January 2016 Ahraz-1602/009
Report on the situation of Iranian Azerbaijanis regarding human rights:
25 years old man was executed on public:
On 7 Jan 2016 a 25 years old man was executed on public in ShabestarEast Azerbaijan province. Based on OyanNews report this man had been arrested on July 2012 on the accusation of murdering a woman.
Three people were executed in Ardabil :
On 9 Jan 2016 three people were executed in Ardabil Central prison in charge of drug smuggling. The death sentence was approved after chief public prosecutor and the “forgiveness committee” rejected their request for remittal and these three people finally were executed after approval of head of judiciary.
Six people were excited in Uremia:
Based on Haran report on 13 Jan 2016 six people were excited in Uremia central prison on charge of murdering. These six people have not been able to satisfied the family of victims to forgive them. The west Azerbaijan province authorities either the judiciary system authorities have not given enough information about this exception to the public. According to Amnesty International, the number of executions in Iran, in the Middle East ranked the second highest in the world after China.
“Bahaee” could not buried in Tabriz in here hometown cemetery:
The authority of Vadi Rahmat cemetery in Tabriz city avoid burial of Bahaee woman in her hometown cemetery. Based on BahaeeNews report Mrs Afruz Bakhshi passed away on 15 Jan 2016 but the cemetery authorities after passing several days and inspire of her family effort did not allow them to bury her in her hometown cemetery. Afruz Bakhshi son Mr Siamak Shafiee siad “ They said they will allow us to bury her just in Islamic funeral way otherwise they couldn’t let us” based on his statement they have to move her body to cemetery in Miandoab city which is two hours far from her hometown Tabriz city. He said “ In the past 4 years, more than 47 Bahaee citizen have been buried far from Tabriz.
The student journal “Deniz” is suspended to be published in Uremia university:
The student journal “Deniz” is suspended to be published in Uremia university. This journal authority in online statement reported that “ Based on the statement of supervision committee in Uremia university this journal is subject to be suspended for six months. They said that publishing some information and picture of Seyed Jafar Pishevary who was the leader of Iranian Azerbaijani democratic movement on 1945 also Ata-Turk picture has been announced as the reason of journal suspension.
“Sorang Sazi” factory workers in Ardabil city started campaign:
On 21 Jan 2016 the worker of Sorang Sazi factory in Ardabil city started campaign protesting the non payment of their entitlement for the last several months. In Ardabil city factories and business including textile factory “Sbalan Parche” and Metal company have not pay their worker’s wages in the past several months and people have to deal with life expense without any income.
Abbas Shadmand, Fardin Moradpour, Akbar Abolzadeh, Mohammad Rashidi, Behzad Abdi:
On 6 January 2016, The court of Kaleybar, a city in East Azerbaijan province, exonerated the Iranian Turk activists, named above, of the charges “propaganda against Islamic Republic of Iran by chanting ethnic slogans”. They all had been arrested on the way to Babak Castle, near Kaleybar, on 4 July 2015 and released on bail after one day. According to witnesses, Iranian Intelligent Service’s forces had beaten Abbas Shadmand when he wanted to see the arrest warrant. As the result, one of his teeth was broken and his face was wounded. In addition, Fardin Moradpour’s car had been sequestered for a while after his arrestment. All of the people, mentioned above, are Iranian Turk civil society, who were arrested several times for their activities. Babak Castle, one of the ancient heritage of Azerbaijan referred to Azerbaijani hero Babak, was the gathering place for hundred thousands of Azerbaijani people who were seeking their own cultural and political rights and protesting agains.
Source: Oyannews
Said Sadeghifar, Tohid Amiramini, Saleh Pichaqlou, Meisam Jolani, Mohsen Mohsenzadeh:
On 12 January 2016, the first branch of Revolutionary Court in Ardabil sentenced each of the Iranian Turk civil society activists mentioned above to 91 days in prison. They were convicted of the charge of “participation in gathering and colluding to commit crimes against national security” by the judge of the court Mr. Yousef Khodadadi.
The same court exonerated the Turk civil rights activists Rahim Gholami, Ali Vaseqi, Ali Kheyrjou, Morteza Parvin, Mehrdad Shahbazi and Behrouz Shanbazi whose charge were “propaganda against Islamic Republic of Iran” as well as ““participation in gathering and colluding to commit crimes against national .
All the activists mentioned above had been arrested in connection with “antiracism” protests on 27 October 2015 in Ardabil and released on bail. In October 2015, Including Ardabil in many cities of Azerbaijan (northwest Iran) and Tehran there were a demonstration against the TV program of “Fitileh” in which the Turks had been humiliated. These demonstrations are known as “anti-racism protests”.
Source: Oyannews’ report from Azoh
Aydin Zakeri, Siyamak Seyfi:
On 3 January 2016, The Azerbaijani civil society activists, Siyamak Seyfi and Aydin Zakeri have been summoned by the 102nd branch of the second criminal court in Meshkin-shahr, northwest Iran. He was asked to be present at the court in order to stand trial on 2 February 2016. The summons has not mentioned to the charges. Both the activists had been arrested in connection with “anti-racism” protests in October 2015 in Meshkin-shahr and released on bail. In October 2015, Including Ardabil in many cities of Azerbaijan (northwest Iran) and Tehran there were a demonstration against the TV program of “Fitileh” in which the Turks had been humiliated. These demonstrations are known as “anti-racism protests”.
Source: Oyannews
Asadollah Asadi:
On 23 January 2016 Mr Asadi an Azebaijani Turk doctor and civil rights activist transferred to Tabriz forensic for his complaints about the “violence that he has been faced while in detention. According to Mr Asadi’s relatives, after medical examinations, he then was returned to “Tabriz intelligence office”. On 20 January 2016 Mr Asadi was arrested by security forces, while he was protesting by carrying a banner around Tabriz Bazaar against the “violation of rights by the Department of Education”. He was violated and beaten by security forces once he asked for legal document about his arrest in Tabriz Bazar. Mr Asadi used to be employed as a teacher and forensic expert. Background:
Mr. Asadi was arrested on 12 July 2010 in Tabriz. He spent four months at Tabriz intelligence services place of detention, where he went through intensive interrogation. He was transferred to Tehran Evin Prison in late 2010, where he spent time in solitary confinement at section 240 & 209. In May 2012, after spending more than 20 months in prison without charges, Mr. Asadi was sentenced to ten years in prison on charges of “cooperating with enemy states” and “membership in the Muslim People’s Party (Khalghe Mosalman). The sentence was reduced to five years on second hearing. Asadollah Asadi developed severe depression in prison. According to local news agencies he was tortured during interrogation that lasted for long time. Mr. Asadi appeared five times at Branch 15 of Tehran Revolutionary Court, to verify confessions extracted from him under torture, and each time Asadi retracted the confessions. Reports indicate that Asadollah Asadi was threatened with execution, being thrown into the sewer, getting buried alive, and sticking his head into the toilette. At one point he was kept awake and standing up for five days, denied permission to lay against a wall or to sit down.
Source: OyanNews
Yunes Aghayan:
Yunes Aghayan an Azerbaijani Turk from the Alevi (Ahl-e Haqq) faith of Islam, was denied from his prison-leave right by Iranian authorities after 12 years imprisonment. Mr Aghayan holed in Mahabad prison (West Azerbaijan province).
Background:
Yunes Aghayan and four others were arrested in 2004. In January 2005, Yunes Aghayan and Mehdi Qasemzadeh were sentenced to death by branch 2 of the Mahabad Revolutionary Court. They were charged with “Moharebeh” (waging war against God). The Supreme Court upheld their death sentences in April 2005. According to an urgent action appeal published by Amnesty International in April 2009, Yunes Aghayan was arrested following “at least two clashes in September 2004 between members of a group of Ahl-e Haq members and police. The group had refused to take down religious slogans at the entrance to their cattle farm in Uch Tepe, West Azerbaijan Province. The three other prisoners Mr Sahand Ali Mohammadi, Mr Bakhshali Mohammadi, and Mr Ebadollah Qasemzadeh were also sentenced to death but their sentences were overturned by the Supreme Court in September 2007. The three men are currently serving 13-year prison sentences in exile in the Yazd province (central Iran). The other prisoner Mehdi Qasemzadeh was executed in February 2009.
Source: Oyannews’ report from hra-news
Hesam-Aldin Farzizadeh:
Hesam-Aldin Farzizadeh was born in 1992 from the Meshkinshahr city / Ardabil Province, he is an Expelled student in the field of nuclear physics of Mohaghegh University in the city of Ardebil, Iran was reportedly sentenced to death because of writing a book with the name of “from Islam to Islam “ which is about criticism of Islam and Islamic sects. Illegally, he is being denied access to a lawyer.
According to Mr Farzizadeh’s brother his book has been published in Turkey, Azerbaijan (republic) and Pakistan.
The Al-Azhar University (Cairo, Egypt) and religious institutions in Turkey are aware about Mr Farzizadeh’s book and they did not found it offensive. The mentioned institutions were declared their anxiety and protested about Mr Farzizadeh’s arrest and inconvenience and protest against the situation. Mr Farzizadeh was charged with apostasy, propaganda for “seductive faiths” and blasphemy by the court, according to the news received by Human rights activists.
Security forces arrested him on 21 Nov 2013 and transferred to the prison of Meshkinshahr city. The young writer suffers from depression and obsessivecompulsive disorder.
He is kept in the non-political ward among addicts and gangs because there is no special ward for the prisoners of conscience. The religious critic had frequently begun hunger strikes that led him to lose weight as well. Hesam-Aldin Farzizadeh has numbers of articles in physics field and passed studying with excellent scores. He has allegedly been accepted at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California.
Recently, he has published a book about Islam and its ideas have been sentenced to death. In his defense in court of Meshkinshar said:” I do not accept the allegations because my purpose of writing of this book is write a review for criticism by others and exchanging idea. What I have written in this book is all documented and I collected by myself. “
Sources: ArazNews and OyanNews
There is several petition to support Mr Farzizadeh, in below is the petition content from http://www.gopetition.com/ Free Iranian Student Hesam-Aldin Farzizadeh, Sentenced To Death For Apostasy Petition Background (Preamble):
Hesam-Aldin Farzizadeh, an Expelled student in the field of nuclear physics of Mohaghegh University in the city of Ardebil, Iran was reportedly sentenced to death because of writings of his which were critical of Islam. Illegally, he is being denied access to a lawyer. Hesam, 22, was charged with apostasy, propaganda for “seductive faiths” and blasphemy by the court according to the news received by VOCIR.
Security forces arrested him on 21 Nov 2013 and transferred to the prison of Meshkin Shahr city. The young writer suffers from depression and obsessivecompulsive disorder.
He is kept in the non-political ward among addicts and gangs because there is no special ward for the prisoners of conscience. The religious critic had frequently begun hunger strikes that led him to lose weight as well. He has allegedly been accepted to Stanford University in Palo Alto, California.
Petition:
WHEREAS: Hesam-Aldin Farzizadeh has been imprisoned, charged and reportedly sentenced to death solely for his critical writings on religious topics and is therefore a prisoner of conscience;
AND WHEREAS: Sentencing him to death for “apostasy” is therefore not only cruel and unusual, but also ILLEGAL under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights–to which Iran is a signatory–as well as Article 24 of the Iranian Constitution;
AND WHEREAS: Even as his life hangs in the balance, he is being illegally denied access to a lawyer; THEREFORE: We, the undersigned, demand that the international community bring all pressure to bear upon the Islamic Republic of Iran to IMMEDIATELY reverse this death sentence and UNCONDITIONALLY released Mr. Farzizadeh, dropping all charges against him.
Hussein Alimohammadi, Taha Kermani:
Hussein Alimohammadi Taha Kermani According to Taha kermani: On 12 January2016, following the request of lawyers of Alimohamadi and Kermani for appeal to the sentence of 10 years imprisonment issued by the Revolutionary Court of Tabriz, the provincial branch of the Seventh Court of Appeals proceeded the case under the presidency of Judge Ataloo and his advisors, namely, Ali Allahyari and Hossein Zzaghy.
During the trial the defendants and their lawyers rejected the allegations and accusations. They believe that the basis of the case and also the accusations are affected by the pressure of security agencies and requested for the reasons and evidence about the accusations.
Afsharnia and other lawyers while presenting the defending bill to the court, drew the attention of the judicial delegation of the court to the absence of any documentation about the allegations and also solely emphasizing on the confessions of the detainees in the Intelligence Service which is in contradiction with the legal provisions of the country.
Earlier Jafar Afsharnia and Amir Bakhshi, lawyers of the activists while emphasizing on the fundamental objections and defining legally, had demanded a hearing.
After determining the appeal court’s branch, Branch 7 of the Appeal Court of East Azerbaijan province referred this case to the Court of First Instance, Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court in Tabriz, for correction due to a “procedural error” in the verdict issued against Hussein Alimohamadi Alvar and Syed Taha Kermani.
Hussein Alimohamadi Alvar and Seyed Taha Kermani had been arrested in Tabriz and after nearly 6 months temporary detention were released on the bail from Tabriz Central Prison. Judge Hamid Bagherpour, president of the third branch of Tabriz Revolutionary Court had sentenced these two civil activists on charges of “insulting religious sanctities” and “distorting public properties and intending to opposition to the Islamic government” to ten years imprisonment.
The civil rights activists earlier were sentenced to 3 years imprisonment on charges of propaganda against the regime and insulting the leadership, due to materials published in the journal “Susma” and “Susuz göl” Blog in relation to the environmental issues surrounding crisis of the Lake Urmia, in the third branch of the Revolutionary Court of Tabriz which was just confirmed in the court of appeal.
Hussein Alimohamadi is kept among the dangerous criminals ward 12 of Tabriz Central Prison.
The activist with frequent correspondents has requested prison authorities to be transferred to political prisoners’ ward. Hussein Ali Mohamadi Alvar is suffering from eye problems and because of having problems in the cornea he should use spectacle “UV” glasses and eye drops. He had requested the medicine from outside the prison but the authorities prevented him from entering the eye medication.
In July 2015, Amnesty International issued a statement expressing concern that the sentence of 10 years in prison for Hussein Alimohamadi Alvar and Seyed Taha Kermani was “unjustified” and “with political purposes” and “on the basis of confessions extracted under torture”. The statement said: “The both activist have been for 42 days in solitary confinement under interrogation without access to a lawyer.”
Amnesty International also asked for their immediate release.
Source: Taha kemani – OyanNews and HRANA News Agency
Mortaza Moradpour:
Mortaza Moradpour Supervising judge of Tabriz Prison has rejected conditional release of Mortaza Moradpour, the Azerbaijani Turkic activist, despite approval of categorization council of Tabriz Central Prison on 03.01.16.
Mortaza was arrested at his working place on 18.05.15 and was then transferred to the Tabriz Central Prison to serve his three-year sentence. Mortaza was initially arrested on 22.05.2009 altogether with some other activists because of family demonstration at El Golu Park of Tabriz and saying slogans in relation to Azerbaijanis’ linguistic and ethnic rights. He was then sentenced to three year in prison at Tabriz Revolutionary Court on the accusations of assembly to commit crimes against the state’s security and propaganda against regime.
Abbas Lesani:
Abbas Lesani, Azerbaijani Turk activist from Ardabil has faced ban on prison visit after his exile to Shiraz Prison. His family stated that they could not meet Abbas because of this ban as well as financial problems.
Abbas was exiled to Shiraz after announcement of hunger strike on 13.11.15. On 09.11.15, Abbas started hunger strike at Ardabil Prison at the time of massive public protets against insult of the state’s broadcasting agency in a protet against the insult and in solidarity with the protesters.
Source: hraznews
Ata Karimi:
Ata Karimi Azerbaijani Turk activist from Urmia, was released from Urmia Prison on a bail of IRR 50 million after 15 day detention on 11.01.16. Branch 9 of the Urmia Court has accused this activist of disturbance in the public order through unlawfull assemblies. Ata Karimi was detained by security forces at Ghadir Stadium after a volleyball match between Urmia Municipality and Thamenol Aemmeh Team from Mashad, held on 27.12.15. He was then interrogated at the Urmia Intelligence Department after a few days and was finally transferred to Urmia Detention Facility on 03.01.16.
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