IRAN: Repression ofhuman rights defenders goes on uninterrupted

Paris-Geneva, September 11, 2012. TheObservatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme ofthe International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World OrganisationAgainst Torture (OMCT), was informed of four new cases of arbitrary detentionagainst human rights defenders in Iran. Several rights activists and journalists have been taken into custody toserve prison sentences, while charges have been brought against others.

On September 8,2012, Ms. Shiva Nazarahari, a founding member of the Committee of HumanRights Reporters (CHRR) and member of the Campaign for Equality and childrights activist, was taken into custody at Evin prison. She had been summonedin late August 2012 to serve a four-year prison sentence upheld on appealagainst her on January 8, 2011 on charges of “propaganda against the State”,“assembly with intention of conspiring against the Islamic government”,“disturbing the public mind” and “waging war against God”. The Observatoryrecalls that Ms. Nazarahari has been arrested many times over the past decadefor her activities as a human rights defender: 20 days in 2002, three weeks in2004, three months in 2009 and almost nine months in 2010[1].

In addition, onAugust 22, 2012, Mr. Navid Khanjani, also a founding member of the CHRRand a founding member of the Association to Oppose Discrimination in Education,and Mr. Hossein Ronaghi Maleki, blogger and human rights activist, werearrested along with dozens of other activists who had travelled to EastAzerbaijan province to help the earthquake victims. Both have remained indetention although a number of other persons arrested with them have beenreleased on bail.

In Mr. Khanjani'scase, his arrest and subsequent transfer to Evin prison in Tehran on September8 raises fears that the authorities have decided to implement the 12-yearimprisonment sentence against him that was upheld on appeal in August 2011. Mr.Khanjani was sentenced on charges of “spreading lies”, “creating unease in thepublic mind”, “propaganda against the system”, “membership of the CHRR” and“forming the Association to Oppose Discrimination in Education”. He indeedcontributed in establishing this association after he was banned fromcontinuing his academic studies for being a follower of the persecuted Baha'ifaith. The Observatory recalls that he was previously detained for 65 days in2010[2].

As for Mr. RonaghiMaleki, he has been serving a 15-year prison sentence after being arrested onDecember 13, 2010 and convicted on charges of “membership of Iran-ProxyInternet Group”, “propaganda against the system”, “insulting the IranianSupreme Leader and the President”. At the time of his latest arrest in August2012, he had been on sick leave after undergoing several operations on hiskidneys that were damaged after being repeatedly tortured during his detention,including 13 months in solitary confinement. His most recent arrest raises concernsabout his physical and psychological integrity. His whereabouts remain unknown.

On September 8, 2012, Mr.Issa Saharkhiz, a journalist andfounding member of the Iranian Association for the Defence of Freedom of Press, went on hunger strike and refused to take food andmedicine after being transferred to the Rajaishahr prison far from hisresidence in Tehran. Mr. Saharkhiz had been in hospital for about six monthsuntil August 28 when he was sent to solitary confinement in Evin prison at thestart of the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Tehran. He was arrested on July 3,2009 and sentenced to three years imprisonment on charges of “insulting theleader” and “propaganda against the system.” In August 2011, the authoritiesbrought up a case dating back to 11 years ago, and sentenced him to two moreyears imprisonment on unspecified “press-related charges”. The sentence wasreduced to 1.5 years by the appeals court.

Ms. ZhilaBaniyaghoub, an award-winning journalist and women's right activist, wastaken into custody at Evin prison on September 2, 2012 to serve the one-yearimprisonment sentence imposed on her in June 2010 after she was convicted oncharges of “spreading propaganda against the system” and “insulting thepresident”. The sentence, along with a 30-year ban from professionaljournalistic activities, was upheld on appeal in October of the same year. Ms.Baniyaghoub's husband, economic journalist Mr. Bahman Ahmadi-Amou'i, hasbeen serving a five-year prison sentence after being arrested on June 20, 2009and convicted of “gathering and colluding with intent to harm nationalsecurity”, “spreading propaganda against the system”, disrupting publicsecurity” and “insulting the president”. In mid-June 2012, when politicalprisoners in Evin prison’s Section 350 organised a ceremony to commemorate theanniversary of demise of the late political prisoner Mr. Hoda Saber, prisonofficials sent Mr. Ahmadi-Amou’i and several other prisoners to solitaryconfinement. He was subsequently banished to the remote Rajaishahr prison.There, he was insulted and confined to an isolation cell for nearly 20 days. Heremains in the same prison, even though his sentence does not provide for‘imprisonment in exile.’

The Observatory is gravely concerned atthis new series of arrests anddetentions of human rights defenders, which merely aim at sanctioning their legitimate human rights activities and peaceful exercise of theirfreedom of expression. It particularly fears for their physical andpsychological integrity in a context of widespread acts of torture andill-treatment sufferedby human rights defenders while in detention. More generally, this ongoing repressiveclimate also aims at intimidating and silencing all human rightsdefenders in Iran.

The Observatorytherefore urges the Iranian authorities to immediately and unconditionally putan end to the judicial harassment of and drop all the charges against Ms. ShivaNazarahari, Ms. Zhila Baniyaghoub and Messrs. Navid Khanjani, HosseinRonaghi-Maleki, Issa Saharkhiz and Bahman Ahmadi-Amou'i, and to guarantee their physical and psychologicalintegrity under all circumstances. The Observatory more generally calls uponthe authorities to release all human rights defenders arbitrarily detained andto conform to the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, theUniversal Declaration of Human Rights and international human rightsinstruments ratified by Iran.

Forfurther information, please contact:

· FIDH: Arthur Manet : +33 1 43 55 25 18

· OMCT: Isabelle Scherer : + 41 22 809 49 39

[1] See the Observatory Urgent Appeals IRN 007 / 0910 /OBS 111 and IRN 007 / 0910 / OBS 111.1.

[2] See the Observatory Urgent Appeal IRN 006 / 0811 /OBS 108.1 and Press Statement, February 8, 2011.