Amnesty International : Sanaz Allahyari (f), Nasim Roshana’i (f), Maryam Sheikh (f), Amir Hossein Mohammadi-Far (m), all students

Amnesty International :
Urgent Action : Sanaz Allahyari (f), Nasim Roshana’i (f), Maryam Sheikh (f), Amir Hossein Mohammadi-Far (m), all students

The four students named above, and possibly others, affiliated to the students’ rights body, Students for Freedom and Equality (Daneshjouyan-e Azadi Khah va Beraber Talab), were arrested on 01 March and have reportedly been transferred to Evin prison. Amnesty International fears that they are at risk of torture or other ill-treatment while in detention.
They may have been detained in connection with a demonstration held on 23 February, at Amir Kabir University to protest against the government burying the remains of soldiers killed during the Iran-Iraq war between 1980 and 1988 on university campuses.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Since December there have been waves of arbitrary arrests and harassment of students, particularly directed against members of Iran's religious and ethnic minorities, trade unionists and women's rights activists. These measures may in part be intended to stifle debate and to silence critics of the authorities in advance of the forthcoming presidential election in June 2009.

More than 70 students were detained on 23 February during a peaceful demonstration held by students at Tehran’s Amir Kabir University in protest at the government’s burial on campus of soldiers’ remains

Many of the student temporarily detained during the demonstration were reportedly ill-treated. Others were taken to Police Station 107 at Palestine Square where there were also reports that students were ill-treated. Female students were said to have been insulted by police officers. Most of those arrested were released by the following morning although, more arrests of students were made in the days following the demonstration, including Abbas Hakimzadeh, Mehdi Mashayekhi, Nariman Mostafavi and Ahmad Qasaban, members of the Islamic Students Association (ISA) of Amir Kabir University.

The burial of the unknown soldiers on the university campus has widely been seen as a move by the government to seek to control student groups opposed to its policies. Burial of soldiers, called martyrs on account of their sacrifice in fighting against Iraqi forces, appears to enable non-students to enter the campus without being required to show evidence that they are students, a normal requirement for access to university premises. Students groups fear that the presence of the graves would allow unrestricted access to the campuses by security forces, including the Basij mobilization forces who are under the control of the Revolutionary Guards and would lead to further restrictions on debates and discussions relating to government policy.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Persian, English or your own language:
- calling on the authorities to ensure that Sanaz Allahyari, Nasim Roshana’I, Maryam Sheikh and Amir Hossein Mohammadi-Far are protected against torture or other ill-treatment and are allowed immediate access to their family, legal representation and any medical attention that they may require;
- seeking specific details of the reasons for their arrest and any charges they may be facing;
- noting that if any of the students are held solely on account of the peaceful expression of their views or the exercise of their right to freedom of assembly, then they are prisoners of conscience, and should be released immediately and unconditionally;

APPEALS TO:
Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh / Office of the Head of the Judiciary
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhouri
Tehran 1316814737, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: shahroudi@dadgostary-tehran.ir (In the subject line write: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Salutation: Your Excellency

Head of Judiciary for Tehran province
Ali Reza Avaie
Tehran Judiciary
No. 152, corner of 17th Alley, before Shahid Motahhari Avenue
Sanaei Avenue, Karimkhan Zand Avenue
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: avaei@dadgostary-tehran.ir, info@dadgostary-tehran.ir
Fax: +98 21 8832 6700 (unreliable, please try three times before trying an alternative method)
Salutation: Dear Sir

Director, Human Rights Headquarters of Iran
Mohammad Javad Larijani
Howzeh Riassat-e Ghoveh Ghazaiyeh (Office of the Head of the Judiciary)
Pasteur St, Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhuri, Tehran 1316814737, Iran
Fax: +98 21 3390 4986 (please keep trying)
Email: info@dadgostary-tehran.ir (In the subject line write: FAO Javid Larijani)
Salutation:Dear Mr Larijani

Ambassade de la République islamique d’Iran
Avenue Franklin Roosevelt 15
1050 Bruxelles
Fax : 02.762.39.15
Email : secretariat@iranembassy.be
http://www.amnestyusa.org/actioncenter/actions/uaa06009.pdf?rss=actions

Unawareness of the situation of Amin Ghazaei, the Leftist university student activist.

From 5 days ago, that is to say after the forces of regime attacked Amin Ghazaei`s home and arrested Amir Hussein Mohammadi far, Sanaz Allahyari, Maryam Sheikh and Nasim Roshanaei, There is still no news about Amin Ghazaei, the Leftist University Student Activist. According to the on hand proofs and the news received from one of his comrades, he has been threatened to death by the forces of regime. It seems that, Amin Ghazaei is being followed from Sunday and the forces of regime severely want to find him.
In the meantime his friends and his family are so worried about his situation .

Agents Attacked Amin Ghaza'ee's Residence and Arrested 4 «FESS» Students

In an attack to Amin Ghaza’ee’s home, this morning, Sunday, March 1, 09, government agents arrested 4 student activists Amir Hoesein MohamadiFar, Sanaz Allahiari, Maryam Sheikh, Nasim Rashana’ee. All four have been taken to an un-known place and there is no news of their whereabouts yet. The reason for the crackdown was to arrest Amin Ghaza’ee, well-known essayist/translator, and the master mind of the intellectual freedom and equality-seeking students of Iran. Amin Ghaza’ee managed to escape and at present he is hiding without a trace. There is no news where he might be but the government agents are sifting Tehran’s neighbourhoods to catch him. Iranian activists, along with the new age intellectuals who are writing the literature today, are terrified by the news. Amin Ghaza’ee was released last year on bail. The rest of his colleagues who are still in jail have got capital punishment. He will have the same verdict if he is caught this time.

We are asking the international believers and activists of human rights to raise awareness regarding his case, and to find ways to assist him into freedom.

release our comrades

Alireza Davoudi ( the spokesman of Freedom and Equality Seeker Students of Isfahan) has been arrested too

According to the latest news, some hours ago, Alireza Davoudi, one of the Freedom and Equality seeker students of Iran has been arrested by Intelligence ministry officers of Iran regime too. They attacked him in his home and arrested and transferred him to an unknown place. They also inspected his home and confiscated some of his books and his personal belongings. There is no news about his current situation and where he has been transferred

Mohammad pour Abdullah has been arrested again

Today 7 in the morning, the intelligence ministry officers of Iran regime, attacked Mohammad pour Abdullah (one of the Freedom and Equality Seeker Students of Iran) at his home and transferred him to Evin Jail. There is no news about his safety situation. The so called officers inspected his home and confiscated most of his books and his personal belongings. It happened whereas he had to be brought to court on 21st of February about his arrest in the last year. Also, the intelligence ministry officers of Iran regime have menaced the other Freedom and Equality Seeker Students of Iran to arrest. Mohammad pour Abdullah had been arrested last year on 14th of January.

Lors des cérémonies de commémoration de "la journée de l'étudiant" (Héritage des luttes estudiantines contre le régime monarchique du Shah), ainsi que la "rencontre des étudiants avec le président de l'assemblée" les étudiants de l'université de Shiraz dans un rassemblement très large ont mis en avant d'une seule voix deux thématiques : les libertés universitaires et les libertés sociales.

Chose rarissime ces dernières années, ces rassemblements furent marqués par une nette opposition au régime théocratique en place et permirent de déplacer le débats des habituels slogans modérés.
Mais cette radicalisation eut comme revers immédiat la mise en route de la machine oppressive et répressive du régime Islamique. En effet une quarantaine d'étudiants ont été convoqués en commission disciplinaire, suivis d'exclusions universitaires définitives et de mesures d'éloignement.

Les Basijs universitaires (Milice Islamique sous le contrôle direct du Guide spirituel, l’Ayatollah Ali Khamenei) ont organisé des grèves de la faim et des mouvements de protestations dans la mosquée de l'Université de Shiraz, en vue d’obtenir l'ouverture d’une enquête judiciaire contre les étudiants protestataires. Le ministère du renseignement a, quant à lui, ouvert une enquête pour savoir quel sont les groupes ou pays étrangers qui tirent les ficelles de ces mouvements étudiants, pour ainsi mettre en cause leur indépendance.

Nous, jeunes Iraniens, étudiants, activistes politiques et associatifs, militants de gauche et réfugiés politiques vivant en Europe, nous réunirons simultanément le Mercredi 14 Janvier devant les différentes instances représentants la république islamique et devant les universités dans nos villes d'accueils, en signe de solidarité avec le mouvement progressiste étudiant, et en particulier nos compagnons de l'université de Shiraz. Ainsi nous voulons déclarer avec eux notre haine et opposition face a cette répression théocratique que subit notre peuple.
Nous vous invitons à nous rejoindre en participant a ces rassemblements, en nous apportant votre soutien dans nos actions.

Collectif des jeunes Iraniens Libres - Paris
Comité des étudiants - Belgique
Kanoun 67 - Allemagne

Police Attack Shiraz University Seminar after Days of Student Protests

On March 11, Iranian authorities released four students detained on the previous Sunday during the violent police attack. The detainees were held at the Intelligence Ministry’s detention center in Shiraz. Special Forces beat the students as they detained them, but during the detention they were not subjected to physical abuse.

Intelligence agents held the detainees in solitary confinement throughout the detention period. Twenty-four hours after their detention, the authorities formally charged the students with “acting against national security,” and “holding an assembly against the system.” During their detention, the detainees were deprived of any contact with their families and lawyers. Two hours before their release, officials contacted their families and asked them to post bail. The students continued their protest on Tuesday, March 11, which was the last day before universities closed for the coming New Year holidays on March 20.

UPDATE: (March 10, 2008) On Monday morning, more than 500 students at Shiraz University’s College of Medicine held a sit-in to protest the detention of eight of their colleagues on Sunday. BY Monday noon, the authorities released four of the detainees, Saadat Dolfani, Ali Hasani, Mojtaba Vakili, and Mohsen Fakhri who promptly joined the protest. The former detainees said they had been beaten and ill-treated during their detention. The authorities have not provided any information about the fate of the other four detainees.

Seven other students who reported to summonses were also detained. These students were detained last Thursday for a day, because of their participation in student protests. As of Monday evening they were still in custody. A total of 11 students remain in detention.

(March 10, 2008) Special Forces of the police violently attacked a planned seminar by university students in Shiraz and prevented organizers from holding the event on Sunday, March 9, 2008. They detained eight students.

The Islamic Students Association of Shiraz University and College of Medicine planned to hold the seminar to honor Nationalization of Oil Day. The authorities had issued a permit for the event and a number of notable invited speakers such as Davood Hermidas Bavand, Abdolali Bazargan, and Hasan Yusufi Eshkevari were due to speak.

“This is a flagrant violation of freedom of assembly. How can the Iranian authorities justify this violent action when they had issued a permit for the seminar? The police acted outside of the law and the perpetrators must be held accountable,” the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said.

Eyewitnesses told the Campaign that fully armed members of the Special Forces entered the seminar Hall on Neshat Street in Shiraz. They prevented speakers and audience members from entering the hall. Inside the hall, they beat the student organizers and detained six of them: Masood Kheirati, Mehdi Amirian, Saadat Dolfani, Ali Hasani, Mojtaba Vakili, and Mohsen Fakhri.

Two other students, Mohammad Mehdi Ahmadi and Nader Dinari, later approached the police forces to inquire about the detainees, and were also detained.

The police attack on Sunday follows two weeks of tensions at Shiraz University. Thousands of students held a sit-in from February 23 to March 5, 2008, to protest the university administration’s policies including interference in student elections. The sit-in is due to continue on Monday, March 10, if the students’ demands are not met. The students are also calling for resignation of the university chancellor, Mohammad Hadi Sadeghi, and for an end to what they describe as “the garrison mentality ruling student life on campus.”

The authorities detained 12 student leaders after they responded to summonses on March 6. After 20 hours of detention, the authorities released the students on bail, demanding they return on Monday, March 10. During the detention, officials exerted pressure on detainees to sign guarantees to call off the sit-in. The detainees refused to make any commitments. The names of nine of the detained students are: Kazim Rezaii, Abbas Rahmati, Hadi Asgari, Esmael Jalilvand, Loghman Modiri, Hamid Jonati, Mohsen Goharinia, Mojtaba Bakhshandeh, and Saeed Kooshki. The other two detained students did not wish to release their names.

The Campaign believes the violent attack on Sunday is designed to intimidate students from continuing their peaceful sit- in. The Campaign called on the Iranian government to respect freedom of assembly according to its international obligations.

The student protests erupted after months of harassment and interference by university officials in student elections. Last December, the administrators disqualified 108 student candidates for the Student Council. The Ninth Branch of the Revolutionary Court in Shiraz summoned editors of four student publications: Sahar Yazdani, managing editor of Ghasedak; Nahid Afrasiabi, managing editor of Rahgozar; Esmail Jalilvand, managing editor of Osyan; and Hamdollah Namjoo, managing editor of Matn. The mayor’s office in Shiraz and the Intelligence Ministry acted as plaintiffs in the case. The court prosecuted the students under the charge of “propaganda against the system.” It has not yet issued a ruling.

The University Disciplinary Committee also summoned the above four student editors on January 22, 2008. It summoned two other students, Iran Amani, managing editor of Khodam Boodam; and Mohammad Mehdi Ahmadi, managing editor of Seda in early February. Both students were barred from continuing their education for a period of six months.

The university administrators are also refusing to allow the current Student Council to finish its term in April. They have instead installed a parallel Council in its place.

The demands put forth by students are all related to university policies. The demands include: holding new elections for Student Council; ending restrictions in women’s dormitories and providing them with proper accommodations; hiring qualified professors; ending prosecutions of students in relation with the sit-in; and the resignation of the university chancellor for creating “a garrison atmosphere on campus.”

According to residents of Shiraz, the local population has expressed its strong support for the students’ demands. Several local residents told the Campaign that intelligence agents called at least 50 students’ parents, threatening them with further actions if they don’t prevent their children from participating in the sit-in. During the nine days of protests, as many as 3,000 students joined the sit-in on a daily basis.