Week 32 - 2012

News of the Prisoners

A- Transfers

• Mohammad-Amin Agooshi transferred from Urmiah prison to Zahedan.
• Afhsin Heiratian, Baha’i, transferred from Evine to Redjaei Shahr
• Peyman Kashfi, Baha’i, transferred from Evine to Redjaei Shahr.
• Foad Khanjani, Baha’i, transferred from Evine to Redjaei Shahr.
• Iraj Mohammadi transferred from Urmiah prison to Zahedan.
• Mohammad Pouladkhani transferred from Urmiah prison to Zahedan.
• Didar Raoufi, Baha’i, transferred from Evine to Redjaei Shahr.
• Azizollah Samandari, Baha’i, transferred from Evine to Redjaei Shahr.
• Sharokh Taeef, Baha’i, transferred from Evine to Redjaei Shahr.
• Member of Painters Union, WorkersRights activist Shahrokh Zamani moved to Tabriz prison.

B- Arrests/Incarcerations

• Gonabadi Dervish Abdolghafour Ghalandari was arrested in Bandar Abbas
• Furlough extension was denied for student activist Bahareh Hedayat, she went back to Evin.
• Student activist/journalist Ali Malihi is back in prison after a short furlough.
• Khosro Pakar, Kurdish citizen of Maku, was arrested last month.
• Blogger Mohammad Hassan Roozitaleb arrested after post alluding to Larijani brothers as 'Brothers Dictatorship".
• Secretary General of Advare Tahkim (Alumni Association) Dr. Ahmad Zeidabadi is back in Evin after a short furlough

C-Liberations

• Shahab Deghani, Baha’i, released on bail from Evin.
• Sarang Etehadi, Baha’i, released on bail from Evin.
• Pro Ahmadinejad blogger Ahmad Shariat arrested 18 days ago released.
• Political prisoner Jalil Taheri released from Evin after serving out his 1 year sentence.
• ,Nahid Zahraei Baha’i, free on bail.

D-Other News 

• At the urging of physicians, hospitalized political prisoner Abolfazl Ghadiani ended his hunger strike.
• Faezeh Hashemi (Rafsanjani's daughter, sentenced to jail) flees Iran.
• Hossein Ronaghi Maleki's medical furlough has been extended until August 20; he has a 7th surgical operation.
• Political prisoner Ali Moezzi refuses to attend his court hearing on account of being kangaroo courts.

News of injustice in Iran

• Islamic Appeal Court upholds the six years prison term for detained Christian Farshid Fat’hi.
• Mohammad Mahmoudi, Kurdish political prisoner sentenced to 5 years.
• Kurdish political prisoner Bakhtiar Memari sentenced to death on Moharebeh charges.
• Baha'i Shahram Mokhtari sentenced to 4 months in prison+32 months suspended sentence.
• Student activist Mohammad Hossein Mozafari sentenced to 1 year suspended for 5 years + 5 years ban on political activities

University - Culture

• Female applicants no longer allowed in engineering at Chamran University of Ahwaz.
• Over 600 degree programs in 60 Iranian universities have become segregated by gender.
• Babak Ferdowsi, the flight director with the mohawk that became the Star of NASA's Curiosity Landing.

Protests

• Protest rally by teachers, education professionals in front of Parliament re employment.

Economy in Iran

• In Lorestan province 27 delis and grocery stores were sealed off.
• 1,333 business units were closed down in Azerbayejan Sharghi province without the framework of an improved social security plan.
• 1 $ = 2022 tomans on Sunday, 2100 on Monday, 2210 on Tuesday, 2100 on Wednesday
• Iran government purchases 200 Mercedes Benz S-500 for NAM summit in Tehran / More than $20M.
• 358 Iranians among top buyers in the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower.

Iran abroad

• Iran regime reports 4 dozen people kidnapped in Damascus. 3 of them reported killed during regular army assault against FSA. Iran recognize that they are retired members of IRGC.
• EU Council takes 5 Iranian bank managers off sanctions list.
• Iranian, Turkish foreign ministers talk Syria.
• Standard Chartered Bank accused of scheming with Iran to hide transactions.
• Iran’s security chief, Jalili, set to meet Syrian president Assad after Lebanon visit.
• Iran, excluded from other meetings on Syria, hosts its own.
• After 48 years, citizens of Turkey will need a visa to enter Iran.

Politics in Iran

• MP Sobhaninia: If Mortazavi is not dismissed from his position, Labor and Social Welfare Minister will be impeached.
• Five days of official holiday for Tehran during the NAM summit!
• Governors General for Hamedan and Sistan-Baluchestan replaced.

Miscellaneous 

• Despite environment and grassroots protest, Gorgan Council to destroy part of Naharkhoran forest to build a museum.
• 116 suicides recorded due to Aluminium phosphide poisoning.
• Iran wins its first gold medal at London 2012 thanks to wrestler Hamid Sourian.