Blogger Mahdi Khazali arrested 'violently'

created 01/09/2012 - 20:33

GVF — Security forces have arrested dissident Iranian blogger, publisher and physician Mahdi Khazali, according to reports.

Khazali, the son of the hard-line member of the Assembly of Experts Ayatollah Abolghasem Khazali, was arrested by security forces on Monday.

Khazali's wife described his arrest as “violent.”

Speaking to the BBC’s Persian service, she said her husband had been arrested right after leaving his workplace and was then taken to Iran’s notorious Evin Prison. “I don’t know how long these men had been ambushing him, but the moment he exited his office, they [the security forces] attacked him and injured his arm, teeth and other areas of his body,” she explained.

According to Khazali’s wife, the security forces presented an expired judicial summons while making the arrest.

Khazali, best known for the anti-government views he regularly published on his weblog, has been imprisoned a number of times in the past two years. His most recent arrest came in July 2011 when he was held in Evin for 27 days.

In strike contrast to his son’s critical views, Ayatollah Khazali is seen as a staunch supporter of Iran’s ruling elite, especially the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He has so far openly distanced himself from his son’s positions.

Three Baha’i Citizens Arrested in Semnan

Baha’i citizen Erfan Ehsani has been arrested by the Intelligence agents and without a warrant.

According to the Human Rights House of Iran, he had been summoned several times recently and his request for a written warrant was followed by threats to him and his family.

Moreover, Edalat Firouzian and Faramarz Firouzian were arrested by security forces. They were transferred to an unknown location after their residence was searched.

Kamran Rahimian Transferred to Rajaei Shahr Prison

This afternoon, Kamran Rahimian, a Baha’I citizen, was transferred to Rajai-Shahr prison in Karaj.

Acccording to ”Human Rights House of Iran”, Kamran Rahimian’s court hearing was held today but the results have not yet been announced. He was then transferred to the Rajai-Shahr prison.

On September 13, Kamran Rahimian was arrested together with his wife Faran Hesami, his brother Keyva Rahimian, and Shakib Nasrollah, all of whom are psychology instructors at the Baha’I Institute for Higher Education.

This has left the infant child of Kamran Rahimian and Faran Hesami in an uncertain condition, during this period.

Massive Raid by Intelligence Agents on Homes of Baha’i in Sanandaj

At 6 am on 19 December, officers  from the Ministry of Intelligence, carried out a systematic raid of the Baha’I homes in Sanandaj.

According to Human Rights House of Iran, the intelligence officers, who conducted simultaneous raids of several Baha’I homes in Sanandaj, after a massive search of these houses, went on to seize books, CDs, several laptop and desktop computers and many other personal items.

The news reports received by the Human Rights House of Iran further say that a number of intelligence officers had been armed during the raid and had clashes with the Baha’is of this city.

Baha’I Citizen Fakhreddin Samimi Released

 

6 , January , 2012

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Fakhruddin Samimi who had been sentenced to six-month in prison, was released on December 19.

Fakhruddin Samimi, a Baha’i citizen residing in Ghaemshahr who had been sentenced to six-month in prison, was released yesterday, December 19.

According to Human Rights House of Iran, Fakhreddin Samimi who had been sentenced to six-month in prison by the appeals court of Mazandaran province, was released after spending half of his term.
It should be noted that prior to this, he was arrested on 31 May 2010 and was released on 25 June of that year.

Journalist Fatemeh Kheradmand has been arrested

Journalist Fatemeh Kheradmand has been arrested

8 , January , 2012

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Journalist Fatemeh Kheradmand was arrested last night at her home and transferred to Evin prison.

Human Rights House of Iran _ She is the wife of journalist Massoud Lavasani, who was released from Evin prison on September 8th after enduring approximately two years behind bars.

According to Human Rights House of Iran, Iranian security agents, who introduced themselves as judicial agents, searched Kheradmand’s house before arresting her. During the inspection process at her home, the security agents confiscated Kheradmand’s personal items and computer. The reason for the arrest has not been announced.

Her husband Masoud Lavasani was arrested on September 26, 2009, and transferred to Evin prison. He was initially sentenced to eight and a half years in prison by the lower court, but the Appeals Court reduced the sentence to six years in prison. Eventually, the sentence was reduced to two years in prison. His sentence was issued by branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court, presided by Judge PirAbbasi.

Wife of political prisoner suffers stress-related miscarriage

GVF — The wife of political prisoner Bahman Sadeghi-Pour has suffered a miscarriage in the fifth month of her pregnancy.

According to opposition website Kaleme, Negar Shah-Pari, wife of jailed activist Bahman Sadeghi-Pour, has suffered a miscarriage. The website says the miscarriage was the outcome of “stress related to the imprisonment of her husband and her two brothers.”

Bahman Sadeghi-Pour is currently serving a four-year sentence for “propagating” against the regime, causing “public disorder” as well as “assembly and collusion.” He had reportedly requested furlough a number of times, but judicial officials denied his requests.

Negar’s brothers, Pourya and Daryoush, are also serving jail terms.

The activist is said to have plunged into a state of “depression” after learning of his wife’s miscarriage, the site added.