A large number of Ashraf residents family members have already been arrested and some sentenced to death that includes Ms. Almira Vazehan, 48; Mr. Jaafar Kazemi, 47; Mohsen Daneshpour Moqadam, 67, and his son Ahmad; Javad Lari, 55; and Mohammad Haj-Aghai, 62.

http://www.gopetition.com/petition/36277.html

(AFP) – 18 hours ago

STOCKHOLM — Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi on Monday accused Swedish telecoms giant Ericsson of aiding monitoring in Iran, and encouraged members of the Iranian diaspora in Sweden to protest to the company.

"I am urging you Iranians in Sweden to please email Ericsson and object and say, 'Why are you selling the Iranian government software with which it can control its people'," the lawyer and human rights activists said.

Ebadi, who was speaking at Stockholm University, said Ericsson had entered dealings with the Iranian government similar to those Nokia Siemens previously had, alleging the company sold Iran software that allowed it to monitor text messages and mobile phone calls.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5htx7w78smvWBKygUWp-M4Y72Im_w?docId=CNG.a68c702f4d660fe03b24c702ca3a8f9e.6f1

UN rights chief warns of new 'crackdown' in Iran

Systematic violations of the right to life

Executions, arbitrary killings, deaths in custody, and death sentences

Execution

Iran hangs man in Abadan 

http://www.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8908220187

Farid Boghlani, a chain murderer in Abadan was hanged in the Karoun Prison in Ahwaz.

According to reports, Boghlani who was sentenced to 13 death sentences by the Penal Court in the province was taken to the gallows in the morning after months of anticipation. He was hanged with the presence of the families of his victims, reporters and judicial officials seeing to his case. (Fars state-run News Agency – Nov. 13, 2010)

Arbitrary killing

Another border tradesman murdered by security forces

http://www.hra-news5.info/1389-01-27-05-25-54/5158-1.html

Armed forces of the Islamic Republic stationed in the border area in Kurdistan opened fire on a Kurd tradesman in the Nosoud border region and killed him.

According to reports, on Monday November 15, armed forces opened fire on a group of tradesmen (carriers who carry goods on their backs) in an ambush.

As a result, a carrier identified as Shahu Babayi from the Sarkhaban Village was shot and instantly died. (Human Rights Activists in Iran – Nov. 15, 2010)

Iran fatally shoots Kurd border tradesman

In the persistence of the killing of tradesmen in Kurdistan, at least four tradesmen were killed after being shot by security forces of the Islamic Republic.

On the night of November 16, a number of Kurd tradesmen in the Vazin area in Sardasht were targeted by the forces of the Islamic Republic and as a result a tradesman identified as Ribaz, son of Mostafa Babekr was killed.

Another tradesman identified as Savat Haji Ahmad, son of Rasoul was shot and injured. (Ravanews website – Nov. 19, 2010)

Deaths in custody

Young protester suspiciously dies in detention

http://www.hra-news5.info/1389-01-27-05-27-21/5142-1.html

Last week, 30 year old Hamid Madmali who was arrested by the Intelligence Unit of the Revolutionary Guards Corps, suspiciously passed away in an unknown detention center. He was arrested on charges of insulting the leader in his contacts a satellite Persian network.

According to reports, Hamid Madmali who was from the town of Masjid Soleiman was arrested some time ago in his home in Tehran for having communications with a satellite Persian network and criticizing the leader and president of Iran.

RGC forces violently beat him upon his arrest and took him to an unknown location. His family’s months long pursuits for his whereabouts led to nowhere.

Finally after constant pursuits, intelligence agents buried his body in his birth place, Masjid Soleiman, under severe security measures and his brother was also threatened for filing a complaint against the relevant institution. (Human Rights activists in Iran – Nov. 14, 2010)

Death sentence

Political prisoner to be hanged in Orumieh

http://www.hra-news5.info/component/content/article/55-1389-01-14-13-18-46/5199-1.html

The Supreme Court asked that political prisoner Hossein Khezri be executed in a letter to the 9^th branch of the Revolutionary Court in Orumieh.

According to reports, this letter which was seen by Hossein Khezri’s lawyer was the last legal way for Khezri’s execution to be revoked. His lawyer also suspiciously resigned as his lawyer after seeing this letter.

Notably, the 9^th branch of the Sentence Implementation Unit in the Orumieh Court has sent the case of this death row political prisoner to the Prosecutor, and his death sentence will be carried out after the prosecutor agrees to it. (Human Rights Activists in Iran – Nov. 17, 2010)

Women to be hanged on first of December

The death sentence for Shahla Jahed which was signed last week by Larijani, was announced to the Tehran prosecutor and will be carried out on December 1 if the family of the murdered victim does not grant her amnesty. Shahla Jahed has been convicted of murdering Laleh Saharkhiz, the wife of Naser Mohammad Khani whom she had a relationship with for four years. She initially confessed to murder, but in court she said that she was forced into confession under pressure and torture. Her case is one of the most

controversial murder cases in the past years. (Shahrzad News – Nov. 18, 2010)

Inhumane treatment and cruel punishments

Amputation, flogging, torture and humiliation

Hand of prisoner will soon be chopped off in Mashhad 

The hand of another robber will soon be chopped off in Mashhad. Prosecutor Mahmoud Zoqi and Colonel Ahad Karimi, the State Security Forces Commander in Mashhad said in separate interviews that in the near future, the amputation sentence of a thief who has committed violent crimes would be carried out in Mashhad. (Khorasan state-run Daily – Nov. 14, 2010)

Gohardasht Prison guards attack political prisoners in systematic raid

Prison guards in Rajayi Shahr (Gohardasht) Prison in Karaj raided the cells of political prisoners in cellblock 4 on Thursday morning and searched their cells and personal belongings.

According to reports from Rajayi Shahr Prison, on November 18, 32 members of the Special Guards Forces in prison along with 14 military officers’ raided hall 10 in this prison which is where political prisoners are kept and violently searched their belongings.

These raids, in which prison guards violently conduct searches, beat prisoners and destroy their personal belongings, have been carried out numerous times in the past months. Some time ago prison guards raided cellblock 4 along with two dogs and searched the belongings of political prisoners in hall 10 in this prison.

Rajayi Shahr Prison is used by security officials to send political prisoners (to as punishment) because of its unsuitable conditions. This prison which is known as the ‘center of exile for political prisoners’ is used to put pressure on political prisoner because of its unsuitable sanitary conditions, detaining political prisoners with methadone prisoners, prisoners who inject drugs, troublemakers and drug addicts who have been arrested on the streets and those who are psychologically ill in one cellblock, the systematic beating of prisoners, limitations in in-person visits and the lack of medical services. (Student Committee in Defense of Political Prisoners – Nov. 18, 2010)

Political prisoner denied treatment in notorious Karaj prison

Political prisoner Mashallah (Hamid) Haeri, who is detained in Rajayi Shahr (Gohardasht) Prison in Karaj, is in poor physical health and prison officials ignore his condition.

According to reports, this 53 year old political prisoner is in need of a specialist doctor and special medicine because he is suffering from hemorrhage and a critical heart problem. Prison officials prevent him from getting the special medicine his family brings for him.

He is detained for being a member of a dissident group and has been sentenced to 15 years of prison by the Revolutionary Court. (Human Rights Activists in Iran – Nov. 19, 2010)

Arbitrary arrests

Political arrests

Iran arrests 3 activists in Saqez

http://www.hra-news5.info/1389-01-27-05-25-54/5131-1.html

According to reports from Saqez, in the past few days, security forces arrested three Kurd activists in this town.

Haj Saied Fatahi, a 60 year old Bazaar merchant, Ali Mohammadian (Ali Khorkhoreyi), artist and Rozgar Moradi, a law student at Tabriz University were arrested.

Judicial officials in Saqez have not given any reason for the arrest of these men as yet. (Mukerian News Agency – Nov. 14, 2010)

Iran arrests another labor activist in Saqez

http://www.hra-news5.info/1389-01-27-05-29-12/5141-1.html

On Thursday, November 11, labor activist Omar Ismail Pour, was summoned and arrested by the Revolutionary Guards Corps.

According to reports, no one knows where he was taken and what his current condition is. (Human Rights activists in Iran – Nov. 14, 2010)

Iran detains 5 lawyers on security charges - report

Five lawyers have been arrested in Iran for security-related offences, a local news agency said on Sunday, the latest in a series of arrests of human rights' activists since last year's disputed presidential election.

Tehran general prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi said three of the lawyers were arrested when they returned from a trip to Turkey, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

"Two other lawyers related to the three were also detained in Iran," the prosecutor told Fars.

"They have been detained for committing security-related offences and violating the Islamic Republic's moral standards outside Iran," he said, without elaborating on the charges.

Sara Sabaghian, Maryam Kian-Ersi and Maryam Karbasi were arrested at Tehran's International Imam Khomeini Airport on Saturday, the Sharq newspaper reported…

Judiciary chief Sadeq Larijani has warned lawyers over criticising the judicial system and on giving interviews to foreign media, the moderate Arman newspaper reported on Sunday. (Reuters - Nov 14, 2010)

Iran arrests cleric

According to reports, on Monday November 16, security forces raided the home of Allah Verdi Rohi and arrested him and one of his relative identified as Hamid. These forces searched his home and seized some of his personal belongings such as his computer. It is still not clear where these two are being kept. His family and relatives have pursued the reason behind their arrest but have not been given any information as yet. Raids by security forces to the homes of political and human rights activists especially in the weeks leading up to Student Day (December 7) has become prevalent in Iran. (Center in Defense of the Families of those Slain and Detained – Nov. 17, 2010)

Prison

Prison Condition

Political prisoner banned from mourning father’s death in prison

According to reports, prison guards in Gohardasht (Rajayi Shahr) Prison in Karaj prevented a memorial ceremony for the late father of political prisoner Karim Poursamadi in cellblock 2 in this prison. 

Close to a week after the death of this political prisoner’s father, political prisoners intended to hold a memorial ceremony to give condolences to their fellow inmate Karim Poursamadi which was unfortunately met with the refusal of prison agents and they were told that they did not have the right to hold any kind of ceremony in prison.

About four weeks ago, the Intelligence Agency called Poursamadi’s father and told him that his son would be hanged in the morning. His father subsequently had a brain stroke and suddenly passed away. 

Notably, because there is no evidence against Poursamadi, his detention order had been changed to a 50 million toman (about 50,000 dollar) bail by the Revolutionary Court but he has not been released from prison. He was under severe pressure because he was not allowed to say his last farewell to his father when he was ill and because he was banned from participating in his funeral. (Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran – Nov. 14, 2010)

Another prison murdered in fight instigated by Gohardasht Prison officials

http://hrdai.blogspot.com/2010/11/5.html

According reports, in a deadly clash in cellblock 5 in Gohardasht Prison in Karaj, prisoner Mohammad Baba Alian was murdered.

On the morning of November 14, at about 3 pm, 22 year old Mohammad Baba Alian was wounded after being stabbed in three parts of his body in a clash. His fellow inmates cried for help for about thirty minutes from behind the closed doors of cellblock 5’s hall before he was finally transferred to the infirmary. He was not immediately treated in the infirmary and no one did anything to stop his bleeding. Prison officials also refused to take him to a hospital outside of the prison and he passed away in front of other inmates without being given first aid.

Before this clash and in the past few days, Alian and his cellmate were reportedly summoned by the assistant head of prison Ali Mohammadi and Faraji, the head of the Intelligence Unit, to the Intelligence Unit and were instigated to fight with one another. They were separately told that if they murder the other prisoner, their sentences would be commuted. Despite the fact that these two prisoners had a friendly relationship with each other, threats and promises by the assistant head of prison and the head of the Intelligence Unit led to this horrific crime. (Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran – Nov. 15, 2010)

Post-election protester in poor mental and physical condition in prison

Ayub Qanbarpourian, who was arrested after the elections, is in very poor mental and physical condition in prison but the Tehran Prosecutor and prison officials have refused to grant him a leave from prison.

He has been detained for more than a year and has been only able to see his family a few times because they live in another town and cannot easily come to Tehran.

He was sentenced to five years of prison after months of being kept in a state of limbo in cellblocks 350 and 209 in Evin Prison.

This 20 year old political prisoner is from Koh Dasht Village in Lorestan and worked as a construction worker in Tehran. He was arrested for participating in the peaceful demonstrations in protest to election results.

Qanbarpourian supported his family after he lost his father and his family has been facing financial hardships in the past few months.

He is currently detained in cellblock 350 in Evin along with many other political prisoners. His family and fellow prisoners are severely concerned for his mental and physical condition to the point that everyday, a number of political prisoners in this cellblock take the responsibility of looking out for him in prison. (Saham News – Nov. 17, 2010)

No news on condition of political prisoner after he was thrown in solitary

http://hrdai.blogspot.com/2010/11/blog-post_18.html

Iran takes 15 year old boy hostage as ransom for brother

The eldest brother of Mohammad Saber Malek Reiesi, a 15 year old Baluch boy who was taken hostage 14 months ago by the Ministry of Intelligence asked human rights activists in a letter to do their best to save his brother’s life.

Mohammad Saber was arrested along with two of his other brothers because his eldest bother Abdolrahman was not willing to cooperate with the Ministry of Intelligence. Intelligence agents went to their parent’s house and told them that if they did not hand in their eldest son, they would execute their three sons in prison.

This letter reads in part:

I am the eldest brother of Mohammad Saber Malek who was arrested on September 24 while he was with his smaller brother in the Ali Ebn Abi Taleb Hospital in Chabahar. He has been kept in a state of limbo for 14 months in the detention centers of the Intelligence Agency in Zahedan.

Ministry of Intelligence agents have constantly called my family and demanded that they turn me in as the condition for releasing my smaller brother and my family in under psychological pressure. Because of these threatening phone calls by the Ministry of Intelligence, my elderly father is in a dangerous physical condition.

All these threats and mental pressure on my family is because I was not willing to cooperate with the Ministry of Intelligence who wanted me to be spy for them in sessions of the Sunni clerics and the people of Baluchistan. I left the country for security reasons…

After my family and the headmen (in their region) pursued this issue, my two brothers were released after four months on a 70 million toman (about 70,000 dollar) bail but my smaller brother was not released. The Ministry of Intelligence is harassing my family to put me under pressure to turn myself in. (Human Rights Activists in Iran – Nov. 20, 2010)

Girls should marry at 16: Ahmadinejad

The president said, “In my opinion the proper age of marriage for girls is 16, 17 and 18 when a girl has just bloomed and has reached her peak of affection, feelings and delicateness and the proper age for marriage for boys is 19, 20 and 21”. (ILNA state-run news agency – Nov. 20, 2010)

Families of political prisoners denied cash subsidies

Despite the fact that cash subsidies that have been transferred to the bank accounts of the heads of families are still not usable which has led to population to question this issue, the government has prevented this money from being transferred to the accounts of the families of political prisoners.

Those who were arrested before the Smart Subsidy Plan have been prevented from registering to receive the cash subsidies.

Prisoners whose families had registered for them noticed when they went to the bank that the cash subsidies have not been transferred to their accounts. 

With this illegal measure, the government thinks that it can put pressure on political prisoners and their families. (Daneshju News – Nov. 20, 2010) 

Iran expels female student from university because of religion

Arezu Samimi, a Baha’i student at the Science and Industrial University in Behshahr was expelled from this university for ‘following the Baha’i faith’.

This student’s religion has been registered as Islam in the official website of this university but after she followed up and protested this issue to correct her student information form, heads of the university expelled her.

The expulsion of Baha’i students from university is ongoing while the heads of the Ministry of Higher Education have denied the existence of ‘students who have been expelled because of their religious beliefs’ and those ‘who have been banned from education’. (Daneshju News – Nov. 20, 2010)

Minister of Higher Education threatens university heads with expulsion to tighten control over universities

The Minister of Higher Education said, “The heads of universities have always been told that anyone who does not implement the regulations of the Ministry of Science (Higher Education) has to go”.

“I believe that not implementing the regulations of the Ministry of Science is an excuse for universities to leave the (controlling) area of the government but it has to be noted that we believe that universities are independent but are not separate islands from the government”, Kamran Daneshju said. (Fars state-run News Agency – Nov. 21, 2010)

Iran sentences another student activist to prison and lashes

Amir Ahmad Monazami a student activist in the South Tehran Unit of the Free University was sentenced to one year of prison and 74 lashes. According to reports, he was arrested on December 20, 2009 in a mourning ceremony for the late Ayatollah Montazeri and after a month in cellblock 209 in Evin Prison, was released on bail. He was tried on September 2, 2010 by Judge Pir Abbasi and was sentenced to one year of prison and 74 lashes on charges of assembling and conspiring against the government and disrupting public order. (Human Rights Activists in Iran – Nov. 21, 2010)

Women to be hanged on first of December

The death sentence for Shahla Jahed which was signed last week by Larijani, was announced to the Tehran prosecutor and will be carried out on December 1 if the family of the murdered victim does not grant her amnesty. Shahla Jahed has been convicted of murdering Laleh Saharkhiz, the wife of Naser Mohammad Khani whom she had a relationship with for four years. She initially confessed to murder, but in court she said that she was forced into confession under pressure and torture. Her case is one of the most controversial murder cases in the past years. (Shahrzad News – Nov. 18, 2010)

No news on condition of political prisoner after he was thrown in solitary

http://hrdai.blogspot.com/2010/11/blog-post_18.html

There has been no news on the condition of political prisoner Mohammad-Ali Mansouri, three weeks after he was thrown in a solitary cell in cellblock 1 in Gohardasht Prison known as the ‘doghouse’.

Mansouri was summoned along with a number of political prisoners to the Intelligence Unit in prison after singing the banned national anthem when a prisoner was being released from prison. After long interrogations, he was transferred by the head of the Intelligence Unit, Faraji, to a solitary cell in the doghouse.

His family has gone to the Revolutionary Court, Prison Organizations and Gohardasht Prison several times but has not been given any answers on the condition of their loved one. This has led to serious concerns for his family. Prisoners who are transferred to cellblock 1 are subjected to severe physical torture including being beaten with electric batons while handcuffed, being subjected to electric shocks and being tortured with other tools for a prolonged amount of time which usually leads to broken legs and hands. Cells in this section lack minimum facilities and prisoners have to sleep on the ground. Guards wet the ground day and night to prevent the prisoner from sleeping on the ground and to subject the prisoner to extreme cold. Prisoners are allowed to bathe only once every few weeks and to use the bathroom three times a day. The amount of food given to prisoners is only enough to live on and the sanitary conditions are appalling. Ailing prisoners are banned from taking their medicine and are denied minimum medical treatment. 

Political prisoner Mohammad-Ali Mansouri was arrested in September 2007 after participating in the 19^th anniversary of the massacre of political prisoners in 1988 and was sentenced to 17 years of prison by Judge Salavati. He was sentenced to spend his prison time in Gohardasht Prison in Karaj. He was also a political prisoner in the 80’s. (Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran – Nov. 18, 2010)

Gohardasht Prison guards attack political prisoners in systematic raid

Prison guards in Rajayi Shahr (Gohardasht) Prison in Karaj raided the cells of political prisoners in cellblock 4 on Thursday morning and searched their cells and personal belongings.

According to reports from Rajayi Shahr Prison, on November 18, 32 members of the Special Guards Forces in prison along with 14 military officers’ raided hall 10 in this prison which is where political prisoners are kept and violently searched their belongings.

These raids, in which prison guards violently conduct searches, beat prisoners and destroy their personal belongings, have been carried out numerous times in the past months. Some time ago prison guards raided cellblock 4 along with two dogs and searched the belongings of political prisoners in hall 10 in this prison.

Rajayi Shahr Prison is used by security officials to send political prisoners (to as punishment) because of its unsuitable conditions. This prison which is known as the ‘center of exile for political prisoners’ is used to put pressure on political prisoner because of its unsuitable sanitary conditions, detaining political prisoners with methadone prisoners, prisoners who inject drugs, troublemakers and drug addicts who have been arrested on the streets and those who are psychologically ill in one cellblock, the systematic beating of prisoners, limitations in in-person visits and the lack of medical services. (Student Committee in Defense of Political Prisoners – Nov. 18, 2010)

Still no news on student activist after 60 days

Sixty days after the arrest of Foad Farimian, an Amir Kabir University student, those close to him still have no news on his whereabouts.

This master’s degree student in Amir Kabir University was arrested two months ago by the intelligence unit of the Revolutionary Guards Corps. This student was active in Mir Hossein Moussavi’s election staff in this university.

His family and friends are extremely worried because officials refuse to answer their concerns about his condition and whereabouts. (Human Rights Activists in Iran – Nov. 18, 2010) 

Jailed female journalist banned from visits

An informed source said that the family of jailed journalist Nazanin Khosrovani, who had gone to prison to visit her, was told that she is banned from visits. Agents refused to give further explanations about why this prisoner of conscience was banned from visits.

Khosrovani was arrested on November 2, 2010 in her home by security forces and has only called her family once since her arrest. Officials have not said why she was arrested and what she has been charged with. Nazanin Khosravani was not involved in any media activities after the elections and according to her friends she did not have any media or political activities. Her arrest and lack of knowledge about her condition after her arrest has surprised her former colleagues. (International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran – Nov. 18, 2010)

Post-election protester in poor mental and physical condition in prison

Ayub Qanbarpourian, who was arrested after the elections, is in very poor mental and physical condition in prison but the Tehran Prosecutor and prison officials have refused to grant him a leave from prison.

He has been detained for more than a year and has been only able to see his family a few times because they live in another town and cannot easily come to Tehran.

He was sentenced to five years of prison after months of being kept in a state of limbo in cellblocks 350 and 209 in Evin Prison.

This 20 year old political prisoner is from Koh Dasht Village in Lorestan and worked as a construction worker in Tehran. He was arrested for participating in the peaceful demonstrations in protest to election results.

Qanbarpourian supported his family after he lost his father and his family has been facing financial hardships in the past few months.

He is currently detained in cellblock 350 in Evin along with many other political prisoners. His family and fellow prisoners are severely concerned for his mental and physical condition to the point that everyday, a number of political prisoners in this cellblock take the responsibility of looking out for him in prison. (Saham News – Nov. 17, 2010)

Iran arrests cleric

According to reports, on Monday November 16, security forces raided the home of Allah Verdi Rohi and arrested him and one of his relative identified as Hamid. These forces searched his home and seized some of his personal belongings such as his computer. It is still not clear where these two are being kept. His family and relatives have pursued the reason behind their arrest but have not been given any information as yet. Raids by security forces to the homes of political and human rights activists especially in the weeks leading up to Student Day (December 7) has become prevalent in Iran. (Center in Defense of the Families of those Slain and Detained – Nov. 17, 2010)

Iran arrests former female political prisoner

http://hrdai.blogspot.com/2010/11/60.html

According to reports, Mehri Javan Mahjoub, who was a former political prisoner in the 80’s and is the wife of political prisoner Abedi Ba Khoda was arrested yesterday and taken to the Lakan Prison in Rasht.

Mahjoub Doust, 52, was summoned to the 4^th branch of the Revolutionary Court on Tuesday November 16 and was interrogated for a prolonged amount of time for having a computer and satellite receiver in her home and for describing her husband’s condition to the international media and human rights organizations. A 50 million toman (50,000 dollar) bail order was then issued for her. She was only given 2 hours to provide the bail money and she said that she could not afford to pay this amount stressing that she had not committed any crime for which she would have to pay bail for.

Mahjoub Doust was kept in Police Station number 5 in Rasht until 7 pm and was subsequently transferred to the Lakan Prison in Rasht without being officially convicted.

Before this, agents of the Ministry of Intelligence had raided her home and seized some of their personal belongings.

Mahjoub Doust is suffering from numerous physical ailments such as heart problems, arthritis and migraines.

She was the caretaker of her husband, Abedi Bakhoda who was on a medical leave from prison to receive surgery and was hospitalized at home. She was responsible for most of his nursing including giving him injections. Abedi Bakhoda was shot in the spinal cord in the 80’s when security forces were trying to arrest him and has become crippled. He is confined to a wheelchair and cannot move. Security forces have arbitrary and illegally arrested Mahjoub Doust to put more pressure on this family, especially her husband. (Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran – Nov. 17, 2010)

Political prisoner to be hanged in Orumieh

http://www.hra-news5.info/component/content/article/55-1389-01-14-13-18-46/5199-1.html

The Supreme Court asked that political prisoner Hossein Khezri be executed in a letter to the 9^th branch of the Revolutionary Court in Orumieh.

According to reports, this letter which was seen by Hossein Khezri’s lawyer was the last legal way for Khezri’s execution to be revoked. His lawyer also suspiciously resigned as his lawyer after seeing this letter.

Notably, the 9^th branch of the Sentence Implementation Unit in the Orumieh Court has sent the case of this death row political prisoner to the Prosecutor, and his death sentence will be carried out after the prosecutor agrees to it. (Human Rights Activists in Iran – Nov. 17, 2010)

Religious freedom deteriorates in Iran: US

The US government said Wednesday that respect for religious freedom deteriorated in Afghanistan and Iran while China and Indonesia earned mixed scorecards.

In its report on international religious freedom for the last year, the US State Department also raised sharp complaints about Myanmar and North Korea as well as US allies Egypt and Saudi Arabia…

The report said 'government respect for religious freedom continued to deteriorate in Iran, with which the US government is locked in a showdown over its nuclear ambitions and human rights.

‘The government severely restricted freedom of religion and reports of government imprisonment, harassment, intimidation, and discrimination based on religious beliefs continued during the reporting period,' the report said.

Iranian Muslims who were not from the majority Shiite group faced 'substantial societal discrimination,' it said.

‘And government rhetoric and actions created a threatening atmosphere for nearly all non-Shia religious groups, most notably Bahais, as well as Sufi Muslims, evangelical Christians, members of the Jewish community,' it said. (AFP - Nov 17, 2010)