hriran

The Guardian - Activists held and campaigners targeted as elections near

The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran - Several Mahabad citizens arrested in February have been released on bail from Mahabad Prison over the past several weeks, a local source told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. Two detainees, Farough Samani and his cousin Reza Samani, however, remain in “temporary detention” in a state of limbo. Another Kurdish citizen, Khedr Rasoul Morovat, remains in the custody of security forces 70 days after his arrest.

Reporters without Borders - Reporters Without Borders condemns the reinforcement of Iran’s system of Internet filtering and blocking. Use of the leading VPN censorship circumvention tools such as Kerio and OpenVPN has been blocked since 4 May, making it very difficult for Iranians to access an unfiltered Internet.

The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran - Haj Ali Chilan, 103, is currently serving an eight-year prison term at Maku Prison on charges of “cooperating with PJAK [Party of Free Life of Kurdistan],” a local source told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. Chilan, from Zolka Village near Maku, is in dire physical condition as a result of old age and loss of vision, according to the source.

HRANA News Agency – Hassan Sadeghi Khorramdashti and Fatemeh Mosanna with their 17 years old son Nima Sadehi have arrested on January 29, 2013 by security forces but still are in solitaire confinement for more than three months.

Justice for Iran -  May 5, 2013 | Justice for Iran has nominated Houtan Kian, an imprisoned Iranian attorney for a 2013 award presented by Lawyers for Lawyers, a Dutch organization with the aim to help lawyers in danger around the world.This courageous lawyer, whose most recent client was Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, is reportedly banned from prison visits and receiving money through any means, including his personal bank account. A former prison mate of Mr. Kian’s told JFI: “Prisoners are issued a bank card that their family members are supposed to deposit money into it. Prisoners are then able to use the money to purchase items from the prison store. This bank card seems to be the only means for a prisoner to receive money. Without the ability to purchase items at the prison store living conditions become almost intolerable because the quality of the daily food given to prisoners is bad and frui ts are not included in their diet. Houtan Kian has been deprived of his right of obtaining a bank card, which means he has no means of affording items at the prison store…He is unable to buy even one apple. Overall, Houtan Kian is deprived of [multiple] rights, including being deprived of prison visits, phone calls, and from talking to other prisoners.”

Radio Zamaneh - Reports from Iran indicate that proxies are no longer effective for Iranian internet users to circumvent web censorship.

Roozonline - New Ways Sought to Implement the Death Penalty

The controversial “Islamic Punishment” law that was rejected by the Guardians Council returned and eventually was passed last week. To the disappointment of human rights activists and the promises of some Majlis representatives, not only stoning is not negated in the law, it is in fact emphasized.