Conference

 by human rights organizations 

The human rights situation in Iran.

30 Years after the Massacre of Political Prisoners  1988Massacre (1988 - 2018)

Friday, September 14 - 2018

1500pm  CET

Asma Jahangir’s dim report on the horrendous human rights violations in Iran

29.10.2017
By Zohair Ahmad
Earlier this year the special rapporteur on  human rights in Iran, Asma Jahangir delivered a dim report about all the violations committed in Iran and for the first time she mentioned the 1988 massacre of political prisoners by the Iranian regime, she also called for the assembly of a committee to investigate the Massacre and to bring the culprits to justice. 

Asma Jahangir UN special rapporteur on  human rights in Iran

As expected the Iranian regime was trying to cover up their crimes by making accusations against the UN special rapporteur claiming that all crimes were fabricated and accused her of being totally political against Iran. He claimed that all minorities in Iran are allowed to have activities unless they are harmful to Iranian society ( read the clerical regime). He also added that “we denounce the appointment of the country-specific Rapporteur …., no country should change its way of life because of western dictation” Mr. Hassaninejad seem to forget that murder is not a way of life, it is a crime. And any regime that legitimate murder like the 1988 massacre must be prosecuted and sentenced in an independent court of law. 

In her report, Jahangir expressed concern over the rate of executions in Iran. Reports indicate that at least 435 persons have been executed in the first half of 2017. At least 4 of them was children. And 86 children are on death row, this is the known cases, the actual figure might be higher. 

Mrs. Jahangir asked for a withdrawal of the death sentence that has been issued to the imprisoned teacher Mr. Taheri, she also called for his unconditional release. 
The massacre of 1988 in Iran was addressed as a crime against humanity and the Rapporteur added that the persecution of ordinary Iranians based on their political beliefs is not a recent phenomenon but is well ingrained in the Iranian regime’s DNA. She added that in 1988 the regime slaughtered more than 30 000 political prisoners in just a couple of months, the regime buried the victims in mass graves and tried to cover up the crime, to hide it from the rest of the world. 
 The rapporteur stressed that despite the recent acknowledgments of the genocide from the highest- ranking members of the regime, the international community has still been largely silent and this silence must end.  Jahangir said that the families of the victims have a right to remedy, reparation and the right to know the truth about these events and the fate of their loved ones without reprisal.
She repeated her call upon the government to ensure that a thorough and independent investigation into these events is carried out. 
Jahangir also paid tribute to the many human rights defenders who have risked their lives to speak to her about the situation in Iran. 
We will join Jahangir in her call to bring justice to the victims of the 1988 Massacre and we would like to urge the UN to assemble an inquiry committee to investigate the massacre.
 We might never know the exact number of victims of this hideous crime but we will continue our quest to bring the culprits to trial. And to get justice for the victims of the 1988 massacre.

Deporting & separating from son by Norway, lashing in Iran by mullah

23.09.2017
By Zohair Ahmad
Leila Bayat, 36 was deported from Norway, Tuesday she received 80 lashes in Iran.
Before she arrived in Norway, Leila Bayat received a sentence of 80 lashes for alcohol consumption. The Norwegian authorities did not believe her and sent her back to Iran, Tuesday the sentence was completed and she received the 80 lashes.

Leila Bayat sentenced to 80 lashes for drinking alcoholic beverages

Leila Bayat came to Norway in 2009 together with her son Mani, she told the authorities that if she was to be sent back she would be flogged, UNE thought that the sentence was fabricated and decided it was safe to send her back to Iran, they assumed she had lied about the sentence and that no harm would come to her if she was to be sent home to Iran. 
On March 8th this year she was deported, after 8  years in Norway she was sent back alone, her son got his family reunion with his father in Steinkjer, Norway approved and was allowed to stay. 
Through Skype, Leila tells us that she is not ok and she added that her sentence of 80 lashes was completed on Tuesday. Leila told her

On International Youth Day more oppression for Iranian boys and girls

12.08.17
By Zohair Ahmad
On this year's youth day the conditions for young people in Iran is worse than ever. 
The human rights abuse against young men and women have indeed increased under Rouhani’s rule.
 On InternationalYouthDay we remember and praise the vibrant, energetic & talented girls who were executed by Iran regime in 1988 massacre & were not able to blossom.

Youth victims of 1988 massacre

 The world’s politicians have believed the Iranian lobby’ists who have claimed that Rouhani is a moderate. But his merits proves different, under Rouhani 3000 prisoners have been executed and a large number of the victims are juveniles. Official records show that 5000 prisoners on death-row are between 20 and 30 years of age.The daily human rights violations have indeed increased at the same rapid rate.  The clerical regime has cracked down on women in many different ways, the compulsory hijab law is one of them, even in the privacy of their own cars women are not allowed to remove their hijab.  But we can observe that more and more women are breaking the rules of the regime, and that is a clear sign that the regime is losing their iron-grip on the Iranian people.

women oppression by moral police in Iran

During the presidential campaign for this year's sham election, the youth was out on the streets protesting with slogans like «no to the charlatan» and «no to the imposter» referring to the candidates of the presidential (S)election. The answer from the regime was an increase in executions, arbitrary arrests, and unfair imprisonments.

The massacre of 1988 in Iran will never be forgotten

29 years have passed since the clerical regime committed a crime so grave that it has carved a permanent scar on the Iranian people's soul. The massacre of 1988. It all started with Khomeini’s death fatwa, all dissidents must die. It boils down to the mullahs fear of losing power, it was very important to get all opposition out of the way, nothing or no-one must threaten the clerical regime. Not then, not now. 

victims of 1988 Massacre in Iran

The gravity of this crime against humanity is unpresidential, and the culprits are now serving in the current Iranian regime’s government. Many of the victims had already been sentenced to

Mullahs use European politicians to wash Iranian’s blood off their hands

On July 5th, 2017, there was a well-orchestrated visit by European politicians from 45 different countries, to the notorious Evin prison in Iran. This visit is the latest attempt from the Mullahs regime to repeal claims of human rights abuse in Iranian prisons. The day before the visit, Javad Larijani, the head of the Iranian regime’s so-called «Human Rights Organisation», claimed there are no political prisoners in Iran. 

Visit from Evin prison in Iran with red carpet

Following the visit, Tasnim News Agency, which is close to the hardliners in Iran claimed that several Ambassadors were astonished by the quality of the prison. What a shame, it is a

Iran holds the grim record of executions of juveniles.

 Peyman Barandah is at imminent risk of execution on 10 May in Shiraz’s Adel Abad prison, Fars Province, Iran.

Peyman Barandah

He was 15 years old at the time of his arrest and was sentenced to death after a grossly unfair trial. On 2 May, the Prosecutor of Shiraz met with Peyman Barandah’s family and told them that if the cheque of 5.5 billion rials (US$169,500) representing blood money (diyah) they gave to the family of the teenager he was convicted of murdering does not clear at the bank on its due date of 7 May, then Peyman Barandeh’s execution will be carried out on 10 May as planned.This is just one of the urgent cases of juvenile executions awaiting. First of all, he was a child when the crime occurred, he has not been tried in a juvenile court but in adult court.

Iran's largest prison for journalists

A few days ago was the international media day, in the west, this is merely a day where we appreciate how far we have come in our human rights work.  Not all parts of the world are as Lucky as us. In Iran, it is dangerous, to tell the truth, if you disagree with the ruling mullahs terror regime. We read and see pictures in social media all too often about journalists that are flogged, imprisoned or tortured to death for disagreeing with the regime.  One of the most known deaths is that of blogger Sattar Beheshti.

Iran is the largest prison for journalists

  Sattar Beheshti was born in 1977 and lived in Robat Karim, 27 km southwest of Tehran. Opposition websites report that he had been detained in 1999 after student protests at Tehran University.
 His website "My Life for My Iran" at magalh91.blogspot.de was not a major blog, and had fewer than 30 viewers in October. Even if he was not a major blogger, Beheshti's death "has provoked outrage among both opponents and supporters of Iran’s leaders". On October 22, 2012, Beheshti posted a criticism of the Islamic Republic on his blog addressed to the Supreme leader.
 Beheshti stated that the judicial system of the Islamic Republic was "nothing but a slaughterhouse," and that "the sentences and ... the executions carried out ... were not out of a desire for justice – but were aimed at terrorizing the people! So that no one will complain!. In a blog post a day before his arrest, Beheshti wrote: "They threatened me yesterday and said, 'Your mother will soon wear black because you don't shut your big mouth'.
  His death in detention made the world aware of the abuse that is taking place against independent journalists in Iran. more recently we became aware of these two journalists: In  January  2017  we  could  read  this  in  the  news: Local  reports  said  that Iranian  journalists Mustafa  Barari  and  Arash  Shoaa,  from  Gilan  Noveen  and  Gilan  No  news  websites,  have received flogging sentences and a fine by the Revolutionary Court in Rasht city, north of Iran, following the complaint of one member of the Iranian Parliament over their publications.

A protest in front of an Iran Air agency in Paris, on July 10, 2012 

 The journalists, who were charged with spreading lies and publication without a license, now face  114  and  40  floggings as well  as  1  million  Rial  (almost  30,000  Euro)  fine for  the charge of insult. They have appealed the sentences and both websites are still controlled by the authorities, media added.

 I  am sorry  to say  that this  is just  the tip  of the  iceberg,  the number  of journalists  that are threatened to silence, or imprisoned is the highest in the world. Iran is a world leader when it comes to suppression and harassment of innocent journalists.  They are tortured for telling the truth and how many that have been threatened to remain silent we can only guess. But I believe the  number is thousand’s.  An  Iranian cybercrime  surveillance programme  entitled Operation Spider 2, which tracks and cracks down on social media users, has so far resulted in the arrest and imprisonment of several Internet users on charges such as insulting Islam, publishing immoral and corrupt material and encouraging individuals to commit immoral acts.
   The  Telegram messaging  application has  got its  voice app  blocked because of  the regimes fear over  an uprising  like the  one in  2009.  Facebook and Twitter continued  to be  entirely blocked for domestic users, and the authorities arbitrarily ban content under the justification of protecting families and Islamic culture.  The list of human rights abuse against journalists are long  and it  is getting longer.  This is because  the journalists  refuse to be silent,  and the regime are  afraid of  a  new uprising  like the  one in  2009.  To prevent  the event  they are prohibiting any media that can be used to gather protesters. 

Dual citizens in jail in Iran as hostages

 The human rights violations in Iran are of grave character as we can read heartbreaking stories of innocent civilian citizens that are being imprisoned from 5 to18 years on bogus charges. I will tell you some of their stories.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

Robin (Reza) Shahini: On October 15, 2016, Shahini was sentenced to18 years in prison for acting against national security, participating in protest gatherings in 2009, collaborating with Voice ofAmerica (VOA) television and insulting the sacred on Facebook by the Revolutionary Court in Gorgan.

Human rights violations in Iran

On April 24 the UN special rapporteur (UNSR) Asma Jahangir has denounced a report published by the Iranian News Agency (IRNA) alleging that she was planning to undertake a visit to Saudi Arabia in order to defame the authorities in Tehran. This attack on the UN SR shows the length the clerical regime in Iran will go to cover up their human rights abuses towards their own people.

Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Asma Jahangir

There are many examples of abuses that the regime denies happens. There is not without reason the regime is denying the UNSR to visit Iran and investigate abuse allegations herself. The rise of internet social media has made the evidence easy to access and the videos and pictures leave no doubt that the allegations are the truth.

human rights activist Atena Daemi

 The most pressing violation at this time is that of the human rights activist Atena Daemi, she is on her 17th day of hunger strike and she is in critical condition.

 Atena Daemi was sentenced to seven years in jail on unsubstantial charges of assembly, collusion and propaganda against the regime, blasphemy and insulting Khamenei, and concealing evidence of a crime.

Paul Ryan call to Blacklist IRGC

Paul Ryan urges for the blacklisting of the IRGC he also wants to have non-nuclear sanctions on Iran. a fatal flaw of the nuclear deal that Obama signed with the regime is that even if Iran cooperates it will provide Tehran with a patient pathway to nuclear capability.  We must continue to punish the regime for their illicit actions with sanctions.
 

House Speaker Paul Ryan

In his recent Speach, he criticised Obama policy and said:
Let’s start with Iran, my views, your views and the nuclear deal struck by Obama are pretty darn well known. But we must not forget the failures of the past if we want to do better simply put this deal has been an unmitigated disaster. I don’t say that lightly we provided billions of dollars in sanctions relieve sent more than a billion dollars in cold, hard cash and opened up Tehran to the global markets and meanwhile, Iran has stepped up its support for terrorism increased its human rights abuses and ramped its ballistic missile program. All while keeping its sights on a nuclear weapon. Republicans in congress reputed this deal and for a good reason, it is dangerous for the United States and for the world.

Retweet if you agree: President Obama’s Iran deal has been an unmitigated disaster. #AIPAC2017 pic.twitter.com/a57GWV97AV

— Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) March 27, 2017

Being a woman in Iran is not a free life

There are many restrictions laid upon women by the Islamic dictators in Tehran. The clerical regime has ratified the human rights bill but they do not give any citizen human rights, especially women.  Women are treated as second-class citizens and there are no improvements in sight. As the presidential election are approaching in Iran the regime cracks down even harder on women to prevent any protests. 

The bans on women can be described as discriminating at best but are really old men’s way of holding on to their crumbling power. As women’s power are growing stronger in Iran the regime is putting more bans on women to try to put the women in chains. Some of the bans are weird, women are not allowed to ride bicycles because it threatens their chastity? It is also forbidden for women to wear boots over their pants. It is forbidden for women to wear clothes that show their body curves. It is forbidden for women to show even a tiny strand of hair outside the hijab which is compulsory, women are encouraged to cover not only their hair but also their faces. A girl is not allowed to object if her father decides to marry her of at the age of 9. Women are also discouraged from taking an education instead of marrying at the age of 9. Girls should be allowed to decide for themselves whether to marry or take an education.

Iranian women are not allowed to divorce a violent husband, only the men are allowed to file for divorce. The list of bans on women is long and it is getting longer. The mullahs are aware of that it will be the power of women that will be their downfall and they are terrified of the strength of women.

Maryam Rajavi 

The NCRI have a woman as president-elect and she has been fighting for freedom for 40 years. Mrs. Maryam Rajavi is still strong and her strength frightens the mullahs so much that they are trying to get MEK/PMOI listed as terrorists and are spreading fake news and info about the largest opposition organization that fight about 40 years for freedom and democracy in Iran, but the world are no longer fooled by their lies, the world is now aware of that it is the regime that is the terrorists.

 The regime is practicing medieval punishments against both men and women. Stoning is one of these cruel punishments, amputation is one other horrible punishment. The mullahs have no respect for human lives and especially women. Women are considered property by the mullahs and are not even regarded as human beings. The only solution for Iranian women is a regime change, we must get a regime that is governed by human rights, equal rights for men and women and by justice. The regime claims that their justice system is very good but we have been witness to the execution of a young man before he was sentenced and the culprits were not punished. Iranian women need a government that grants them equal rights under the law and a government that is striving for freedom and democracy for all Iranians.   

2017 UN report on human rights in Iran

In the latest UN report on human rights, Iran was described as a country who show great disrespect for human rights. The special rapporteur Asma

Asma Jahangir The UNs special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran

Jahangir pointed out that the judiciary in Iran is neither independent nor free from influence from the executive pointing to a bill, introduced last July, which if adopted, could further undermine the independence of the lawyers.
   She was also expressing concern about the vague definition of certain offenses, disrespect for the rights of any accused to be promptly informed about charges against them.Violations of the rights to a fair trial and due process of law.
  

  

  The special rapporteur also voiced concern over the use of torture and ill-treatment.  She also expressed concern about the level of fear of those who tried to communicate with her, they expressed fear of reprisals against themselves or their family members living inside the country. 
Jahangir also spoke of the high number of executions in Iran and the executions of juveniles as soon as they turned 18. At least 530 people were executed last year, and 156 so far this year, two of them was underage. The UN is condemning death sentences based on confession under torture as illegitimate and must be dismissed in court. She also voiced concern about violence and harassment on religious grounds and restrictions to women’s labor rights, sexual and reproductive health care services and the restrictions of women’s freedom of movement.   
As the UN special rapporteur so correctly points out, the bill of human rights are not valid in the clerical regime of Iran, they are violating the human rights on a daily basis and do not seem to be changing their practice in the near future. 
Hasinali, the Parliamentary Assistant Mullah: Rouhani stated that the report of the Special Rapporteur for human rights was unfair and he added: “We must defend our actions at international meetings” the regime also claims that the Special Rapporteur had followed in the steps of Ahmad Shaheed and relied on statements of sources that are connected to the PMOI.
The Shargh site although writes that our Government answered their questions and correspondence, the report is the same as the previous Rapporteur’s report, one of the league of Defense of victims of terrorism, saying the decision declaring every hiss of MEK in this lady’s ears But the mullahs regime got defeated in this fight with the Iranian resistance once again.  
The regime is doing all in their power to be removed from the watch list and from the eyes of the Special Rapporteur. They will never grant access for Jahangir to Iran because they are aware of what they are doing to the Iranian people is grave violations on human rights. And the mullahs know that they are losing power and they will never give it up willingly. The mullahs will continue violating human rights as long as they stay in government, therefore is it of the utmost importance that there is a regime change in Iran to secure all Iranians human rights. 

The Iranian spring of freedom and prosperity

 We are witnessing spring all over the northern hemisphere, spring brings hope, a new life and dreams. I hope that this year will bring hope, freedom and democracy to Iran. She deserves a new life, she needs a new life, her people desires new life. It is up to us to help Iran get rid of the despotic dictators that have put her in chains. Iran is a country with a vast wealth that should be used to improve the livelihood of all Iranians, not only the clergy, and it should most definitely not be used to fuel the war in Syria, Iraq or Yemen. 

Iranian children are living in extra poverty

 But unfortunately that is what we see happening in Iran, the mullahs are putting the wealth of Iran into their own pocket or they are using it for war, this will never change unless we get a regime shift in Iran.   During the fire festival, this year people have been chanting Death to Khamenei, Death to the Velayat al-faqih, Death to mullahs’ regime and Mullahs must be killed.

Iranian youth firing  Khamenei photos in fire festival

 The protests could be heard all over Iran, even political prisoners joined in the protests. In hall 12 ward 4 in Karaj’s Gohardasht prison west of Tehran they chanted Death to Dictator and Death to mullahs regime. Youth In Tehran have been celebrating by jumping over fire chanting Mullahs must be killed they also burned a large portrait of Khomeini and Khamenei.

The city of Esfahan has turned into a battleground between youth who are adamant to celebrate the feast of fire festival and the suppressive revolutionary guards who are keen to prevent the people from celebrating.  The Iranian people changed the fire festival into a gigantic protest against the mullahs and the mullahs rule there was the protest in Robat Karim, Arak, Urumia, Rasht, Ardevil, Shiraz, Mashhad, Kashan, Asluyie, Yasuj, Shahr-e Kord, Kermanshah, Bane, Khoramabad, Sardasht and Mahshahr.

The people's demands will be possible only under a new government, and these changes are the very core of the Iranian resistance, they are working hard from within Iran and from exile to liberate the people of Iran. In the 10 point plan made by the NCRI, all basic human rights have the highest priority. They are also clear on the wish to abolish the death penalty and medieval punishments like stoning. In the view of the resistance, this has no place in a democratic and free society.  In these days we see that all over Iran people are no longer silent about the injustice has done to them by the clerical regime. They are loudly protesting and with the growth of social media, the whole world is supporting their fight for freedom.
There will be more deaths and broken families but this is a price the people are willing to pay to secure that their children will grow up in a free and democratic Iran.  Let us pray that Iran will lose her chains soon, Inch Allah. 

prisoners under brutal attack in Iran

The prisoners in section 4, hall 11 in Evin prison have been under terrible pressure and torture by the prison guards lately. There were been reports of prisoners been beaten so badly that they are urinating blood.
 

  

Brutal Attack of Special Prison Guards on Section 4 of Evin Prison

prisoners under brutal attack in Iran

 The conditions are so horrific that several prisoners have been trying to commit suicide. The prisoners that have been tortured was not even taken to the clinic for treatment despite of broken hands and faces. The crimes that are being committed in section 4, hall 11 is a breach of every statute in the human rights bill and must be stopped. The revelations of these atrocities were made by the prisoners of hall 12 who have heard sounds of torture from hall 11. 

I want Iran Free: Who is responsible for his murder ?

I want Iran Free: Who is responsible for his murder ?: Mahdis Mir Ghavami Young Female Engineer Mahdis Mir Ghavami Young Female Engineer on Tuesday, January 24th and got jailed for two days ...

Why is the Canadian foreign office so determent to deport Azizi?

Azizi is an Iranian refugee that after a visit to her daughter sought asylum in Canada in 2013. She is 60 years old and she deserves to live her final years in peace and with her family. Her daughter tells us that her mother suffers from diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, and back pain. She is in need of medical treatment and that will not be possible if she is deported to Iran.
 

Her history with the Iranian authorities is not good, She has been arrested and imprisoned for three years in Iran for being a political activist.  Her husband was executed by the regime in the 1988 massacre because of his involvement with the MEK. Azizi fears that the same will happen to her if she is deported.  She will most likely be arrested upon arrival at Imam Khomeini airport and she will be imprisoned and tortured. There is also an imminent threat of her being sentenced to death if she is deported.
 

Roghayeh Azizi Mirmahaleh is scheduled to be deported to Iran on Feb. 28

She is scheduled to be deported on February 28th. The Canadian immigration officials acknowledge she was imprisoned for three years in the 1980s, her daughter was just a toddler at that time, because of her involvement with the MEK. The government also acknowledge the fact that her husband was executed by the Iranian authorities in 1988. And yet they have decided to deport her to a country where the authorities do not respect human rights and are still using medieval punishments.  do the Canadian immigration office not see how the Iranian regime is treating people that do not agree with their politics? While in Canada Azizi has been active in protesting against the clerical regime in Iran and all of these protests are closely monitored by the regime. The dangers against her life become very real if she is deported, there is no doubt that she will face imprisonment and even torture.
 

Roghayeh Azizi Mirmahaleh, centre, takes part in protest outside the federal immigration and refugee offices in Montreal Feb. 21, 2017.

Kyle Matthews, head of the Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies at Concordia University, says Azizi Mirmahaleh has reason to fear for her safety. "I assume that if this person is deported back to Iran, there's a very good chance this person will end up in prison, could be tortured," Matthews said. Matthews said that it's time Iran was added to the list of countries to which Canada will not deport refugee claimants, including Somalia and Syria."Iran is not a safe country. Iran has one of the most troubling human rights records of any country on the planet."
The NCRI is strongly condemning the arrest and deportation orders of Mrs. Azizi Mirmahaleh, and they are calling the parliament, political parties, and refugee and human rights organizations in Canada to take immediate and effective measures to prevent the expulsion or extradition of Azizi. The Iranian resistance stresses that it holds the Canadian government fully responsible for her life. 
Extraditing asylum seekers who have fled the hell of the mullahs regime is a violation of many international conventions, the right to asylum and universal principles of human rights for deals with a regime that has on its black record the execution of 120 000 political prisoners. 
This is why we must demand that the deportation order for Mrs. Azizi is revoked.