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Iran: Civil society activist sentenced to 20 years in prison and €550,000 in finesposted on: 2012/01/09

6 January 2012 - The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran has learned that former Allameh Tabatabaee faculty member and head of Volunteer Actors Institute Sohrab Razzaghi has been tried in absentia and sentenced to 20 years in prison and €550,000 ($760,705) in fines.

Iran: Update – Further punitive measures taken against human rights defender Ms Nasrin Sotoudehposted on: 2011/10/26

Prominent Iranian human rights defender Ms Nasrin Sotoudeh has been barred by Evin Prison authorities from having family visits for three weeks, effective from 16 October 2011, as punishment for her alleged refusal to wear a Chador.

Iran: UPDATE - Maryam Bahreman interrogated over attendance at 55th session of United Nations Commission on the Status of Womenposted on: 2011/05/27

Women's rights defender Maryam Bahreman who was arrested on 11th May 2011 in Shiraz has been subjected to an interrogation about her human rights activities and in particular her recent attendance at the 55th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women conference in New York in March of this year.The judicial procedure against her will start only after the interrogation has finished.

Further Information

Front Line is concerned by the interrogation that she has been subjected to for her attendance at an international conference and believes that this is an infringement on her right to freedom of expression.

Following 14 days of incommunicado detention Maryam Bahreman's family were allowed to visit her in the detention centre at Shiraz where she is being held. It is reported that her lawyer has not yet had access to the file. Front Line issued an urgent appeal on 20th May 2011 following her arrest and detention and that of Mahboubeh Karami.

See here the original appeal on this case

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Iran: Human rights defenders Ms Fatemeh Masjedi and Ms Maryam Bidgoli are in danger of being imprisoned in two daysposted on: 2010/12/30

In the morning of Wednesday, 29 December 2010, the Revolutionary Prosecution office called human rights defenders Ms Fatemeh Masjedi and Ms Maryam Bidgoli and informed them that they have only three days to introduce themselves to the prison administration in the city of Qom to serve a six months imprisonment sentence.

Fatemeh Masjedi and Maryam Bidgoli, were arrested by security forces in the city of Qom on 7 May 2009 for gathering signatures to change discriminatory laws against women. They were released on bail after two weeks.

Following a court hearing on 4 August 2010, the two women were found guilty of “propagating against the [political] system” and were both subsequently sentenced to a year in prison. Their prison sentences were both reduced to six months following a ruling by a court of appeal in Qom province on 7 December 2010.

Fatemeh Masjedi and Maryam Bidgoli are members of the One Million Signature Campaign, a movement which aims to end discriminatory laws against women in Iran.

Iran: Nasrin Sotoudeh's ends hunger strike due to deteriorating health - interrogators tell lawyer they control her trial outcomeposted on: 2010/12/21

According to reports received Nasrin Soutoudeh has ended her hunger strike due to her deteriorating health. During questioning she was told by her interrogators that they controlled the outcome of her trial and she would receive a sentence of at least 10 years even before the judge has made his decision.

Report from Iran

Reza Khandan, Nasrin Sotoudeh's husband, discussed her latest situation during an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. "She called me fifteen minutes ago and we talked. The news about her transfer to the prison infirmary was accurate. She told me today that her condition deteriorated on Wednesday and she had to be taken to the infirmary.

It seems her condition became very dangerous on Thursday, and she was forced to break her hunger strike".

"Ms. Sotoudeh told me the last time that her prison interrogators have told her 'we won't let the judge give you less than ten years in prison".

"I gave her the messages from all her friends, public figures, and activists, and this made her very happy and she thanked everyone. I also told her about the sit-in of women's rights activists in front of the UN.

Update: Iran – Human rights defender Ms Nasrim Sotoudeh resumes her hunger strikeposted on: 2010/12/15

On 7 December 2010, the husband of human rights defender Ms Nasrim Sotoudeh informed local media that his wife had resumed her hunger strike. The decision to resume her hunger strike was taken because demands made by her have not been met.

Further Information

Nasrim Sotoudeh went on trial on 15 November, and was assured by the judge that she would be released on bail. The bail application was subsequently denied, and her release on bail has not been approved.

On 4 September Nasrim Sotoudeh was taken into custody on charges of “acting against national security,” “assembly and collusion to disrupt security,” and “cooperation with the Defenders for Human Rights Center.” Nasrin Sotoudeh is a prominent human rights lawyer, who in particular has worked with juvenile prisoners facing the death penalty as well as prisoners of conscience.

She represented a number of political prisoners who were arrested during the unrest that followed last year’s disputed presidential election, won by Mahmud Ahmadinejad. Since her arrest, Sotoudeh has been held in solitary confinement in Ward 209 of Tehran’s Evin prison, which is thought to be overseen by the Intelligence Ministry.

Office of the High Commissioner for Human RightsUN human rights chief concerned by Iranian crackdown on human rights defenders posted on: 2010/11/24

GENEVA – The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Tuesday expressed renewed concern for the fate of human rights defenders in Iran, particularly Ms. Nasrin Sotoudeh who was on hunger strike for several weeks in Tehran’s Evin Prison.

Further Information

“As we approach international Human Rights Day on 10 December, the world will be focusing on situations where human rights activists are not free to organize or speak out,” the High Commissioner said. “I am very concerned that Nasrin Sotoudeh’s case is part of a much broader crackdown, and that the situation of human rights defenders in Iran is growing more and more difficult,” she added.

Ms. Sotoudeh, a prominent human rights lawyer involved in defending many high profile cases, was arrested on 4 September and has reportedly been in solitary confinement since then. She is said to have been charged with national security offences. Following her first court appearance on 15 November, Ms.

Iran: UPDATE- Human rights defender Nasrin Sotoudeh ends her hunger strike after prison authorities permitted a family visit posted on: 2010/10/29

On 23 October human rights defender Nasrin Sotoudeh called off her month long hunger strike after prison authorities permitted a visit from her sister Guity. Nasrin Sotoudeh began her hunger strike in protest after prison authorities denied her visits and phone calls from family members. Ms Sotoudeh is being detained at Evin Prison, Tehran.

Iran: UPDATE- Fear for the well-being of detained human rights lawyer Ms Nasrin Sotoudeh posted on: 2010/10/19

Front line is deeply concerned for the well-being of human rights lawyer Ms Nasrin Sotoudeh who has been on a hunger strike since 25 September 2010. Ms Nasrin Sotoudeh was arrested on 4 September 2010 and is currently being detained at Evin Prison. According to information received from inside the prison, detainees on ward 209 have reported hearing Nasrin Sotoudeh's agonizing screams almost every night throughout the ward.

Iran: Update - Human rights defender Mr Emad Baghi sentenced to six years in prison and five years of “civil deprivation”posted on: 2010/09/24

On 21 September 2010, human rights defender Mr Emad Baghi was sentenced to six years in prison. When added to a previous sentence, he now faces a seven-year term in prison, in addition to five years of “civil deprivation”.

Iran: Update – Human rights defender Shiva Nazarahari sentenced to six years in prison and 76 lashesposted on: 2010/09/21

On 18 September 2010, human rights defender Ms Shiva Nazarahari was sentenced to six years in prison, to exile in Izzeh - a city in Khuzestan province in southwestern Iran - and to 76 lashes. Shiva Nazarahari later had her sentence of 76 lashes commuted to a fine of approximately £250.

Iran: Update - Human rights defender Ms Shiva Nazarahari released on bailposted on: 2010/09/13

On 12 September 2010, human rights defender Ms Shiva Nazarahari was released from detention. It has been reported that she was required to provide bail of 500 Million Iranian Toman (approximately $500,000 USD). Shiva Nazarahari is a journalist and member of the Committee of Human Rights Reporters (CHRR). She had been imprisoned since her arrest on 20 December 2009.

Iran: Update – Human rights defender Mohammad Mostafaei arrives in Norway and his relatives are released on bailposted on: 2010/08/09

Front Line is pleased to report that on 7 August 2010, human rights defender Mr Mohammad Mostafaei arrived safely in Norway where he has claimed political asylum. Ms Fereshteh Halimi, Mohammad Mostafaei's wife, was also released on bail on the afternoon of 7 August.

Iran: Update - Disproportionate sentence and inadequate prison conditions for pro-reform journalist Mr Bahaman Ahamadi Amoeeposted on: 2010/07/22

Front Line has learned with concern that journalist Mr Bahaman Ahamadi Amoee, who is serving five years in prison for charges related to pro-reform articles, has been deprived of normal family visitation rights. In particular, he has been restricted from receiving visits by his wife, Jila Baniyaghoob.

Iran: Update - Appeal against sentencing of human rights defender Ms Jila Baniyaghoob to one year in prison and 30-year ban from journalismposted on: 2010/07/05

Further to the Urgent Appeal issued on 24 June 2009 and the subsequent update of 15 September 2009, Front Line has received the following new information regarding the prosecution of human rights defender and journalist Ms Jila Baniyaghoob: On 27 June 2010, Jila Baniyaghoob's lawyer lodged an appeal against the 8 June 2010 sentencing of Jila Baniyaghoob to one year in prison and to a 30-year ban from journalism by the Revolutionary Court in Tehran.