Petition Tag - human rights

On Tuesday, 12 July, 2011, approximately 35 police officers and other Cypriot authorities violently assaulted a group of Iranian and other refugees held in Larnaca detention center for migration-related issues (e.g., expired visa).

During the attack, the Cypriot authorities threatened the refugees with handguns. They used batons and brass knuckles to brutally beat the refugees, including an elderly 72-year old asylum-seeker, who was transferred to solitary confinement after the beatings. He, along with his family, was deported to Iran in the following days. One asylum-seeker who reported a broken leg first received medical treatment 10 days after the attacks.

Neither the government of Cyprus nor the UNHCR has taken any substantive action with regard to these illegal attacks on defenseless detainees held for migration-related reasons, leaving it to an "investigation" to determine what happened, while detained refugees remain at the mercy of those who beat them.

Meanwhile, the Cypriot government, which flagrantly violates fundamental human rights, expects to assume the Presidency of the European Union in 2012.

More about the case can be read here, including a signed complaint by some of the affected asylum-seekers.

Video clip of the injuries sustained by 2 of the detained asylum-seekers can be seen here (English translation appears below the video clips on youtube):
VIDEO 1 and VIDEO 2.

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Since February 14, 2011 the government of Bahrain has been using excessive force to quell peaceful protests and then punish the protesters by targeting them in their neighborhoods and homes.

Excessive amounts of teargas is being fired and dropped into enclosed areas including INTO homes themselves. Four deaths have been directly linked to this practice.

The following are links to videos of this practice:
http://youtu.be/_-9l_b0AmyY
http://youtu.be/fjssenG1ZZE

And to an article describing the recent death of a woman in her home from CS gas asphyxia:
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/middleeast/news/article_1651569.php/Woman-s-death-sparks-new-tension-in-Bahrain
http://youtu.be/PQPiKsBrR0c

And this is a site documenting several of these incidents:
http://www.scoop.it/t/bahrain-mena-arab-spring?tag=%23CSgas

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Behnam Darvishian was arrested in 2010 and transferred to Qazvin Intelligence Ministry. His father’s house was searched and his belongings were confiscated afterwards.

A source close to the family informed the Human Rights House of Iran that Darvishian has not had prison visits with his family for the past 8 months and the follow-ups of his family have been inconclusive. He has only called them once last week and has informed them of his breathing problems.

The source added that he is held in solitary confinement units of Qazvin Intelligence Ministry and is in poor physical condition.

Darvishian is a blogger and a computer engineermg student. Another contributer to the same blog Ali Shafie was also arrested last year.

Darvishian was sentenecd to 3 years in prison for anti-regime propaganda and acting agianst national security by creating a blog. His sentence was upheld by the appeals court.

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The decision of the High court judge, Datuk Yazid Mustafa, in dismissing Aleesha Farhana Abdul Aziz’s application to have her name and gender altered in her identity card.

The ruling is inconsistent with the precedence established in 2005 when a mak nyah from Kuala Lumpur made the same application. Justice James Foong, in the case of JG v Pengarah Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara 2005, had then held in favour of the mak nyah in question (refer to URL).

Aleesha has expressed desires to further her studies and it is for this reason she wishes to change her name and gender on her official documents. Just like everyone else, Aleesha and many like us are striving to better ourselves and contribute to society. Aleesha and all Malaysian trans people deserve the same opportunities as others to improve the quality of our lives and pursue our dreams.

The court must allow Aleesha to change her name and gender. Her rights and the court’s duty must not be held hostage by the sensitivities of those who are ignorant about transsexualism. By denying her her right, the court is perpetuating an environment of discrimination within which she will never find the justice due her.

Trans people like Aleesha face extreme levels of stigma and discrimination in Malaysia. The discrimination is often perpetuated by biased, negative reporting from the media and endorsed by state mouthpieces, fueling the public to further hate, marginalise and abuse an already vulnerable group of people. These abuses, ranging from physical violence to mental torture to sexual assault, happen from when we are still children right into our adulthood. Lack of attempts to understand us have resulted in many being kicked out of families, schools and work. We are often prevented from accessing health services, housing, education, employment, and other basic rights enjoyed by all Malaysians. Without the law on our side, we are left without legal recourse to redress any injustice and abuse we suffered.

The unwillingness of the Malaysian government to recognise trans people as equal before the law facilitates this ugly persistence in violating us. Official recognition has in fact been granted by both Asian and Islamic nations. These include Singapore which recognises male-to-female transpeople and female-to-male transpeople; Nepal and Pakistan which recognise trans people as “third gender”; Iran, Egypt, Thailand, India and Pakistan, where sex reassignment surgeries are allowed and conducted.

These policies are justified by many scientific studies that have documented transsexualism as a condition resulting from many varied biological causes. Forcing trans people to behave in accordance to external sexual organs have been counterproductive to mental and physical health. However, through a variety of remedy now available, including hormonal therapy and sex reassignment surgeries, many trans people have been able to live happily and productively according to the gender identity with which we identify.

We urge the relevant authorities to take necessary measures and immediately act to create an enabling and safer environment for Malaysian trans people. This includes the repeal of laws that criminalise trans people for our identity, dressing and mannerisms. The government must set up a nationwide consultation with the trans community as soon as possible in order to better understand our issues. It is about time we have policies, programmes, services and legal remedies that meet trans people’s needs as defined by us.

We request that all concerned work to realising the spirit and intent of Article 5(1) of the Federal Constitution which clearly states that no person shall be deprived of his/her life or personal liberty save in accordance with the law. This article is strongly aligned to Principle 17 of the Yogjakarta Principles, which emphasises that:

“Everyone has the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, without discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Sexual and reproductive health is a fundamental aspect of this right.”

In June 2011, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) passed a resolution to document discriminatory laws and practices and acts of violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and to study how to end human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The international community stands with all of us in Malaysia whose rights have been violated for our gender identity. We therefore remind the Malaysian government of the pledges it made to become a member of the UN Human Rights Council, and as a member of the UN Human Rights Council, Malaysia is obliged to respect and uphold the human rights of all, equally and unconditionally.

URL: http://www.facebook.com/notes/pang-khee-teik/please-endorse-statement-from-malaysian-transgenders-on-violation-of-aleesha-oth/10150323060846259

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On 29th March 2011 2.30 am group of 40 masked men stormed house of Mrs Jaleela Al Salman, deputy president of Bahrain teachers society, a mother of 3 arresting her at gun point in front of her kids breaking all doors in their way, her kids rooms was stormed as well, kids still suffering from this & scared and cry at night as they recall masked men stormed in their rooms holding, quote "big weapons" for her alleged role in coordinating a teachers strike in Bahrain, for 2 months none heard anything about her whereabouts, or what were her charges.

Now it’s known regime of Bahrain is accusing her for so many fake charges in revenge, for her doing her work defending teachers & students right. It’s known that she had been exposed to numerous acts of ill-treatment & torture.

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Both federal and provincial laws on naturally occurring psychoactives such as Marijuana, Psilocybe, DMT and Opium are inconsistent with the Constitution.

In Canadian constitutional law, all laws of Canada, both provincial and federal, must conform to the Constitution and any laws inconsistent with the Constitution have NO FORCE OR EFFECT

Section 2 of the Constitution Act of 1982 states:

2. Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms:

(a) freedom of conscience and religion;

(b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of
communication;

The federal and provincial laws regarding the prohibition of natural psychoactive plants does not align with the constitutional right to freedom of religion nor towards freedom of belief. These plants are used as religious sacrement through many historical cultures, and are believed to attribute to the healing of many medical ailments. Without these plants we cannot exercise our constitutional right to utilize these materials for religious and sacramental purposes. Nor to exercise our constitutional right to freedom of belief. To sustain our belief that these psychoactive plants are viable medicines.

Therefore all laws regarding to the prohibition of these materials have NO FORCE and EFFECT. This law is proven invalid as it does not conform to Section 2(a)(b) of the Constitution Act of 1982.

It is our right to utilize psychoactive plant life as per the constitution, it is NOT a legality issue!

It is a human rights issue!

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Bahrain has turned into the "Island of Fear" as a result of the recent crackdown on peaceful protesters. The protests started on Feb. 14th demanding basic humn rights and urging the Bahraini government to end the ongoing discrimination practised by the ruling Sunni minority on the Shiite majority.

Since Feb. 14th to date, over 2000 pro-democracy activists, journalists, bloggers, as well as simple men, women, and even children as young as 12 have been detained by the notorious State Security Apparatus.

Several of those detained have had their dead bodies delivered to their families within a few days, marked with clear signs of vicious torture.

The regime has fired thousands of workers, sportspeople, students and teachers simply for supporting the reformist protests and demanding change.

8 activists are sentenced to life in prison, and 4 are sentenced to death.

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An Open letter From the Family of Anvar Hussein Panahi to Dr. Shaheed
TUESDAY, 06 DECEMBER 2011;

http://www.en-hrana.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=588%3Aan-open-letter-from-the-family-of-anvar-hussein-panahi-to-dr-shaheed&catid=2%3Astatements&Itemid=4


Anwar Hossein Panahi is a Kurdish political activist who has been sentenced to death by the revolutionary court. After protests from human rights organizations, his sentence was changed to 16 years of detention.

Therefore, his brother Ashraf Hossein Panahi tried to prove Anwar’s innocence. Two years ago, he set off to Teheran with a petition signed by 5000 people and on the way he was killed in a false accident.

Due to the protests against Anwar’s verdict, the other brother Afshin Hossein Panahi has also been arrested and sentenced to one year of prison in the city of Ghorveh, where he is still held in custody. According to family members he has lost 50% of his sight in the prison of Ghorveh because of torture.

On November 6th 2007 Anwar Hossein Panahi has been arrested and spent the following 6 months left in complete ignorance about the charges. One of the fellow inmates reports that Anwar Hossein Panahi had been tied naked to an iron pole in the middle of winter after having had broken a rib and suffered from inflammation of one kidney. After a certain amount of time he lost his conscience and was brought back to his cell. According to his fellow convict this torture was repeated several times a month.

In accordance with his lawyers Anwar Panahi has not commited any crime that would justify keeping him in prison for even one day.

In accordance with his lawyers Anwar Panahi has not commited any crime that would justify keeping him in prison for even one day.

Anwar Hossein Panahi is a civil rights activist and the confidant of the farmers in the Dehgolan region. He has also established a program for drug addicts, that is being practiced in the Sanandaj prison. The prisoners can attend courses, which should prevent drugs from spreading in jail. Over 200 convicts participate in his program. Because of this Anwar Panahi is often not allowed to receive visitors; a week ago he was not permitted to see his family.

The Committee of Human Rights Reporters strongly disapproves of such a treatment of convicts and demands the immediate and unconditional release of political prisoners.

From ParsDaliNews
http://parsdailynews.com/80236.htm

Letter from
Anwar Hossein Panahi’s Children Ask for Support for Their Father

The children of Anwar Hossein Panahi, a Kurdish civil rights activist who has been in prison for years, have written a letter to the international human rights organizations asking for help.

Mahtab’s (daughter 15 years old), Milad’s (son, 12 years old) and Mahshid’s (daughter, 6 years old) letter:

Everybody knows that our father is being held in prison without any evident reasons for 4 years. In these 4 years our family has been put under pressure by many occurrences, such as the death of one of our uncles, the arrest of our other uncle and many other problems that have been caused for us.

Our father had been suffering from inflammation of one kidney as well as bleeding in this area. The prison doctor told him that he needed to go to the hospital and be treated there. His application for a leave of absence to be hospitalized was not granted. After some human rights organizations protested, our father was brought to the hospital and received basic treatment.
Our Mother is also very sick and needs to go to the hospital sometimes because of her illness. But she taught us to have endurance and she reminds us that our father is in prison because of his fight for justice.
Over 4 years we have been denied our father and his love. For over 4 years we have been looking up this high and cold wall waiting and hoping that our father dreams of us on the other side of this wall.

We heard that the 30th of Khordad is the international day of political prisoners. Due to this we, the children of Anwar Hossein Panahi, ask for the help and support of every individual that stands up for human rights and loves man.
We need everybody’s help to free our father and have him back in our family.

Mahtab, Milad and Mahshid, the children of Anwar Hossein Panahi

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On 07/07/2011, York based student Francis Fernie was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.

Francis was involved in the anti-cuts protests that took place on March 26th in London.

When police attacked the crowd outside Fortnum and Mason, Francis was hit repeatedly (including over the head) by police batons.

In a moment of 'hot headedness', Francis threw two placard sticks towards a crowd of heavily armoured police officers.

It has not been proven that he hurt anybody.

Frank is a hard working student, with no previous offences, a solid background in voluntary and community work and to everyone that knows him, he is a brother.

Frank should not be in prison.

It is easy to see that Frank's sentence is disproportionate to the crimes that he has commited and his background is one of lifelong kindness.

The full story as reported by York's Press can be found on at the following link:

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/9128855.Talented_student_jailed_over_riot/

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Since the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979:

• Iranian citizens are excluded from legal and constitutional immunity. The accused are ineligible for due process within the Iranian judicial system, and are not permitted to secure a defense in court.

• More than seven thousand political prisoners were summarily executed in the summer of 1988, in the Islamic Republic’s various prisons. High level religious leaders including, but not limited to, the grand Ayatollah Montazeri (the original successor to the Ayatollah Khomeini), have verified and repeatedly condemned these executions.

• Hundreds of political activists and pro-democracy leaders have been assassinated in the country and abroad by the agents of the Islamic regime.

• To this day, the stoning of women and execution of pro-democracy activists in Iran is a daily practice.

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Le Dr MUKONGOMA, medecin directeur de l'hopital général d'oicha, Nord-Kivu, DRC, a été enlevé le 01 juillet 2011 vers 16h par 4 persones en uniforme des FARDC à oicha. Ils sont arrivés à l'hopital lui demander de venir soigner des blessés de guerre qui sont à MBAU. En cours de route, la figure du medecin été bandée. Ces envahisseurs l'ont conduit dans une destination inconnue dans la foret ayant abandonés leur Jeep en route, renseigne notre source à Oicha.

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Throughout 2011 much of the Middle East has been engulfed by political turmoil and unrest; Egypt, Yemen, Libya and Syria. Much of this upheaval has received coverage to the point of saturation by the western media. Furthermore, throughout this time the US State Department, and the governments of most other western nations have supported democratic reforms and regime change.

One exception has been the Kingdom of Bahrain. Very has little been shown and very little has been said. One exception was the excellent coverage provided by SBS' Dateline program, with journalist Yarra Bou Melhem. This program, entitled Bahrain's Dark Secret aired on Sunday 3 April, 2011. Sadly, this has been one of the very few programs in Australia to expose the horrendous violation of human rights issues in Bahrain. While protesters are no longer taking to the streets, the political regime which supports King Hamed ibn Isa Khalifa continues to intimidate and harass people in their hundreds and thousands.

The great sadness in all of this is the silence of the western powers who have been deafening in their condemnation of Gadafi, Assad, Moubarak etc.

Why does the United States (in particular) remain silent despite the ongoing and increasing atrocities being committed in Bahrain? Surely, the convenience of having its Navy's 5th Fleet based there hasn't bought its silence?

While quickly and rightfully condemning the human rights violations and abuses in Libya, Syria and other parts of the Middle East, the United States has remained disturbingly silent throughout the last two months, as Bahrain's regime has actively engaged in the suppression and persecution of the Shiite majority.

In response to protests calling for democratic reforms people have been gassed, shot and attacked in the streets; summarily dismissed from their workplaces (by the hundreds) arbitrarily placed under curfew and house arrest subject to ongoing harassment and intimidation.

Security forces have arrested, detained and tortured hundreds of people. The whereabouts of most are unknown. Even hospitals have become a target for the attacking of political opponents, and innocent bystanders and the medical staff who seek to treat them.

Although condemned by Human Rights groups around the world the response of the United States and other western nations has been ... silence. When the demonstrations first broke there were one or two 'voices of concern but these have been very quickly muted.

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On this first day of July 2011, Voice of Vietnamese Americans (VVA) stands in solidarity with all people of Vietnamese descent, all Southeast Asian citizens represented by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and all international communities represented by the United Nations (UN) to raise a collective concern on the global security threat posed by China Communist Party’s (CPC) expansion policy in the Southeast Asia Sea (South China Sea).

The CPC has shown increasing aggressions with disrespect for the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in the Southeast Asia Sea (1982), disregarding the ASEAN Declaration on the South China Sea (1992), as well as ignoring the ASEAN Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) (2002).

China’s navy has opened fire on Vietnamese fishermen, cutting cables of Vietnamese surveying ships, banned fishing in the Exclusive Economic Zones belonging to Vietnam and the Philippines, and threatened to use its power to claim ownership of more than 80% of the Southeast Asia Sea. It has imposed the 9 dotted line called U shape which infringes on the sovereignty of Southeast Asian nations, disregarding all regional and international agreements China has officially signed with ASEAN and the United Nations.

While recognizing Chinese People as peace-loving and hard-working people, we condemn the CPC for abusing its power, under-minding traditional Chinese culture, not honoring its own signature on the UNCLOS and international treaties, and putting the Chinese people in severe conflicts with their traditional culture and with the world.

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To all respected news media and Human Rights organizations,

Three years ago, in the month of Muharram 2008, the Iraqi Government forces along with American and British forces attacked a group of followers of Imam Ahmad Al-Hassan in the cities of Basra and Al-Nasiriyah. The Iraqi government admitted that they killed 400 in the attack. When they arrested the rest of the Ansar in Basra and sent them to Baghdad, they let them loose after it was made known through interrogation that they did not commit any crimes.

So what is the difference in the events of Al Nasiriyah?

Those that were attacked in Al Nasiriyah by some scholars and the higher council group, were tortured with the worse kind of torture in the governor's house. We ask the question... are there prisoners that are transferred to the house of the governor and tortured at the hands of some scholars?

By what law is that?

Then they arranged for them a trial and with false confessions that they wrote, and they judged them with execution. And when this case turned into discrimination, it remained for two years after the discrimination court decided to counter the judgment, but there are political pressures upon the discrimination court to validate the judgments.

Finally some of the Scholars and the Higher council took advantage of the crimes of Al Qaeda and the people's demands to prosecute them and execute them to pass the execution of 24 of the followers of Imam Ahmad Al-Hassan and life imprisonment to 15 of the Ansar with them.

The Matter of validating the judgment of executing the Ansar is a political execution 100 percent, as there are political forces who wish to execute the Ansar along with the wave of Al Qaeda criminal executions, which in no way relate.

The Iraqi government has confessed to the crime of killing 400, only due to their religious beliefs, and we ask, is this the new democracy that is being built in Iraq? As you read this, they are in the process of executing another 24, who have committed no crime, and imprisoning another 15 to life sentences, due to their religious beliefs.

Accompanied Files:

The Martyr Mujtava who was shot and left to bleed to death while being beat in the incidents that took place in the infamous month of Muharram.
http://vb.al-mehdyoon.org/t9814.html

See how the big scholars are inciting violence against the Ansar simply because of their belief.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV-4FWKQ2dc

Al Fayad is here clearly asking the government to obliterate and bury the Ansar of Imam Mahdi a.s. in their place:
http://www.alfayadh.com/site/index.php? ... icle&id=41

The burning of the Library of the Ansar in Basra
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymUGpZLA2AA

Archive of photos of the destruction of the Husseiniya and Mosque of the Ansar of Imam Mahdi a.s.
http://vb.al-mehdyoon.org/t2119.html

http://www.amnesty.org/ar/news-and-updates/news/iraq-executions-follow-apparently-unfair-trials-20080418

EVERY NIGHT AT 9pm Mecca Time - the show- by what law is this? concerning what is happening against the Ansar, so join in the paltalk room
http://vb.al-mehdyoon.org/room.php

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Alireza Farshi, a university professor and an Azerbaijani civil rights activist was arrested in Tabriz on Friday 13th April 2011, presumably to enforce the six-month jail sentence he received last year.

Ministry of Intelligence and Security officers (MOIS) arrested Farshi during a Tabriz rally May 22, 2009 at which Farshi and other rally participants chanted slogans demanding Azerbaijani rights such as “schooling in Azerbaijani Turkish.” Police officers responded with physical attacks and arrests. Amnesty International issued a report on June 9, 2009 condemning the human rights violations of the protesters in Tabriz—15 people, including Farshi—who had been injured and arrested. MOIS agents then deceptively requested that Didar visit her detained husband, at which time she was also arrested. The couple was released on bail after they held for 3 months and 30 days. They were tried three months later. Farshi also banned from teaching at Azad University of Jolfa in August 2010.

The Association for the Defense of Azerbaijani Political Prisoners, ADAPP, believes that, he is a prisoner of conscience, held solely for the peaceful civil, cultural and linguistic rights activities.

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Maryam Majd, a sports photojournalist, was scheduled to arrive in Dusseldorf, Germany on 17 June to photograph the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Petra Landers, a former player on the German National Team who was scheduled to collaborate with Majd on a FIFA book project on female soccer players worldwide, has written a letter to the German Foreign Ministry urging them to ask Iranian authorities to provide information about Majd’s whereabouts.

Majd’s German hosts in Dusseldorf waited for her for hours on Friday, according to reports, but she never showed up. Several hours after Majd’s scheduled flight had landed, her hosts contacted Mahan Air to ask about her whereabouts, but were told that Majd’s name was not on the passenger list of the flight.

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Matthew VanDyke, Journalist, Missing In Libya.

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The UN Calls Access a Human Right

Just this past week, a United Nations report declared Internet access a basic human right. The report focused on the democratizing potential of the unfettered exchange of information and ideas.

It also points out that even in democratic societies, an informed and engaged population holds governments accountable.

And the indisputable reality is that San Franciscans cannot participate fully in our government, in our education system or in our economy without access to the Internet.

If we can truly capture the efficiencies of Web 2.0 and bring them to a San Francisco Government 2.0, the immediate cost savings would be well in excess of $10 million per year. As progressive as our city tends to be in most respects, our city government itself is conservative in its approach to change. The rapid pace of web technologies could help speed up the necessary changes we need in city government making us more effective, more responsive, and less costly.

Access to the Internet is not a luxury anymore. Could you imagine looking for a job, doing your homework, or researching how to cast an intelligent ballot without access to the Internet?

Here we are in San Francisco claiming to be the capitol of the world digital economy. Yet a significant number of our residents cannot access this new economy because they have no reliable access to the Internet. We can save money while doing more as a city government. And at the same time we make our economy larger and more inclusive by guaranteeing Universal Access to the Internet. The time has come to transform our city government and to transform lives in our city by bringing full and equal access to the Internet for all San Franciscans.

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This online petition is calling for a commitment from Government for ensure that the Protection of Freedoms Bill ensures that the records of all innocent people are deleted from the Police National Computer (PNC) and Police National Database (PND) at the same time that their DNA is deleted.

Unless the PNC and PND records are deleted at the same time as well as any photos, up to a million innocent people will still retain the status of a criminal.

These records can be used to refuse someone a visa or a job simply because they have a record of arrest. This can also lead to stigma and discrimination when accessed by officers on the beat.

For the past three years Black Mental Health UK has been campaigning against the way the DNA database has criminalised black Briton.

The DNA profiles of 37% of black men and 77% of young black men, aged between 15 and 34, have been estimated to be on the National DNA Database. Every black family in Britain is affected.

The way DNA has been collected also means that innocent mental health service users who are also currently profiled on the database and have been criminalised by this system, simply because they were sectioned under the Mental Health Act, when they were in need of mental health care and ended up in police custody.

Changes need to be made to the Protection of Freedoms Bill to include the deletion of innocent people’s police records and photographs at the same time as their DNA and fingerprint records.

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Iranian asylum seekers are trapped in an inhumane limbo in the Netherlands !

We need to support these people instead of punishing them even more as it is now ...

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*UPDATE 2012-12-01


U.N. Committee Condemns Human Rights Abuses in Iran

Iran Human Rights, November 28, 2012: A resolution on the human rights situation in Iran was passed by the U.N. Third Committee on Tuesday, November 27.

The resolution, which was drafted by Canada and co-sponsored by other countries, received 83 votes in favour, 31 against, and 87 abstentions.

According to Reuters, formal voting on the resolution will take place next month "at plenary sessions of the General Assembly."

Among other human rights violations in Iran, the resolution criticized the "continuing alarming high frequency of the carrying-out of the death penalty (in Iran) in the absence of internationally recognized safeguards, including an increase in the number of public executions."

Reuters reports that the resolution on Iran "received more yes votes than a year ago, when a similar text was approved with 80 in favor, 44 against and 57 abstentions."

http://iranhr.net/spip.php?article2649


* UPDATE 2012- 04-05


#UN Rights Experts Decry
"Mounting Repression" in#Iran

#Reuters GENEVA | Fri May 4, 2012

"The Conviction & Extremely Harsh Sentencing of Human Rights Defenders Is An Indication Of Mounting Repression Against The Legitimate Activities Of Human Rights Defenders & Represents A Serious Setback For The Protection Of Human Rights In Iran"

- Ahmed Shaheed, U.N. Special Rapporteur on Iran.

Iran is cracking down on activists and their lawyers, meting out harsh sentences in an effort to quash pro-democracy activities, United Nations human rights experts said on Friday.

In a joint statement, the independent experts called for the immediate release of human rights defenders including Narges Mohammadi, whom they said was rearrested on April 21 to serve a six-year prison sentence handed down by an appeals court.

"The conviction and extremely harsh sentencing of human rights defenders is an indication of mounting repression against the legitimate activities of human rights defenders and represents a serious setback for the protection of human rights in Iran," said Ahmed Shaheed, U.N. special rapporteur on Iran.

Thousands of opposition supporters have been detained since the disputed 2009 presidential election won by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, including scores of senior reformist figures.

Mohammadi, former vice-president of the Defenders of Human Rights Centre, founded by rights lawyer and Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi, was convicted of "assembly and collusion against national security, membership in the Defenders of Human Rights Centre and propaganda against the regime," the statement said.

She is said to be in "extremely fragile" health, it said. A U.N. official told Reuters that Mohammadi is believed to be held in Tehran's Evin Prison.

"Human rights defenders play a fundamental role in ensuring a democratic society which respects human rights. They must be allowed to carry out their work without facing intimidation, harassment, arrest and prosecution," said Margaret Sekaggya, special rapporteur on human rights defenders.

Lawyers representing activists in the Islamic republic are also facing difficulties as they are being identified with their clients' causes, according to Gabriela Knaul, special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers.

"The government has an obligation to ensure that lawyers can perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference and that they do not suffer prosecution for any action taken while carrying out their duties," she said.

Abdolfattah Soltani and Nasrin Sotoudeh, both lawyers who have represented many high-profile political and human rights activists, are among those to have been jailed for carrying out their legitimate work, according to the statement.

Soltani, co-founder of the Defenders of Human Rights Centre, was arrested in September on charges of collusion, anti-regime propaganda and acquiring property through illegitimate means, leading to an 18-year prison sentence and 20-year ban on practicing law, it said.

Sotoudeh, a human rights lawyer, was arrested in September 2010 and sentenced to six years by an Iranian appeal court, along with a 10-year ban on her practicing law, it said.

Shaheed, a former foreign minister of the Maldives, and the other investigators report to the U.N. Human Rights Council.

Despite repeated requests, he has never been allowed into Iran, but the Geneva forum renewed his mandate in March for a second year after he reported a high rate of executions as well as abuse of minorities, and persecution of homosexuals and labor unions.

Mohammad Javad Larijani, head of Iran's High Council for Human Rights, told the U.N. forum in March that his government had "repeatedly manifested its unwavering commitment toward the advancement of human rights" and that "self-monitoring" was a key principle. The aim was to build a prosperous society based on justice, equality, legitimate freedoms and development.

The report submitted by Shaheed "amounted to nothing more than the repetition of a barrage of unsubstantiated and biased contentions traditionally levied" against Iran, Larijani said.




ENOUGH IS ENOUGH !!!

During the 2 years since the election , people have been beaten , tortured , raped , imprisoned & murdered by the regime in Iran ...

We need to come together and stand up for everyone of ALL political prisoners & prisoners of conscience !

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النظام السوري هو نظام عنصري غير شرعي والحكومة هي واحدة من الأكثر قمعا في العالم مع سجل وحشي لقمع الشعب السوري الأعزل، المجازر الوحشية اليوميه من قبل حزب البعث وقوات الأمن السورية لم تلقى أي اعتراضات من مختلف أنحاء العالم، لذلك نحن ندعو الناس في كل مكان في العالم ، للتوقيع على العريضة، لتحقيق العدالة للضحايا ووقف هذه المجازر المروعه
يرجى انها مسؤوليتكم لتعميم هذه العريضة لجميع الناس. لقد حان الوقت أن نظهر التضامن مع بعضنا البعض على المستوى الإنساني.

شكرا لدعمكم.

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PLEASE NOTE: That the above publish date is the origin of petition cause. The petition below was been updated in the month of November of 2011.

The following statement is of my own personal opinion and true beliefs.

I spent less than a year as a licensed private investigator with little to no skill in order to discover what will no doubt soon lead to one of the most significant discoveries and or disclosures of judicial industry information regarding the Canadian family court system ever disclosed.

It is my true belief with respect to my simple discovery that there are no changes that could possibly ever be made to the present family court system that would reduce the enormous amount of suffering and death presently taking place.

With your support, this never before seen judicial industry information will be for the first time, gathered, compiled, then disclosed to the public.

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ما مجازات واحکام غیر انسانی اعدام، سنگسار،شلاق وشکنجه درهرشکل آن را درشأن مردم کشورمان ایران با پشتوانه تمدنی کهن نمی دانیم.

ما سرکوب و کاربرد خشونت، محکومیت ها و مجازاتهای وحشیانه را درخور شهروندان کشور خود ندانسته و خواهان لغو و محو اینگونه مجازاتها از سرزمین مان ایرانیم.

ما خواهان حقوق دمکراتیک برای زنان و جدایی دین از حکومت هستیم.

ما برآنیم که وابستگی دستگاه قضایی ودادگاه های انقلاب و دادسراها به سران حاکمیت جمهوری اسلامی و تبعیت آنها از منافع و مصالح سیاسی اقتصادی حکومتگران اسلامی، مانع از اجرای عدالت شده و درمقابل مطلق گرایی و سرکوبگری چنین دستگاهی، جان، مال و حیثیت هرشهروند ایران درخطر است.

ما خواهان لغو همه احکام غیرانسانی اعدام، سنگسار، وثیقه های ویرانگر و شکنجه درهرشکل آن هستیم.

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July 11, 2011--The Appeals Court has upheld a four-year prison sentence issued for Houshang Fanaian, a Baha'i citizen from the city of Amol in Mazandaran Province.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Houshang Fanaian has been locked up in Amol Prison for more than four months. Recently, on charges of attending a special Baha'i religious ceremony and membership in a Baha'i social group, he was sentenced to 3 years in prison. Additionally, Houshang Fanaian was convicted of acting against national security through his membership in Facebook and sentenced to one year in prison.

The Appeals Court, however, overturned a six month prison term issued by the lower court for insulting the Supreme Leader of Iran.

The decision by the Appeals Court was issued within two days after the request for review was filed. Although Houshang Fanaian’s attorney, Abdolfattah Soltani, had also asked to meet with the judge assigned to review the case, the Appeals Court denied this request and announced the verdict in absentia.

The Iranian Intelligence Agency has recently increased the pressure on Houshang Fanaian who is serving a four year sentence in Amol Prison, Mazandaran Province. This has included harassing his daughter, Glarh Fanaian, and threatening her with arrest.

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08 Sep 2011: Reported released. Source: http://snup.us/ccw

Imprisoned Teacher in Death Row Ward at Vakilabad Prison

A human rights activist in the city of Mashad told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that Hashem Khastar, a retired teacher from Mashad who was imprisoned inside Security-Political Ward 6/1 of Mashad’s Vakilabad Prison, has been transferred to Hall 102 of Ward 5 in that prison. Ward 5 of Vakilabad Prison houses convicts who have committed murder and drug-related crimes. According to requirements for separating prisoners within prisons, prisoners of conscience and political prisoners should not be kept inside this ward.

“Up until last week, Hashem Khastar was kept together with 40 prisoners of conscience, but he was recently moved to Hall 102 of Ward 5 inside Vakilabad prison. Ward 5 of Mashad’s Vakilabad Prison contains halls number 101, 102, 103, 104, and 105, where prisoners convicted of drug-related crimes and murder, most of whom have been sentenced to death, are kept,” the human rights activist told the Campaign. “Considering Mr. Khastar’s age, the illnesses he developed in prison over the past two years, and the horrific conditions of Ward 5′s Hall 102, anything could happen to him. At this time, the responsibility for Mr. Khastar’s life lies with the Mashad Prosecutor and other judicial authorities who have ordered his transfer to the fearsome Ward 5′s Hall 102,” said the activist.

“Prison authorities said that the reason for his transfer to Ward 5′s Hall 102 is the letters he has recently published from inside the prison, and the transfer is aimed at punishing him. One of the authorities has said that since he writes so much about the prison in his letters, he needs to find out what’s happening in Ward 5.”

“Detaining political prisoners next to regular criminals and dangerous convicts is against the procedures of the Prisons Organization. This illegal measure is taken to break Mr. Khastar’s spirit, as he has thus far resisted increasing psychological and physical pressure by Mashad’s security and judicial organizations,” he continued.

“This ward is one of the most horrible wards of Vakilabad and all prisons nationwide, which due to its weekly group executions, has a most regrettable situation from the standpoint of prisoner morale. Inside Ward 5 of Vakilabad Prison, death reigns. Each week, at least 10 prisoners are hanged and most of them come from the different halls inside Ward 5. In this regard, Ward 5 of Mashad’s Vakilabad Prison is comparable to Ward 2 of Ghezel Hessar Prison in Karaj. It is said that there are nearly 2,000 death row inmates inside Ward 5 of Vakilabad Prison. At this time, in Hall 102 where Mr. Khastar is currently kept, there are more than 700 prisoners, which is four times its capacity. In the summer of 2009, there were 370 prisoners in this Hall, and the number has risen to 700 in less than two years. Most of the inmates in this Hall are sentenced to death.”

“The room capacity of where Mr. Khastar is kept is only 15, but currently 60 people are kept in that room. According to Mr. Khastar, because of the large number of prisoners, there are a lot of problems for using the toilets and the kitchen. Sometimes there are as many as 100 people waiting in line to use the toilet and the sink,” he added.

“Presently, Mr. Khastar shares a bed with another prisoner. Due to lack of space, many other prisoners sleep on the floor, in the hallways, in the prayer room, on staircase landings, and even in the toilets. The hygienic conditions of this ward are a lot worse than all the other wards at Vakilabad Prison. Large quantities of drugs are used in this ward and there is a high rate of sexual violation. Because dangerous criminals are kept in this ward, the statistics for murder, fights, and rape in this ward are very high. The air in the ward is full cigarette smoke and various kinds of drugs.”

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Mohammad Saber Malek Raisi has been sentenced to 5 years in prison by the Revolutionary Court in Zahedan, Sistan and Baluchestan Province. He is a Baluchi teenager arrested by Iranian Intelligence Agency in order to force his oldest brother to return to Iran. Abdol Rahman, Mohammad’s brother, fled the country in 2009 fearing for his life after he refused to be the Intelligence Agency’s spy amongst Sunni scholars and Baluchi tribes.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Mohammad Saber Malek Raisi was arrested when he was 17 years old and has been in prison for over a year in the Intelligence Agency’s detention center and the central prison in Zahedan. The Revolutionary Court has sentenced him to 5 years in prison. He must serve this prison term in exile.

One of Mohammad Saber Malek Raisi brothers has reported that Mohammad must spend 5 years in Ardabil Prison away from his family and their residence. The city of Ardabil is in northwestern Iran in Ardabil Province while Zahedan is a city in the south east part of the country. Because of the long distance between two locations, Mohammad will be practically denied visits from his family at the age of eighteen.

During the past year, Mohammad Saber Malek Raisi has also been denied the right to attend school. His only crime is being related to his brother who is outside the country. Iranian Intelligence Agency has threatened Mohammad’s family multiple times with executing him if his oldest brother doesn’t return to Iran.

Mohammad Saber Malek Raisi is one the youngest prisoners arrested for political reasons by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Baluchi Teenager Taken Hostage by Intelligence Agency for 20 months ...

Mohammad Saber Malek Raisi, a Baluchi teenager who was kidnapped by the Iranian Intelligence Agency 20 months ago, still remains locked up in solitary confinement.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), this Baluchi teenager was arrested in late 2009 in Chahbahar County because his brother refused to cooperate with the Ministry of Intelligence and National Security of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Mohammad Saber Malek Raisi has been locked up since then in solitary confinement in a detention center in the city of Zahedan, [Sistan and Baluchestan Province].

In the last twenty months, Mohammad Saber Malek Raisi has been denied access to phone or visits with his family. During this time, he has also been unable to attend school and has fallen behind his education.

Since Zahedan Intelligence Agency has neither offered any explanation regarding this teenager’s continued detention nor Mohammad Saber Malek Raisi has been tried for any crimes, it is safe to conclude that the arrest has been done illegally.

In an earlier interview with HRANA, Mohammad’s brother expressed his concern and said that he was worried about his brother’s continued detention since the Intelligence Agency could be holding Mohammad hostage until he would be at a legal age to be executed.

Despite the fact that one year ago the news of this arrest was published, and Mohammad Saber Malek Raisi was introduced to the world as Iran’s youngest political prisoner, human rights organizations inside or outside Iran have made no effort to look into this prisoner’s condition.

In short, Mohammad Saber Malek Raisi has been denied the right to attend school or pursuit a normal life for twenty months, and his family has not been allowed to see their child for the same period of time.

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Mohammad Saber Malek Raisi, a Baluchi teenager who was kidnapped by the Iranian Intelligence Agency 20 months ago, still remains locked up in solitary confinement.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), this Baluchi teenager was arrested in late 2009 in Chahbahar County because his brother refused to cooperate with the Ministry of Intelligence and National Security of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Mohammad Saber Malek Raisi has been locked up since then in solitary confinement in a detention center in the city of Zahedan, [Sistan and Baluchestan Province].

In the last twenty months, Mohammad Saber Malek Raisi has been denied access to phone or visits with his family. During this time, he has also been unable to attend school and has fallen behind his education.

Since Zahedan Intelligence Agency has neither offered any explanation regarding this teenager’s continued detention nor Mohammad Saber Malek Raisi has been tried for any crimes, it is safe to conclude that the arrest has been done illegally.

In an earlier interview with HRANA, Mohammad’s brother expressed his concern and said that he was worried about his brother’s continued detention since the Intelligence Agency could be holding Mohammad hostage until he would be at a legal age to be executed.

Despite the fact that one year ago the news of this arrest was published, and Mohammad Saber Malek Raisi was introduced to the world as Iran’s youngest political prisoner, human rights organizations inside or outside Iran have made no effort to look into this prisoner’s condition.

In short, Mohammad Saber Malek Raisi has been denied the right to attend school or pursuit a normal life for twenty months, and his family has not been allowed to see their child for the same period of time.

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In the declaration of Human Rights it clearly states that everyone should have equal access to all public services.

Batersea Park is not adhering to those rules,as it is charging £2.50 for anybody to use its playground.

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On Monday, May 24, 2011 Security agents summoned Ghorban Ali Behzadian Nejad and returned this university professor back to Evin Prison. He had served as the head of Mir Hossein Mousavi's presidential campaign in 2009.

According to Kalame, Behzadian Nejad had been arrested during the events following the contested presidential election results. He was released on bail after several months of enduring solitary confinement in prison. He was subsequently sentenced to 5 years imprisonment. During this time, this university professor who served as adviser to Mir Hossein Mousavi was deprived of his position in the university and suspended of all academic activities.

Dr. Ghorban Behzadian Nejad served as a PhD professor of Microbiology at the Tarbiat Modares University (Teacher’s Training School). He is a scholar who has also contributed to a multitude of cultural activities. Among his previous positions, he served as Deputy Minister of Health, Treatment and Medical Education under the presidency of Mohammad Khatami. He also served as adviser to the Minister of Health for electing presidents of medical universities.

His return to prison came just one day after former president Mohammad Khatami urged the Islamic Republic establishment to move toward a national reconciliation by releasing all political prisoners. Several of Mousavi’s senior aides in the election of 2009 have been arrested and given harsh prison sentences for the charge of acting against national security by alleging fraud in the elections.

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