July 15, 2010

UPDATES ON IRAN - JULY 15, 2010

The Beginning of the End of the Clerical Rule in Iran
No.662

Bazaar

Strike continues in different cities of Iran
July 14, 2010
Tehran- on Wednesday July 14 bazaars of Gold-Sellers, Carpet-Sellers and Fabric-Sellers were on strike and only bazaar of stationery was open.
Tabriz- along with the continuation of strike at Tehran’s Great Bazaar, Tabriz Bazaar was in complete strike on Tuesday July 13. The strike in Tabriz has started since six days ago and still continues
Saghez- during the last three days Saghez Bazaar was also on strike.

Official Media admitted to the vast strike of Tehran’s Bazaar
Tehran, July 14, 2010
In spite of the protest in Tehran’s Bazaar some state-run media claimed that there has been no strike in Bazaar! But the state-run media On Line wrote on July 13: “Tehran’s Bazaar is not at peace...it is still closed and the strike has even broadened”.
The media added: “strikes continue...a vast group of Bazaaris have reacted to the government’s tax policy and went on strike. Their strike will be once more written on the pages of Iran’s history...It is not clear that how long would this strike last?...It seems that the strike has been held having the approval of Guild’s Council and this strengthens the doubt that this strike has been a political move”.

Full report on Bazaar on Tuesday
Tehran, July 14, 2010
On Tuesday July 13 all the guilds were on strike in an unprecedented unity.
On the days before it was the heart of Bazaar that was on strike but on Tuesday bazaar of Gold-Sellers and other guilds also joined the strike.
From the entrance of the main street of the Great Bazaar, Bozarjonehri Street till the end of Abbas Abad Bazaar all went on strike in a unique act.
Farvardin Intersection; bazaar of chinaware and house hold appliances, Aminodoleh Intersection; bazaar of tailors and outfit sellers, Soltani Bazaar the bazaar for clothing’s stock exchange, Small and Great Chaharso bazaars for stock exchange for drugs, spices, perfumes haberdasheries and etc., Sedalan Malek of fabric guild, Sadmalchi Intersection; bazaar of fabric guild, Kooche Hamamchal; bazaar for fabric stock exchange, the whole Rahimieh Bazaar of Carpet-Sellers Bazaar, Park Intersection for carpet guild and all the alley of Kebab restaurants and its by-alleys.
Though all the shops were closed a huge crowd has gathered at Bazaar so that one could hardly walk through and it was clear that they had all come to express their solidarity with Bazaaris.
Plainclothes and SSF were also present.
On Monday the Minister of Trade, representatives of the guilds and a representative of Tax Organization held a six-hour session and retreated to increase of 15% in taxes but it was too late and the strikes continue.


Sanctions

The clerical regime’s fear of sanctions
Tehran, July 12, 2010
In its editorial Resalat state-run daily wrote: “the US congress has approved a new wave of unilateral sanctions against Iran’s energy and banking after Iran did not accept western countries’ demand for stopping its nuclear activities.
The US president signed the bill for preventing Iran from having access to oil products.
The daily then started threatening and wrote: “Iran possesses many factors through which it can turn US position in the region to a deplorable situation. The analysts in west have pointed to some of these factors such as the very effective reaction of Hezbollah, Iran’s power in security balance of Iraq and Afghanistan against US and usage of mines and missiles to control Hormoz Strait”.
In its article ‘Expenses of Iran’s sanction for Obama’ Jomhori state-run daily wrote: “in continuation to its anti-Iranian policies Barak Obama, US president signed the bill of US unilateral sanctions against Iran preventing oil-products imports for Iran and imposing banking limitations on the country. Signing these sanctions Obama claimed: ‘with these sanctions we aimed at the heart of Iran’s government for providing the cost of its nuclear programs’. The path the ‘change-seeking’ Obama has stepped in is no difference from the ‘warmongering’ policies of Bush”.
In its political note, Kayhan Daily, Khamenei’s organ while expressing its concern wrote: “the truth is that resolution 1929 aims at very broader pressures on the Islamic Republic; both sanctions imposed by the west meaning Europe and US and the sanctions that is imposed by UN as the result of the pressure US and her allies impose on UN”.

Regime’s problems in selling oil
Tehran, July 13, 2010
Though the clerical regime is offering its oil cheaper to the buyers it is still facing problems for selling it.
China, India and Japan have drastically reduced the amount of oil they buy from Iran and are trying to find substitutes for Iran’s oil.
In addition to that due to recent sanctions by Security Council and unilateral sanctions of US and Europe many insurance and transportation companies are not willing to work with regime for transport of its oil throughout the world.
Most of oil sellers prefer to deliver oil at the place of its production to the buyers so that they won’t need to pay transfer cost but the clerical regime is not enjoying this privilege due to sanctions.
The cost of this transportation has lowered the price that an oil buyer pays in comparison with global oil prices. Depending on the destination of the oil regime might have to give a discount of three to seven dollars (per barrel).
During last month regime had kept 15 huge oil-carriers at ports of Iran and United Arab Emirates as its oil storage. During last two weeks it had deployed 6 of them containing 2 million barrels of oil towards Europe to hand them over to the buyers.

Problem increases in regime’s cruising lines
Tehran, July 13, 2010
Article No.15 of resolution 1929 permits inspection of regime’s ships in free seas. According to this resolution different countries can inspect suspicious ships belonging to clerical regime in free seas. Article 18 also asks the member countries to deprive suspicious ships of receiving services.
In addition article 20 of this resolution asks the member countries of UN to report suspicious activities of regime’s cruise lines to the Committee for Supervision of Security Council.
Cruise lines are vital for regime because Iran has seas at its north and south. A great volume of regime’s trade is done via these two seas. Arya Cruising Company which was called Islamic Republic Cruising Company after 1979 anti-monarchy resolution is amongst the largest 20 companies of its kind.
The capacity of this company is transport of 5.5 million tons of goods. It has 161 ships 95 of which can cross ocean.
In addition to that regime has 12 other Cruising Companies in Iran and four more abroad and the number of the related offices reaches 180 throughout the world.
To counter act this part of sanctions the clerical regime has tried registering some of the ships in foreign countries and small Islands to use their flags. It has changed the names of the ships and companies. Many of these measures have been disclosed.
The clerical regime has threatened that if its ships are inspected it will behave the same but the observers say that IRGC’s naval force has no power to act against US’s fifth fleet and her allies.


The Downfall

A site belonging to IRGC admitted to schism within Khamenei’s band
Tehran, July 13, 2010
Javan Site belonging to IRGC wrote under the title of ‘ill-omened branching’: “Ali Motahari intends to form a new fraction in Majlis but this fraction is born with political intention which is division and branching”.
Calling the division as ‘killing poison’ the site wrote: “every one believes that the formation of this fraction is for opposing the government”.
It threatened Motahari and added that it hoped that the consequences of this division wouldn’t be counted on Motahari’s account and he would still be able to be counted as a Khamenei subordinate.

Jomhori state-run daily attacked Ahmadinejad’s government
Tehran, July 13, 2010
In its editorial titled as ‘the principle is to be always open’, Jomhori Daily close to Rafsanjani attacked Ahmadinejad and wrote: “unpredicted holidays are permitted only when important events happen and there is no other way other than announcing a holiday. The country is in an economical situation that it needs work...though our government’s authorities might not accept that we are not in a good economic condition but the truth is something else.
Unemployment, high price of goods, poverty and problems derived from economic recession cannot be denied...”


Resistance

Death to dictator’ after watching World Cup’s final
Tehran, July 13, 2010
A great number of Tehran residents gathered in Melat Park to watch the final soccer match of World Cup and turned it to an anti-regime protest.
At 2100 a great number of the residents especially girls who have never been able to express their enthusiasm for soccer legally gathered at the park. After the match was over which was about 1 am the next day the crowd started chanting anti-regime slogans. The main slogan was ‘death to dictator’.

A youth resists bullying of regime’s suppressive agents
Saghez, July 13, 2010
In the morning of Sunday July 11 when suppressive forces wanted to confiscate a motorcycle belonging to a youth in front of Saghez’s Meli Bank the people and youths present protested against the act. The agents started beating people and the people defended themselves and torched regime’s suppressive agents’ vehicles.
Help came for the suppressive forces and they were able to disperse people eventually and arrested two youths.

Protest letter of political prisoners of Gohardasht Prison addressing Tehran’s Prosecutor
Tehran, July 13, 2010
In a protest letter addressing Tehran’s Prosecutor political prisoners of ward four of Gohardahst Prison pointed to violation of human rights in the prison and the deplorable conditions of prisoners there. Some of the issues pointed at in this letter are as follows:
1-Water is cut till afternoon in some days causing fungal skin diseases and spread of louse.
2-The number of toilets and bathrooms are three or four for each 300 prisoners.
3-There is no ration of toothpaste, toothbrush, towel and slippers for the prisoners who are banned from having visitors.
4-By the regulations of (Prison) Organization there must be 80 to 100 prisoners at each saloon but for example in saloon No. 11 there are about 450 to 480 prisoners.
5-The room dedicated to each prisoner is less than one square meter in the building and less than 0.5 square meters at the yard.
6-Mixing political prisoners with addicts and psychics who are mostly equipped with ‘cold weapons’ (knives and etc.) is a serious potential danger for political prisoners.
7-Beating of political prisoners by the criminals imprisoned and threatening them of murder and transferring them to the hot and dreadful solitary cells famous as ‘Dog House’ takes place. Behrooz Javid Tehrani, Rasool Bodaghi and Shir Mohammad Rezaie have been subject of such terror.
8-In person visits are banned and prisoners are not taken to hospitals outside the prison when they are in deed of it. Ali Moezi, Khaled Hardani and Mansour Osanloo are subjects of such treatment.
9-Each prisoner can go to prisons treatment room only once every 45 days and if some one is in need in addition to that the head of the room will tell him ‘go and die one less the better’.
10-The medicine given are not affective, the excuse; lack of budget. Despite the fact, families of the prisoners are not permitted to bring medication for the prisoners.
11-Windows of the cells are blocked with brick causing lack of light and fresh air which is the main reason for skin and lung diseases as prison physicians admit.
12-No milk, vegetable or fruit is in nutrition diet of the prisoners and the goods in prison’s shops are without quality.
13-Rape and suspicious and systematic murder is committed at the prison. Narcotics are easily at hand.
14-The rights of religious minorities are violated and not only they cannot perform their religious ceremonies but they are even mocked and offended.


Suppression

Youths arrested for improper attire!
Tehran, July 13, 2010
Suppressive Guidance Patrols have arrested several youths in Ponak Square on the excuse of not having proper attire.

No parents allowed in courts
Tehran, July 13, 2010
Recently at the trials with political subjects parents of the accused are not allowed to participate. Reporters are also banned by government to be present in such a trial.

Increase of suppressive forces
Uromieh, July 13, 2010
In fear of escalation of the uprising of struggling youths regime has increased the number of SSF and Guidance Patrols in Uromieh surrounding both sides of Ostadan Streets with several patrol cars of SSF.
Band Recreation area is also controlled by suppressive patrols.

Being detained for having fun!
Kurdistan, July 13, 2010
During recent days people who have gone for hiking and hunting to Shahoo Mountains in Paveh region have been summoned to regime’s Intelligence Bureau, interrogated and beaten.
On last Thursday Kamil Ghaderi, Milad Yousefi and Zaheri and at the beginning of the last week shapoor Faraji and Barzan Moradi have been summoned to Intelligence Bureau in that regard. They have been beaten.
With this suppressive policy, accusing people with cooperation with Kurdish parties, regime wants to put more pressure on the residents of Kurdistan.

Youths followed and shot at
Saghez, July 13, 2010
On the eve of anniversary of Ghasemloo’s assassination (a former head of Kurdistan Democrat Party), SSF is confiscating motorcycles in Saghez. On Sunday July 11 SSF attacked several youths in that regard in Azadi Street, followed them and shot at them.

Jailed relative of Ashraf residents in undetermined state for more than 7 months in notorious prison
July 13, 2010
According to reports, Mohammad Banazadeh Amirkhizi, a jailed Tehran Bazaar merchant, has been in cellblock 209 in Evin Prison under inhumane conditions and an undetermined state for several months.
This 63 year old political prisoner was arrested after agents of the Ministry of Intelligence raided his office. He was transferred to cellblock 209 in Evin Prison.  Amirkhizi was detained in solitary for a few months and was physically and mentally tortured in this time to make false confessions in front of cameras.
He has now been detained in this cellblock for more than seven months. He has lost 17 kilos (37 pounds) because of the pressure and abuse and is still in an undetermined state after months of detainment.
This political prisoner is kept in a cell without cooling facilities. Prison authorities use natural elements to put pressure on prisoners in addition to subjecting them to medieval conditions.
Two head interrogators of the Ministry of Intelligence nicknamed Alavi and Saied Sheikhan are responsible for his torture and interrogations. These two criminals have been acting as torturers for years in cellblock 209. Alavi is also active in raiding the homes of political prisoners to arrest them. This agent also threatens families of political prisoners over the phone and in person and sometimes temporarily arrests them to conduct long interrogations.
His family has pursued his case since his arrest but officials refuse to give them a clear answer.
Mohammad Banazadeh Amirkhizi was arrested on November 30 after intelligence agents stormed his home. He was taken to cellblock 209. His brother, Ali Banazadeh Amirkhizi was executed in the 80’s for supporting the PMOI. His wife, Shahla Zarin Far was sentenced to one year of prison for visiting her child in Camp Ashraf in Iraq. She was released after serving her prison term. Currently political prisoner Kobra Bananzadeh Amirkhizi, his sister, is in Gohardasht Prison in Karaj for intending to visit her children in Camp Ashraf. Before this, his brothers Asghar and Hamid were sentenced to two years of prison for visiting their children in Ashraf and were released after serving their time.
Currently in addition to Amirkhizi, a number of other Tehran Bazaar merchants are detained in cellblock 350 in Evin prison including Mohsen Dokmehchi and Javad Lari who are also kept in a state of limbo despite months of incarceration.

Iran arrests Kurd political activists, sentences others to prison terms
July 13, 2010
Azad Khancheh-Zar, a political and civil rights activist who was sentenced to six months of prison and years of probation was summoned and subsequently arrested on Sunday, July 11.
This is while last May he was released on a 20 million toman (about 20,000 dollar) bail after being jailed for two months in intelligence detention centers in Marivan and Sanandaj.
According to reports, this political activist and other activists who were detained in these detention centers were under severe physical and mental pressure.
Also Karevan Darsid, Mozafar Rokhandeh and Najibeh Sobhani, other political and civil rights activists in Marivan were also sentenced to prison terms by the Revolutionary Court in this city.
Mozafar Rokhandeh and Karevan Darsid were each sentenced to two years of suspended prison. The sentence for Najibeh Sobhani has still not been announced to her. There are reports that she is suffering from severe depression as a result of pressure on her while in prison. These men and woman are all well known children’s, women’s and labors rights activists in Marivan and Sanandaj.

Baha’i man arrested to serve five year prison term
July 13, 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.


Workers of Iran

Cut in electricity increases pressure on workers
Tehran, July 13, 2010
It is for several days that electricity is cut in some factories in Karaj Road such as Donyaye Felez, Nairan, Rang Afarin and many others.
The electricity is cut in these factories since 11 am damaging the factories products and putting more pressure on the workers by affecting the wages they receive.


News on Iran’s economy

Wheat farmers are not receiving their money from the government
Tehran/ Kurdistan, July 13, 2010
It is for a long time that wheat farmers of Tehran suburbs have not received the money for their wheat from the government. It is about six months that these farmers have delivered their wheat to Trade Ministry but have not received any money yet.
In another event regime is not buying the wheat product of farmers in Kurdistan on different excuses and thus is putting pressure on these farmers.
This act has caused discontent amongst the farmers and some of them have gone to the Governor Office to protest.


Other News

Disorder in bureaucratic affairs of Shahr-e-Ray’s Azad University
Shahr-e-Ray, July 13, 2010
Disorder in bureaucratic and educational affairs of Azad University in Shahr-e-Ray has bewildered students who want to get some units in summer.
The scores for final exams of last term have not been registered which has caused a great problem for the students of this unit and no official takes responsibility to solve the issue.


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

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