Posted 2009/9/11
Iran: Update on the situation of human rights defenders in Iran
Ms Shadi SadrHuman rights defenders in Iran continue to face ongoing detention in exceptionally dangerous conditions, judicial prosecution and intimidation following the post-election protests of June 2009. Of the 4,000 protesters who opposed the election results who were initially arrested, most of have since been released. According to Iran's chief prosecutor, approximately 200 opposition members remain in detention, however human rights groups maintain that that number is much higher.
At least 140 individuals, including human rights defenders, politicians, journalists and bloggers, have been put on trial for charges including treason, with the prosecutor at one point asking a judge to give them "the maximum punishment."
Further Information
Most of the detainees have been charged with acting against national security, however there are some 15 or 16 specific accusations that come under the broad charge of ‘acting against national security' which range from accusations of spreading propaganda against the Iranian system, which is punishable by six months to one year in prison, to collaborating with enemy states and similar actions that are punishable by death. For many detainees it is unclear what exactly they are being charged with.
The conditions in which the detainees are being held have received serious criticism. Three deaths are known to have taken place at the Kahrizak prison, which is at the center of the claims of abuse. There have also been widespread allegations of rape of female and young male detainees by prison authorities.
The most recent development concerns the Association to Defend Prisoners Rights, a non-governmental organisation founded by leading human rights defender Emad Baghi and others, and currently led by Farideh Ghayrat. On 8 September 2009, their office was attacked by plain clothes security agents and closed by order of the Tehran general prosecutor.
Among the cases of Iranian human rights defenders that Front Line has taken up since the post-election protests, new developments have taken place in the cases of human rights defenders Ms Shiva Ahari, Mr Abdolfattah Soltani and Ms Shadi Sadr.
