Iran hangs two men: report
Iran on Friday hanged two convicted drug traffickers in a prison in the western city of Borujerd, the official IRNA news agency reported.
The report identified the pair as Abdollah Derafshi and Ardeshir Niazi, convicted of 'carrying and keeping 4.99 kilos (11 pounds) of crack (cocaine)’.
‘Due to the amendment to the law of combatting drug trafficking, all persons convicted of distributing traditional and synthetic narcotic drugs, including crack, of more than 30 grammes (one ounce) will be sentenced to death,' IRNA quoted Borujerd's justice department head Mohammad Sadeq Akbari as saying. (AFP – Jan. 7, 2011)
Political prisoner and father of Ashraf resident on verge of execution
According to reports, the case of death row political prisoner Jafar Kazemi was referred to the Revolutionary Court’s Sentence Implementation Unit and his death sentence is on the verge of being carried out.
There were reports in the past few days that Jafar Kazemi’s death sentence was upheld which seriously worried his family. His family went to various organizations including the Supreme Court, the Revolutionary Court’s Sentence Implementation Unit, the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office and the Security Unit of the Evin Prison Revolutionary Court.
They were constantly referred to other places and officials refused to answer their questions. When they went to see the Tehran Prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolat Abadi to ask about Jafar Kazemi’s case, the prosecutor refused to see them and referred them to the Security Court in Evin Prison that told them that Kazemi’s case had been referred to the Sentence Implementation Unit and that they were waiting on orders to carry out the sentence.
In addition to death row political prisoner Jafar Kazemi, there are a number of other political prisoners who have been sentenced to death including jailed teacher Abdolreza Qanbari, Mohammad-Ali Haj Aqayi, Mohsen Daneshpour, Ahmad Daneshpour, Javad Lari and Farah Vazehan.
Notably, Jafar Kazemi was arrested on September 18, 2009 after an attack by intelligence agents and was transferred to cellblock 209 in Evin Prison where he was kept in a solitary cell under severe physical and mental torture for more than 74 days. He was then transferred to cellblock 350 in Evin Prison. Kazemi was a political prisoner in the 80’s and was jailed from 1981 to 1990 and subjected to brutal torture. (Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran)
Lives of five jailed students in danger
After the suspicious burnt Quran incident in Yasouj University on December 5, four students in this university who were arrested after this incident are still in detention.
On December 5, one day before Student Day ceremonies, a number of burnt Qurans were distributed in student dormitories which led to severe security measures in the Yasouj University.
There are no reports on the elements behind this suspicious measure and only a number of innocent students were arrested to satisfy public opinion…
One month after this incident, the detained students are still under severe mental and physical torture in Intelligence Agency Detention Centers. Security and judicial institutions have said that they are not informed about the whereabouts of these students when asked by their families about their whereabouts and security forces even arrested the family members of the one of the detainees after they protested and there is still no information on their whereabouts. There are speculations that the detainees were transferred to the Central Intelligence Agency in Tehran. The names of the detained students are Marjan Alizadeh (f), Maryam Baziar (f), Sara Rahimi (f), Sahar Zeidouni (f) and Alipour. (Daneshju News – Jan. 5, 2011)
Prisoner attempts suicide in Karaj prison because of intolerable prison conditions
According to reports, on Wednesday January 5, at about midnight, a young prisoner identified as Esa Shojayi, 26, attempted suicide to escape the torture and intolerable conditions in the solitary cells in cellblock 1 in Gohardasht Prison known as the ‘doghouse’.
The young man who hanged himself was saved by political prisoners in the last moments before his death. Political prisoners cried out for help and transferred him to the prison infirmary. There is still no news on the condition of this prisoner.
Prisoners in this prison are constantly attempting suicide, which has resulted to several deaths, to escape the torture and brutality. (Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran – Jan. 6, 2011)
Netherlands seeks clarity on Iran death sentence report
The Netherlands sought "clarification" from Tehran Wednesday on the plight of a Dutch-Iranian woman reportedly sentenced to death there.
"I am extremely concerned about the situation with Sahra Bahrami and have asked the Iranian authorities to provide immediate clarification about these worrying reports," Dutch Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal said in a statement.
"We insist on information, the possibility to provide her with consular assistance, and a fair course of justice," the statement said.
Bahrami, 46, has been imprisoned in Iran since December 2009.
The Iranian-born, naturalised Dutch citizen was reportedly arrested after taking part in a protest against the Iranian government while visiting relatives there.
The Netherlands claims Iran has refused the Dutch embassy access to the prisoner as it does not recognise her dual nationality.
Dutch broadcaster Radio Netherlands Worldwide reported on Wednesday that Bahrami had been found guilty of drug smuggling and sentenced to death by a court in Tehran.
It cited her daughter, Banafsheh Najebpour, who said the ruling was delivered on Sunday.
According to the broadcaster, Bahrami is awaiting trial in a second capital case in which she is accused of membership of an armed opposition group. (AFP – Jan. 5, 2011)
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