The Latest from Iran (27 August): One Voice in Iran?

2000 GMT: The Prevention of Mourning. Iranian security forces have reportedly prevented families from observing the 22nd anniversary of the mass execution of their relatives in Iranian prisons.

Human Rights and Democracy Activists of Iran report that security forces set up road blocks at Kharavan Cemetery and stopped the families from visiting the resting places of their kin. It is claimed that a number of people were arrested and some were beaten.

In the summer of 1988, Iran executed hundreds of political prisoners on the charge of membership in dissident groups and buried them in mass graves at Khavaran.

NEW Iran: Conservatives v. Ahmadinejad (Jedinia)
NEW Iran Special: The Supreme Leader and One Voice on Nuclear Talks with US?
The Latest from Iran (26 August): Ahmadinejad v. “Seditionists”

1920 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Ghorban Behzadian Nezhad, the manager of Mir Hossein Mousavi's 2009 Presidential campaign, has been sentenced to five years in prison.

1715 GMT: The President's (Suspended) Man. Robert Tait of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty offers a lengthy overview of the case of Presidential aide and former Tehran Prosecutor General Saeed Mortazavi, one of three officials suspended this week for alleged involvement in the post-election abuses and killings at Kahrizak Prison. Included is this observation from EA:

The speculation is whether or not as part of this unity deal [brokered by the Supreme Leader], in which Ahmadinejad and Ali Larijani would make the public appearance of making up, that they now would offer a couple of bigger names on Kahrizak....When [Iranian authorities] said 11 were guilty of some involvement with Kahrizak, including the two [people] who were condemned to death, those were all relatively low-level people and there were rumbles of dissatisfaction, not just from the families but from some folks in the conservative establishment.

1700 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. The Guardian of London reports that Iranian authorities are preventing the children and laywer of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, sentenced to death for adultery, from visiting her in Tabriz Prison.

Ashtiani's son Sajad, 22 and daughter Saeedeh, 17, were told at the prison yesterday that their mother was unwilling to meet them. Ashtiani later said, in a phone call to Sajad, that she had been told by guards that nobody had come to visit her children had abandoned her.

Ashtiani's government-appointed lawyer, Houtan Kian, has been unable to visit her since her "confession" to involvement in her husband's murder was televised. Kian's house in Tabriz was raided this week by government officials who confiscated documents and laptops.

Ashtiani's other lawyer, Mohammad Mostafaei, was forced to flee Iran after Iranian authorities tried to arrest him.

1535 GMT: Mousavi Latest. Mir Hossein Mousavi, meeting veterans of the Iran-Iraq War, has said that today’s situation of Iranian society is “unsafe” and stressed that the only way to return safety and security is through the honouring of people’s will and their movements.

Mousavi cited fear of repression, fear of unemployment, and fear of organised corruption, all of which have become dominant in Iranian society, are signs of extensive oppression and injustice.

1530 GMT: Your Friday Prayers Update. Ayatollah Mohammad Emami-Kashani taking the podium today and he made it short and sweet.

1. Everybody turn out for Qods Day next Friday (but for Palestine and not against the Iranian Government, OK?)

2. Floods in Pakistan have been terrible and everyone should help the relief effort.

1520 GMT: Sanctions Watch. The Governor of the Central Bank of Iran, Mahmoud Bahmani, says Tehran is withdrawing its assets from European banks to counter new sanctions.

The pre-emptive measure is to counter any European decision to freeze Iranian assets, Bahmani said: "The Central Bank of Iran...had predicted such a scenarios (asset freeze) six months ago and adopted the necessary countermeasures."

1355 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. RAHANA updates on attorney Mohammad Oliyaifard, who has been detained since 8 March. The lawyer, who represented a number of clients facing the death penalty, was sentenced to one year in prison for anti-regime propaganda after he spoke to foreign media about the execution of minors.

0945 GMT: Taking Control. Peyke Iran claims from Iranian media that all non-government organisations will be put under the supervision of police and intelligence services until the end of this Iranian year (March 2011).

0940 GMT: We have posted a separate feature from Mehdi Jedinia, "Conservatives v. Ahmadinejad".

0925 GMT: Sedition Watch. Pro-Ahmadinejad MP Zohreh Elahian, backing Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati and Minister of Intelligence Heydar Moslehi, has pronounced that foreign embassies have given part of the $1 billion allocated for "regime change" to leaders of "fitna" (sedition). Indeed, she claimed that support for the heads of "fitna" is higher than the published figures.

0915 GMT: Regime Schizophrenia "Women are Fabulous/No They're Not". President Ahmadinejad has praised the role of women in Iranian politics, saying that with four women in the Cabinet, the taboo of women in politics has been broken.

Ahmadinejad that, while Iran's women are a model to the world, 70% percent of women in households in capitalist countries are beaten but remain to keep the family together.

MP Mousa Qorbani, a member of Parliament's Judicial Commission, does not seem to have gotten the President's message, however. He has declared that when women go to work, they cause unemployment. Qorbani said that he was in Saudi Arabia and did not see a single women working there --- "if we implement this in Iran, many problems will be solved".

0900 GMT: Not-So-Tough Talk Today. Revolutionary Guard Commander Ramezan Sharif has denounced "imperialist media" for falsely portraying a threat to Iran's neighbours by publishing interviews with "virtual" commanders, trying to present a brutal face of the Revolutionary Guard. Sharif asserted that Iran's military power is only for defense and "in no way meant to menace befriended regional countries".

0815 GMT: The Battle Within. An intriguing report from Mehdi Karroubi's Saham News....

The website claims that Saeed Haddadian, a leader of Basij paramilitary groups, has publicly declared, "We no longer support Ahmadinejad and won't stand up against clerics for him."

0730 GMT: We've posted a morning special: "The Supreme Leader and One Voice on Nuclear Talks with US?"

0625 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Eleven days after his return to prison, former Deputy Minister of Interior Mostafa Tajzadeh has finally been able to phone his family. He said he is in good spirits and sharing a cell with journalist/filmmaker Mohammad Nourizad, who was summoned back to jail more than a week ago but has not been able to contact relatives.

0615 GMT: Qods Day. Almost a year ago Qods Day, in which many people mark solidarity with Palestine also  brought --- despite the Iranian Government's attempt to suppress dissent ---  one of the largest post-election demonstrations.

This year's Qods Day is next Friday, and the Green posters are appearing:



Meanwhile....

Economy Watch

Kalemeh offers a report that only 10% of state-owned companies under Iran's "privatisation" drive are actually going into the private sector. The rest are allegedly being brought by concerns connected with the Government, notably the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps.

Freedom of the Press

Iranian journalist/blogger Kouhyar Goudarzi, held in Evin Prison since December, is one of the recipients of the 2010 John Aubuchon Freedom of the Press Award, given by the US National Press Club to individuals who have contributed to the cause of press freedom and open government.

Goudarzi was one of 17 detainees who went on hunger strike earlier this month.

Comments

[shangool]

If the basji is denouning AN, then who is backing AN, is it Sepah? It would be interesting to see how a division between basij and Sepah plays out. The whole Iranian regime is a mess. Whatever Sepah wanted to accomplish with last years coup`d`etat, oust raffers, total gain over economy, whatever, there will be a final showdown before the next presidential election.

I only hope no more blood will be spilt

[Catherine]

Prominent Attorney Mohammad Oliyaeifar in Prison Limbo
Prominent lawyer Oliyaeifar has been held in prison since March 8th.His wife Shohreh Taleghani told the International Campaign of Human Rights in Iran that her husband has been imprisoned for anti-regime propaganda since he had spoken with foreign media. She further stated that he has been in prison for 5 months and he has only had a few phone calls with his family.
http://www.rahana.org/en/?p=6651

[Catherine]

Human Rights Campaigners Keep up the Fight for Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani
http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/08/26/human-rights-campaigners-keep-up-the-fight-for-sakineh-mohammadi-ashtiani/

[Catherine]

Controversy over story of Iranian post-election victim
Two Iranian journalists, who fled Iran after the disputed presidential elections of 2009, issued a statement to identify themselves as the first reporters of the controversial news about the arrest and rape of Taraneh Mousavi.

In their separate weblogs, Reza Valizadeh and Leyla MalekMohammadi confirm the account of Taraneh Mousavi’s arrest and her eventual death in the post-election crackdown on protesters last year.
http://www.zamaaneh.com/enzam/2010/08/controversy-over-story-of.html

[Catherine]

For our enthusiastic activists:
Global Campaign in Support of Shiva Nazar Ahari: “We Are All Shiva” http://persian2english.com/?p=13726

[Catherine]

Hey, we didn't think of that! :-0

On August 15, executive director of Saderat Bank, Mohammad Jahromi announced that “all the branches of Saderat Bank have now been blocked by Europe.”

However, he added: “In terms of the blocked reserves I must add that our liabilities are several times greater than our reserves. As a result, while the sanctions do not harm our assets, they (the EU) should be concerned about opening up the system in order to receive payments on our debts to them.”
http://www.zamaaneh.com/enzam/2010/08/iran-banking-chief-says-a.html

[Catherine]

This is definitely becoming a trend. I hope this regime comes to an end before they can brainwash a whole generation:
How Schoolchildren Are Brainwashed In Iran
http://www.rferl.org/content/Commentary_How_Schoolchildren_Are_Brainwashed_In_Iran/2054304.html

Iran To Raise Baby Girls As Basij Members
http://www.rferl.org/content/Iran_To_Raise_Baby_Girls_as_Basij_Members/2135599.html

Iran Launches New Crackdown On Universities
http://www.rferl.org/content/Iran_Launches_New_Crackdown_On_Universities/2138387.html

[Ange-Paris]

RE 0625 GMT : they are lucky to be togheter ! and will keep all those moments in their mind;" freedom" is not too far; keep your high spirit ; all the people in the world support you . VV

[Catherine]

U.N. urges Iran to tackle racism
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/7838501/un-urges-iran-to-tackle-racism/

[Ange-Paris]

Iran stonings 'practices of another age': Ashton
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100827/wl_mideast_afp/iranexcecutionrightsfranceeusanctionashton
France urged the European Union earlier Friday to threaten Iran with new sanctions over the case of 43-year-old Sakineh Mohammadi-Ashtiani, despite Tehran's warning to the West not to interfere.

[Ange-Paris]

France urges EU to threaten Iran sanctions over stoning

http://www.iranfocus.com/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21550:france-urges-eu-to-threaten-iran-sanctions-over-stoning&catid=6:women&Itemid=28

[Ange-Paris]

UN condemns discriminatory practises in Iran against the minorities :
"L'ONU dénonce les pratiques discriminatoires de l'Iran envers ses minorités"
http://www.lesechos.fr/depeches/monde/afp_00276638.htm?xtor=RSS-2094

[Ange-Paris]

In english
UN anti-racism panel calls on Iran to counter hatred
http://www.iranfocus.com/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21553:un-anti-racism-panel-calls-on-iran-to-counter-hatred&catid=5:human-rights&Itemid=27

[Catherine]

RE: Ashtiani’s government-appointed lawyer, Houtan Kian, has been unable to visit her since her “confession” to involvement in her husband’s murder was televised. Kian’s house in Tabriz was raided this week by government officials who confiscated documents and laptops.

The take-away quote from Kian is: "Sakineh's case has become a battle between Iran and the media and the people around the world. ... What is clear is that the officials don't want to step back because they see it as a sign of defeat for the regime if they do so."

So look for the regime to go possibly ahead and execute some of these prisoners whom Western countries in particular are making a big fuss about just out of to spite and as a way of saying, "Screw you - that's what you get for interfering in our domestic affairs and that's what you'll get every time you try". This has, imo, everything to do with the current context of domestic political crisis on the one hand and increased pressure from new sanctions on the other. Just compare their current obstinance and aggravation of these cases with the way they handled the Roxana Saberi case back in May 2008. And the 3 American hitch-hikers are victimes of the same conjuncture.

[Latest Woody Toy Story Auction]

[...] The Latest from Iran (27 August): One Voice in Iran? | Enduring … [...]

[Latest Toy Story Three Auction]

[...] The Latest from Iran (27 August): One Voice in Iran? | Enduring … [...]