NEWS
FROM INSIDE IRAN
REPORT
9
PERIOD
23
NOVEMBER 2018 TO 25 NOVEMBER 2018
Stes de Necker
(PLEASE NOTE THAT INFORMATION SOURCES ARE NOT
PUBLISHED IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE IDENTITY OF OUR INFORMANTS. UNDER SPECIAL
CIRCUMSTANCES CERTAIN INFORMATION CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE ON RECEIPT OF A DULY
MOTIVATED REQUEST)
(All REPORTS WERE OBTAINED FROM CREDIBLE AND
ACCREDITED NEWS AGANCIES INSIDE AND OUTSIDE IRAN)
In this
report:
1.
Defense
Attorney Nasrin Sotoudeh Sues Evin Prison Officials
21.
PMOI/MEK
network setting fire to regime icons
23 November 2018
Defense Attorney Nasrin
Sotoudeh Sues Evin Prison Officials
Prominent human rights lawyer who
has been imprisoned in Tehran’s Evin Prison since June 2018 filed a complaint
against the head and the judicial deputy of Evin Prison on Sunday, November 11,
2018, for issuing a ban on her visiting rights.
Payam Derafshan, Nasrin
Sotoudeh’s attorney, said on Sunday, “The lawsuit filed by Nasrin Sotoudeh
against the head and the judicial deputy of Evin Prison was accepted by the
Court of Government Employees and referred to the Inspector’s First Branch for
investigation.”
After filing the complaint, Mr.
Derafshan and Ms. Sotoudeh’s other lawyer appeared before the Inspector’s,
explaining the illegal measures of the head and the judicial deputy of Evin
Prison. (The official IRNA news agency – November 11, 2018)
Sotoudeh has been detained since June
13, 2018, after security agents unexpectedly appeared at her home and took her
to Evin Prison in Tehran. Once inside the prison, Sotoudeh learned she would be
serving a five-year prison sentence issued to her in absentia by Judge Mohammad
Moghiseh in 2015 and that she was facing multiple other charges.
In October 2018, Sotoudeh sued
Moghiseh for unlawfully sentencing her.
One of Iran’s most prominent
human rights defenders, Sotoudeh is facing two national security charges for
legally representing women who have been charged for peacefully protesting
Iran’s compulsory hijab law by removing their headscarves in public.
From 2010-13, she served three
years in Evin Prison for peacefully practicing her legal profession. In
September 2018, she was awarded the prestigious Ludovic Trarieux Human Rights
Prize for her commitment to human rights and the independence of the legal
profession. Sotoudeh was also awarded the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize
for Freedom of Thought in 2012.
In July 2018, the International Bar Association’s Human
Rights Institute (IBAHRI) sent a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei
calling for Sotoudeh’s immediate release.
23 November 2018
Christian Converts Arrested
After Their Calls Intercepted By Iran Intelligence
Two Christian converts in Iran, have been recently
arrested in the cities of Karaj and Mashhad.
Behnam Ersali who was visiting a friend in a northern
city of the Shiite-run country, was detained on Friday, November 16, in what
some human rights activists are calling a rash of arrests in the area.
The second man, Davoud Rasouli, was arrested just outside his home in Karaj, west of Tehran.
He had arranged to meet in Mashhad, according to advocacy
organization Middle East Concern (MEC), but their calls are believed to have
been intercepted by the Iranian intelligence.
Behnam Ersali and Davood Rasooli, both converts from
Islam who live in Karaj, were taken to unknown locations.
Rob Duncan, regional manager at MEC, said: “It reveals
how closely the Iranian authorities are closely monitoring the Christians.”
Ersali, who used to be a member of the Assemblies of God
church in Tehran, was at a friend’s house in Mashhad, when six plain-clothes
officers entered without permission or a warrant and arrested him, along with
another person who was later released.
Rasouli, who was preparing to leave for Mashhad, was
arrested at 6 am in front of his Karaj home by two plain-clothes officers, with
one friend believing that he was taken to Rajai-Shahr Prison in Karaj, which
has cells for interrogation and solitary confinement. Other agents came back to
search his house and confiscated books and other belongings.
The MEC reports that both men were taken to unknown
locations and have had no contact with their friends or family.
Duncan said: “The fact that there has been no information
and relatives haven’t been informed shows security agents are involved.”
In northern Iran, there have been several arrests of
Christians, according to Mohabat News, with some still in detention.
Duncan said: “This year there have not been too many
arrests [in Iran], but Karaj has been one place in particular where many people
have been arrested this year and from a number of different groups as well. It
seems like Karaj is a dangerous place for Christians at the present time.”
He notes that Iranian authorities are trying to get
information from the arrested Christians, which could lead to more arrests. He
explained that Iranian Christians are often held for long periods without
charge and pressured to recant their faith before being released, which often
means that priests are held longer.
Security forces in Iran continued to target Christian
converts of Muslim heritage, as well as members of the “house church” movement
who gather to worship in private homes.
Many Christians are often charged with vague
security-related charges and handed sentences of years in prison. Recently,
Saheb Fadaei and Fatimeh Bakherti, both converts from Islam, were sentenced to
more than a year in prison for “spreading propaganda against the regime,”
merely for following their religion.
Earlier this year, Iranian Christians, Victor Bet-Tamraz,
his wife Shamiram Issavi, Amin Afshar-Naderi and Hadi Asgari, have been
sentenced to a combined total of 45 years in prison solely for practising their
Christian faith, including through attending Christmas gatherings and
organizing house churches.
If imprisoned, they would be prisoners of conscience.
Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani, who has been in and out of
prison for a number of years solely for peacefully practising his Christian
faith, has been targeted this year by the authorities.
There are 800,000 Christians in Iran and the growing
crackdown against them has led Iran to be named the tenth worst place in the
world to be a Christian in 2018, according to Open Doors.
Iran is home to 800,000 Christians from several
denominations, including Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox Armenian, and Assyrian
(Chaldean) Christians.
Christians are one of the few religious minorities
officially recognized in Iran’s Constitution.
However, the Constitution provides only limited
protections to Christians while Christian converts are provided no protection
at all under the law. Consequently, Christians in Iran have been a target of
harassment, arbitrary arrest and detention, unfair trials, and imprisonment on
national security-related charges solely because of their faith. In the past year alone, dozens of Christians, mostly Christian converts,
have been targeted.
23
November 2018
Iran
warns that US bases and aircraft carriers are within range of its missiles
Iran has said that U.S. bases in Afghanistan, Qatar, the
United Arab Emirates and American aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf are
within range of its missiles, according to a report.
Citing the Tasnim news agency, Reuters reports that
the comments were made Wednesday by an Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander.
“They are within our reach and we can hit them if they (Americans) make a
move,” said Amirali Hajizadeh, head of the Revolutionary Guards’ airspace
division.
The commander said that the missiles have improved
precision and could hit the Kandahar base in Afghanistan, Al Udeid Airbase in
Qatar and Al Dhafra base in the UAE.
IRAN WILL LAUNCH ‘DAMAGING’
CYBERATTACKS AGAINST US IN RETALIATION FOR SANCTIONS, EXPERTS WARN
The comments come amid mounting tension between the U.S.
and Iran. The Trump administration recently restored sanctions on
Iran that had been lifted under a 2015 nuclear deal.
The sanctions cover Iran's shipping, financial and energy
sectors. They are the second batch the administration has re-imposed since
Trump withdrew from the landmark accord in May.
The 2015 deal, which was forged by former President
Barack Obama, gave Iran billions of dollars in sanctions relief in exchange for
curbs on its nuclear program, which many believed it was using to develop
atomic weapons. Trump repeatedly denounced the agreement as the "worst
ever" negotiated by the United States and said it gave Iran too much in
return for too little.
US RESTORES IRAN SANCTIONS LIFTED
UNDER OBAMA NUCLEAR DEAL
Just before the latest round of sanctions was imposed on
Iran, President Trump tweeted a
“Game of Thrones”-inspired meme. “Sanctions are coming. November 5,” it read,
playing on the hit show’s famous “Winter is coming” phrase.
The tweet was re-tweeted more than 65,000 times and
garnered over 199,000 likes.
However, the meme was slammed by some “Game of Thrones”
cast members, as well as the author of the book series.
Set against the backdrop of growing friction between
Washington and Tehran, security experts have warned that
Iran will ramp up its cyber attacks on the U.S.
23
November 2018
U.S. Sanctions on Iran Oil
Sector Proving to Be Effective
The United States is implementing a maximum pressure
campaign on Iran and the process of exiting the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, or
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as it is formally known, is nearly
complete.
The Trump administration announced earlier this year that
crippling economic sanctions would be re-imposed and that it expects all countries
to reduce their imports of Iranian oil to zero. The deadline was the beginning
of this month and a number of countries have been unable to fully comply. The
United States has granted waivers to these countries, but on the condition that
they gradually reduce their imports with the aim of reducing it to zero in
time.
The crippling sanctions on the Iranian regime are already
proving to have the intended effect. Its tracked oil exports have plummeted
this month. Compared to last month, the oil exports are down by a few hundred
thousand barrels per day.
One of the reasons for this is because clients have not
put orders in for barrels because of the U.S. sanctions and the uncertainty
with regards to them being able to get a waiver to continue importing the oil.
Analysts and experts in the industry, including
Petro-Logistics – a tanker-tracking company, said that it is completely normal
that the exports at the beginning of November would be significantly lower than
the previous month because the United States had not yet issued waivers and
there were no guarantees about who would be able to get them, if at all.
Therefore, many of Iran’s clients did not order any volume of oil.
On November5th, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
announced in a press conference that temporary waivers would be issued to South
Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, Greece, Japan, China, India and Italy. Pompeo emphasised
that the waivers are temporary and noted that waivers had been denied to
several other European countries that requested them.
Iran’s exports of oil last month were estimated to be
between 1.5 million barrels per day and 1.85 million barrels per day. Estimates
for this month indicate that these figures dropped to around 1 million barrels
per day. The highest level this year was in April when it was around 2.5.
million barrels per day.
This shows that sanctions are working and it is essential
for them to continue. The Trump administration has said that it will continue
to reinforce sanctions and has not ruled out the possibility of applying new
sanctions.
The people of Iran are inevitably feeling the effects of
the sanctions but they welcome them. They know that the Iranian regime will
never change and will never become moderate so they are taking their future
into their own hands and working towards regime change.
So, as well as the pressure from the United States, the Iranian regime is also feeling the heat from the people of Iran. It is only a matter of time before the regime collapses and it will not be a day too soon for the people who are desperate for freedom, democracy and human rights.
23
November 2018
Iranian
political prisoner Arzhang Davoodi under torture
Iranian teacher and political prisoner Arzhang Davoodi,
who is being held in the quarantine section of the Zahedan prison is currently
suffering from deteriorating physical conditions. There has been no news of Mr.
Davoodi since March.
In his previous message, Davoodi had said that he had
been transferred to a small solitary confinement unit and was deprived of
family visits, phone calls and any communications with other prisoners. He was
also deprived of free airtime, reading, television, and access to medication
and food suitable for his health condition.
According to the latest news that was obtained in March,
Davoodi had been on hunger strike in the quarantine section of Zahedan prison
since February. Davoodi had described the reason for his hunger strike as such:
“I am on hunger because I have been deprived of free air and sunlight since
August.”
Davoodi suffers from diabetes and cholesterol as well as
heart diseases.
In his latest message, Davoodi had said that his sight
was becoming dim and he was deprived of the most basic rights. “I’m being held
in a small cell that is known as ‘solitary confinement no. 2.’ I am deprived of
visits, phone calls, communications with other prisoners, free airtime, walks,
reading books, TV, medication, suitable food…”
Three months after his last message, there no news of
political prisoner Arzhang Davoodi.
The Iranian regime has threatened the family of Davoodi
and has put them under pressure. The only news there is of him is that he is
under torture in the prison of Zahedan.
As a reminder, in March 2018, Davoodi had stressed in a
message he had sent from Zahedan prison:
“Hunger strike for a bit of air and sunlight. 34 days pass from my hunger strike. I merely want some
air and some sunlight, of which I’ve been inhumanly deprived since August. This
shameless and lengthy suppression of my rights has worsened my heart condition
and diabetes. It has caused my eyesight to become dim. In February, when I was
returned to Zahedan prison, my physical conditions further deteriorated,
because I’m being held in a very small cell, known as ‘solitary no.2’ of the
prison’s quarantine section.
I’m deprived of visits, phone calls, communications with
other prisoners, free airtime, walks, reading books, TV, medication, suitable
food…
Fellow compatriots,
Certainly, the vicious practices of the regime’s
authorities vis-Ã -vis prisoners, especially those exiled from their hometowns,
is far from the customs of the brave people of Sistan & Baluchistan
Province [in southeast Iran]… [Iranian regime Supreme Leader] Ali Khamenei…
knows very well that only officials of this religious theocracy ruling our
country carry out such vicious practices. Therefore, the very harsh measures
seen in the prisons of this province is not only imposed against political
prisoners. This nature is literally seen in all forms of this regime’s
authorities who always resort to force.
“Therefore, I am expecting Mr. Zeid Ra’ad al-Hossein, the
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and other human rights organizations,
including Amnesty International, to dispatch observers to inspects these
medieval era prisons.”
23
November 2018
Iran:
Increasing solidarity with Haft Tapeh workers
At a time when the brave Haft Tapeh sugar cane mill
workers in Shush, southwest Iran, are protesting for the third consecutive
week, there are increasing signs of workers in other factories across the
country and people from all walks of life also launching protests and strikes.
Many cities are witnessing such scenes of escalating protests and this
phenomenon is evolving into a major concern for the Iranian regime.
Employees of various factories
and workshops throughout Iran were seen rallying outside a labour
institution in Tehran recently
demanding better pay checks. These strikes and protest rallies are continuing
as we speak, with farmers in Isfahan,
central Iran, also joining this wave and demanding their share of river waters
for their farms.
Such indications are also seen
in Ahvaz where
employees of the National Steel Group are on strike and demanding their delayed
pay checks.
The Greater Tehran Bus Drivers Syndicate issued a statement on November 20 condemning the
apprehension of Haft Tapeh sugar cane workers.
A group of workers in Arak’s Hepco factory raised
a large banner voicing their support for the Haft Tapeh employees. Such solitary
was also voiced by students of Tehran University in the Central Pardis
district.
A group of municipality workers
in Abadan, Ahvaz, and Hamidiyeh; students of Noshirvani Industrial University
in Babol; students of Khayam University in Mashhad; personnel of the Khomeini
Hospital in Karaj, a group of street vendors of Taleghani bazaar in Bandar
Abbas and others were all protesting this week.
The increasing wave of protests
and strikes has left Iranian regime officials extremely concerned, especially
after refusing to provide any coverage for the Haft Tapeh protests for over two
weeks. Various regime officials are expressing major concerns and issuing
warnings to senior regime figures over these developments.
“A look at the measures and
narratives used by the media and government officials, one can reach the
conclusion that the workers’ demands are of no importance to the government.
Pro-government media are completely silent on this matter and government
officials are acting as if there is no such place as the Haft Tapeh sugar cane
mill, let alone hear the voice of these protesting workers,” an article in the
state-run Bahar website read in part.
“The truth is that the Haft Tapeh
employees are only a group of workers that are suffering from harsh living
conditions and a significant portion of the society’s weaker branches are
facing such difficulties and literally struggling to make ends meet. As a
result, what is taking place in Haft Tapeh is not only related to those workers
and represents a large portion of our society that lives under the pressure
resulting from wrong decisions made by incompetent officials.”
As a result of major internal
disputes, the Asr-e Iran website, another state-run outlet, also wrote a piece
saying: “For a better understanding of the people’s hardships, officials should
visit their locals marks and see how the 2 million rial subsidies provided to
those earning less than 30 million rials a month, only cover a family’s
expenses for a mere few days. Officials are delivering speeches every day; the
parliament continuously seeks to impeach this or that official, and other
institutions are only seeking to keep themselves busy with other issues.”
With protests and strikes on the
rise, the mullahs’ crises will push the regime to the tipping point.
23
November 2018
Broken
promises: The bitter story of sugar production in Iran
For the past two weeks, workers of the ‘Haft Tapeh’ sugar
cane factory have been on strike. In 2015, it was announced that the factory
was bankrupt and in 2016, two private contracting companies, namely Zeus and
Ariak, bought all of the company shares.
Ever since, there have been dozens of similar protests and strikes against privatization, mismanagement and unpaid wages.
Ever since, there have been dozens of similar protests and strikes against privatization, mismanagement and unpaid wages.
Approximately 4,000 employees, partly with official and
partly with unofficial contracts, work in various parts of this large factory.
Another 1,500 members of the staff are day labourers, mostly from the
indigenous Arab population.
In this regard, Khuzestan Vice President of Agricultural
Associations and Guild System, Hakim Khenefari, emphasized that the only way to
save the factory is to sell it to the private sector. However, two years into
privatization, the factory and its workers have been witnessing a downward spiral.
Factory
history and the indigenous question
‘Haft Tapeh’ factory was established in 1960’s in the
North of Khuzestan province in the ancient Elamite city of Susiana, present-day
Shush. The company has 24,000 hectares of fertile land.
Already in the factory’s early stages it caused tensions
and discontent among Arab indigenous farmers.
Ahwazi Arab political and human rights activists consider
the Iranian government's alleged sugar cane development projects as a medium
for land expropriation of indigenous Arab farmers.
The lands that today belong to the sugar cane factory
were confiscated by the Iranian government whereby farmers were deprived of
their proprietary rights in return for only small payments and the promise of
employment for the farmers’ children once the factory was built. However, once
production began, Arabs were either excluded from employment or became day
labourers, whereas workers from other cities were brought in as workforce. As a
result, the project not only failed in combating poverty, but also contributed
to creating ethnic tensions, further worsening discrimination against Iran’s
Arab population.
A further aspect of this controversy concerns ater
pollution. The poisonous and salty water waste from the factory, similar to oil
industry waste, was disposed into marshland and nearby lakes and rivers, and
consequently disrupted the lives of palm farmers and local fishermen and
villagers.
What
do workers’ syndicates want?
The company's syndicate was created in 1974, but upon
establishment of the Islamic Republic it ceased to be actively involved in
public for many years, until in 2007, some workers thought of reviving it.
According to Ismail Bakhshi, one of the representatives
of the ‘Haft Tapeh’ Workers, who is currently under arrest, the restructuring
of the company to becoming part of the private sector is ambiguous. The new
owners exploited the name of the company to receive “financial facilities” from
the government.
What has raised suspicions about the new private owners
is their motivation to buy a factory that at the time when it was sold had 67
million dollars of debt.
Omid Asadbeigi and Rostami, who are known as the owners
of the factory, are on the black list of currency offenders. Furthermore,
according to reports, they currently are detained in Tehran.
From the workers’ point of view, there are two solutions:
either ‘Haft Tapeh’ should be run by a self-governing labor movement, or it
should be returned to government management, and all decisions must be
taken by the workers' council.
Sultan
of sugar and ‘Haft Tapeh’ bankruptcy
Importing sugar impedes sales of domestic sugar as the
price of the imported sugar is considerably lower than the sugar produced
within the country. Since the first years of the Islamic Republic the influential
cleric, Naser Makarem Shirazi, has been responsible for Iran’s sugar imports
which earned him the name “Sultan of Sugar”.
Other industries are also suffering as the same
scenario prevails in other sectors. Privatising industries has been the answer
of the Iranian government to workers who lack job security and suffer because
of unpaid wages. Heavy Equipment Production Company (HEPCO), producer of road
construction and equipment, and Khuzestan Steel industry workers - in a similar
predicament like at ‘Haft Tapeh’ - organized several strikes during the past
months against privatisation.
What is evident is that the economic problems that are
catching up with Islamic Republic of Iran are not the result of sanctions, as
Iranian government claims. Sanction relief during Obama could have revived
different industries and saved the factories from bankruptcy and consequently
privatisation. And this in fact was the average Iranians’ expectation.
However Iran’s adventures and expansionism in
neighbouring countries left no place for much needed domestic economic growth.
23
November 2018
South
Iran sugarcane workers continue protests for 19th day despite heavy rain
A
large number of the workers of the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Mill in Shush
continued their strike for the 19thconsecutive day despite the heavy rain in
the southwest of the country.
The
Haft Tappeh Sugarcane workers are protesting months of unpaid wages, the
privatization of the company and the continued detention of workers.
In
videos on social media, the adamant workers were seen marching and chanting
outside the Shush Governor’s Office for the release of worker representative
Ismael Bakhshi.
“Jailed
worker must be released”, they chanted while marching under the rain.
Reports
indicate that at least 19 workers were detained on November 18 on the
14th day of the protests including an activist and journalist, Sepideh
Ghelian, who has a history of previous arrests. All the workers were released
in the following days except for four labor representatives and Ghelian who
were slapped with security offenses.
A
lawyer who represents the detained workers said that she did not know about the
details of the security charges against the four labor activists and Sepideh
Ghelian.
“I
still don’t know the (details) of the security charges that the court
announced,” Farzaneh Zilani said talking to human rights sources.
Reports
indicate that all the detainees except Bakhshi and Ghelian have been released.
Background
Founded
half-a-century ago in the southern city of Shush, in Khuzestan Province, the
Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Mill is the oldest sugar factory in Iran.
Since
the privatization of the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Mill in a questionable 2015
privatization deal, the condition of workers has worsened. They have said that
since the transfer of ownership to the present owners, the company’s debts have
increased, with the employer only thinking of reducing the permanent work
force.
Accusing
the government of supporting the wealthy, the workers complain they have become
poorer while the managers of the company have become richer.
Trade
unionist Jafar Azimzadeh, the leading member of the Free Union of Workers in
Iran, described the workers’ condition as “slavery.”
“The
families of some workers have to buy bread on credit, because of unpaid
salaries and if this situation continues, even bakeries will refuse to sell
bread to the workers on credit,” he said, explaining the plight of workers who
have not received their wages for months.
Under
such financial strain, some workers have even reached the point of committing
suicide.
Ali
Naghdi was the latest instance whose dead body was found afloat in a canal on
February 27. It was said that Naghdi committed suicide due to his debts as the
company refused to pay his wages.
Haft
Tappeh workers have always had to fight for their wages, pensions and rights in
the past years.
In
recent months, they have been going on strikes periodically, protesting
unfulfilled promises made by their employer.
The
last time the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Mill workers went on strike was in
mid-August when 500 workers protested not being paid for at least three months.
Reports indicate that riot police attacked the striking workers with tear gas
and beat the protesters. Five workers were also detained but were later
released after being charged with “disrupting order.”
23
November 2018
Iran’s
Rulers Should Take Responsibility for Workers’ Suffering
While several media outlets have failed to provide
accurate coverage of anti-regime protests in Iran, demonstrations are
continuing across the country’s provinces and cities.
Several major social groups are refusing to submit to the
Iranian leadership.
Truck drivers, who carried out nationwide protests in
early May, have recently launched a new wave across Iran’s cities, including in
the capital Tehran, Isfahan, Nahavand, Asaluyeh, Zanjan, Shiraz, and Shahrud.
As time passes, their demands have been increasing. In
the beginning, their protests concentrated on low wages, low freight rates,
high inflation, expensive spare parts, austere insurance terms, and poor
working conditions. But now they are also demanding the release of the many
truck drivers who have been arrested solely for expressing their opinions.
According to Iran’s Human Rights Activist News Agency
(HRANA), at least 261 drivers have been arrested in 19 provinces.
In addition, Iranian teachers are holding a second round
of sit-in protests and strikes across the nation. Fereshteh, a teacher in
Zanjan who is participating in the protests, pointed out that “the Coordinating
Council of Teachers Syndicates in Iran is calling for a large strike due to the
poor living standards that teachers are enduring.”
The average monthly salary of a teacher in Iran, which is
roughly 1 million toman ($70), is barely enough to cover rent, let alone other
basic needs such as food, electricity, gas, water, or medical expenses.
Firozouh, a teacher from Kurdistan, is also demanding
that the government must allow students to study in their native language. The
language of instruction in Iranian public schools is Persian (Farsi). Teachers
have also been holding signs that read: “We protest the state of education (in
Iran),” “We protest against the (low) living standards” and “Promote teachers’
dignity and livelihoods.”
Furthermore, other Iranian workers, who have some common
grievances with the teachers and truck drivers regarding poor living standards,
are continuing their protests across several industries. Many of them have not
been paid for a long time.
It is time for the Iranian regime to either make
fundamental reforms or relinquish power.
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh
When the ruling clergy came to power in 1979, they
boasted about nationalizing industries in order to benefit the public. But
several industrial sectors have been privatized and sold to those connected
with the regime. This has provided a platform for those in charge to further
exploit the workers and abuse the financial domestic market.
For example, the Iranian Labour News Agency indicated
recently that many of the main shareholders and the director general of Haft
Tapeh Sugarcane Mill in Ahvaz had violated regulations related to currency
exchange. Workers of the Ahvaz National Steel Group have also been
demonstrating in front of the governor’s office and chanting: “No nation has
seen this much injustice; Hossein Hossein is their slogan, theft is their
pride; what have behind-the-scene hands done with the factory?”
The Iranian regime’s reaction to the latest round of
protests has been a mixture of disregard, playing the blame card, and deploying
hard power to crack down on protesters. For example, Supreme Leader Ali
Khamenei blamed “enemies” for the workers’ poor conditions. He forcefully
stated: “One of the major activities of our enemies has been to create a
recession and obstacles in our factories and among our labour groups —
particularly the big ones — so they can provoke the workers.”
While President Hassan Rouhani boasts that freedom exists
in Iran and protesters are allowed to freely demonstrate, many protesters have
been arrested and threatened with harsh sentences, including the death penalty.
Iran’s hard-line judiciary has been imprisoning protesters on ambiguous charges
and without due process. As Michael Page, the deputy Middle East director at
Human Rights Watch, accurately stated: “Iranian government officials repeatedly
advertise to the world that the repeated protests in the country signal that
there are real freedoms in Iran, while these same protesters languish in prison
for years.”
The dire economic situation of Iran’s workers, teachers,
truck drivers and other social groups is directly linked to the inefficacy and
incompetence of the leadership. It also relates to poor labor laws, the banking
crisis, the regime’s theft of national wealth and rampant spending on
international propaganda, as well as the state haemorrhaging billions of
dollars on terror and militia groups in the region, financial corruption at the
top, the misuse of public funds, and economic mismanagement.
In a nutshell, the Iranian leaders ought to be aware that
they are directly responsible for the poor living standards and dire economic
situations of the workers, teachers, truck drivers and others who are
protesting. Instead of dodging responsibility and accountability, it is time
for the regime to either make fundamental reforms or relinquish power. The
current reaction to the protesters and their grievances will only escalate
people’s frustration and intensify anti-regime demonstrations.
23
November 2018
Denmark:
Demonstration Against Iran Regime’s Human Rights Abuse and Terrorisma
On Friday November 23, 2018. The supporters of the
Iranian Resistance, staged a gathering in front of Copenhagen Municipality
building against the executions in Iran and also demanded adequate measures
against the Iranian Regime as the number one state sponsor of terrorism in the
world.
They called for the trial of arrested terrorists in
Denmark and Belgium, namely Asadollah Asadi Iran regime’s Diplomat-Terrorist
who was arrested in Belgium over 'bomb plot' at the grand gathering of the
Iranian Resistance on June 30 in Paris.
Supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
and MEK also demanded the blacklisting (FTO) of mullahs’ regime ministry of
intelligence and security (MOIS) in the U.S and Europe and immediate shut down
of its embassies.
23
November 2018
The
farmers of Isfahan protest, while wearing grave shrouds
The farmers of Khourasgan, Isfahan, gathered in front
of the city’s fruits and vegetable market and staged a demonstration. This the
65th day of the protests of the farmers, who have risen because of lack of
access to water and the mismanagement of water sources by the government.
Yesterday, the farmers of East Isfahan, went to their
demonstration wearing white vest symbolizing the grave shrouds, a sign that
they will be standing for their rights to the ultimate cost.
The farmers of West Isfahan,
from Koushk and Goldasht and Jozdan, suburbs
of Najafabad, also demonstrated for their rights. The representatives of
the farmers of Isfahan and the representatives of
East Isfahan attended the Mahdieh Mosque, East Isfahan, wearing grave
shrouds and had a session to discuss the farmers’ water problems.
In the past two decades, corrupt and destructive policies
by the Iranian regime has cut off farmers’ access to vital water sources to
irrigate their lands. The workers of Isfahan have been intermittently
protesting in this regard. The government has only responded by giving empty
promises, none of which have materialized.
The situation has put a lot of strain on the lives of
many citizens in Isfahan, whose main source of income is agriculture. The
farmers of Isfahan are holding the regime responsible for the situation and
have made this clear in their protests. During their protests a few months ago,
the farmers of Isfahan attended the Friday prayers with their back to the
prayer leader, who represents the regime, and chanted “back to the enemy face
to the country.” This slogan has become very popular and has been picked up by
protesters in other parts of Iran.
23
November 2018
19
Iran sugarcane mill labour activists detained on 14th day of workers’ strike
At
least 19 Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Mill labour activists were detained today
following a two week long strike in protest to their unpaid wages and the
privatization of the company.
The
Haft Tappeh Sugar Mill Workers’ Union said that 19 workers were detained,
identifying them by name.
In a
statement issued today, the Union also said that the labor activists were
detained after the peaceful protests on their way back to the company.
It
said that the families of the detainees were very concerned for their
well-being and that they were demanding the immediate release of their loved
ones.
Founded
half-a-century ago in the southern city of Shush, in Khuzestan Province, the
Haft Tappeh Sugar Mill is the oldest sugar factory in Iran. Some 5,600 workers
are currently working at the company.
State
run news sources said that only four people were detained.
IRNA state-run
News Agency quoted the governor of Khuzestan as saying that he was informed
that four people were arrested.
“We
will later officially announce the other issues”, Gholamreza Shariati added.
“Workers
have rights, we are looking into their issues and demands,” the Governor said.
The
strike today was met with force by security forces who tried to prevent the
gatherings in which thousands of workers and their families were participating.
In a
video circulating on social media, a worker showed his broken hand saying that
12 agents attacked him and broke his hand yesterday.
This protesting Haft Tappeh sugarcane worker says around 10-12 members of the security forces attacked him and broke his hand.
This protesting Haft Tappeh sugarcane worker says around 10-12 members of the security forces attacked him and broke his hand.
Workers were adamant to demand their rights despite the suppression. In videos on social media, the crowds were heard chanting, “Down with tyrants, viva workers.”
Angry
workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane factory who have been protesting for 14 days
to unpaid wages for months.
They
chanted:" Our problems would be solved if there was one less instance of
corruption"
Employees
of the Haft Tappeh sugar mill in Shush, southwest Iran, continued their strike
by holding a gathering in early morning hours of Saturday. More than 1,000
employees rallied in the city’s main square, joined by their families and
children.
Reports
indicate that the Haft Tappeh strikes drew national support from other workers
and teachers in Iran. Merchants and shop owners in the Shush Bazaar also closed
shop in support of the workers.
One
of the most well-known workers who was arrested today was Ismael Bakhshi who
was at the forefront of almost all the protests. He is a labour activist and
represents Haft Tappeh workers.
In
his last speech during one of the demonstrations which was recorded and
uploaded on social media he said that the government did not listen to them
despite two weeks of protests.
“We
are angry but instead of carrying out specific measures, they bring in riot
police and the filthy Seda and Sima (state TV) and film the clashes and say
that they (the workers) are seditionists,” he said.
“They
only lie instead of solving the problem. The governor and Minister say that
this (Haft Tappeh) company was bankrupt even though they embezzled it
themselves. Even if they pay our wages, the strike will continue while the
company is privatized,” Bakhshi said.
24
November 2018
Mullahs’
Spy Nests; Shut Them Down
The exposure of Iran-related terrorist networks in Europe
has been extremely alarming.
It seems that the European governments are now aware of
the mullahs’ terrorist threats. The time to turn a blind eye on the destructive
role of the mullahs’ spy nests is over.
It is not a secret that the Iranian regime has abused its
embassies to mastermind terrorist conspiracies.
The
role of mullahs’ spy nests in terrorist operations
For decades, the Iranian regime has been known as the
state-sponsor of terrorism. Latest incidents in Europe revealed regime’s
shameless misuse of embassies more than ever.
Though an embassy, as the diplomatic representative of a
country, is to establish relations, but the regime has turned its embassies to
mullahs’ spy nests.
At a glance, any impartial observer can find the
footprint of mullahs’ spy nests in the regime’s terror plots abroad. Published
evidences prove the involvement of the mullahs’ spy nests in the Amia Bombing
in Buenos Aires, the assassination of Dr. Kazem Rajavi in Vienna and Mohammad
Hossein Naghdi in Rome. The footprint is also evident at the kidnapping and the
terror of some prominent figures of the Iranian opposition in Turkey.
Foiled terror plots in France and Denmark too, clearly
show the role of the mullahs’ spy nests.
Pointing to the disclosure of the link between mullahs’
spy nests and the foiled terror plots in France and Denmark,
the United States Ambassador to the United Nations said:
“We have seen that no more profoundly than over the last
months, where multiple European countries publicly decried Iranian attempts to
murder dissidents on their own soil.
Ambassador Nikki Haley added:
“But Denmark is not the only country that has been targeted
by the regime.
The Danish allegations came just days after the French
government accused Iranian intelligence of plotting a bomb attack on an Iranian
opposition rally in Paris in June. In this plot, a Belgian husband and wife of
Iranian origin were arrested along with a high ranking Iranian diplomat in
Austria.
The diplomat provided the directions and the explosives
for the husband and wife team to bomb the Iranian resistance gathering, which
included United States citizens. All three were arrested.”
MEK is the main target of the mullahs’
spy nests’ terror plots
Now a days, the role of the MEK in organizing nationwide
strikes is well admitted by the regime’s official media.
“Unable to restrain resistance units at home”, the regime
is compelled to take action against its arch-enemy
(MEK) abroad as its only way of survival.
The mullahs’ spy nests are tasked to assassinate
dissidents, especially the MEK members, at any price.
Physical and character assassinations are on their
agenda.
A look at Iran’s foreign media lobbies is the proof.
How can the mullahs’ spy nests’ threats
be countered
It is worth reminding that terrorism and warmongering are
the core traits of the theocratic regime ruling Iran. Thus, it is wrong to
expect the regime’s embassies and consulates not to be the mullahs’ spy nests.
A while ago, on the World Day against the Death Penalty,
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of NCRI,
addressed a message to the participants in a conference at the District 5
Municipality of Paris.
In part of her remarks Mrs. Maryam Rajavi mentioned:
“I urge the world’s governments to stop their political and economic relations
with the Iranian regime unless the regime ends torture and executions of
prisoners and abandons its involvement in terrorism.”
Undoubtedly, the civilized world will not be safe from
the threats of terrorism until the mullahs’ spy nests continue their mission.
It is necessary that the EU governments inspect the mullahs’ spy nests and
“exclude Iranian intelligence personnel from European Union Member States.”
In conclusion, as the statement by the Security and
Counterterrorism Committee of National Council of Resistance
of Iran (NCRI)
restated on November 11, 2018: “Considering the terrorist plots of the MOIS in
Albania, Belgium, France, the United States and Denmark, and the arrest and
expulsion of diplomat terrorists, the Iranian resistance once again emphasizes
on the immediate need of the inclusion of the MOIS in
the US and EU terror lists as well as the arrest, punishment and expulsion of
the agents of the religious fascism.
24
November 2018
Who
Is Harmed the Most by Current Sanctions Against Iran?
With the new round of sanctions, various advertising
platforms of Iran’s regime are creating a propaganda in which the regime is
made to look like it cares for Iranian people.
Whilst claiming that Iranians are the actual target of
the sanctions, the regime fails to address the following questions!!
1. Who is the cause of sanctions, and why do these
sanctions target Iran in the first place?
2. How has Iran’s economy been before and after the
sanctions?
3. How have the oil-based earnings of Iran been spent so
far?
4. Have the sanctions targeted Iran’s basic goods too?
Who is the cause of sanctions, and why do these sanctions
target Iran in the first place?
The actual cause of sanctions is nothing but the regime
of mullahs itself.
Their ongoing nuclear activities and investments in
terrorism have proved to have hurt Iranian people the most.
Instead of spending the National Wealth on people,
Khamenei has spent billions of dollars on nuclear weapons and terrorism within
the Middle East. Something that no government official has ever acknowledged or
taken responsibility for, in any shape or form.
How has Iran’s economy been before and after the
sanctions?
Let’s take a look at Iran’s poverty line over the past
decade or so. One can see that even before the sanctions were in the picture,
Iranians were undergoing numerous difficulties, which only exacerbated year
after year. Interestingly, they never had anything to do with lack of national
wealth or resources.
As can be seen from the records, Iran sold fairly good
amounts of oil over the years; for instance, 618 billion dollars over the
8-year governance of Ahmadi Nejad, and 273 billion dollars during Rouhani’s
time (up until just last year).
The recent reports of the World Bank reveal that a
whopping 533 billion dollars were loaned to Iran’s regime just last year, which
is 5 times the amount of 2016.
They also reveal that the proportion of Iran’s external
debt to its gross national income is around 1.4%, which is the lowest amongst
all other low to middle-income countries.
Given this information, Iran’s economy doesn’t seem too
bright in its coming years.
In a recent interview with Tasnim (June 15th, 2018), a
representative from Rouhani’s Workers Union, named Faramarz Tofighi, stated
that 83% of Iranian workers currently live under the poverty line, and that
they are heavily pressured by the uncontrollable inflations.
To conclude, whilst the regime continues spending the
National Wealth on maintaining its own existence, people’s basic needs are
being ignored and they continue to suffer from hunger every day.
How have the oil-based earnings of Iran been spent so
far?
Iranians will continue to suffer from economic
difficulties, for as long as the regime gets away with its expensive nuclear
projects and warmongering activities in the region.
As can be seen from Iran’s 2018 budget, most of its
income has continuously been assigned to the Revolutionary Guards and other
oppressive sectors of the regime. And that’s besides the embezzlements that
have frequently been witnessed, from many government officials and relatives.
The Foreign Ministry of the United States has announced
on multiple occasions, that the actual target of these sanctions is Iran’s
government not people.
The Ministry has also specified that Iran’s basic goods
are not affected by the sanctions, in any form.
In fact, US has left Iran with an open choice of
continuing with oil exports, as long as the earnings are spent towards humane (i.e.,
non-nuclear and non-terrorism) activities, goods, and services (in other words,
on things that are not listed in the sanctions). Therefore, the regime’s
propaganda against US is simply meaningless, as it’s an obvious attempt of a
cover up than anything else.
24
November 2018
20th
consecutive day of protests by workers of Haft Tapeh sugar mill
On Saturday morning, Shush, a city in Iran’s
Khuzestan province, saw the 20th consecutive day of strikes and protests
by the workers of Haft Tapeh sugarcane factory. The workers began
their strike three weeks ago, demanding their salaries, unpaid for months, and
the removal of private owners who have pushed Haft Tapeh, the largest
sugar mill in Iran, toward bankruptcy.
After Iranian regime security forces arrested several of
the protesters, the workers added the release of their colleagues at the top of
their list of demands. On Saturday, the protesting workers of Haft
Tapeh were shouting, “Imprisoned workers must be freed.”
Under the pressure of mounting protests and tensions, as
well as growing national and international support for the workers of Haft
Tapeh, the Iranian regime was forced to release most detained workers, but
continues to hold Esmail Bakhshi, one of the leading voices of the workers, and
Sepideh Ghalyan, a civil rights activist, in custody.
The workers were also chanting, “Even if we die, we will
not back down from our salaries.” Many of the workers who are the sole
breadwinners for their families have not received their wages for several
months.
In their demonstration, the workers were calling on the
citizens of Shush to join them in their protests. In previous days,
many teachers and students participated in the protests. Merchants closed down
their shops and joined the demonstrations. Taxi drivers gave free rides to the
workers of Haft Tapeh. Other families prepared food and lunch for the
protesters. There’s a growing feeling of solidarity with the workers
of Haft Tapeh, who have risen for their most basic rights, and the Iranian
regime is becoming increasingly afraid of the situation spinning out of its
control.
The workers are also calling for the ouster of
regime-linked private owners of the company who are endangering the future of
the factory and its thousands of workers through mismanagement and corrupt
policies. “No to Rostami, no to Beigi, nationalize the company,” the workers
were shouting, referring to the names of the private owners.
Yesterday, the workers of Haft
Tapeh held their protests despite heavy rain.
Also, a group of the protesters attended the Friday prayers
of Shush to protest for their rights. In their hands, the workers
were holding banners demanding the freedom of their jailed colleagues.
Since they began their protests, the workers of Haft
Tapeh have earned increasing support from different communities across
Iran. Yesterday, groups of people from Tehran, Damavand and
Sanandaj declared their solidarity with the workers of Haft
Tapeh and voiced their support for their demands.
Truck drivers from Sirjan, Tehran, Isfahan, Zahedan,
Bandar Abbas and Azerbaijan also voiced their support for the
cause of the workers of Haft Tapeh. Truck drivers in several Iranian cities
are holding a strike of their own against high prices, low incomes and
government corruption.
In a heartbreaking news, the 14-year-old son of one of
the workers of Haft Tapeh who had set himself on fire under the
pressure of the hardships of life, died yesterday.
Milad Al-kasir, the sone of a Haft Tapeh worker, died in
hospital after setting himself on fire because of lifes hardships
In a statement published on their social media
channel, the workers of Haft Tapeh declared their support for workers
of the Ahvaz Steel factory, who have also been protesting for
their rights. The two communities have grown very close
and supportive of each other in the past days.
“This is a battle between good and evil,” the workers
of Haft Tapeh wrote in their statement. “Government officials and
authorities are on the side of evil because of their mutual interests.”
The statement also reads: “Dear workers, the victory of
good against the evil of tyrants, looters, embezzlers and rich officials is
near.”
A group of workers from Saveh also voiced their
support for the workers of Haft Tapeh and their demands. “Instead of
responding to the demands of the workers, the government has brought up
security issues and has hastily arrested several of the protesting workers,”
they wrote in a statement.
Voicing their support for the demands of the workers
of Haft Tapeh, the workers of Saveh write, “Why must workers,
who are the base of the country’s economy and growth, be in jail and be subject
to insults?”
24
November 2018
Workers
of Ahvaz steel company protest for 15th day
On Saturday, the workers of Iran National Steel
Industrial Group in Ahvaz gathered for the 15th day of their
strikes and protest, demanding their unpaid salaries.
The workers began their demonstration in front of the
Khuzestan governorate and marched toward Pol-e Sefid.
The workers were chanting, “Shame on a government that
deceives the people.” During their march, the protesters stopped in front of
the Bank-e Meli (National Bank) for another round of slogans and speeches, in
which they addressing the government, saying, “Congratulations on your bondage
with the mafia,” a reference to the widespread government corruption that is
taking its toll on the livelihoods of the workers and their families.
“We are the workers of Ahvaz steel. We will fight
against tyranny,” the workers were chanting.
The protests of Ahvaz steel workers is
happening in tandem with other popular protests by the workers of Haft
Tapeh sugar factory, also in Khuzestan province. The two communities have
grown very supportive of each other and have also earned the support of other
communities across Iran, especially other workers who have also had first-hand
experience of the corrupt practices of the Iranian regime.
In previous days, regime officials tried to assuage the
workers of Ahvaz Steel through negotiations and promises. But the
workers of Ahvaz, who have been run in circles by regime officials for
months have made it clear that they will only stop their protests until they
see concrete actions toward meeting their demands.
Government corruption has become an increasing focus of
protests since last year, when nationwide uprisings erupted in December. The
many social classes of Iran are suffering from the results of mismanagement
from the government and the Iranian regime’s overspending on expenditures such
as the war in Syrian and proxy terrorist groups in Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon.
Protests over economic grievances quickly turned into
anti-government protests that called for the overthrow of the regime in its
entirety. After decades of witnessing and experiencing the corruption and the
repression of the regime, the Iranian people have no doubt that there will be
no solution from within the regime’s own ranks, and only regime change will
solve their problems.
24
November 2018
Iran’s
Rouhani calls Israel a ‘cancerous tumour’
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has called Israel a
“cancerous tumor” established by Western countries to advance their interests
in the Middle East.
Iran’s leaders frequently condemn Israel and predict its
demise, but Rouhani, a relative moderate, rarely employs such rhetoric.
Addressing an annual Islamic Unity Conference on
Saturday, Rouhani said “one of the ominous results of World War II was the
formation of a cancerous tumour in the region.” He went on to refer to Israel
as a “fake regime” set up by Western countries.
Iran supports militant groups like Hezbollah and Hamas
that are pledged to Israel’s destruction.
24
November 2018
Senior
Iranian cleric lashes out against Israel, Trump and the UK
A senior Iranian cleric encouraged the destruction of
Israel in his Friday prayer sermon.
“470 missiles were fired into occupied territories. If
this trend continues, we hope to see the destruction of the Zionist regime
before the twenty-five years that the Supreme Leader promised,” Ahmad Khatami,
Tehran’s substitute Friday prayer leader said.
He also referred to the basic rights that Iranians were
denied.
“Today there is talk of permitting alcohol, tomorrow they
will ask for the freedom of hijab and the day after tomorrow they will ask for
a referendum on whether the (ruling) system should be Islamic,” Ahmad Khatami
said.
“You can take your wishes to the grave with you,” the
cleric who is also a senior member of the Assembly of Expertssaid.
He also attacked US President Trump in his sermon.
“Trump made despicable remarks about Iran and called us
terrorist. But who does not know that you are terrorist and you create
terrorists”, Ahmad Khatami said.
This came after Trump called Iran a “terrorist nation” in
a Tuesday press conference.
In reaction to a recent trip by the UK Foreign Secretary,
he said that the “diplomatic apparatus” should not have allowed him to make
certain statements in Iran.
“The UK Foreign Secretary who visited our country made
despicable comments and the diplomatic apparatus should not have allowed such
comments and such intervention”, the senior cleric said.
“He stuck his nose in business that had nothing to do
with him.”
“He came to Iran looking to free spies and had not come
for the JCPOA. He said that the UK played an effective role in the Middle East”,
he said adding that the era for such things was over.
According to the BBC, much of the focus of Foreign
Secretary Jeremy Hunt’s trip to Iran was the fate of British-Iranian nationals
such as Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who have been detained by the regime.
The foreign secretary was also outspoken in threatening
consequences for Iran if they were not released.
Ahmad Khatami’s comments reflect the stance of the Iran’s
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
The hard line cleric has made controversial remarks in
the past including in January when he called for the execution of
protesters during nationwide protests that rocked the country.
24 November 2018
A call to stop state-sponsored violence
against women in Iran
On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence
against Women, this is a call to stop the state-sponsored violence against
women in Iran.
Not only the clerical regime's Constitution and laws
institutionalize violence against women and
sanction the cruel punishments of flogging, stoning and blinding, but the
regime systematically and formally undertakes violent measures against Iranian
women day and night, throughout the country, an ongoing trend which follows an
unprecedented brutal crackdown in the 1980s, eliminating thousands of oppositionist women.
Here’s
a glance over the regime’s record over the past year:
The Commander of the State Security Force, Hossein Ashtari, announced last year that at least 2,000 women
are arrested in Iran every day for not properly covering their hair. These
women are brutalized and forced into
the SSF cars to be later mistreated and humiliated in detention centers before
being compelled to sign papers and pay heavy bails in order to be released.
Iranians have been able to capture some of these horrifying scenes and
post them on the internet which gives a glimpse of the terror directed against
Iranian women round the clock.
The actual numbers are certainly higher as evident from
the official calls and troop mobilizations all across the country for the “veil
and chastity” campaigns. SSF commanders and governors in provinces across the
country issued stern threats, one after the other, to deal with mal-veiled
women, particularly those who drop their veils behind the wheels.
The official in charge of “promoting virtue” in the
province of Semnan declared that they had reinforced their troops by
2000 female agents to facilitate their crackdown on women. The SSF Commander of
the small northern Iranian city of Tonekabon announced that their forces had dealt with
22,000 women over the past year.
While the regime’s Judiciary rejected the
adoption of a bill criminalizing
violence against women, the regime has criminalized women’s wearing of attires
that do not comply with the regime’s standard dress code outside office hours.
The Interior Ministry planned inspections of
government and private sector offices and hospitals to
monitor women’s proper observance of the veil.
Peddler women are among the most oppressed sectors of
society who are constantly attacked and their limited belongings confiscated.
Municipality agents attacked a destitute peddler woman in Tehran on September
1, 2017, which led to her suffering a heart stroke,
and beat another peddler woman in Ahwaz by electric shockers in
December 2016.
The Iranian regime’s Judiciary has handed out at least a
dozen flogging sentences for
women some of which were carried out.
This is in addition to a stoning and
a blinding verdict.
At least 81 women have been executed in
the 4.5 years of Rouhani’s tenure, 10 in 2017, while numerous others including
a mother of six have
been sentenced to death.
Dozens of women and female activists have been arrested
and interrogated under torture for
defending women and children’s rights, celebrating the New Year or the Iraqi
Kurdistan’s referendum outcome,
demanding justice for the killing of their siblings or
asking the whereabouts of their missing loved ones.
Female prisoners have been badly beaten up and incarcerated in solitary
confinement for objecting lack of basic needs in
prison, such as warm water and heating
in winter, while others were deprived of
receiving their needed medical treatment.
Prison guards have on numerous occasions raided women’s
wards to brutalize and terrorize them.
An interpreter was
sentenced to death and a number of journalists were apprehended for reporting
the truth. A civil activist was
arrested and beaten up, shackled and hand cuffed in prison and subsequently
sent to a mental hospital for further psychological torture.
Mothers of
civil rights activists have been beaten up by prison guards. A pregnant woman
suffered miscarriage after
intelligence agents raided her home in search of her husband. Mahdiss Mirghavami, an engineer, committed suicide when
released after two days of detention because she had been sexually assaulted in
jail.
Under such misogynous regime which cracks down on women
through 26 government ministries and agencies, a
male-dominated culture continues to take massive toll on ordinary women.
According to the Iranian regime’s official statistics, 66 per cent of
Iranian women experience domestic violence in their lifetime. Although the
figure is double the world average of one-in-every-three women (or 33%), it
must be considered a flagrant underestimation of the situation for Iranian
women.
There have been numerous public reports about sexual
assault on girl child labourers and mentally disabled women,
murder of girls as young as six and seven after rape,
suicide of young teenagers after
rape, rape of young girls by immediate family members, honour killings for
resisting forced marriage, acid attacks across the country, murder of a young
woman in the university’s dormitory, brain death of
a five-year-old girl caused by vicious beating of her stepfather, as well as
the discovery of the charred body of a young teacher in
the mountains of Ramhormouz.
There was also a report on a woman sentenced
to 15 years in jail and 99 lashes who
had been drugged and raped.
Obviously, these reports are only the tip of the iceberg
of crimes and violence committed against women under this misogynous regime.
According to the regime’s officials, 255 women
filed complaints against
their husbands’ abuse only in four months in the province of Kohgiluyeh and
Boyer Ahmad, in south-western Iran. The Coroner’s Office in Tehran announced it
has an average of 52 referrals per day by women who have been battered and it
had registered the names of 12,159 women,
victims of violence in only four months from March to July 2017. An official of
the National Welfare Organization has registered 11000 women as
victims of domestic violence without specifying the span of time. And the
Coroner’s Office of Khorassan Razavi Province announced 7000 women had
been battered by their husbands in one year.
The Women’s Committee of the National Council of
Resistance of Iran salutes Iranian women and particularly, the women political
prisoners and prisoners of conscience for resisting and defying the clerical
regime’s dictates. We also pay tribute to women who have lost their lives in
the struggle for freedom and equality in Iran.
As suppression of women forms an inherent pillar of the
mullahs’ tyrannical rule in Iran through which it subjugates the entire
society, the quest for elimination of violence against women and upholding of
women’s rights in Iran is intertwined with the nationwide movement for regime
change.
Likewise, defending women’s rights and equality is
indispensable to the struggle for the Iranian people's freedom.
24
November 2018
Anti-cyber
Crime: Iran is the source of 40000 e-messages to disturb the parliamentary and
municipal elections
Director-General of Anti-corruption and Economic and
Electronic Security announced on Saturday that the investigation into
false messages sent to citizens telling them their names aren't included
in the list of voters and the monitoring of social media resulted to
identifying the numbers of some of the senders and those standing behind
them.
The crime was committed by individuals in Bahrain and
Iran, in which they hacked a number of servers to carry their illegal act, in
which legal procedures are being taken to refer the case to the Public
Prosecution.
He said that the investigation also revealed that Iran
was the source for 40000 e-messages to disturb the parliamentary and municipal
elections.
24
November 2018
PMOI/MEK
network setting fire to regime icons
Members of “Resistance Units” inside Iran, affiliated to
the Iranian opposition People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK)
are continuing and increasing their anti-regime activities by setting fire to
images of regime icons.
Members of Resistance Unit 350 in Birjand, northeast
Iran, set fire to an image of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Thursday.
Members of another resistance unit set fire to a large
billboard with the image of regime founder Khomeini. The resistance unit
members also left a sign at the spot reading, “Death to Khamenei, Hail to
Rajavi.”
Iranian opposition President Maryam Rajavi had
emphasized in her June 30 speech at
the opposition convention in Paris:
“Since the January uprising, the tip of the volcano of
change and the regime’s overthrow in Iran has emerged. The triumph of Iran’s
democratic revolution, without the sheikh (mullahs) and the Shah, are now
looming on the horizon. Through their uprisings and relying on resistance
units, the Iranian people are employing the leverage they need to topple this
regime”.
How and
where can we see these signs?
First, owing to the presence of the Resistance movement,
the charade billed as the existence of a “solution” within the religious
fascism has become null and void. The rebellious population and youth have
rejected both factions of the regime. These are the same fearless youth who
have chosen the path of fighting on, going on the maximum offensive, and waging
resistance regardless of the cost.
The second sign that the era of the regime’s overthrow
has arrived is that for the past six months the Iranian people have waged an
uprising and a protest movement despite the imposition of maximum suppression,
despite the so-called “suicides” of the detainees in the mullahs’ prisons and
despite daily arrests and executions designed to intimidate the public.
The third sign of the inevitable overthrow of the ruling
religious fascism is that social tensions and economic crises, especially high
prices, unemployment, poverty, and inequality have reached a critical mass.
The fourth sign of the phase of the regime’s overthrow is
that internationally, the mullahs have lost the most important backer of the
policy of appeasement, namely the United States.
The fifth and most important indication that the mullahs’
regime has entered the era of being overthrown is that the very development the
mullahs have feared the most is now a reality: that is, the link and
relationship between the fury of the deprived and oppressed on the one hand and
the organized Resistance movement on the other. All regime leaders and junior
and senior officials have repeatedly confessed to this fact. This is their way
of admitting that the regime’s rule is nearing its end.
Indeed, the regime is on the brink of being overthrown.
24
November 2018
Why
is sanctioning Iran’s banking sector a top priority?
On November 5 of this year, the United States re-imposed
sanctions against Iran. This involved many moving parts within the United
States’ government and in other governments around the world but importantly,
it involved US sanctions against Iran’s banking sector. The US Treasury
Department stated: “In its largest ever single-day action targeting the Iranian
regime, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control
(OFAC) sanctioned more than 700 individuals, entities, aircraft, and vessels.”
Treasury Undersecretary Sigal Mandelker stated: “As the
Iranian people suffer from fiscal mismanagement and a plummeting rial, the
Iranian regime abuses the country’s banking system to enrich its elite and
finance repressive state institutions.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – Qods Force and
other destabilizing entities leverage their access to the global financial
system to fund proxies fighting in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, subsidize the
proliferation of WMD or their means of delivery, and arm those who abuse the
human rights of Iranian citizens.
This action is aimed at cutting off Iranian banks that
facilitate Iran’s domestic repression and foreign adventurism from the
international financial system, and will highlight for the world the true
nature of the regime’s abuse of its domestic banking system.”
Bank Melli is closely involved in funding both the
domestic crackdown in Iran and its activities outside of Iran by the IRGC. Many
of the IRGC’s activities facilitated by Bank Melli include oil and drug
smuggling, extortion, arms sales and an assortment of other profitable
terrorist activities
Importance
of banking sector
Clearly, the banking sector is a top priority of the
sanctions. Two of OFAC’s banking designations are notable: The Ghadir
Investment Company and Bank Melli. Treasury’s action against Iran’s banking
sector additionally includes the designation of dozens of other Iranian banks
and their foreign and domestic subsidiaries.
The Ghadir Investment Company and ninety-two of its
subsidiary institutions, was previously identified by OFAC because of its
association with the “Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order” (EIKO). EIKO, also
known as the Executive Headquarters of Imam’s Directive, is an official,
state-managed organization in the Islamic Republic of Iran under direct control
of the Supreme Leader of Iran.
EIKO was created by Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini. In
1983 in a two paragraph memo, Khomeini ordered three of his aides to take care
of and distribute “abandoned” property to charity. This “abandoned” property
was that which was confiscated in the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Over the years, EIKO has grown into a major center of economic power in Iran.
According to Reuters in 2013, EIKO’s holdings include large amounts of real
estate and thirty-seven companies, covering nearly every sector of Iranian
industry, including finance, oil, and telecommunications.
While its accounts are secret even to the Iranian
parliament, that same 2013 estimate by Reuters news agency put the total value
of the organization’s holdings at $95 billion which are made up of about $52
billion in real estate and $43 billion in corporate holdings – unbelievably
successful for a two paragraph memo ordering charitable distribution.
The Ghadir Investment Company proper was established in
1991 in Iran. Its activities are managing or restructuring Iranian companies.
The Ghadir Investment Company is one of the biggest holding investment
companies on the Tehran Stock Exchange with a market capitalization of over 97
trillion Iranian rials as of 2017. By 2017, the Ghadir Investment Company had
more than 130 subsidiaries, and profits surpassing 12 trillion rials.
Coupled with the captured wealth of Iranian exiles, the
Ghadir Investment Company is a clear leader in the financing and structuring of
Iranian activities concerning both internal nuclear and ballistic missile
development capabilities as well as the terrorist activities of the IRGC
domestically and abroad.
Top
banks sanctioned
According to OFAC, Bank Melli is designated for sanctions
for assisting in, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or
technological support for, or financial or other services to or in support of,
the IRGC-QF and Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics.
Bank Melli Iran also known as “BMI” and the “National
Bank of Iran,” is generally considered the first national and commercial retail
bank of Iran and is also the largest Iranian company in terms of annual income.
Further, Bank Melli is the largest bank in the “Islamic world” and in the
Middle East. BMI has thousands of branches inside Iran and fourteen active
branches abroad. Bank Melli’s link to Iran’s financial support for
international terrorism is at the heart of its designation.
According to the Treasury Department, “The Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has used Bank Melli to dispense funds to Iraqi
Shia militant groups and Bank Melli’s presence in Iraq was part of this scheme.
Since the mid-2000s, Bank Melli increasingly provided services to Iranian
military-related entities as they became further involved in all aspects of the
Iranian economy. Bank Melli has enabled the IRGC and its affiliates to move
funds inside and outside of Iran.”
Bank Melli is closely involved in funding both the
domestic crackdown in Iran and its activities outside of Iran by the IRGC. Many
of the IRGC’s activities facilitated by Bank Melli include oil and drug
smuggling, extortion, arms sales and an assortment of other profitable
terrorist activities. The success of these activities supports the flagging
Iranian economy and also provides a return to Bank.
OFAC’s actions against these two institutions and
hundreds of other institutions are designed to both: 1) disrupt the Iranian
regime’s ability to fund its broad range of malign activities; and 2) to place
pressure the Iranian regime to negotiate a deal that will permanently prevent
Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and cease Iran’s development of ballistic
missiles.
24
November 2018
Compulsory
veil, the state-sponsored most common VAW (Violence Against Women) in Iran
The most common form of violence against women in Iran is
the state-sponsored measures to impose the compulsory veil.
Dozens of video clips were posted on the social media
over the past year, revealing the savagery of the so-called guidance patrols in
dealing with Iranian women on the streets and parks.
A report published in summer by the research center of
the mullahs’ parliament (Majlis) indicated that some 70% of Iranian women do
not believe in the compulsory dress-code, namely the head-to-toe black veil
or Chador,
imposed by the regime. They are among the “improperly veiled” and protest the
compulsory veil.
The report confirms that Iranian women observe the veil
only through coercion and harsh restrictions.
As the center puts it, more than 85% of the “improperly
veiled” do not believe in the value of Chador and do not approve of government
intervention to control this issue. The research indicated that young educated
women residing in large cities and metropolises, have the strongest resistance
against the compulsory
veil.
This is why the regime has a hard time imposing the veil
on Iranian women. They spend exorbitant sums of money to pay for 26 government
and state agencies as well as 301 associations are in
charge of enforcing the veil and monitoring Iranian women’s observance of the
compulsory veiling.
This year saw some
of the most horrific scenes of the regime’s suppressive forces confronting
women on the streets.
Maryam
Shariatmadari, 32, a student of Computer Sciences at
Tehran’s Amir Kabir University, was pushed off a telecoms box by a State
Security Force officer and hurt in the knee on February 23, 2018, when she was
protesting the compulsory veiling by removing her shawl.
On April 18, 2018, at least four Guidance Patrols attacked
four young women in a park, beating and shoving them around for improper
veiling. One of the young women suffered from a heart condition and went
unconscious as a result of the beatings. The video clip on this incident
rapidly went viral and raised public outrage in Iran and around the world.
The outcry, however, fell on deaf ears and the regime
went on to praise the female patrol guard involved in the case. Hossein Rahimi,
Tehran's Chief of Police, declared, “We powerfully defend our agents.”
In a meeting with the parliamentary committee on National
Security and Foreign Policy on April 30, 2018, Commander of the State Security
Force, Hossein Ashtari, announced that the officer involved had been granted a
plaque and honoured at the SSF command headquarters only two days after the
incident.
Finally in November, the Prosecutor of the Armed Forces’
Judiciary Organization turned down the complaint filed by two of the victims,
saying their evidence was not sufficient.
There have been a number of other video clips last year substantiating the violent treatment of women on
the streets by
the guidance patrols,
bringing to life the horror Iranian women have to experience round the clock.
The SSF Commander, Hossein Ashtari, announced in
September 2016 that, “Some 2000 women who wear improper clothing are arrested
every day in Tehran and some other provinces.”
This amounts to 730,000 arrests in a year, a
minimized figure both due to lack of transparency on the part of the regime,
and the increase in suppression of women in 2017 and 2018 compared to 2016.
An MP confessed that there are long-lasting psychological
consequences for women who are dealt with by the Guidance Patrol. In a
gathering on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against
Women, Parvaneh Salahshouri admitted, “The anxiety and fear caused by the Guidance
Patrol affects some young women and girls for long years, leaving undesirable
psychological consequences. As an MP, I have seen cases when the girl’s cover
was not that bad but such unprincipled approaches have caused psychological
problems for the person which has led to other ailments.”
The Women’s Committee of the National Council of
Resistance of Iran condemns any form of attack, brutalizing or hurting
the women who oppose the
compulsory veil. The Women’s Committee has also called for the immediate
release of all women who have been arrested and imprisoned
for improper veiling or removing their veil, and for protesting and opposing
the compulsory veil and considers imprisonment verdicts for protesters against
the compulsory veil as unjust.
Read the Women’s Committee’s annual study of violence
against women in Iran in the documents section, “Drastic rise in
violence against women in Iran,” November 2018.
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