Volume 1, No.2 
 

 

The following are reports from state control media and sources of the Iranian Resistance within Iran during the first week of December 2013.

 

A. The Iranian regime and MEK
 

Judiciary chief: UN General Assembly echoes MeK positions

Mehr news agency, December 4 - Head of Judiciary criticized adoption of so-called human rights resolutions against the Islamic Republic and evaluated them as being the result of 'fundamental differences' between the West and the Islamic world on the issue of human rights, relying on 'biased and false' reports by the enemies... Ayatollah Sadeq Amoly Larijani said: "One gets upset when sees that the same issues raised in the counter revolutionary media or heard from the MeK are reflected in the UN resolutions."

 

Two years imprisonment for taking part in MeK funeral

Akram Sanjari, Dina Karimi and her son, Hanif Attarzadeh, have been sentenced to two years imprisonment for attending the funeral ceremony of Ali Saremi. Milad Yazdan-Nejad, a teenager who also took part in the ceremony, is going to be tried in a juvenile court.

Saremi, affiliated with the MeK and a political prisoner for 24 years, was executed in January 2011. 
 
B. Public protests and discontent 

Students' Day protest

On the occasion of Students' Day, December 7, university compounds across the country were the scene of student protests. Some of these protests were as follows:

  • Melli University of Tehran - During the speech by mullahs' president Rouhani, a group of participants, despite severe security measures and controls, started shouting, "free political prisoners." They also chanted slogans against paramilitary Bassij force present in the compound saying, "shame on you, get out of the university." The live TV broadcast of Rouhani's speech was interrupted number of times due to protests and anti-regime slogans.
  • Tehran University - Students staged protest and chanted, "Down with dictator" and "Free political prisoners."
  • Tehran's Sharif Technical University - Students prevented Khamenei's representative from entering the university. He wanted to enter the compound secretly but students did not allow him and chanted slogans against him such as, "Will kill the one who killed my brother."
  • Polytechnic University of Tehran - In a gathering, students chanted anti-regime slogans including, "Student will die but will not be humiliated" and "Free political prisoners." They clashed at one stage with Bassij paramilitary forces.
  • Department of Literature of Tehran University - Students staged a rally during which they were shouting "Down with dictator," and "Student will die but will not be humiliated." They were also calling for expulsion of the university's president.
  • Zanjan Free University - Students were protesting and chanting, "Student will fight but will not give in to humiliation." When the university guards attacked the students to disperse them, they faced resistance, which led to some arrests.
  • Tabriz University - Students of this university also marked the day by their anti-regime gatherings where they chanted, "down with dictator."
  • Shahr-e Kord Free University - During students' protest, the Bassij force brutally attacked protesters injuring five who had to be taken to hospital for treatment.

 

Families of political prisoners on death row stage protest

On November 27, a group of families of political prisoners held in Qezelhesar prison, near Tehran, went to the office of the judge who had issued death sentences for their children. They protested against the death sentences issued for their loved ones and called for their release but the security forces expelled them from the premises.

 

Heavy clashes between young Baluchis and the security forces

On December3, heavy clashes took place near Saravan border region in Baluchistan between young Baluchis and the suppressive forces. Eye witnesses reported that the security forces used helicopters in their attack.

 

Suppressive force killed

According to a report by Mehr news agency on November 30, a member of Revolutionary Guard special force was killed in an operation near western borders of Iran. He was involved in an operation to suppress "counter revolutionaries" (a term used for dissidents and opponents of the regime in general.)

 

Protests against removing satellite dishes

On December 3, security forces in Paveh and rural areas, west of Iran, launched a wide scale attack to remove satellite dishes. The local residents refused to allow security forces to take their dishes and resisted their raid forcing them to leave the area.

 

Outrage and protest against public flogging

On November 28, in the city of Takab, Western Azerbaijan, a young man was flogged 80 times in public. The barbaric punishment caused widespread anger and protest among people.

 

Families of execution victims clash with suppressive agents

On November 28, more than 300 relatives and friends of two prisoners who had been executed in the southern city of Bandar Abbas staged protest and clashed with security forces. This happened when the ambulance carrying their bodies came out of the prison. During the violent clash a number of people were arrested and some to be taken to hospital for treatment of their wounds. 

 

C. Resistance in prisons
 

Qezelhesar prison hunger strike by 2000 ends

On December 4, following promises by prison authorities to undertake review the files of those on death row, 2000 prisoners ended their hunger strike. They said they will go on hunger strike if promises are not fulfilled.

 

Hunger strike by more than 50 political prisoners

Following a call on December 4 by more than 50 political prisoners, including Kurdish prisoners, from various prisons around the country, a one-day hunger strike in protest against executions were observed.

 

More protests:

  • It is now more than a month passed since 6 political prisoners in Qezelhesar went on hunger strike. They are in critical state and suffering from severe pains and health conditions.
  • Some 50 prisoners in Maragheh prison, have been on hunger strike since December 3. They are in youths ward and are complaining against intolerable state of prison and lack of heaters in winter.
  • A long time political prisoner, Arjang Davoudi, has been taken to a solitary confinement in Central Prison of Bandar Abbas while he is on hunger strike.
  • Ahmad Mohammadi Chamardani, a Sunni Muslim minority, has also been transferred to a solitary in Bandar Abbas prison and experience physical and mental torture. He is also on hunger strike.
  • More pressure on political prisoners in Minab, southern Iran, and Evin prison of Tehran have been reported. They have been on hunger strike and are in critical state. 
 
 
D. Executions

Execution of 4 political prisoners in Khuzistan province

Four political prisoners among Arab minority in southern province of Khuzistan were sentenced to death last year for acts against national security, armed activities, corruption on earth and enmity against God. On November 3, they were taken to an unknown location and executed. Families of the victims were only notified of the executions a month later but the location of their burial has not been disclosed.

 

More executions and death sentences:

  • Two prisoners in Central Prison of Zahedan, southeast Iran, were executed on December 3. Sadeq Ahmadi, 31, had been in jail for over six years, and Aref Astani, 23, was jailed just under five years.
  • Another inmate in the same prison who had been jailed for about 11 years was executed on December 2.
  • On December 1st, five prisoners in Rasht, northern Iran, and Bandar Abbas, southern Iran, were hanged for drug trafficking charges and murder.
  • On December 5, a 28-year-old prisoner was hanged in Kohgilouyeh, central Iran.
  • Three prisoners of conscience among Sunni Muslim minority, arrested about three years ago, have been sentenced to death. They are Kayvan Momeni Fard, Farzad Honarjou and Shahoo Ebrahimi.
  • A Kurdish political prisoner from Urumiyeh, northwest Iran, has been sentenced to death charged with enmity against God and links with Kurdish political groups. 
Sincerely,
 
ISDCI News Team
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