[fund] persecution of opposition

Iran: Long list of those awaiting execution by stoning

As protests against the stoning of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani arose amongst the public and western officials, the IRI embassy in London announced that the verdict would not be stoned to death. On the contrary, the Secretary of Judiciary Commission of Human Rights declared that death by stoning does exist in the law of the country and that it would be implemented. Now, it is feared that the Islamic Republic of Iran may decide to suddenly execute all those sentenced to stoning, either by stoning or hanging, in an attempt to quiet the rising western opposition as quickly as possible.

ايران: مناشدة بإالغاء حكم الإعدام الصادر بحق زينب جلاليان

أربيل/ أصوات العراق: ناشد وزير الثقافة السابق في حكومة اقليم كردستان العراق فلك الدين كاكه يى، السبت، مرشد الجمهورية الأسلامية الأيرانية آية الله العظمى السيد علي خامنئي بالغاء حكم اعدام الناشطة الكردية الايرانية زينب جلاليان واطلاق سراحها. وجاء في بيان اصدره القيادي في الحزب الديمقراطي الكردستاني كاكه يى باسمه وباسم كافة زملائه البرلمانيين والمثقفين الذين يشاركونه الرأي في حقوق الأنسان وارسل نسخة منه لوكالة (أصوات العراق) ” نناشد آية الله العظمى السيد علي خامنئي مرشد الجمهورية الأسلامية الأيرانية بالغاء حكم الاعدام الصادرة بحق الناشطة زينب جلاليان واطلاق سراحها، كما نناشد بالغاء احكام الأعدام الأخرى الصادرة بحق الناشطات والناشطين لأسباب سياسية”.

Iran: Urgent Alert: Zeynab Jalalian in Danger of Execution!

Change for Equality reports that Zeynab Jalalian, whose death sentence for “Enmity against God” was confirmed by Iran’s Supreme Court in November 2009, is now at risk of imminent execution. The exact date and time of the execution has not been released, but her sentence has been submitted for implementation and may take place in a matter of hours or days. This news comes from her attorney, whose efforts to represent Jalalian were rejected by the courts.

Egypt: Khaled Said and a culture of impunity

On June 6, a pair of police officers entered an Alexandria Internet cafe and began asking for the identification documents of everyone present. When 28-year-old Khaled Said objected to being searched without a warrant, the officers began to attack him, beating his head against a table and kicking him in the chest. They tied his hands behind his back and dragged him to a nearby building where they continued to smash his head, first against an iron door and then against the building's marble steps. Witnesses heard Khaled begging them to stop, screaming "I'm going to die," to which the officers responded: "You're going to die anyway." The officers dragged Said into their police car and drove him away, only to return several minutes later to leave his lifeless corpse in the street.

Israel: Palestinian Knesset Parliamentarian Fights Death Threats

"I stopped counting after I had received 50 death threats. I told my secretary not to tell me about them any more," Arab-Israeli Knesset (parliament) member, Haneen Zoabi told IPS. "As a result of the death threats I’ve been given personal body guards both within the Knesset and outside," adds Zoabi. Zoabi, a member of the Arab-Israeli political party Balad, was on board the ‘Mavi Marmara’, part of the Free Gaza (FG) flotilla, when it was attacked by Israeli commandos in international waters as it tried to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza several weeks ago.

Israel: Education minister vows to punish Israeli professors who back academic boycott

A few days after saying he intends to take action against Israeli professors who call for an academic boycott of Israel, Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar is scheduled to appear on Monday before the Knesset Education Committee to discuss the limits of freedom of expression in schools. Sa'ar refused to provide Haaretz with details of what action he plans to take. His statements, made in the Knesset plenum Wednesday, "speak for themselves," a spokesperson said.

ايران: شيرين عبادي تؤكد وجود 800 سجين سياسي

اعلنت الناشطة الايرانية في حقوق الانسان شيرين عبادي الحائزة جائزة نوبل للسلام السبت ان عدد المعتقلين السياسيين في ايران بلغ 800 سجين وذلك بمناسبة الذكرى الاولى لاعادة انتخاب الرئيس محمود احمدي نجاد. وصرحت شيرين عبادي لقناة فرانس24 الاخبارية الفرنسية ان "الحكومة الايرانية لم تقبل ابدا كشف عدد المساجين السياسيين وتهدد عائلاتهم كي لا تتحدث لوسائل الاعلام. والاكيد اليوم هو ان عددهم يتجاوز ال800 شخص".

Iran: Nobel Laureate Defamed on Iranian TV, Colleague Arrested

An Iranian state television program defamed human rights lawyer and Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi in a heavily edited program on 10 June, and an associate and spokesperson for Ebadi’s organization was detained, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran reported today.

Iran: Une collaboratrice de Shirin Ebadi arrêtée à Téhéran

La journaliste Narges Mohammadi, porte-parole du Centre des défenseurs des droits de l’homme et collaboratrice de la Prix Nobel de la paix Shirin Ebadi, a été arrêtée à son domicile dans la soirée du 10 juin 2010 par des agents du ministère des Renseignements. Sa famille ignore le motif de son arrestation et son lieu de détention.

UPDATE: Iran: Revolutionary Court agrees to integrate 2 cases brought against Nazar Ahari

Update, 21/06/2010: According to the Committee of Human Rights Reporters (CHRR), Shiva has been transferred from solitary confinement to the women's section of Evin prison, which is a public prison. In an interview with the news agency, Reporters and Human Rights Activists of Iran on 12 June 2010, Shiva Nazar Ahari's lawyer, Mohammad Sharif, said: "After two different cases brought against Nazar Ahari were integrated, the [new date for the court] session has not yet been declared to us." Sharif announced that his client had been officially accused of 'Moharebeh' (enmity against God), and acts against national security through collective action and participation in the demonstrations. Such charges attract very severe sentences under Iran's Penal Code and Nazar Ahari and could face the death penalty. Please continue to write to the Iranian authorities calling for Iran to abide by its commitments under international laws and its own constitution.