UPDATE ON IRAN - JULY 18, 2010

The Beginning of the End of the Clerical Rule in Iran

No.665

PMOI out of the list
Tehran, July 18, 2010
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia issued its judgment, describing the decision by then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in refusing to remove PMOI from the black list, as lacking sufficient evidence, violating the due process and unlawful. It remanded the case to the Secretary of State and instructed her to review her decision according to the procedures specified by the court.
While upholding justice and complying with the law made it necessary that this oppressive and unjust designation should have been completely annulled this very judgment and the remand to the Secretary of State demonstrates that the terrorist label against the PMOI, and the insistence to continue it, has been merely a political decision in the framework of appeasing the mullahs and based on the illusion of changing the behavior of the religious tyranny ruling Iran.
During the last decade, the terrorist label on the PMOI has been the most important impediment to change in Iran and it contributed greatly in preserving the religious dictatorship.


Bazaar

Tabriz Bazaar
Tehran, July 17, 2010
Tabriz’s Bazaar was closed today.
Shops in Tile-Sellers Street, Ceramic-Sellers Street and Daraee Street as well as other sections of the city joined the strike today.
During the days of strike in Tabriz’s main Bazaar the intelligence and security forces of the city started contacting Bazaaris to prevent the spread of the strike. They had threatened the merchants of Bazaar and put pressure on them to end the strike.
Plainclothes have referred to the houses of some of the heads of the guilds’ unions including fabric-sellers and had warned them and threatened them in regard with continuation of the strike.


Gasoline 

Gasoline unrest on its way
Tehran- July 17, 2010
Gasoline sanctions imposed on Iran by international society and especially US have caused lots of headache for the clerical regime.
It was for long that the shortage of fuel and gasoline imposed problems for the public transportation system of the country and even rationing it did not decreased the crisis.
The new international statements and resolutions have stopped the import of gasoline intensifying the crisis.
Currently most of the gas stations within the cities and in the roads are facing serious shortage of gasoline and long queues of vehicles are turning to constant scenery.





The Downfall

Regime’s MP from Zahedan resigned
Zahedan, July 16, 2010
On the excuse that there is no security in Zahedan, regim’s MP resigned.
Hosseinali Shahryari the head of Hygiene Commission of Majlis described the reason for his resignation to a letter to Larijani the head of Majlis as: “unfortunately authorities were not able to meet their least duty of providing security for people….so I announce my resignation on July 16, 2010”.

Schism deepens
Tehran, July 16, 2010
Regime’s Center of Research of Majlis announced that Ahmadinejad has not paid any attention to economic growth and to decreasing the distance among the classes in his fifth agenda at all.
Mohammadreza Khabaz the spokesman of the center said: “Ahmadinejad’s government has had no economical strategy during last five years”.
It is to be mentioned that the issue of subsidy has been long the subject of dispute amongst elements of Khamenei’s band.

Mullah Janati confronts Larijani 
Tehran, July 16, 2010
In an obvious confrontation with Larijani, regime’s head of Majlis, Mullah Janati the secretary of Council of Guidance said: “without Council of Guidance, Majlis is discredited”.
He added: “the role of Council of Guidance appointed to it by constitution is unique…it has destiny-making responsibilities in Islamic Republic’s Establishment such as determining if the endorsements of Majlis complies with religious laws and constitution or not”.
Confronting Larijani who had said that Majlis is above the president and in defense of Ahmadinejad, Janati said that Majlis has no credit without Council of Guidance.
He added: “I support the government because the honorable Leader supports it and I approve of presidents positions and criteria”.

Safavi admitted that Khamenei’s talisman is broken and IRGC is hated
Tehran, July 16, 2010
Answering the question: do we have a strategic ally in the region now or not, Rahim Safavi, Khamenei’s advisor and a high commander of IRGC said: “no we don’t have such and ally. Of course Syria is close to us and Turkey is somewhat close but from strategic aspect we don’t have and ally”.
Answering this question that did sanctions targeted IRGC he answered: “from my point of view some from within the country show green light to foreign enemies, Americans and British and even guided them and told them that if they wanted to strike on Islamic Revolution and Islamic Republic they must aim at the Leadership (Khamanei) and IRGC because if their sacredness and popularity is damaged then it would be easy”.
While worried he added: “today it is hard to be preserver (preserve the regime), the enemy and the atmosphere inside and abroad have become more complicated”.
Pointing to Khamenei’s broken talisman he said: “yes it is from few years ago that religion’s and cleric’s veneration is violated…”
In fear of regime’s downfall Safavi said: “our intelligence and security apparatus must be fully informed about the foreign enemies and those aligned with them inside so that they can predict the events and confront them with greater power”.


Resistance

Political prisoner goes on hunger strike in protest to horrid condition in Gohardasht Prison
Tehran July 16, 2010
Arzhang Davoudi, a political prisoner in Gohardasht Prison in Karaj went on a hunger strike.
Davoudi went on a hunger strike on Wednesday July 14 in protest to his poor condition in cellblock 3 which he was transferred to to be place under more limitations.
This political prisoner has been denied the right to contact his family for one month.
One of his fingers which broke in prison has been swollen and infected for close to 3 months but officials do not give him medical treatment.
According to reports, his home where his family lived was sealed down and then sold by agents of the intelligence agency which has left his family homeless.
Davoudi was jailed in 2003 and has been sentenced to 16 years of prison.

Don’t nap!
Tehran, July 18, 2010
At the opening ceremony of ‘educational course of Velayat’ reminding the nightmare of downfall Mullah Mesbah Yazdi conceded that the nationwide uprising has ruined regime’s elements nap.
Calling regime’s elements and subordinates as ‘people’ Yazdi said: “about the questions I should say that the recent sedition has shocked the aware people and has reminded the half aware people not to even nap”.
In another event Mullah Ahmad Khatami a member of the board of directives of Assembly of Experts once more expressed his fear of regime’s downfall and said: “last year’s sedition aimed at the overthrowing of the Velayat Establishment”.


Women & Uprising

Mullahs confessed that suppression of women under the excuse of ‘improper veil’ is useless
Tehran, July 16, 2010
Mullah Makarem Shirazi admitted that regime’s suppression of women under the excuse of improper veil has been useless and women had resisted. He said: “using force is useless in confronting improper veil”.
He admitted to the defeat of regime’s suppressive policies and added: “cultural work and preaching is the most effective way in that regard”.
Mullah Makarem called the resistance of women of Iran as murmurs for ‘not having veil’ and said: “if there is no veil then it will result in prostitution, drinking and other sins and there will remain not even the title of Islamic Society”.
By these words this reactionary mullah admits that misogyny is a pillar of the religious tyranny of Velayat-e-Faghih and admits to the role of pioneer women of Iran in the Uprising for the downfall of this regime.

Suppressive plan of temporarily marriage of high school girls
Tehran, July 18, 2010
Mohammad Hajizadeh the head of Booshehr Province’s Education Organization announced the endorsement of the plan of ‘Finding Husbands Especial for Pre-University girls’ and ‘Veil and Chastity at Countries Schools’.
Hajizadeh said that endorsement of such plans is just for preventing cultural assaults! The plan has even provoked protest amongst some of the regime elements. Mohammad Ghayoum Dehghani a member of Social Committee of regime’s Majlis said: “my question is that are those who talk of ‘temporary marriage’ willing to make their own daughters to marry as such? Do they think of the consequences of this issue on a young girl?”
Hamidreza Haji Babaie Minister of Education had welcomed the plan and had emphasized that these girls then must continue their education in nightly schools because according to the regulations any girl before 18 that gets married is ousted from school and must continue in nightly schools especial for adults’ education.
Ali Motahari an MP belonging to Khamenei’s band has brought up the issue of the temporary marriage of high school girls before and SSF has named the plan as solution for decreasing the number of rape.
It is to be mentioned that the misogynous and medieval clerical regime that has become desperate in regard with the vast participation of women and girls of Iran in the front of the uprising despite all its suppressive plans such as ‘veil and chastity’ hangs to anything to prevent them from playing their effective role in its downfall. The endorsed plan of ‘temporary marriage’ is one of regime’s means for keeping women away from playing their role.


Suppression

Five prisoner executed in Uromieh
Uromieh, July 16, 2010
The criminal clerical dictatorship hanged 5 prisoners in the central prison of Uromieh.
Faisal Saedi, Karam Azizi, Omid Norani, Abdolrahman Rendi and Ali Sareban were hanged.


Suppression of youths

SSF friend of narcotic dealers, enemy of youths
Tehran, July 16, 2010
In Boostan Park in Farmanieh Street at the intersection of Kamranieh 6 SSF patrol daily. These patrols have communications with the narcotic sellers in the park openly but attack the youths on any excuse and harass them.

A prisoner murdered in Sari Prison
Sari, July 18, 2010
Hadi Aravand a prisoner condemned to execution in Sari Prison was killed by an officer of the prison, Mohammadi, with the help of another prisoner, Nasiri.

Two political prisoners in poor health denied medical attention
Tehran July 16, 2010
The physical health of Sina Golchin and Vahid Asghari, two prisoners detained in cellblock 350 in Evin Prison is in serious danger because of lack of medical treatment.
Golchin and Asghari who were arrested in the post-election events are suffering from severe ear infection. They have not been given any treatment because of the absence of a specialist in the prison infirmary.
Sina Golchin is a student of constructional engineering at the Free Tehran University who was arrested in his home on January 7, 2010 on charges of participating in a December 27 march on Ashura. Judge Salavati sentenced this 20 year old student who had no prior political activities to 8 years of prison which was later lowered to 4 years and 6 months of prison in a court of review.
Vahid Asghari was also arrested after the elections. He was detained for some time in a solitary cell in cellblock 240 and is currently in cellblock 350 (known as the labor cellblock).

Regime elements freely deal narcotics in Evin Prison
Tehran July 16, 2010
Drug dealing in cellblock 350 in Evin Prison has led to concerns among political prisoners and their families.
This is while prison officials do not allow families of political prisoners to bring them books and the library and the small gym in cellblock 350 were both closed down on orders of the head of Evin Prison Sedaqat with the cooperation of the head of cellblock 350, Mostafa Bozorg Nia. At the same time, drugs are finding their way into this cellblock by ordinary prisoners.
The families of political prisoners are wondering how drugs are entered into prison without any problems while books are denied entrance.
According to reports, a prisoner in the financial cellblock who has close ties with the head of cellblock 350 has intended to sell marijuana and crystal to political prisoners. Political prisoners protested this issue and the prisoner was transferred to another cellblock. But these protests did not completely stop these measures and drugs, especially marijuana and crystal are brought to this cellblock through other channels.
Despite the fact that narcotics are very expensive outside of prison, they are sold to prisoners at very cheap prices.
According to an informed source, a person identified as M.N, who is the financial cellblock is the element behind the distribution and promotion of drugs in prison. What comes as a surprise to political prisoners is that this prisoner is aware of the file contents of almost all political prisoners and has special limitless facilities at his disposal despite being a prisoner.


Student activist sentenced to 6 years of prison
Tehran July 16, 2010
The 54th branch of the court of review in Tehran upheld the 6 year prison sentence for a member of the Office for Consolidating Unity.
Reza Zareie, Salman Sima’s lawyer announced this and said that the 54th branch of the court of review “refused our appeal for the initial sentence issued by the 15th branch of the Revolutionary Court which led to the 6 year prison term for Mr. Sima”.



Student activist denied master’s degree after release from prison
Tehran July 16, 2010
Amir Kabir University in Tehran refused to hand over the master’s degree of a student who was recently released from prison.
When Kaveh Amin-ollahi went to collect his master’s degree, the university refused to give him his degree and said that he was given fails in all his classes because of an unexcused absence.
Amin-ollahi was a master’s degree student of medical engineering at the Amir Kabir University in Tehran who was released from prison on February 18, 2010. He was cleared of all charges on May 23.

Iran expels Baha’i student from Qazvin International University
Tehran July 16, 2010
Vesal Momtazi, a student of the Qazvin International University was expelled from university for following the Baha’i faith.
He was expelled from this university in June 2010 during the finals exams after studying for seven semesters and passing 124 units on the subject of agricultural engineering.
He has gone to various centers including to the Qazvin MP and Ministry of Science (department of higher education) but has not received any answers.

No news on detained Christian couple
Tehran July 16, 2010
There is no news on the condition of a detained Christian couple, Behrouz Sadeq Khanjani and his wife Fatemeh Kajouri.
Security forces have banned them from calling their families. These forces went to their homes and told their landlords that they had ‘security problems’.
Fatemeh Turk Kajouri’s father, who went to Evin Prison several times to see his daughter was told that he could visit her on Thursday, but was prevented from visiting her when he came back to the prison on Thursday.
Father Behrouz Sadeq Khanjani, who is the head of the Iran Bamdad Church, was arrested on June 16, 2010 when he was in Shiraz to hand over his last defense to the intelligence agency. After a long interrogation session, he was transferred to the Intelligence Detention Center.
Fatemeh Turk Kajouri, his wife, was arrested on June 18 in Tehran and taken to Evin Prison.

Baha’i man arrested to serve five year prison term
Tehran July 16, 2010
Davar Nabil Zadeh, a Baha’i resident of Mashhad was summoned to the Sentence Implementation Department of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court and was arrested on arrival to serve his 5 year prison term in the Vakil Abad Prison in Mashhad.
According to reports, he was tried last year with eight other Baha’is in this city in a case that was closed in 2005 and was sentenced to 5 years of prison in a sentence issued by a court of first instance and confirmed by the court of review.
He was detained for one year in 1983 for being a member of a Baha’i organization and his 22-year-old son, Nura Nabil Zadeh has been detained in the Mashhad Intelligence Detention Center for two weeks.


News on Iran’s economy

People worried about gasoline
Tehran, July 16, 2010
People are worried about the elimination of gasoline cards in Fall.
As a result ration gasoline is sold in gas stations. During last week long queues for gasoline is seen everywhere.

Fire of oil well in Naft Shahr has destroyed 13 million dollars of oil
Tehran, July 18, 2010
The manager of Oil Company for central regions said that as the oil well no. 24 of Naft Shar being on fire is losing four to five thousands barrel of oil each day.
Having in mind the price of 70 dollars for each barrel of oil and the burned 190,000 barrels in 38 days Iran has lost 13,300,000 dollars of its oil income.

Cut of electricity in Tehran
Tehran, July 15, 2010
During last few days Tehran is witnessing longer hours of cut in electricity. The electricity is cut between one to five hours daily.


Students Committee in Iran (Supporters of PMOI)

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Iran-Students-Committee/222864894745?ref=ts
Iranstudentscommittee.blospot.com
Facebook Profile: Sarzamin Pak