Week 20 - 2013

Prisoners’ News

A- Transfers

• Ayoub Asadi, Kurdish political activist, transferred to Kashmar to serve his 20 years sentence.
• Emergency transfer of Dervish lawyer, Amir Eslami to hospital after heart attack.
• Fakhroldin Faraji, Kurdish political activist, transferred to Tabas to serve his 30 years sentence.
• Chengiz Ghadem-Kheiri , Kurdish political activist, transferred to Masjede-Soleiman to serve his 40 years sentence.
• Kurdish activist on death row, Habibollah Golparipour, transferred to an unknown location.
• Namegh Mahmoudi, 62 years old political prisoner of Rejaei Shahr, transferred to hospital.
• Mohammad-Hossein Rezaei, Kurdish political activist, transferred to Minab to serve his 30 years sentence.

B-Arrests-Detentions

• Javad Abou-Ali arrested in Behbahan.
• Civil activist Behnam Bagheri arrested in a raid of his toy store in Makoo.
• Gonabadi dervish, Seyed Ebrahim Bahrami, arrested in Kavar.
• Mohammad Danaei arrested in Behbahan.
• Hamid-Reza Rezaei, vice-admiral and in charge of special marine commandos in Sirjan arrested.
• Abdollah Sadoughi, environmentalist, arrested at home in Tabriz.
• Masoud Shamsnejad, law professor in Payam-e-Noor and Azad Universities of Urmia, arrested.
• Activist/poet, law student Jahanbakhsh Soltanzadeh (Salour) arrested in a raid of his home

C-Liberations

• Ali Azad, workers’ rights activist, released on bail.
• Shohreh Azami-Kassaei freed after serving her sentence.
• Mahmoud Dordkeshan freed after serving 1 year in prison.
• Political prisoner Pouria Ebrahimi released from Evin after completing 1 year sentence.
• Workers’ Rights activist, Ghaleb Hosseini, arrested 19 March, released on 150 million toman bail.
• Zhinous Nourani freed after serving her sentence.

D-Other News

• Shirin Ebadi accepts Golden Lily of Florence on behalf of Nasrin Sotoudeh.
• Imprisoned journalist, Rahman Ghahremanpour, denied transfer to hospital for refusing to wear prison uniform.
• Mostafa Nili, political prisoner of Rejaei Shahr, not allowed furlough to attend his father’s funeral.
• Prominent Iranian union leader, Mansour Osanlou, says he left country after death threats.
• Political prisoners in Zahedan central prison launched a hunger strike to protest their continued illegal imprisonment and prevention of their basic rights.

News of injustice in Iran

• Mohammad-Reza Ahmadi-Nia, member of Pen club, sentenced to 3 years in prison + 1 year suspended.
• Court overturns the exile sentence of Mokhtar Asadi, member of Teacher's Union.
• Mohsen Ghashghaeizadeh sentenced to 2 years.
• Sirwan and Shirzad Hossein Panahi, Kurdish civil activists sentenced to 6 months each.
• Temporary detention order for Human Rights activists/journalists Masoud and Khosro Kordpour for 2 months - At the urging of his family Khosro Kurdpour ended his hunger strike after 25 days.
• One hanging in Kermanshah on Sunday.
• Three hangings in Rajaei-Shahr on Wednesday.
• One public hanging in Noshahr.
• Seven hangings in Rasht prison.

University – Culture

• 8 booths closed and 883 books withdrawn at Tehran International Book Fair.
• Mohammad-Rezā Lotfi's concert canceled by ministry of Culture and Guidance.

Protests

• Khatoon Abad Copper strikers attacked by the guards.
• "Bouazizi of Ahwaz", Mehdi Hadi Mojadam, dies of burns injuries.
• 400 building workers protest in Seyyed Alshohada mosque in Shariati Street of Tehranpars.
• Taxi drivers are on strike in Sanandaj
• Journalists of Shahrvand go on strike.
• 150 bus drivers of Tehran protest in front of Tehran Town Hall.

Iran abroad

• Afghanistan says nine migrants killed by Iranian border guards.
• Lotfollah Forouzandeh, Iranian Vice President, meets Head of Turkish Parliament in Ankara.
• Iranian convicted over Nigeria arms.
• US to block sales of gold to Iran in sanctions pressure.
• First group of 14 Iraqi members of MKO moved to Albania.
• Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade leaves for Vietnam.
• Two Iranian diplomats declared “personae non grata” by Bosnia and Herzegovina’s security Ministry.

Iran Economics

• Akhshan seat-belt factory closure in Shiraz leaves 500 unemployed.
• Iran banned luxury car import (Benz + Porsche).
• South Korea cuts crude imports from Iran by half in April.
• Sharp decline in IRI Shipping Lines revenues.

Iran Politics

• Ayatollah Sistani deems that being a candidate at the presidential election is a duty for Rafsanjani.
• The Reformists Advisory Council has officially endorsed Hashemi Rafsanjani.
• A total of 686 hopefuls have registered for Iran’s presidential election.
• Foreign Minister Spokesman resigns amid presidential bid.
• The manager of Keyhan newspaper threatens Rafsanjani of clashes with Hezbollah and Supreme Guide supports.
• Ban on the Reuters bureau in Tehran court lifted.
• 35 reformist candidates disqualified in municipal elections.
• Vice President Rahimi withdraws presidential candidacy.
• The Participation Front has issued a statement endorsing Hashemi Rafsanjani.
• Ashegh Jahangiri denies reports of his appointment as head of Rafsanjani’s election headquarters.
• Guardian Council extends deadline to announce final list of Iran presidential candidates to May 21.
• 100 Majlis deputies ask Gardians Council not to approve candidacy of Rafsanjani and Mashaei.
• 2 sites close to candidate Rahim Mashaei filtered.
• Young Reformists supporters of Rafsanjani were prevented from holding a pre-approved meeting in Rasht.

Miscellaneous

• Earthquake of magnitude 6.2 hits Southern Iran near Minab.

As usual, list of political prisoners in Iran: http://hyperactivist.info/ipr.html

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