Somayeh Rashidi’s family not allowed to visit despite earlier promises

Committee of Human Rights Reporters (CHRR) -

Prison officials did not let Somayeh Rashidi’s family visit her on Thursday, January 28, 2010, even though she stated in a phone call that the interrogators had given permission for a visit.

Rashidi’s family lives in Mashhad, and they had traveled a long way [to Tehran] to visit their daughter. Judicial authorities have refused to grant the family visitation rights since Somayeh Rashidi’s arrest 40 days ago. Rashidi’s lawyers, Afrooz Maghzi and Zohreh Arzani, have not been able to visit their client either, even though they have submitted an official request to do so.

Somayeh Rashidi was summoned to the Revolutionary Court on December 20, 2009, following a thorough search of her house. She was arrested in the court and sent to Evin prison.

Somayeh Rashidi is an activist from the One Million Signatures Campaign. Earlier this year, she was also banned from continuing her education at the graduate level in women’s studies.

Unprecedented Punishment to 20 University of Isfahan Students

HRANA:
More than 70 University of Isfahan students have been summoned for their involvement in 16 and 17 Azar (December 7th and 8th) demonstrations. More than 20 the students have been deprived of their studies.

According to Amirkabir newsletter, Ali Ojaghi and Maziar Masoumi were sentenced to a three-term suspension. Last academic year, university officials prohibited Maziar Masoumi from writing his exams.

20 students from the university’s medical science branch have also faced deprivation of education sentences.

French Police Clash with Iranian Ambassador

By Atefeh Eghbal : eyewitness

Today like every year on January 31, the Islamic Republic’s Embassy in France held a banquet commemorating the day that Khomeini left France for Iran from Neuphle-le- Chateau. On the street, in front of the meeting place, Iranian protesters held signs and chanted slogans such as, “Death to the dictator,” and “Free the political prisoners.”

When the bus of the ambassador arrived the protesters increased their chanting. The French police had taken positions amongst the protesters to avoid any incidents. The Ambassador, Mehdi Amir Abu Taleb, had acquired the Paris post in September of last year. Angered by the slogans, he attacked one of the protesters as though he were on Iranian soil where you can meet peaceful protesters with violence.



The police interfered and the angry Ambassador punched the police officer trying to restrain him in the chest. That act was enough to bring down the wrath of the police who beat his “Excellency” and were about to handcuff him when the personnel of the Embassy interceded and informed the police that it was the Ambassador that they were holding and that he enjoyed diplomatic immunity.

Families persistent protests force regime to release a small number of prisoners

NCRI

Released prisoners: Families movement will continue with people's support until the release of all prisoners

The regime faced with public anger and disgust was forced last weekend to release a small number of those detained during the uprising due to continued and widespread protests by families of political prisoners. The move comes while the mullahs have sentenced to death a number of detainees charged with “moharebeh” (enmity against God) and many others are facing trials for the same charge.

The released prisoners emphasized that the courageous movement by the families which enjoys the people's support will continue until all prisoners are released.

During the past seven months, the families of martyrs and political prisoners and uprising detainees staged protests outside the Revolutionary Court, Prosecutors' Office and Evin Prison in hot summer days and severe cold weather conditions. Also, every Saturday they gathered in Abnama Square of Tehran's Laleh Park to call for the unconditional release of all political prisoners.

NCRI has called for the international community particularly the United Nations' Security Council to condemn the crackdown, arrest, torture and execution of protesters in Iran. Also urges the UN Security Council to adopt binding measures against the clerical regime. Political and economical ties with the medieval regime must be severed until there is an end to arbitrary arrests, torture, execution and violations of human rights

Iran warns protesters as post-vote trial starts

Reuters

A trial began on Saturday of 16 opposition protesters charged over unrest connected with Iran's disputed June presidential election, with the Revolutionary Guards warning against further demonstrations.
Five of the defendants were charged with the capital offence of 'moharebeh' (waging war against God) while the remainder were accused of public order and national security offences, a court website said.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) on Saturday warned opposition groups not to stage protests on Feb. 11, the anniversary of the 1979 revolution that created the Islamic republic.
'Under no conditions will we let the 'green movement' show up ... Certainly, we won't witness such a thing and even if a minority wants to do something, it will be firmly confronted by us,' Brigadier General Hossein Hamedani, commander of Tehran Revolutionary Guards, was quoted as saying on semi-official news agency ISNA.
On Friday a conservative cleric urged the judicial authorities to execute more opposition protesters.
Fars also said security forces had obtained films and photographs from the 150 people detained which will help the identification of and arrests of 'a large number of additional rioters'.

Regime in Iran sentences Soheil Mohammadi to 4 years of prison for participating in protests

Amir Kabir

Jan. 31, 2010

According to reports, Soheil Mohammadi, a Khajeh Nasir University student who was arrested by intelligence agents in his home on November 3 and taken to Evin Prison was sentenced to 4 years or prison in a court of first instance. His family is currently awaiting the verdict of the court of review. He has been charged with 'acting against national security, participating in the gatherings, and insulting the president'.

Gohardasht prison official threatens young prisoners to rape

Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran
Jan. 31, 201

According to reports, a number of prisoners from hall 12 in which young prisoners are kept in were tortured and threatened to rape and that they would be sent to ward 1 known for its inhumane conditions.
On Thursday January 28, two prisoners from the youth hall who were injured after prison guards attacked this hall went to see the head of ward 4, Mahmoud Moghnian, to file a complaint on behalf of all the prisoners regarding the violent attack of prison guards to their cells.
Mahmoud Moqnian, who carries out bloody attacks against political prisoners, handcuffed prisoners Mojtaba Asadi and Mir Ahmad Hosseini who had come to protest and hung them from their handcuffs. Moghnian tortured these two prisoners for a long time and used offensive remarks regarding their family members. On Saturday January 31, Mahmoud Moghnian took these two prisoners to the office of the assistant head of prison, Ali Mohammadi. He threatened and insulted these two young men telling them that he would send them to ward 1 where they would be raped and 'a thousand other things will happen to you there'.
A large number of young prisoners who committed offenses as minors and have been sentenced to death are kept in hall 12 waiting for their sentences to be carried out