Journalists Milad Fadai Asl and Pourya Alemi released

Committee of Human Rights Reporters – Milad Fadai Asl and Pourya Alemi, two journalists among the group that was detained in late January, were released on bail today January 27th.

According to news provided to CHRR, Milad Fadai Asl, editor of the political section of ILNA and Pourya Alemi a humorist for Shargh, were released on bail today January 27th after enduring more than one month in detention.

Security agents detained Milad Fadai Asl without warning on January 26th as he was leaving his place of work. The following day agents raided the offices of several media outlets and Pourya Alemi was among those arrested at the offices of Shargh newspaper.

Milad Fadai Asl was previously arrested at his home on December 2, 2009 during the events of mass protests following the disputed presidential elections of that year. Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court handed a down a one-year prison term on the charge of “propaganda against the regime.” Fadai Asl was released from prison in June 2010.

On January 28th 2013, agents from the Ministry of Security conducted a simultaneous raid on the offices of 4 reformist news agencies; Etemad, Shargh, Bahar and Arman. Equipped with arrest warrants issued from the judiciary, a number of reporters were arrested in each of the offices. During the few days span that was aimed at cracking down on the press, a number of other journalists were arrested at their homes.

Of the 18 journalists detained during this wave of arrests, 12 released on bail are Motehareh Shafiee, Ali Dehghan, Javad Daliri, Hossein Yaghchi, Fatemeh Sagharchi, Keyvan Mehregan, Emily Amrayee, Narges Joudaki, Reyhaneh Tabatabai, Akbar Montajebi, Pourya Alemi, Milad Fadai Asl, and 6 remaining in custody are Soleiman Mohammadi, Pejman Mousavi, Nasrin Takhayori, Sasan Aghaee, Saba Azarpeik, and Ehsan Mazandarani.

Journalists Milad Fadai Asl and Pourya Alemi released

Mohsen Ghashghaizadeh summoned to the Tehran Revolutionary Court

Committee of Human Rights Reporters – Mohsen Ghashghaizadeh was among a group from Saray-e Ahl-e Ghalam (Pen Society) who were detained in October 2012 when security agents violently raided their meeting. He has been summoned to appear at the Tehran Revolutionary court on April 9, 2013.

According to Committee of Human Rights Reporters, this Green movement activist who has faced several arrests and was banned from making phone contact while in detention, has been instructed to appear at the Tehran Revolutionary court at 9am on Tuesday April 9th to face the charges against him.

During the raid of the gathering of writers at Saray Ahl-e Ghalam, security agents detained close to 70 individuals. Most of them were later released and 17 writers including Mehdi Khazali were transferred by van to Evin prison. Two others named Pejman Zafarmand and Mehdi Karimi were detained in separate encounters and were also transferred to Evin prison by security agents.

Mehdi Khazali, writer, blogger, director at Hayan publishing, and government critic was among the participants at the Pen Society meeting who was detained when government forces raided their offices on October 30, 2012. According to his family Khazali immediately launched a hunger strike (58 days today) in protest of his arrest and illegal detainment.

Mohsen Ghashghaizadeh summoned to the Tehran Revolutionary Court

Related Articles:

No news regarding condition of Amin Arman in Evin prison

No news from Hojatollah Nokhostin , the political activist in Evin prison

4 previously arrested and released members of Saraye Ahl-e Ghalam summoned to the Evin prison courthouse

Journalists Emily Amrayee and Narges Joudaki released

Committee of Human Rights Reporters – Emily Amrayee, reporter at the cultural and social affairs section of Bahar newspaper, and Narges Joudaki, social affairs editor of Arman newspaper, were among a group of journalists detained in late January, during a crackdown on journalists.

According to news provided to CHRR, Emily Amrayee and Nagues Joudaki were released on bail on February 24th. They were both detained on January 27th during a wave of arrests of journalists. Agents from the Ministry of Intelligence arrested Emily Amrayee at her home and Narges Joudaki at her place of work when they raided the offices of Arman.

During a two-day span in late January, agents raided the offices of several media outlets without warning and detained a number of journalists. Others were arrested at their homes. The Ministry of Intelligence has released statements claiming the journalists were involved with “anti-revolutionary media outlets” naming the BBC. They have not provided any evidence substantiating their claims and there have been reports that the detained journalists have been pressured to participate in false confessions.

To date the journalists released on bail since the crackdown in late January are Motehareh Shafiee, reporter at Arman; Ali Dehghan, business editor at Bahar; Javad Daliri, editor-in-chief of Etemad; Hossein Yaghchi, editor at Aseman Weekly; Fatemeh Sagharchi, editor for the news website Jamaran; Keyvan Mehregan, served as head of Shargh and Etemad newspapers; Emily Amrayee, reporter at the culture and social affairs section of Bahar newspaper; and Narges Joudaki, editor of the social section of Arman.

Ten journalists from this group are still being kept in prison. Milad Fadai Asl, Soleiman Mohammadi, Pejman Mousavi, Nasrin Takhayori, Sasan Aghaee, Reyhaneh Tabatabai, Pourya Ameli, Akbar Montajebi, Saba Azarpeik, are among the group of journalists detained in January who remain in custody. Ehsan Mazandarani is a reporter for Etemad who was arrested on February 20th and he also remains behind bars.

Journalists Emily Amrayee and Narges Joudaki released

Arrest of Hamid Sadr Ghabadi, an employee at Evin prison

Committee of Human Rights Reporters –   According to news sources, on February 23rd, agents from the Intelligence Ministry detained Seyed Hamid Sadr Ghabadi who is an employee at Evin prison. Per the reports, Ghabadi was arrested without warning on Saturday as he was leaving his place of work. He was transferred to an undisclosed location.

Agents from the Ministry of Intelligence raided Ghabadi’s residence after detaining him and conducted a massive search of his home while being aggressive and rude towards his family. The agents confiscated his personal items including his computer, camera, books and pamphlets.

There has been no information provided yet regarding the reason for the arrest or the whereabouts of Hamid Sadr Ghabadi. According to the news sources, Ghabadi was in charge of record keeping and was also working on registering profiles for new incoming prisoners at Tehran’s Evin prison.

CHRR

Arrest of Hamid Sadr Ghabadi, an employee at Evin prison

Journalists Akbar Montajebi and Reyhaneh Tabatabi released

Committee of Human Rights Reporters – Akbar Montajebi and Reyhaneh Tabatabai, journalist who were detained in late January during a wave of arrests have been released on bail.

According to CHRR, Akbar Montajebi, editor at the political section of Aseman weekly, and Reyhaneh Tabatabai, reporter at Bahar newspaper have been released on bail from Evin prison. The 2 journalists are among a group of 18 journalists who were detained during a wave of arrests of reporters and news correspondents. Security agents arrested journalists at the offices of several media outlets and others at their homes. Akbar Montajabi was arrested at his place of work on January 27th and Reyhaneh Tabatabai was arrested at her home on January 31st.

Of the 18 journalists detained during this wave of arrests, so far 10 have been released on bail: Motehareh Shafiee, Ali Dehghan, Javad Daliri, Hossein Yaghchi, Fatemeh Sagharchi, Keyvan Mehregan, Emily Amrayee, Narges Joudaki, Reyhaneh Tabatabai, and Akbar Montajebi.

Eight journalists are still in custody behind bars at Evin prison: Milad Fadai Asl, Soleiman Mohammadi, Pejman Mousavi, Nasrin Takhayori, Sasan Aghaee, Pourya Ameli, Saba Azarpeik, and Ehsan Mazandarani.

Journalists Akbar Montajebi and Reyhaneh Tabatabi released

Journalist Keyvan Mehregan released

Committee of Human Rights Reporters – Keyvan Mehregan, poet and journalist who has served as head of the political sections of Shargh and Etemad newspapers, has been released on bail.

According to news provided to CHRR, Keyvan Mehregan was released from prison today on 100 million tomans bail. This journalist had previously been arrested several times during the past few years.

Other journalists released on bail since the crackdown on journalists in late January are Motehareh Shafiee, reporter at Arman, Ali Dehghan, business editor at Bahar; Javad Daliri, editor-in-chief of Etemad; Hossein Yaghchi, editor at Aseman Weekly; and Fatemeh Sagharchi, editor for the news website Jamaran.

Milad Fadai Asl, Soleiman Mohammadi, Narges Joudaki, Pejman Mousavi, Ameli Amryaee, Nasrin Takhayori, Sasan Aghaee, Reyhaneh Tabatabai, Pourya Ameli, Akbar Montajebi, Saba Azarpeik, are among the group of journalists detained in January who remain in custody. Another journalist, Ehsan Mazandarani, a reporter for Etemad, was arrested a few days ago and also remains behind bars.

The Intelligence Ministry has released statements claiming the journalists are part of a conspiracy ring affiliated with the BBC and there have been reports that attempts have been made to obtain false confessions from the imprisoned journalists. In its statement on February 19th, the Intelligence Ministry announced that journalists had been summoned and interrogated regarding their relations with the “British government spy organization” but no evidence was presented to support this claim.

Journalist Keyvan Mehregan released

Mohammad Reza Pourshajari suffered heart attack in Karaj Central Prison

Committee of Human Rights Reporters – Blogger and political activist Mohammad Reza Pourshajari suffered a heart attack on February 17 and was transferred to the infirmary at Karaj Central prison.

According to news provided to CHRR, three physicians at the prison facility by the names of Amjadi, Nejadbahram and Gholizadeh made requests for this political prisoner to be transferred to a medical facility outside the prison. They revealed that the prisoner has blocked arteries, which could result in cardiac arrest and his sudden death.

The head of Karaj Central prison has sent a correspondence regarding this matter to the prosecutor’s office and the prison judge but so far there has been no response. CHRR has previously released internal documents from Karaj Central prison revealing that the judiciary has undermined efforts for Pourshajari’s medical leave from the facility.

Mohammad Reza Pourshajari, political prisoner and blogger who wrote under the pen name Siamak Mehr is behind bars in Ward 7 of Karaj Central prison and has been taken to court 11 times. He endured 7 months in solitary confinement during his “temporary detention” and was subjected to brutal psychological and physical torture. He was beaten with electric rods, and tortured with mock executions prompting him to attempt suicide by cutting his wrists with his glasses, leaving scars as a reminder.

Mohammad Reza Pourshajari has provided CHRR with a letter from prison requesting lawmakers and attorneys to on his behalf file a complaint at an international tribunal against the government and judiciary of the Islamic Republic for his imprisonment and torture.

The letter along with another unpublished document is below.

I am lodging a complaint!

I Mohammad Reza Pourshajari, aka Siyamak Mehr, blogger for the blog “Gozareshe Khake Iran,” hereby request from honorable lawmakers and attorneys, to accept my gratitude for their efforts if circumstances permit to represent me in court. I give them my power of attorney to lodge a lawsuit on my behalf against the Islamic Republic of Iran and the judiciary of this regime in any suitable court of law in the United States, for my illegal arrest and severe torture, my 4-year prison sentence on baseless and ridiculous charges such as “propaganda against the regime,” and “insult” to an absurd concept called “Supreme Leader.”

The lawsuit is to condemn the opinions issued in the Islamic courts and to demand compensation from Iranian officials for my emotional duress and physical complications along with the losses endured during my prison term. In hopes that this action will condemn the oppressive regime of Iran and encourage other Iranians sentenced in the courts of the oppressive Islamic regime and victims of clergy crimes to also step forward and in this manner of lodging complaints in the courts of the United States of America, make a loud case that can be heard in the rest of the world.

Karaj Central prison (penitentiary) February 3, 2013

CHRR

Mohammad Reza Pourshajari suffered heart attack in Karaj Central prison

A number of short-film and documentary filmmakers summoned

Committee of Human Rights Reporters – Following the recent arbitrary detainment of many journalists, in recent days a number of filmmakers accused of collaboration with foreign media outlets were summoned and interrogated at the Ministry of Intelligence.

According to CHRR, the filmmakers have been monitored by judicial and security officials for some time because their short films or documentaries have been aired on foreign media outlets. In the past days a number of them were summoned to appear at the Intelligence Ministry headquarters for questioning and they were asked to sign disclaimers regarding collaboration with foreign media outlets.

Many of these filmmakers had already been summoned in the past and asked to sign disclaimers regarding the use of their work in foreign media outlets but in the past days they were asked to appear again to ensure they would in no way communicate or present their work to foreign media.

CHRR

A number of short-film and documentary filmmakers summoned

Arrest of 2 Baha’i citizens in Semnan

Committee of Human Rights Reporters – On February 12, 2013, Ardeshir Fanaeyan and Shidrokh Firouzian, Baha’i citizens living in the city of Semnan were detained. Intelligence agents raided the residences of the 2 Baha’i citizens, conducted a search, confiscated personal items, and transferred them to the Semnan Intelligence Ministry headquarters.

During the past years, pressures against citizens following the Baha’i faith have intensified. Baha’i citizens are routinely subjected to arbitrary detention and heavy judicial sentences, school children are harassed, the private sector is pressured to dismiss Baha’is, their shops or workplaces and bank accounts are closed down, their assets are seized, and their business licenses are denied or suddenly revoked. They have been subjected to other forms of harassment such as arson, destruction of property, bulldozing their gravesites, destruction of dams and cutting off water supplies to agricultural properties resulting in dried fields and gardens.

CHRR   Arrest of 2 Baha’i citizens in Semnan

Adnan Hassanpour deprived of his legal right to furlough

Committee of Human Rights Reporters – Kurdish journalist Adnan Hassanpour has spent 7 years in prison, making him the longest standing prisoner among journalists. He is serving his sentence behind bars in Sanandaj prison, deprived of his legal right to furlough, without a single hour of release during these years.

Leyli Hassanpour, the sister of the incarcerated journalist said in an interview with Committee of Human Rights Reporters regarding her brother, “Adnan has a good attitude but his physical condition is weakening due to being held behind bars for 7 years without any furlough.”

Despite requests from his family, his lawyer Mr. Saleh Nikbakht, and an endorsement for temporary release by the Prison Organization, judicial authorities have refused to grant furlough to the imprisoned journalist. His sister said, “In all these years Adnan’s only communication with his family has been via phone calls and occasional visitations without even one hour of furlough.” She requested that judicial authorities allow her brother his legal right to prison furlough.

Adnan Hassanpour is a prominent Kurdish journalist and passionate defender of the freedom of expression who was an editor of the weekly Aso, a Kurdish/Farsi publication that explored cultural rights. The government in 2005 shut down the publication and Hassanpour was summoned several times regarding his work.

On January 25, 2007 he was arrested and the summer of that year after a closed-door trial in the city of Marivan in Kurdistan province, Hassanpour was sentenced to death on the charges of “acting against national security” and “moharebeh” (enmity with God). The Kurdistan appellate court later upheld the death sentence. The evidence used against him was based solely on interrogation reports provided by the Intelligence Ministry, obtained during his detention. After two years of legal wrangling, with the request of his lawyer Saleh Nikbakht, the country’s Supreme Court reviewed the case and on January 30, 2009 the death sentence was commuted to 15 years in prison.

Hassanpour has a distinguished record as a journalist in Iran. The Cultural Bureau (Farhang va Ershad Islami) presented him with appreciation awards in 2004 and 2005. In addition to working as editor of Aso he was the managing director of Marivan Literary Association from 2001-2004 and edited the Association’s literary magazine, Rawt.

International groups have also recognized Hassanpour as a prominent journalist. In 2007 Hassanpour received the Press Freedom Award by the Swedish branch of Reporters without Borders. This prize is awarded to members of the press who convey dedication to freedom of expression despite pressures and violations of press freedom in their country. The same year he was also awarded the Press Freedom prize from Italy.

CHRR

Adnan Hassanpour deprived of his legal right to furlough