UPDATE ON IRAN - Dec. 2, 2010

The Beginning of the End of the Clerical Rule in Iran

No. 733

Student’s Day, December 7 

in Iran

Student's Day in Iran
The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran also called for Student’s Day protests in Iran on December 7.

Political graffiti in in Psychology College in Tehran Free University
Nov. 30, 2010 
In the Psychology College in the Tehran Free University, students have increased their activities for Student’s Day and wrote slogans on the walls, doors and chairs in this university. They wrote, “We will stand up together for Student’s Day”, “Unite with us in defending the rights of the slain”.

Distribution of leaflets for student day in the residential department of Tehran University 
Nov. 30, 2010
These days students are trying to get ready for the 7th of December the student day and in this way is using every ways to notify the people.

Students of Isfahan University reply to the publications of University security department
Nov. 30, 2010
The security department of Isfahan University declared that on 7th December there should not be any gathering in the university.  But the students of Isfahan University did not consider this statement.
One of the students said: as one of imprisoned student named, Majid Dorri, the student movement is not a snap which can be swallowed by any kind of dictatorship. The vanguard will not drop his gun and will fight alongside with the people who fight against suppression. Statements can not stop student’s anger.

More news on universities in Iran on verge of 'Student Day'
Tabriz- Nov. 30, 2010 
According to reports in the Tabriz University, the Iranian regime has installed security cameras in the shops of a number of students to prevent any kind of protests for Student’s Day December 7. Security forces have gone up to these families and threaten them to prevent the activities of their children.

Tehran- Nov. 30, 2010 
In the past few days, metal rails were put in front of Tehran University parallel to Enqelab Street which made it impossible to go from the sidewalk into the street and vice versa.

Tehran- Nov. 30, 2010 
A statement by the Tehran University management was put up in Tehran University board which said that no demonstrations and gathering will be held inside and outside of Tehran University.


Tehran- Nov. 30, 2010 
The Iranian regime has changed all the security cameras in front of Tehran University and has installed smaller more powerful cameras. These cameras can zoom into faces 500 meters away. According to this report, on Saturday at about 10:30 am, there was a joint session between the Tehran University Protection Department and the intelligence agency.

Tehran- Nov. 30, 2010 
A statement by a pro-regime committee has been put up everywhere in Tehran University which threatens those who participate in the gatherings of ‘the head of the seditions’ will be severely dealt with.

Tehran – Nov. 30, 2010 
In fear of protests because of subsidy cuts in Iran and Student’s Day, the Iranian regime carries out new security measures everyday and in one of these new measures, two person security force foot patrols have been stationed in the lobby of the Khomeini Airport.

Tehran- Nov. 30, 2010 
A female Amir Kabir University student of by the name of Yasaman Navayi sprayed (something) into the eyes of a Protection Department agent who was harassing her under the pretext that she was properly veiled. Protection Department forces attacked her batons and she passed out after she was hit on the head. These forces then kidnapped her and she has not returned to university as yet.

Tehran – Nov. 30, 2010 
 Intelligence agents equipped with cameras, laptops and other intelligence equipment for recording information and street interrogations have been stationed in special black cars in Keshavarz Blvd, Baharestan Metro, Imam Hossein Metro, Vanak Square, Mosadeq Street between Jomhouri and Vali Asr Square, Tehran University dormitories and outside of the Arts, and Amir Kabir universities. These agents stop passersby under false excuses and interrogate and search them.

Tehran – Nov. 30, 2010 
After the Struxnet worm attack against the Iranian regime, all computer graduates from Iranian universities are asked to sign a written commitment while receiving their degrees that they will not enter any government, intelligence or bank systems. If they do, their degrees will become void.

Tehran – Nov. 30, 2010 
 In addition to severe measures taken against those who come from foreign countries to Iran, those who intend to leave Iran are also harassed and their passports are carefully scrutinized.

New security measures in Tehran
Nov. 30, 2010 
On the morning of November 30, two bikers who were riding on motorcycles without license plates were patrolling the streets and maneuvered around cars in the Sadr Highway and stopped cars they deemed suspicious to search the car and its passengers. In the past few days, security forces patrols have started patrols in Tehran Pars and a large number of them have been stationed on streets.
According to other reports, the Iranian regime has promised Bassijis that they will be officially hired to counter Student’s Day and Ashura protests. Since a large number of Bassij forces have no specialty or experience and some are uneducated, the government has promised to hire them officially to use them to suppress protests.

Fear of regime from public protests in the days near to 7th of December, the day of students
Nov. 30, 2010
Tehran- according to the news, in streets of Enghelab, Mosadegh, ValiAsr, Tehran University, Imam Hossein sq. and Azadi Sq., Security and intelligence forces have been organized and settled.
At nights in the Karaj Highway entrance where they receive the duty, detection stations have been setup. Cars and passengers are being searched.
Recently because of increase in slogan writings in metro stations, presences of guards are being observed.
According to news on Saturday night 35 of police forces gathered in middle of Vanak sq.

Presence of Police guards around the University of Shahr Rey
Nov. 30, 2010
From Saturday the presence of police tours around the University of Shar Rey increased and there are two permanent officers in the entrance. This matter has caused discontent among the students. Majority of the students say that instead of creating security in the university area and acting against the robbers of students’ cars, they are after controlling students.


Downfall 

The reason behind Khamenei’s constant trips to Qom
Nov. 30, 2010 
A website affiliated with the minority faction of the Iranian regime wrote: “One of the main reasons behind the many trips by Khamenei to Qom is to seek advice on how he could make his residence there in the future. Politically, Khamenei’s office in Tehran which is under the supervision of his son Mojtaba Khamenei will practice political issues in the absence of his father until the right time comes”.

Khamenei says naval forces are strategic
Nov. 30, 2010
On November 28, Khamenei met with the commanders and heads of the naval forces and said in a part of his speech, “The naval is a strategic force and in light of the current issues in the world, and the geopolitical condition in today’s world, we have to fortify ourselves as much as we can in the sea and shore”.

Bassij forces used in soft war against satellite channels and internet
Nov. 30, 2010
Ali Ismaili, the assistant minister of Culture and Guidance said, “currently, 32 million internet users, 5 million and 500,000 bloggers and 23 million satellite channel users exist in the county and there are more than 3,000 clear satellite TV channels and all these channels are against the rule of the Supreme Leadership”.
He stipulated that in light of the current situation, the main duty of the Bassij is to counter these threats.

Dotek Internet Company affiliated with the RGC
Nov. 30, 2010
According to reports, the Dotek Internet Company in Yamin Street in Tehran is affiliated with the RGC and all people who work or go to this company are under the control of the Intelligence Agency or the RGC. The RGC censors the internet to control internet users in this way.

Secret purchase of iron melting factory of Isfahan productions
Nov. 30, 2010
According to the news from this factory, some of the productions of this factory, have been sold secretly by robber officials of this factory.






Examples of the theft of RGC
Nov. 30, 2010
According to reports, an RGC agents identified as Reza Taqipour who is an official in the ‘Intelligence and Communications Technology’ institution in the Communications Department which is under the control of the RGC has pocketed a large sum of money by pre-selling new SIM cards which was to come to market in the first six months of the year but has still not been put on the market. This is only one example of how the Iranian regime steals from the people.

Presence of oppressive forces in central areas of Tabriz
Nov. 30, 2010
According to news from Regime, in Tabriz, the mayor of this city is going to build kiosks for oppressive forces to be used in Central areas of Tabriz.






Sounds of gun shots from the Eshrat Abad Base 
Tehran – Nov. 30, 2010 
According to eyewitness reports, on November 26 at 10 am, the sounds of gun shots were heard from the Eshrat Abad Base. According to soldiers and other witnesses, there was an armed clash between people in the army and Revolutionary Guards Corps forces.

RGC forces on 100 percent alert on Ashura and Tasua
Tehran- Nov. 30, 2010 
According to reports from inside the RGC, it has been announced to all RGC forces that they should be on 100 percent alert on Ashura and Tasua (religious Shiite ceremonies) and should wear civilian clothing and be present in all mosques and mourning groups in Tehran.


Effect of sanction

People angry over the improper transfer of subsidies to bank accounts
Nov. 30, 2010 
Most people are dissatisfied over the incorrect transfer of subsidies to their bank accounts which has led to confusion.
“I have 6 members in my family and we registered 6 people for the subsidies but unfortunately subsidies were only transferred to our account for 3 people and after we followed up this issue, we did not get any answers”, a dissatisfied citizen said.
Notably, singles (unmarried people) are not given subsidies.

Sharp drop of tea sales in Iran 
Nov. 30, 2010 
According to reports from tea manufacturing sources in Iran, in the past 6 months there has been sharp drop in tea sales in the country. The reason behind this is because bad quality cheap tea is imported from Pakistan and India and high quality Iranian tea has lost the contest.

Prices rise in fabric market
Nov. 30, 2010 
According to reports from a fabric merchant in the Tehran Bazaar, the price of threat and fabric has increased in the past month.
“The thread that we bought was 1,300 tomans which we buy for 1,750 tomans now. Ahmadinejad says that goods will not become more expensive but prices have increased even while the subsidy plan has not been implemented as yet. The people cannot afford to buy anything”, this merchant said.
“The money was supposed to be used for water and electricity but it is not even enough for that and these are only empty words by the government and everything is getting worst”.

Medicine to become more expensive
Nov. 30, 2010 
There are rumors in Tehran that medicine will soon become more expensive and people have gone to drug stores to stock pile on general medicine. All drug stores have become crowded since yesterday. A medical source in the government has confirmed that prices would rise.


Suppression

Ailing death row political prisoner denied medical attention on orders of Intelligence Agency
Nov. 30, 2010
According to reports, death row political prisoner Jafar Kazemi is in critical condition but interrogators of the Intelligence Agency and the Tehran Prosecutor prevent him from receiving serious treatment.
Kazemi is suffering from critical sciatica and has constant severe pain to the point that he loses his ability to move or go about his routine activities. He first developed this ailment while in cellblock 209 but it deteriorated with time.
When he was in cellblock 209, a head intelligence interrogator who was a cleric nicknamed Alavi severely mentally and physically tortured him to force him to give false confessions on television. As a result of being struck in the face and head, a number of his teeth broke and his other teeth were severely damaged.
This political prisoner is mistreated when he goes to the prison infirmary and he is not given serious treatment. The infirmary only gives him sedatives and sleeping pills. This is while he has to receive treatment for sciatica in a hospital outside of prison under the care of a specialist. The prison infirmary has also asked for a large sum of money to pull his teeth out and not treat his problem.
The intelligence agency interrogators and Tehran Prosecutor Jafari Dolat Abadi are the main elements behind his lack of treatment. These measures are aimed at increasing the intolerable pressures on this political prisoner.
Notably, Jafar Kazemi was arrested by intelligence agents on December 18, 2009 after being violently beaten and was taken to a solitary cell in cellblock 209 in Evin Prison. He was under torture for 74 days in solitary. His interrogator, Alavi, referred his case to the 28th branch of the Revolutionary Court and he was sentenced to death by Mohammad Moqiseh who was a members of the committee in charge of the massacre of political prisoners in 1988. His death sentence was upheld by Ahmad Zargar, who was an interrogator for political prisoners in the 80’s. Jafar Kazemi was witness to the massacre of political prisoners in 1987 and was spared from being executed. He was jailed from 1981 to 1990 and was under severe physical and mental torture.


Iran arrests Baluch blogger 
Nov. 30, 2010
Ibrahim Hossein Bar, a Baluch blogger was arrested by security forces in Baluchistan yesterday.
This blogger was arrested for unknown reasons and was taken to an unknown location.
According to reports, Hossein Bar was in charge of the ‘Stone’ weblog and blogged about issued in Baluchistan.

Kurd civil rights and political activists sentenced to heavy prison terms
Nov. 30, 2010
A number of Kurd civil rights and political activists were sentenced to heavy jail terms by the Revolutionary Court.
According to reports, Dalir Rouzgerd, a Kurd student from Saqez studied at Tehran University and was arrested on July 27 in Hafte Tir Square by security forces. He was under severe mental and physical torture for 75 days in the Sanandaj Intelligence Detention Center and was sentenced to 10 years of prison and 4 years of exile to the town of Sirjan in Kerman by the Revolutionary Court in Saqez on charges of cooperating with Kurd dissident parties.
Aria Moradi is another student from Saqez who studied at the Razi University in Kermanshah and was arrested in post-election events. He was later released on bail and was sentenced to 6 months of prison by the Kermanshah court of review.
Rozgar Moradi, a jurist from Saqez who was arrested about 2 months ago on charges of cooperating with Kurd parties was sentenced to 5 years of prison in a court session which only lasted 5 minutes. This Kurd civil rights activist was under severe pressure and interrogations for 35 days in the Intelligence Detention Center.
Abdolqader Shiri, a Kurd poet from Saqez who is also a cultural activist in this town’s literary associations was arrested by security forces and put under pressure for 75 days to make false confessions. He was sentenced to 5 years of prison by the Revolutionary Court in Saqez on charges of cooperating with Kurd parties.



Students Committee in Iran (Supporters of PMOI)

'Student's Day' in Iran on Dec. 7, 2010

Student Day in Iran, Dec. 7, 2010

SUPPORT IRANIAN STRUGGLE FOR PEACE, DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM....

Iran Students Committee (Supporters of PMOI)

UPDATE ON IRAN - Dec. 1, 2010

Two Baha’i girls expelled from junior high
Nov. 29, 2010
Two Baha’i students in Isfahan were expelled from their Junior High School.
Bahar Rohani and Barqeh Ahrari were banned from going to sixth grade on October 13. There were expelled for refusing to sign a written pledge which was given to them by the heads of the Protection Department in this school. Notably, signing this commitment was the condition for being enrolled in this school and since the content of the pledge was in violation of human and citizens’ rights, the above mentioned students refused to sign it. They were subsequently expelled without receiving any written notification on the reason behind their expulsion. These two 11 year old girls are now studying at home.

Sunni clerics harassed by Iranian regime
Nov. 29, 2010
Hossein Amini, a Sunni judge in Kurdistan who is also a prominent Sunni cleric was body searched in the Khomeini Airport and his passport was seized.
In addition to Hossein Amini, Hashem Hossein Panahi, an instructor in the Imam Bokhari Religious School in Sanandaj was also body searched in this airport. Before this, the passports of a number of other Sunni clerics were seized in this airport and they were banned from participating in an international conference on Islam in Turkey.
Molana Abdolhamid, the Sunni Friday Prayer head in Zahedan was not barred from participating in the Islam conference but his passport was seized upon his return from Turkey and he was banned from leaving the country.
“When I returned from Dubai, my passport was seized in the Khomeini airport”, Hossein Amini said.
“My religious books were also seized. The agents told us that they did this upon the orders of the Special Court for Clergy

Political prisoner send to serve prison term in notorious Gohardasht Prison in Karaj
Nov. 29, 2010
According to reports, on Monday, November 29, political prisoner Keivan Samimi was transferred from cellblock 350 to the notorious Gohardasht Prison in Karaj.
Samimi was arrested on June 13, 2009 after intelligence agents raided his home. He was thrown in a solitary cell in cellblock 209 in Evin Prison and was under pressure in solitary for 4 months.
This political prisoner went on three weeks hunger strike (he also went on a dry hunger strike for a number of days) in protest to the poor prison conditions during his detention.
Samimi is a prominent political activist in Iran and was the editor in chief of the banned Nameh Weekly. He was sentenced to 6 years of prison and a 15 year ban on all political, social and cultural activities by the Revolutionary Court. Notably, Samimi was a political activist in
the former regime of the Shah and still defended the rights of former political prisoners who were jailed by the Shah.

Iran sentences political prisoner to 10 years of prison
Nov. 29, 2010
Emad Bahavar, the head of the Freedom Movement’s youth branch was sentenced to 10 years of prison by Judge Salavati, the head of the 15th branch of the Revolutionary Court. He was charged with conspiring to gather against national security, propagating against the government and insulting the leader.
According to reports, the court verdict was announced to Bahavar and can be appealed.
This political prisoner was arrested on July 13, 2009 when he was summoned to court to present his last defense and is currently in cellblock 350 in Evin Prison.

Kurd prison under torture to make false confessions
Nov. 29, 2010
According to reports from the town of Qarveh, political prisoner Afshin Hossein Panahi who was arrested by intelligence agents in this town some time ago is under severe torture to make confessions on television. He has lost the eyesight in one eye as a result of the torture and the continuance of such torture has led to concerns that this Kurd citizen might lose his life.



Iran Students Committee (Supporters of PMOI)

UPDATE ON IRAN - Nov. 29, 2010

The Beginning of the End of the Clerical Rule in Iran

No. 732

Student’s Day, December 7 

in Iran

Call for widespread strikes on December 7 Student’s Day
Nov. 28, 2010
Until now, groups of students in Tehran University, Alameh Tabatabayi University, Science and Industry University, Amir Kabir University, Sharif Industrial University, Beheshti University and the Teacher Training University and Qazvin University have announced that they will go on strike on December 7 for Student’s Day.



Qazvin University students pass out posters inviting students to Student’s Day
Nov. 27, 2010
Student activists in Qazvin University are getting ready to hold Student’s Day in this university. In the past few days, student activists have passed out posters among students at night asking them to protest against tyranny on 'Student Day'. The banning of some students from entering university, expulsions, suspensions and other bans against students have been cited in this poster and students have been asked to stand by their classmates under such circumstances.

Anti-regime graffiti writings on the rise in Tehran 
Nov. 27, 2010
On the verge of Student’s Day in Iran, graffiti writings have been seen in Tehran’s public places; slogans such as ‘Student’s Day – death to dictator’ which are written in the center of town more than other places. In Tehran University students are also becoming more active and they have put up posters on university boards with words such as ‘students will die but will never surrender’. Students of the Science Association have also put up a large poster for Student’s Day which said ‘the university is alive!’ The Protection Department summoned the student who put up the poster but the student stood up to them.

Suppressive forces of Free University in Firouz Koh step up control on students on verge of Student’s Day
Nov. 27, 2010
According to a student in the Firouz Kouh Unit of the Free University, the Protection Department has stepped up its control on the main entrance of this university which sometimes leads to clashes between students and these forces. Female students are mostly harassed more than others over issues like the veil and their clothes.

Tehran University installs security cameras in fear of 'Student Day' protests
Nov. 27, 2010
The Iranian regime lives in fear of anti-regime protests on Student’s Day. According to reports, the Protection Department of Tehran University has installed closed circuit security cameras in many buildings in this university. These cameras have been installed outside the Technical School, the main entrance of this university and outside of the School of Arts among other places.

New ‘Shame’ Bassij movement in Science and Industry University tasked with enforcing mandatory veil and abusing female students
Nov. 27, 2010
Bassij forces in the Science and Industry University in Tehran have established a movement called the ‘Shame’ Movement which is aimed at carrying out suppressive measures and putting pressure on students under the pretext of enforcing the mandatory veil and countering immorality. Under this new plan, Bassij students put pressure on their classmates and the Protection Department has given these students the mandate to deal with their classmates.

Iran cuts internet speed in effort to curb December 7 protests
Nov. 27, 2010
According to reports from the School of Electronics in the Khajeh Nasir University in Tehran, internet speed has been decreased since November 15 and it has been lowered to 16 kilobytes.





Iran’s internet will stay under control of government 
Nov. 27, 2010
IRNA state-run News Agency, November 26 – The assistant head of Planning and Guided Supervision of the Infrastructure Communications Company said, “providing the country’s internet bandwidth will stay monopolized in the hands of the government”.
Mohammad-Ali Arianian said on Friday, “One of the concerns of the government is that the bandwidth which comes from outside of the country be given to the people in a secure way. Therefore, buying bandwidth from outside is monopolized by the government”.

46 Science and Industry students suspended from university for going on vacation with opposite sex
Nov. 27, 2010
Officials of the Science and Industry University in Tehran have suspended 46 freshmen and senior students for one semester because they went on a group outing with the opposite sex.


Downfall 

Khamenei admits to Iranians’ abhorrence of Bassij forces
Nov. 28, 2010
In a speech to a group of Bassij forces called the ‘Devotees of the Supreme Leadership’, Khamenei admitted to the deep abhorrence of the Iranian people for the Bassij and said that they were the reserves for the difficult days of the government.
Fars News Agency, November 25: ‘Khamenei said in the morning that it is correct that the propaganda of the enemy and their supporters inside the country try to belittle the Bassij and to insult them; But what is great and radiant on the inside will not be demeaned with the insults of the insulters or the accusations of the accusers’.
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic who is worried about harder days for the government and regards the Bassij as the reserves for such a day to eliminate its enemies said, ‘the Bassij, is the Bassij of the hearts, the Bassij of lives, the Bassij of emotion, beliefs and of faith and that is why it can be used by a nation in difficult days. On the day that nations have problems, physical bodies are of no use and on that day, hearts have to go the fields and break enemy lines. Those who broke enemy lines did not necessarily have powerful bodies. They had strong hearts and faith and were able to go through mountains and pass difficult paths to finally reach their home”.

Khamenei advisor openly admits to state-sponsored terrorism
Nov. 28, 2010
Rahim Safavi, a former RGC commander, announced the creation of the ‘Islamic World Bassij’ and said that the Bassij way of thinking has been imported to many countries including Lebanon which led to the Lebanon Hezbollah and to Palestine, leading to the Hamas. He said that the Lebanon Hezbollah used Iranian Bassij forces as its role model and the school and way of thinking of Iranian Bassij forces was imported to many countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

Iran expands Bassij Organization and separates it from RGC
Nov. 28, 2010
According to reports, to better control the suppression of protesters, the Bassij Organization has been expanded and separated from the Revolutionary Guards Corps. It will be directly under the control of Khamenei. Until now, the Bassij Organization was a unit of the RGC and its commander was appointed by the commander in chief. In this new organizational chart, the Bassij works parallel to the RGC and will work under the direct supervision of Khamenei like the RGC.

Police on bicycles will start work in Tabriz
Nov. 28, 2010
Esa Sabahi, the head of the state security forces in the Eastern Azarbaijan Province said that using police on bicycles is aimed at increasing the mobility and speed of the police and will replace police foot patrols. In the initial stage of this plan, 80 bicycles will be given to police stations in Tabriz.

15,000 Bassij bloggers become active in Iran
Nov. 28, 2010
After the training of 1,500 ‘cyber commandos’, state-run media have reported that new soft war products have been put out in the market.
According to a RGC official, the training of 15,000 Bassij forces has ended. According to a state-run website, Bahram Hosseini Motlaq, said that entering the virtual zone in line with promoting the culture of the Bassij and training more than 20,000 people is another priority of the Revolutionary Guards Corps.
“Until the end of the month of Azar (Persian month equivalent to December 22) more than 20,000 people will be trained in blogging and entering the virtual zone and up till now, 15,000 people have been trained”.
“Holding a festival for Bassij bloggers aimed at promoting the culture of martyrdom and sacrifice (in the internet) is some of the other programs we have for this week”.

Iran creates ‘Moharam’ Police to control religious ceremonies for Ashura
Nov. 28, 2010
In fear of mourning groups on Ashura who use every opportunity to gather and chant slogans against the Iranian regime to show their discontent with the religious tyranny ruling Iran, the Iranian regime has for the first time in its history created ‘Moharam’ Police to control these mourning groups on Ashura. (Ashura is the day when the revered Imam of Shiites and grandson of the prophet Mohammad was killed and it is marked by mourning ceremonies in Iran. Last year Ashura which was on December 27 was the scene of serious unrest in Iran and several protesters were killed and run over by security forces).
Colonel Mir Heidari, the deputy commander of the state security forces in Qom said on Thursday, November 25 that the Moharam Police will become active to control mourning groups.
“Making inborn the culture of Ashura in the society needs cooperation between the head of the religious groups, eulogists and the police”.
He talked about the expectations of the police from religious groups and stressed on order and calm in the mourning groups and said the creation of the honorary Moharam police is the result of the proper cooperation of religious groups with the police.
“The honorary police will be used in educational sessions after they become organized”, he added.

Top cleric praises Bassij for its part in crushing dissent
Nov. 27, 2010
Mohammad Kadkhodayi, the representative of the Supreme Leader in the Bassij said regarding suppressive measures of the Bassij after the elections, ‘The Bassij played an important part in identifying and arresting members of the sedition. The Bassij stood against the rioters and seditions on the streets and also identified their leaders who led these movements and carried out intelligence measures”.  


Effect of sanction

Consumers cannot afford goods as prices increase
Nov. 28, 2010
The sharp raise in prices in the clothing and makeup markets has rendered consumers unable to purchase goods and most malls and shopping centers are empty. Concerns from the implementation of the plan to cut subsidies have led to a sharp rise in prices and prices are increasing on some goods on a daily basis.

Plan to distribute fuel with 3 rates was passed
Nov. 28, 2010
After the implementation of the Smart Subsidy Plan fuel will be presented with three rates (subsidy, sub-subsidy and free).
Subsidy fuel is the fuel which was in the fuel cards of Iranians and the new rationing will be announced in the end of the month of Azar (by December 22). The price for this fuel will be 100 tomans. But sub-subsidy fuel will be about 400 tomans and all cars are allowed a specific amount of this fuel in one month. Free fuel is about 700 tomans for each liter and cars can use this fuel without limitation.

Ardabil Cement Factory shuts down; cement prices rise
Nov. 28, 2010
The Ardabil Cement Factory has stopped its productions on the eve of the implementation of a plan to cut government subsidies. This has led to raised cement prices in the city which has gone up to 7,000 tomans.

Long longs for gas in Tehran before subsidy cut
Nov. 27, 2010
The lines outside natural gas stations have reached a critical point and this has angered motorists especially taxi drivers. According to taxi drivers, they spend at least 3 hours a day waiting in gas station lines.

Tehran Metro is not even fit for 1970’s
Nov. 27, 2010 
Mehdi Chamran, the head of the Tehran City Council said, “The Metro network in Tehran has been constructed according to the standards and needs of the 70’s and we still have not been able to provide as much railway as we need for the capital… We have problems with the ratification of credits let alone if these credits were not ratified”.


Suppression

Political prisoner kept in isolation for 8 months in solitary cell and under torture
Nov. 26, 2010
According to reports, political prisoner Reza Jushan has been confined to a solitary cell for 8 months in complete isolation and under medieval conditions.
This 25 year old political prisoner was transferred to solitary cell on orders of intelligence agency interrogators in mid April 2010 in the Sepah Cellblock in Gohardasht (Rajayi Shahr) Prison. He was interrogated and physically and mentally tortured by a head interrogator identified as Mohebi for one month. Mohebi subsequently ordered that he be transferred to subsidiary 17 in Cellblock 6 in this prison and he was kept in complete isolation in this cell until mid November.
Jushan was banned from contacting his family by phone and visits in this time. The conditions in subsidiary 17 are intolerable and inhumane. He was kept with a number of prisoners who were convicted of murder and were suffering from severe mental problems. They were banned from minimum human facilities such as having the right to go the prison infirmary, going to the prison shop and having sanitary facilities. The food given to prisoners in this cellblock is inedible.
After being kept in isolation for a few months, Reza Jushan was transferred to cellblock 1 known as the ‘doghouse’ in this prison aimed to increase the pressure and abuse against him.
This political prisoner was arrested on December 1, 2009 after intelligence agents raided his home. He was transferred to the Sepah cellblock and was transferred to cellblock 4 two months after. On December 7 intelligence agents once again raided his home and arrested his mother, Zahra Asadpour Gorji and transferred her to the Sepah Cellblock in Gohardasht. After weeks of interrogation and torture she was transferred to the female section of this prison. Gorji was arrested and jailed before this along with her daughter (Fatemeh Jushan) for visiting her son in Camp Ashraf in Iraq. They were detained for 14 months in Gohardasht Prison and were released after serving their time. Gorji and her son were tried on February 8, 2010 in the first branch of the Revolutionary Court by Asef Reiesi and were sentenced to one year of prison in Zanjan Prison and 4 years of exile to the Qeilar Village in Zanjan.


Prison medics beat ill prisoner in Evin Prison
Nov. 26, 2010
Peiman Karimi who is detained in cellblock 350 in Evin Prison was transferred to a solitary cell in cellblock 240 in this prison on November 25. According to reports, Karimi is in critical health to the point that he was transferred to the infirmary and Taleqani Prison in Tehran several times in the past few months. On Thursday November 25, he was transferred to a solitary cell in cellblock 240 as punishment after medical officials in prison filed a complaint against him. Because he constantly went to the infirmary as a result of hypotension and because he received 108 insulin injections medical officials did not pay any attention to his condition. Karimi protested the irresponsible treatment of the medical team after which they started kicking and punching him instead of correcting their behavior. The medical team then filed a complaint against him and on November 25, while he was in critical condition he was thrown in solitary. Notably, he has threatened that he would go on a hunger strike which has let to serious concerns for his health.


Kurd human rights activist in critical condition in prison is denied treatment
Nov. 27, 2010
Jailed human rights activist Mohammad Sediq Kaboudvand passed out for the second time in the past two months because of brain pressures and problems in his nervous system. He fainted at 3 am on Friday November 19 after he stopped breathing. After regaining his conscious, he had temporary blindness and a part of his brain stopped working. He was also suffering from severe pain, cold sweat, and numbness and paralysis in parts of his body. He regained subnormal conditions after 30 minutes.
Prisoners in his cellblock informed the guards about his condition and that he might have suffered a brain stroke and he was transferred to the prison infirmary with an ambulance. But he did not receive the necessary treatment in the infirmary and was treated unsuitably and insulted by the guards and the non-medical staff of the infirmary.
After he was checked in standing position, he was returned to his cell. Notably, people such as A.Q have passed away in prison in the past under similar circumstances and lack of attention by the heads of the infirmary.

Sociologist says violence against women on the rise in Iran
Nov. 26, 2010
A socialist says that in Iran, research on violence against women has been carried out for 15 year but unfortunately no measures have been taken to decrease violence against women. Laws have not been changed, support organizations have not been created and measures have not been taken to educate people on violence against women.
“The statistics for violence against women in Iran cannot be calculated because there are no correct figures about this issue. Even if we assume that 10 percent of Iranian families are involved in this issue, there is cause for concern about the state of women in Iranian families”…
Shahla Ezari said on structured violence, “For example when the Ministry of Labor is discriminatory in hiring men and women and allocates a higher percent of occupational rations to men, this is structured violence”.
She stressed that structured violence can be found in the law, culture and protocols of the country and said, “Not only have the laws in Iran not improved and have not helped banning violence against women, but currently, rites and cultural norms that had become obsolete and were considered as a kind of violence against women are being revived and we are witnessing an increase in structured violence on a daily basis in the country”.
 “Any action that would lead to mental pain and suffering for women is considered violence against women therefore, remarriage (polygamy) and temporary marriages are both a kind of violence against women”, she said when asked if article 22 and 23 in the Family Support bill in the parliament which deals with the issue of temporary marriages and polygamy can be considered violence against women. (ILNA state-run News Agency)


Students Committee in Iran (Supporters of PMOI)

Brief - Short history of Student’s Day in Iran

Student’s Day (December 7)

Universities have been the cradle of freedom in Iranian history and despite suppression by the Shah’s Intelligence Unit and Special Guards Forces and despite the Cultural Revolution under Khomeini’s reign, the pro-democracy and freedom loving forces in the university were never silenced. 


Three martyrs Students
After students protested in the dark years of the coup against Dr. Mohammad Mosadeq, three students (Shariat Razavi, Qandchi and Bozorgnia) were shot and killed by the Shah’s forces in a protest in Tehran University. From that year on, this event was like a torch which led the way for freedom loving students who lived under the Shah or under the religious dictatorship in Iran.

Next big event in universities
The next big event in universities in Iran occurred in April 18, 1980 when the bloody violent attacks of the mercenaries of the religious dictatorship in Iran started against universities which led to the closure of all universities in Iran from 1980 to 1982 under the name of the ‘Cultural Revolution’.

After universities were opened in 1982, 45 percent of the shares of universities were given to the pro-regime forces including Bassijis and others who worked for the government. In addition to placement exam, students also had to pass inquisition style exams to be admitted in universities.

In the last year of the presidency of Khatami, students in Tehran University disrupted his speech in this university and he showed his true face and cried out to the students that ‘if you are the supporters of the people, I am the enemy of the people!”
Khatami later violently suppressed a pro-democracy uprising by students in Tehran in July 1999.
In December 2006, students tore and burned Ahmadinejad’s pictures in front of him when he was giving a speech in Amir Kabir (Polytechnic) University.

In 2009, freedom loving students broke the 30 year old chains of the mullahs over universities. They broke down the gates of Tehran University and joined the people who were waiting for them outside the gates. They joined hands with them crying out for freedom and the first sparks for justice were once again made by students in the universities which inflamed the protests of the post-election uprising.
When students entered the scene, the slogans changed to the ultimate cry of the Iranian people which was ‘death to the principle of the Supreme Leadership’. This movement which was led by pro-democracy university students was a turning point in the Iranian uprising.
This movement spanned across most cities in Iran and brought the Iranian regime to its knees. The secret to the success of this uprising was sacrifice and perseverance.

The Iranian regime knows that it cannot deceive a society that has at least 4.5 million students. That is why in the course of the 30 year reign of the Iranian regime, the clerical dictators have aimed their animosity towards students and academics. Khomeini saw the university as the only bastion he had not been able to capture.

“All corruption comes from universities”, he said in one of his speeches.
That is why, under orders of Khomeini, all universities and institutions of higher education were violently closed down in 1980.

On April 21, 1980, Khomeini said in a speech, “We are not afraid of an economical blockade, we are not afraid of military intervention. We are afraid of a colonialist university”.
“Our universities are colonialist… Our universities are not good for the people. I support the decision by the Revolution Council and the president on purging universities”.
“In the past half century, universities have had the most lethal impact on Iran and Islam”, he wrote in his will.

Currently, the clerical dictatorship, which has been extremely weakened, has closed down the Iran Medical Science University in Tehran under the pretext of ‘improving the education level of students’. The Iranian regime has realized that students and other sectors of the society have lost their patience as a result of all the injustice. As pioneers of the society, university students will definitely be the first to protest therefore, the regime carries out suppressive measures, such as closing down universities. In this way it wants to decrease the number of educational institutions to increase the concentration of its forces in the remaining universities.
Some time ago, the Ministry of Higher Education said that ‘universities that do not support the leadership will be leveled to the ground’!

Officials have alleviated the pressures of sanctions on themselves by lowering the expenses of the society and have put the pressure on students and other sectors of the society. A clear example of this is the closure of the Iran Medical Science University which had a 35 year history as a medical university.
According to reports, the Beheshti Medical Science University and a number of other universities will also soon be closed under these illogical excuses. In this way, because of the explosive atmosphere of the society, the Iranian regime suppresses the open minded sector of the society and cuts the number of universities and students.  This is all while the schools of Tehran University have announced that they are not willing to accept the students who went to the closed medical university.

But the pro-democracy students are not willing to bow down to force and pressure and will protest against all these suppressive measures on Student’s Day.

The history of universities under the clerical leadership has been entwined with suppression, killings, beatings, purges, and the expulsions of students, professors and academics. 
But above all odds, they have not been able to overpower students and they have stood up and said ‘NO’ to the dictators in the past 30 years. 


Students Committee in Iran (Supporters of PMOI)