June 2012 for consuming alcohol for the third time.

The judiciary in 2012 ordered and implemented an increasing number of cruel and inhuman punishments, such as limb amputations, in many cases amounting to torture. Many of these sentences were carried out in public and the authorities extensively publicised them, including by circulation of pictures of the amputation act, legitimizing the use of cruel, inhumane and degrading punishments before the Iranian public. On November 13, 2012, four fingers of two individuals convicted of theft were amputated in public in Yazd province6. More recently, on January 24, 2013, authorities amputated fingers of a 29-year-old convict in the city of Shiraz7.

Iranian women continue to face legalised discrimination in the Constitution, penal code, as well as the civil code, personal status matters related to marriage, divorce, inheritance, and child custody. Several universities banned female enrolment in several academic fields.

Dissident Shi’a clerics and Shi’a-born adherents to informal associations and Muslim minorities, including Sunnis, face discrimination in political participation and employment.

The authorities deny freedom of religion to adherents of the Baha’i faith, Iran’s largest non-Muslim religious minority, and regularly target Sufis and members of Iran’s home church movement. The government has restricted cultural and political activities among the country’s Azerbaijani, Turkic-speaking, Kurdish, Arab, and Baluch minorities. Security forces detained, tortured, and executed dozens of Iranian Arab activists in south-western Khuzestan province since 2011; several Baluch were executed in January and February and Kurdish political prisoners were on death row.

The HRC country mandate has made Iranians both inside and outside the country more aware of human rights standards and facilitated their engagement with the international community.

Victims and activists have told human rights groups that they see the office of the Special Rapporteur as an objective, critical focal point for documenting rights abuses, and an impartial and reliable channel of communication between victims and the United Nations and its member states.

In this regard, the Special Rapporteur fulfils an important, unique and independent role exposing human rights violations in Iran. As human rights violations in Iran relate to broad and diverse categories of human rights, the mandate of the Special Rapporteur ensures that the full range of such abuses are documented and the government of Iran made accountable for them. The role of the Special Rapporteur will be even more crucial in bringing particular attention to the human rights dimension in the lead up to the June 2013 elections.

Extending the Special Rapporteur mandate will send an important message to the Iranian authorities that violations should stop and urge them to comply with their international obligations, to restore the dialogue with the international community and to genuinely cooperate with international human rights mechanisms.

The Human Rights Council should also adopt a resolution which condemns the patterns of systematic violations committed in Iran and reflects the concerns expressed by the General Assembly, as well as the conclusions of the reports of the United Nations Secretary-General and of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights in Iran.

For these reasons, we urge your delegation to support the adoption of the resolution and the renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur inIran during the upcoming session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Sincerely

Amnesty International

Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)

Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)

CIVICUS World Alliance for Citizen Participation

Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI)

Conectas Direitos Humanos

East and Horn of African Human Rights Defenders project (EHAHRDP)

Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR)

Freedom From Torture

Human Rights Watch

International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran

International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH International Federation for Human

Rights (FIDHInternational Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)

International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)

International InhfjdhfjdhinWorld Organisation Against TortureUnited 4 Iran

West African Human Rights Defenders Network (WAHRDN)

World Organization Against Torture (OMCT)

….

Martin Kobler should be charged with crimes against humanity – UN rights advisor

Published on Tuesday, 05 March 2013 09:39

http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/ashraf-liberty/13012-martin-kobler-should-be-charged-with-crimes-against-humanity-un-rights-advisor.html

NCRI - The United Nation's representative in Iraq Martin Kobler should be charged with crimes against humanity over the deadly attack on Camp Liberty, the UN's deputy on its Human Rights Advisory Committee Jean Ziegler has declared.
And Mr Kobler and his wife Brita Wagner - Germany's ambassador in Baghdad - are both guilty of the 'murderous politics of politeness' for their complicity with 'Iranian lackey' Nouri Al-Maliki, he told an international conference in Geneva.
Mr Zeigler also said he was 'sickened' by the 'indifference, indolence, and the hypocrisy' of the UN that has failed to prevent repeated human rights around the world, culminating in the Camp Libery missile attack on February 9 that left seven dead and more than 100 injured.
He told delegates in his speech on February 27: "For nearly 15 years now I have been part of the special procedures of the Council of Human Rights. We lived through the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, 95 the Srebrenica massacre, 2009 massacre of 70,000 people, civilians, men, women and children in Sri Lanka.
"It was under the watch of three different Secretaries Boutros Ghali, Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-moon. Each of the Secretaries afterwards reported on what happened, and each testified to his shame and apologized.
"In two days on Friday Ban Ki-moon will testify before the board in Geneva. The Board will discuss reports of massacres in Sri Lanka in 2009. And I guarantee you that Mr. Ban Ki-moon will apologize, will be moved, will say 'I did not know, excuse me'.
"The 3100 members of the Iranian resistance residents in Liberty, and Ashraf should not suffer the same fate and be massacred, and a few years later be the subject of international excuses and receive homage from a Secretary General."
He also launched a scathing attack on Mr Kobler and his wife Brita Wagner, adding: "It is obvious that when you are an ambassador in a country, you must have the best possible relations with the local government.
So, of course, Ms Wagner did everything not to anger Maliki, to be most accommodating as possible. And her husband, not to hinder the career of his wife, was complicit in murderous politics of politeness with a Prime Minister who is no other than an outright mullahs lackey of Tehran."
"Talking as a lawyer, it is worth examining if Mr Kobler could be charged for complicity in crimes against humanity."
Mr Zeigler cited Kobler's 'intentional lies' against the President of NCRI in the transfer of residents from Ashraf to Loberty, then refusal of protection in Liberty, blindness to the conditions of life in this prison camp, and finally refused to meet with the survivors of the attack.
He added: "All this can form a heavy case against him. Or facing German courts that have a very strong, criminal court for crimes against humanity, or open a procedure for complicity in genocide against Martin Kobler before an international court at The Hague."
The 3,100 Iranians in Liberty all qualified as refugees under the UN's charters and should by recognised as such, Mr Zeigler said.
He added: "There must be a public statement, clear, indisputable by the High Commissioner for Refugees of the United Nations affirming the principle of protection for the Iranian resistance on Iraqi soil.

The High Commissioner in the United Nations must contact each of the Member States of the Board of Directors of the High Commissioner and confront his responsibility. Because if there's one more death at Camp Liberty or Ashraf, these states will be directly responsible, as well as the High Commissioner."
But by remaining silence on Camp Liberty and Ashraf, by not putting in place the mechanisms of protection for asylum seekers, the UN loses more of their credibility and their honor.
"We are here to prevent another massacre as announced by Maliki. The mullahs have publicly declared, and the documents show that they will start shooting missiles again very soon at the paper thin trailers and they will not stop until everyone is dead. We have to prevent this.
"On a personal note, I want to express my deep gratitude and admiration for the strong Iranian resistance on Iraqi soil. They are the custodians of the dignity of all humanity. They must live for tomorrow and lead the victorious revolution in Iran."

US Congress resolution calls for protection of Camp Liberty residents

Published on Monday, 04 March 2013

http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/ashraf-liberty/13003-us-congress-resolution-calls-for-protection-of-camp-liberty-residents.html
NCRI - US lawmakers from both parties have drafted a resolution condemning the deadly attack on Camp Liberty and demanded that President Barack Obama act now to move the residents back to Camp Ashraf.

The resolution - presented to the US House Foreign Affairs Committee - also demanded those responsible for the February 9 missile attack which left seven dead and more than 100 injured be brought to justice.

And it urged the government of Iraq to allow international observers into Camp Liberty - referred to as Camp Hurriya - to assess the conditions being endured by its 3,100 residents.

The resolution stated: "On February 9, 2013, dozens of rockets were fired on Camp Hurriya in Iraq where approximately 3,100 members of the Iranian opposition movement, the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), have been residing since being relocated from Camp Ashraf in February 2012.

"Seven unarmed residents were killed and approximately 100 more wounded, some suffering severe and debilitating injuries. The New York Times reported that Hezbollah Brigades, an Iranian-affiliated group, claimed responsibility for the attack and `warned that others would follow'.

"In an interview with the Associated Press on February 26, 2013, one of the leaders of the Hezbollah Brigades, Wathiq al-Batat, claimed his group receives weapons and other support from Iran and promised more attacks to come, saying 'We will strike them again until they leave'."

The resolution noted that the UN, the UNHCR and the former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had all condemned the attack' and also demanded that the terrorists be caught and put on trial.

It said that the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Iraq and the UN signed on December 25, 2011, outlining 'steps necessary to achieve a peaceful and viable solution for the residents of Ashraf, including their temporary relocation to Camp Hurriya' had failed.

Only six residents have been resettled through the UN process while asylum-seekers lived in exposed trailers without the ability to protect themselves from future attacks, the bill said.

It urged the US government to firstly, publicly condemn the attack against the residents of Camp Hurriya.

Secondly, to call on President Obama to work with the Government of Iraq to ensure that the Memorandum of Understanding is fully implemented, and that humanitarian protections for the residents of Camp Hurriya are upheld.

Thirdly, to urge the Government of Iraq to allow the residents' families and lawyers as well as international observers, including parliamentarians, Members of Congress, and the media to visit Camp Hurriya and assess the situation on the ground.

And fourthly, to urges the President to work with the Government of Iraq and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to return the residents of Camp Hurriya to Camp Ashraf where they will have more protection from any future terrorist attacks.

US Representatives who drafted the resolution were: Mr Poe of Texas, Mr Clay, Mr Coffman, Mr Cohen, Mr Cotton, Mr Diaz-Balart, Mr Faleomavaega, Mr Higgins, Mr McClintock, Mr Rohrabacher, Ms Ros-Lehtinen, Mr David Scott of Georgia, Mr Sherman and Mr Westmorland.

Professor Kazem Rajavi

The second was to plant a bomb in his car, connected to either the brakes or ignition, that would detonate once the speed reached 40kmh.

And the third plan was to assassinate him as he was commuting to or from home.

A budget for the operation was then approved at a meeting with new Iranian regime’s president Rafsanjani, Ali Khamenei, mullah Mohammad Hejazi, head of the special affairs committee, Falahian, the intelligence minister, foreign affairs minister Velayati, former intelligence minister Reyshari, and then IRGC chief Mohsen Rezaei.

On 30 August 1989, a first team headed by Akhondzadeh-basti and fellow henchman Saeed Hemati went to Geneva with diplomatic passports to review the plan. Based on their evaluation, the second plan for a car bomb was ruled out and they began working on only the first and third plans.

On 18 October 1989, a hit squad entered Geneva again and tried carry out the first plan of massacring Rajavi's whole family, but because Kazem was away on a trip, the plot was aborted.

On 31 January 1990, the second squad arrived in Geneva, but due to internal squabbling between the terrorists, that plan too was cancelled.

Then on 10 April 1990, six terrorists by flew to Geneva on Iran air. Mohammad-Ali Hadi Najaf Abadi, Iran's ambassador to the United Arab Emirates also went to Geneva eight days later using diplomatic passport number 006646 and stayed in room 625 of the Intercontinental Hotel.

Akhondzadeh-basti also flew to Geneva by Iran Air on 18 April, with air ticket number 096 4261 831174 and diplomatic passport number 006588, and stayed at the same hotel.

The two men oversaw the operation to kill 56-year-old Professor Rajavi, who was shot in his car as he drove home at 11.50am on 24 April, 1990.  Akhondzadeh-basti, Abadi and a number of other known terrorists returned to Tehran on an Iran Air Boeing 737 plane the same evening.

Professor was the elder brother of Iranian opposition leader Massoud Rajavi. He worked tirelessly to defend human rights in Iran and also held six doctorate degrees in the fields of law, political science, and sociology from the universities of Paris and Geneva.

After a lengthy investigation, Swiss justice and police officials and chief magistrate Roland Chatelain found that 13 Iranian agents had used 'service passports' to enter Switzerland to kill Professor Rajavi and confirmed the role of Iranian regime under Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani in his killing.

At a Glance

Violation of Human Rights in Iran

Tuesday 05 March 2013

Refugee’s Rights

US Congress resolution calls for protection of Camp Liberty residents

Published on Monday, 04 March 2013

http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/ashraf-liberty/13003-us-congress-resolution-calls-for-protection-of-camp-liberty-residents.html
NCRI - US lawmakers from both parties have drafted a resolution condemning the deadly attack on Camp Liberty and demanded that President Barack Obama act now to move the residents back to Camp Ashraf.

The resolution - presented to the US House Foreign Affairs Committee - also demanded those responsible for the February 9 missile attack which left seven dead and more than 100 injured be brought to justice.

And it urged the government of Iraq to allow international observers into Camp Liberty - referred to as Camp Hurriya - to assess the conditions being endured by its 3,100 residents.

The resolution stated: "On February 9, 2013, dozens of rockets were fired on Camp Hurriya in Iraq where approximately 3,100 members of the Iranian opposition movement, the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), have been residing since being relocated from Camp Ashraf in February 2012.

"Seven unarmed residents were killed and approximately 100 more wounded, some suffering severe and debilitating injuries. The New York Times reported that Hezbollah Brigades, an Iranian-affiliated group, claimed responsibility for the attack and `warned that others would follow'.

"In an interview with the Associated Press on February 26, 2013, one of the leaders of the Hezbollah Brigades, Wathiq al-Batat, claimed his group receives weapons and other support from Iran and promised more attacks to come, saying 'We will strike them again until they leave'."

The resolution noted that the UN, the UNHCR and the former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had all condemned the attack' and also demanded that the terrorists be caught and put on trial.

It said that the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Iraq and the UN signed on December 25, 2011, outlining 'steps necessary to achieve a peaceful and viable solution for the residents of Ashraf, including their temporary relocation to Camp Hurriya' had failed.

Only six residents have been resettled through the UN process while asylum-seekers lived in exposed trailers without the ability to protect themselves from future attacks, the bill said.

It urged the US government to firstly, publicly condemn the attack against the residents of Camp Hurriya.

Secondly, to call on President Obama to work with the Government of Iraq to ensure that the Memorandum of Understanding is fully implemented, and that humanitarian protections for the residents of Camp Hurriya are upheld.

Thirdly, to urge the Government of Iraq to allow the residents' families and lawyers as well as international observers, including parliamentarians, Members of Congress, and the media to visit Camp Hurriya and assess the situation on the ground.

And fourthly, to urges the President to work with the Government of Iraq and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to return the residents of Camp Hurriya to Camp Ashraf where they will have more protection from any future terrorist attacks.

US Representatives who drafted the resolution were: Mr Poe of Texas, Mr Clay, Mr Coffman, Mr Cohen, Mr Cotton, Mr Diaz-Balart, Mr Faleomavaega, Mr Higgins, Mr McClintock, Mr Rohrabacher, Ms Ros-Lehtinen, Mr David Scott of Georgia, Mr Sherman and Mr Westmorland.

Martin Kobler should be charged with crimes against humanity – UN rights advisor

Published on Tuesday, 05 March 2013 09:39

http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/ashraf-liberty/13012-martin-kobler-should-be-charged-with-crimes-against-humanity-un-rights-advisor.html

NCRI - The United Nation's representative in Iraq Martin Kobler should be charged with crimes against humanity over the deadly attack on Camp Liberty, the UN's deputy on its Human Rights Advisory Committee Jean Ziegler has declared.
And Mr Kobler and his wife Brita Wagner - Germany's ambassador in Baghdad - are both guilty of the 'murderous politics of politeness' for their complicity with 'Iranian lackey' Nouri Al-Maliki, he told an international conference in Geneva.
Mr Zeigler also said he was 'sickened' by the 'indifference, indolence, and the hypocrisy' of the UN that has failed to prevent repeated human rights around the world, culminating in the Camp Libery missile attack on February 9 that left seven dead and more than 100 injured.
He told delegates in his speech on February 27: "For nearly 15 years now I have been part of the special procedures of the Council of Human Rights. We lived through the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, 95 the Srebrenica massacre, 2009 massacre of 70,000 people, civilians, men, women and children in Sri Lanka.
"It was under the watch of three different Secretaries Boutros Ghali, Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-moon. Each of the Secretaries afterwards reported on what happened, and each testified to his shame and apologized.
"In two days on Friday Ban Ki-moon will testify before the board in Geneva. The Board will discuss reports of massacres in Sri Lanka in 2009. And I guarantee you that Mr. Ban Ki-moon will apologize, will be moved, will say 'I did not know, excuse me'.
"The 3100 members of the Iranian resistance residents in Liberty, and Ashraf should not suffer the same fate and be massacred, and a few years later be the subject of international excuses and receive homage from a Secretary General."
He also launched a scathing attack on Mr Kobler and his wife Brita Wagner, adding: "It is obvious that when you are an ambassador in a country, you must have the best possible relations with the local government.
So, of course, Ms Wagner did everything not to anger Maliki, to be most accommodating as possible. And her husband, not to hinder the career of his wife, was complicit in murderous politics of politeness with a Prime Minister who is no other than an outright mullahs lackey of Tehran."
"Talking as a lawyer, it is worth examining if Mr Kobler could be charged for complicity in crimes against humanity."
Mr Zeigler cited Kobler's 'intentional lies' against the President of NCRI in the transfer of residents from Ashraf to Loberty, then refusal of protection in Liberty, blindness to the conditions of life in this prison camp, and finally refused to meet with the survivors of the attack.
He added: "All this can form a heavy case against him. Or facing German courts that have a very strong, criminal court for crimes against humanity, or open a procedure for complicity in genocide against Martin Kobler before an international court at The Hague."
The 3,100 Iranians in Liberty all qualified as refugees under the UN's charters and should by recognised as such, Mr Zeigler said.
He added: "There must be a public statement, clear, indisputable by the High Commissioner for Refugees of the United Nations affirming the principle of protection for the Iranian resistance on Iraqi soil.

The High Commissioner in the United Nations must contact each of the Member States of the Board of Directors of the High Commissioner and confront his responsibility. Because if there's one more death at Camp Liberty or Ashraf, these states will be directly responsible, as well as the High Commissioner."
But by remaining silence on Camp Liberty and Ashraf, by not putting in place the mechanisms of protection for asylum seekers, the UN loses more of their credibility and their honor.
"We are here to prevent another massacre as announced by Maliki. The mullahs have publicly declared, and the documents show that they will start shooting missiles again very soon at the paper thin trailers and they will not stop until everyone is dead. We have to prevent this.
"On a personal note, I want to express my deep gratitude and admiration for the strong Iranian resistance on Iraqi soil. They are the custodians of the dignity of all humanity. They must live for tomorrow and lead the victorious revolution in Iran."

Execution

A Kurd who sentenced to death was transferred to unknown location

Sunday, 03 March 2013

http://www.en-hrana.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=859:1&catid=14:ethnic-minorities&Itemid=9

HRANA News Agency – Hooshang Rezaie, the political prisoner who sentenced to death, was transferred from Rajaie Shahr prison to unknown location Saturday March 2nd of 2013.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), this political prisoner was sentenced to death on charge of cooperation with Komala party.

Recently he was transferred to Rajaie Shahr prison after being in solitary cell for six months in ward 209 of Evin prison.

Hooshang's parents could not follow up their son's situation in Karaj because of living in a far city and aging.

It has to be mentioned that during the whole trial sessions he was deprived to access to lawyer and his trial sessions held in an unfair space which the judge issued the verdict just according to the Etela'at reports.

Iran: At Least 16 Prisoners Hanged Last Week

Monday, 04 March 2013

http://www.en-hrana.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=862:1&catid=15:execution&Itemid=10

HRANA News Agency – 16 prisoners hanged within last week across Iran.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), 12 prisoners were hanged in different cities of Iran during last week:

At least two prisoners convicted of drug trafficking were hanged in Yazd on Thursday, February 21, 2013.

One prisoner convicted of drug trafficking was hanged in Behbahan on Monday, February 25, 2013.

Three prisoners convicted of drug trafficking were hanged in Qazvin on Sunday, February 24, 2013.

Two prisoners convicted of drug trafficking were hanged in Sari and Kashan on Wednesday, February 27, 2013.

One prisoner convicted of drug trafficking was hanged in Semnan on Thursday, February 28, 2013.

Four prisoners convicted of rape were hanged in Gachsaran on Thursday, February 28, 2013.

A prisoner was hanged in Sari convicted of drug trafficking on Saturday, March 2, 2013.

Two prisoners convicted of murdering were hanged in Mianeh on Sunday, March 3, 2013.

Arbitrary Arrests

Another journalist arrested in Iran

Mon, 03/04/2013 - 18:07

http://www.radiozamaneh.com/english/content/another-journalist-arrested-iran-0

MohammadJavad Rouh

MohammadJavad Rouh, a staff editor at the Mehrnameh monthly magazine, was arrested by Iranian authorities at his home on Sunday March 4.
In the past month, the Intelligence Ministry has ordered the arrest of close to 20 journalists. While some have been released on bail, others remain in custody.
The Intelligence Ministry has announced that it has uncovered a network of anti-regime reporters and journalists whose “central nucleus” is abroad, working in collaboration with Persian-language media based outside Iran.
MohammadJavad Rouh is a former member of the Association for the Defence of Prisoner Rights and the Islamic Iran Participation Front. He has worked with the Iranian Labour News Agency as well as the reformist dailies Norooz and Yas-e No.
The Intelligence Ministry had announced that in the course of its investigations it may arrest more journalists.
Human rights groups have condemned the wave of journalist arrests in Iran. Even Ali Motahari, a conservative MP, has slammed the process, claiming that the sense of insecurity it causes among members of the press is not in the country’s best interests, especially ahead of the fast-approaching presidential elections.

  

Prisoners of Conscience

18 political prisoners' hunger strike turned the day 11th

Sunday, 03 March 2013

http://www.en-hrana.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=858:1&catid=12:prisoners&Itemid=12

HRANA News Agency – Eighteen political prisoner who were arrested on security charges started hunger strike since 11 days ago in Rajaie Shahr prison and Ghezel Hesar prison.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), six of the political prisoners sentenced to death and the rest of them sentenced to longterm imprisonment. Their hunger strike is in protest to transferring the six sentenced to death political prisoners to Ghezel Hesar prison and demanding re-investigating and fair trial for their dossiers.

Jamshid Dehghani, Jahangir Dehghani, Hadi Hossaini, Sedigh Mohammadi, Hamed Ahmadi and Kamal Mollaie in Ghezel Hesar prison and Ahmad Nasiri in Rajaie Shahr prison are the political prisoners who sentenced to death.

Also Sirous Hamidi sentenced to twenty years imprisonment, Jamal Soleimani to eleven years imprisonment, Jabbar to ten years imprisonment, Jamal Ghaderi to eight years imprisonment and Parviz Osmani to five years imprisonment are the names of the others who are spending their imprisonment in Rajaie Shahr prison of Karaj.

Besides of the above list there are some other detained in uncertain situation without trial and have not been sentenced yet. The followings are their names with their uncertain situation amount of time:

- Behrooz Shahnazari for forty five months
- Taleb Maleki for forty one months
- Pouria Mohammadi for thirty nine months
- Keikhosro Sharafipour for twenty six months
- Amel Diadashti for nineteen months
- Edris Ne'mati for twenty four months
- Mohammad Ahmad Sharifi for thirty four months

Sky-high bail keeps rights lawyer in jail

Mon, 03/04/2013 - 18:14

http://www.radiozamaneh.com/english/content/sky-high-bail-keeps-rights-lawyer-jail

Abdolfattah Soltani

Jailed human rights lawyer Abdolfattah Soltani has been practically prevented from getting a furlough after the judiciary set his bail at 12 billion rials.
The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran quoted Soltani’s daughter on Monday March 4 saying that Soltani’s bail should be commensurate with the number of years remaining in his sentence. She said the 11 years still outstanding in Soltani’s 13-year sentence would put his bail amount at around 1 billion rials, but the authorities are asking 12 times that amount.
Abdolfattah Soltani has announced that such an amount for bail violates the laws of the Islamic Republic.
Soltani is currently in section 350 of Evin Prison and is serving out a 13-year sentence for receiving the Nuremberg Human Rights Award, speaking with the foreign media about his clients and co-founding the Human Rights Defenders Centre in Iran.

A weblogger is in detention without trial for more than five months

Monday, 04 March 2013

http://www.en-hrana.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=860:1&catid=18:freedom-of-expression&Itemid=2

HRANA News Agency – Kaveh Taheri the weblogger who was arrested on September 23rd of 2012, still is in uncertain situation after five months detention in Adel Abad prison in Shiraz.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Kaveh Taheri the weblogger from Shiraz was arrested by Etela'at agents on September 23rd of 2012 at his work place and first was transferred to detention center No.100 and after 52 days was transferred to Adel Abad prison of Shiraz.

His mother could been able to visit Kaveh on March 2nd of 2013 but still after five months he is in detention without trial.

On September 23rd of 2013 the agents arrested him, inspected his home and confiscated his personal belongings such as H.D.D, notes and his laptop.

"He is in a better mental condition in compare with before and he will release the details of interrogation sessions and how the interrogators dealt with him whenever his verdict will be issued", One of his relatives said to HRANA reporter.

Generally this weblogger accused to acting against national security and cyber propaganda against regime in his dossier.

Jailed Dervishes on 49th Day of Hunger Strike/ Kasra Nouri Was Transferred to Prison Infirmary

Written by Majzooban.org on Monday, 04 March 2013

http://www.majzooban.org/en/sufi-news/3852-jailed-dervishes-on-49th-day-of-hunger-strike-kasra-nouri-was-transferred-to-prison-infirmary.html
Gonabadi Dervish, Kasra Nouri in 48th day of his hunger strike, lost consciousness for a few hour and was taken to the infirmary by prison guards.
According to Majzooban Noor, because of the weakness, dizziness and kidney pains Kasra Nouri lost consciousness for a few hour and was taken to the Adel Abad prison infirmary.
Up to now, the family's efforts to find out about his exact physical health condition have been fruitless.
It should be noted that, the families of two Dervishes, Saleh Moradi and Kasra Nouri, in a contact with Majzooban Noor website expressed grave concern for their deteriorating health. They are suffering with vision loss, kidney failure, bowel adhesion in addition to weakness, weight loss and dizziness and the appearance of these symptoms are warning signs of their dire health condition and indicate that their lives are in danger! his family said.
It is reminded that, on 15th of Bahman 1391(Feb 3, 2013) despite the poor physical conditions of two dervishes, Kasra Nouri and Saleh Moradi, who are on hunger strike , the security forces and prison authorities forced them to sign a letter stating that they have good physical health and they do not need any medical treatment and health care!
These two Gonabadi dervishes who are behind bars for more than 18 months in Shiraz's Adel Abad prison , lunched the hunger strike to protest illegal transfer of seven Gonabadi dervishes's lawyers and Majzooban Noor website managers to solitary confinement of Evin prison on 27th of Dey 1391 ( Jan 15, 2013).They required prison officials to transfer back seven Gonabadi dervishes's lawyers to the general ward of Evin Prison and called attention to their poor health status but unfortunately their request has not been answered yet and the detained lawyers of the Gonabadi dervishes are being held in solitary confinement of Ward 209 at about 50 days.
Saleh Moradi and Kasra Nouri are currently in prison, on charges of "Propaganda against the regime", "Acting against national security", "Deviant group (Majzooban Noor) membership" and "Interviews with foreign media, Radio Farda", but they have not yet received a definitive sentence till now. It seems that, after 18 months, their case is under investigation in Shiraz's Revolutionary Court.
We note in this regard that although they have been in detention more than the serving a period of time which would equate to their sentence, therefore now their detention is absolutely unlawful.

Freedom of Expression

Iran says journalist crackdown foils enemies’ plans

Mon, 03/04/2013 - 18:09

http://www.radiozamaneh.com/english/content/iran-says-journalist-crackdown-foils-enemies%E2%80%99-plans
Iran’s Intelligence Minister says recently detained journalists are “puppets of world arrogance” and their arrests have created “havoc” in the network of the country’s enemies.
IRNA reports that Heydar Moslehi said on Monday March 4: “Some domestic media were linked to anti-Revolutionary networks, and identifying them has once again led to the defeat of our enemies’ programs.”
Since January 30, the Iranian Intelligence Ministry has arrested close to 20 journalists. Many of the detainees have already been released on bail.
Moslehi claimed: “A network consisting of 600 reporters, 150 of them inside the country and the others outside Iran, has received a heavy blow from the Intelligence Ministry forces.
The Intelligence Ministry claimed satellite television networks have been launched by the “anti-Revolutionaries” with the goal of “defusing Moslem anger against world arrogance.”
He stressed that the ministry’s activities have been crucial in this period leading up to the presidential election, adding that enemies of the regime may use election time as an opportunity to “engage in seditious activities.”
Iran’s 11th presidential election is slated for June 2013.
The last presidential election threw the country into political crisis; reformist candidates accused the system of vote fraud in favour of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and millions of protesters lined the streets to ask where their votes had gone.

Minorities’ Rights

Two Christians are in detention for more than seven weeks

Monday, 04 March 2013

http://www.en-hrana.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=861:1&catid=13:religious-minorities&Itemid=13

HRANA News Agency – About seven weeks ago plainclothes security agents arrested Shahrzad Y and Sam S, two of converted Christians community in Tehran.

According to a report of Mohebbat News, security agents arrested the two converted Christians on January 9th of 2013 at 11 a.m.

Both of them arrested at the same time in different places.

Shahrzad is 25 years old and Sam is 27, they are from west of Tehran. The agents in an arbitrary action just invaded their homes and without showing any detention warrant inspected their homes, arrested Shahrzad and Sam and confiscated some of their personal belongings such as laptop, some books and notes related to Christianity, worships songs CDs and photo camera.

It seems they were transferred to Evin detention center right after being arrested and for a long time they have not been allowed to contact their families, then there were no news about their whereabout and their condition which the absolute ignorance increased worries among their families.

When their families followed up and haunt to security and judicial departments to find out about their offsprings some of the officials even threatened them and warned the families to be silent.

Sam and Shahrzad after weeks of being in detention and absolute ignorance, were able to short phone call to their families lately and informed them about the continuation of their detention.

Now after more than seven weeks of being in detention and being interrogated, these two converted Christians accused to establishing home-church and accumulation deliberate to commit a crime.