Week 51 - 2012

Prisoners’ News

A- Transfers

• Imprisoned Trade Unionist Behnam Ebrahimzadeh moved to Ward 240's solitary confinement.
• Labor activist Pedram Nasrollahi serving time in Sanandaj prison moved to solitary and banned from visit.
• Imprisoned labor activist Reza Shahabi suffering from severe headaches and numbness in fingers  transferred to hospital.
• Abdolfattah Soltani, imprisonned Human Rights lawyer transferred to hospital.

B- Arrests/Incarcerations

• Reverend Saeed Abedini, a 32-year-old US citizen and Christian convert, arrested in August and still detained.
• Father of labour activist Seyed Hadi Daneshyar arrested when the home was raided by security forces.
• Assal Esmailzadeh begins serving her 8 months suspended sentence.
• Behnam Momtazi, Baha’I from Ghazvin, arrested.
• Adnan Rahmat-Panah, Baha’i from Shiraz, arrested and sent to Pelak 100.
• 20 Bahais arrested in Karaj, 17 released. 

C-Liberations

• Imprisoned cleric blogger Ahmad Reza Ahmadpour broke his hunger strike on day 18 and was released on furlough.
• Journalist Reza Ansari was released from Evin after serving his 1 year sentence.
• Mehdi Hashemi released from Evin.
• Jailed adviser of Iran leader Ali Akbar Javanfekr given medical leave.
• Shahnam Jazbani freed on bail after suffering a heart attack in detention.
• Navid Moalemi, Baha’i from Minoodasht, freed on bail.

D-Other News

• Majid Asadi has started a hunger strike.
• After 4 months, imprisoned husband and wife Journalistes Zhila Baniyagoub and Bahman Amouee were allowed to visit.
• Prisoner of conscience, Arzhang Davoodi, denied phone calls because of his recent letter published on internet.
• Political prisoner, Asadollah Hadi, refused family visits in solidarity with Ali Moezzi's and Vahid Asghari's solitary confinement.
• Imprisoned labor activist Reza Shahabi launched a hunger strike also refusing his medicine.
• Nasrin Sotoudeh’s mother passed away; Nasrin was not allowed to visit her for a last farewell.
• Majid Tavakoli called his mother for the first time after 3 years in prison and spoke with his parents.

News of injustice in Iran

• Moloud Safaei sentenced to 5 years in prison + 5 years exile from Semnan province for taking part in Ali Saremi funerals.
• 3 people hanged in Urmiah on Saturday.
• One man hanged in Kashan prison on Monday.
• 7 people were hanged in Esfahan prison on Thursday.

University – Culture

• Persian translator of German literature Jahed Jahanshahi dies at 66.
• Hila Sedighi, Keyvan Samimi, Isa Saharkhiz, Iran's writers honoured by HRW for their commitment to Free Expression.

Protests

• Protest of 400 scaffolding workers at Resalat Square-Tehran against not being included in social security.
• 430 workers of Amirkabir Petrochem of Mahshahr are on strike against unjust contract, wage and benefits terms.
• Workers sit in protest in front of Iran parliament sent petition with 30,000 signatures.
• 2000 workers and drivers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company signed a petition against anti-labour law amendment.
• Protest gathering of appliance manufacturer Azmayesh Factory workers against > 8 months overdue wages.

Iran Economics

• Because of sanctions, the cost of treatment for breast cancer increased threefold.
• 3000 carpet weavers were laid off in Khorasan province.
• Layoff of 55 workers of Rail Road Co of Ahvaz.
• Daily oil imports into China from Iran in the first 10 months of 2012 were down 22 percent on the 2011 figure.

Politics in Iran

• The bill about women’s passports returns to Majlis to be revised.

Iran  abroad

• 2 Iranian pilgrims killed in terrorist attack in Iraq.
• Ahmadinejad cancels planned visit to Turkey.
• Tajik, ex Iranian diplomat, who won British court ruling against his extradition to US, is back home.
• U.N. General Assembly condemned North Korea, Iran and Syria for widespread Human Rights abuses.
• Canada puts Qods Force on terrorist list and removes MKO from same list.
• EU strengthen sanctions against Iran: 490 organisations and 105 people now.

Miscellaneous

• Iran mine collapse in Tabas kills four workers, four other disappears.
• Iran attacked with data-wiping malware.
• 11 killed near Pakistan-Iran border in Balochistan Gawadar district while trying to illegally cross into neighbouring Iran.