Iran: Farmers’ protest enters its third month

Demonstrations and sit-in of poor farmers of the cities and villages of East and West of Isfahan are continuing for the third month in protest to the deprivation of their water rights and the destruction of agriculture, which is the direct consequence of the plundering of the mullahs regime. Striking farmers, despite the cold weather, have staged sit-ins by parking tractors and agricultural machinery, and camping in the streets and intersections of cities and villages.

On November 25, farmers in the village of Qarnah, in the suburb of the city of Ziar, tried to prevent the transfer of water from their area to other areas by destroying some of the pipes. Subsequently, Special Guard mercenaries attacked farmers and injured a number of them by tear gas. Farmers chanted: Zayandeh Rood water is our absolute right; we die, we do not accept humiliation; the farmer is awake, he hates (empty) promise. On the same day, state security forces attacked the mosque in Qarnah, where farmers had staged their sit-in, and broke its glasses.

The strikers wrote on their banners: We want our water rights; Do not split our Zayandeh Rood; Is there any helper? Death with dignity is better than life with humiliation; Until when false promises?

The destruction of agriculture in the province of Isfahan and the role of the anti-people policies of the regime in this disaster are such that the officials of the regime inevitably acknowledge some portions of it. Hasan Kamran, a member of the regime's parliament from Isfahan, said that the Ministry of Energy has provided 1,592 million cubic meters of water to Isfahan Steel, Iron and Steel and military industries, acknowledging that the industry is using the water and the people are using waste water. “The law of water right goes back to 1964, and the Ministry of Energy had no legal right to change it and sell the water.” Referring to an increase of 55 million cubic meters of Zayandeh Rood reserves, he said, “Water right cannot be used for drinking and industry”. (State media - October 21, 2018).

He had said earlier: "For a decade, water right of the farmers of Isfahan has been plundered... We have lied to them for 10 years... On the one hand, the bank brings an arrest warrant because he (the farmer) was unable to pay his debt. On the other hand, we give his wheat money late, we don’t give him compensation, we steal his water right; who is stealing from him? the same Ministry of Energy" (Radio Farhang - April 10, 2018).

Nasser Mousavi Largani, another member of the regime’s parliament, said: "The farmers of Ghahderijan - their land has turned into desert. They do not have bread to eat. Likewise, the farmers of Pirbakon "

Ali Bakhtiar, another member of the regime’s parliament, said that 50-60 thousand heads of dairy cattle have now reached 30 thousand or less. Livestock is really disappearing ... 70-80% of poultry farms in the region are not used (Parliament News Agency - November 16).

The Iranian resistance salutes the farmers of Isfahan and emphasizes that as long as the corrupt and criminal regime of Velayat-e faqih is in power, the farmers, the workers and the working people have nothing but unemployment, poverty and hunger, and calls on all fellow citizens, especially the brave youth of the province, to express solidarity with the farmers and to support their just demands.

Iranian juvenile offender may be at risk of imminent execution

Juvenile offender Milad Azimi, may be at risk of execution for a crime he allegedly committed when he was 16.

Juvenile offender Milad Azimi, may be at risk of execution for a crime he allegedly committed when he was 16, according to the state-run daily newspaper Hamdeli.

Milad Azimi was held in a police station in the western province of Kermanshah for 15 days following his arrest in December 2011. During this time he is belived to have been tortured and otherwise ill-treated: this included being flogged to make him “confess” that he had stabbed the victim. He was denied access to a lawyer and was only allowed to see his family six days after his arrest, when he was taken to the Office of the Prosecutor.

He retracted his “confessions” before the prosecutor and during his trial, saying it had been extracted through torture. No investigation into his allegations of torture are known to have been carried out.

He was sentenced to death by Branch 3 of the Provincial Criminal Court of Kermanshah Province in May 2015 under the Islamic principle of “retribution-in-kind” (qesas) for his alleged involvement in a fatal stabbing during a fight among several young men in December 2013.

Milad Azimi subsequently requested a retrial based on the new juvenile sentencing guidelines in Iran’s 2013 Islamic Penal Code. In October 2015, concerns were raised that the Supreme Court had rejected the request.

He has denied to have inflicted the fatal stab wound. In its verdict, the court acknowledged that he had been under 18 at the time of the crime but said there was “no doubt about his mental growth and maturity and that he understood the nature of his crime and the dangers of using a knife”. His death sentence was upheld in August 2015 by Branch 17 of the Supreme Court.

Iran’s Islamic penal code allows the victim’s heir – walli-ye-dam – to personally execute the condemned under qisas (retribution) laws, in some cases even by pushing away the chair the convict is standing on. The same law also allows families to pardon the convict, often in exchange for a financial compensation known as diyah.

Azimi’s family were granted a chance until December 4, to obtain the required diyeh, amounting to 550 million tomans. They sold their house, gold and other precious items to help pay for the blood money but they could provide only 150 million tomans.

Amnesty International in an October 2015 statement, urged the Iranian authorities to halt any plans to execute Milad Azimi immediately, and to ensure that his death sentence is quashed and he is granted a retrial that complies with international fair trial standards, without recourse to the death penalty.

Strike and demonstration of Ahvaz Steel and Haft Tapeh Sugarcane Mill workers against oppression in Iran

Strike and demonstration of Ahvaz Steel and Haft Tapeh Sugarcane Mill workers

Strike and demonstration of Ahvaz Steel and Haft Tapeh Sugarcane Mill  workers against oppression of the clerical regime

On the morning of Tuesday, November 20, the strike and demonstration of the brave workers of Ahvaz Steel and Haft Tappeh Sugarcane mill continued.

Haft Tappeh Sugarcane workers rallied on the 16^th day of their strike in front of the regime's governorate in the city of Shush, protesting the arrest of their colleagues. They chanted on the march to the city market: “Imprisoned worker must be freed; We are workers of Steel, we stand together; Lest we accept humiliation”

In Ahvaz, steel workers rallied in front of the Governorate on the eleventh day of their strike, despite the presence of a variety of repressive forces. They chanted: “We, the steel workers, fight against oppression; unemployment, inflation, the plight of people; inflation, high prices, respond Rouhani; be alert citizens, we are workers not thugs; we stand, we die; we get our rights back”

Workers carried banners reading: “The workers are awake, they hate exploitation; worker, teacher, farmer, the hard-working driver, unity, unity!” They then marched toward the governorate while chanting slogans in support of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane workers.

In Tehran, a group of workers of various factories and workshops held a protest rally in the Revolution street, demanding resolution to their problems and dire livelihood conditions. The workers had banners on which they wrote: “Employment, livelihood, is our absolute right; wage increase is our absolute right” The workers then rallied in the street of Revolution in Tehran.

At the same time, a group of students from Tehran University gathered in the central campus of the university in solidarity with the workers of Haft Tappeh and in support of their demands. The students chanted: “From Haft Tappeh to Tehran, toilers are in prison; We are children of workers, we stand with them.”

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran

Human Rights Violation In Iran Condemned By The Third Committee Of The UNGA

Human rights violation in Iran condemned by the Third Committee of the UNGA

For 4 decades, the civilized world has monitored the human rights violations committed by the mullahs’ regime. There has not been a day without human rights abuses in Iran in that period. The Iranian and international human right activists, writers, and NGOs have never been ignorant of that.

The cases of human rights violation under the ruling mullahs include torture, rape, juvenile execution and of course torture and execution of political prisoners, dissidents and minorities, etc.

Being systematic is the remarkable characteristic of these inhuman actions. Accordingly, the UN General Assembly has paid special attention to the human rights abuses in Iran, issuing 65 resolutions in condemnation so far. The last one adopted was on Nov. 15, 2018.

Human rights violation in Iran condemned by the Third Committee of the UNGA

Following the human rights violations in Iran, the General Assembly has dedicated a special rapporteur to the situation of human rights in Iran from 1984.

The Iranian regime has refused to issue them the visa to enter the country except for one case.

The General Assembly’s Human Rights Committee adopted the resolution by a vote of 85-30, with 68 abstentions, after reviewing detailed reports filed by its special rapporteur. It is virtually certain to be approved by the 193-member world body next month.

In the resolution, the committee expressed its concern over the high number of executions, dire prison conditions, torture and arbitrary arrests in Iran.

Referring to the reports of the United Nations Secretary-General and the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights on Iran, the resolution states, that the Iranian government has increased suppression of protesters, journalists and social network users over the past year.

UN Special Rapporteur:  an upsurge in executions and suppression in Iran

The representative of the United States urged Iran to grant unrestricted access to the Special Rapporteur.  She condemned the crackdown on the nationwide protests voicing concern over the detention of 800 protestors.

November 15, 2018 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada The Honorable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, issued the following statement welcoming today’s adoption of the resolution on the situation of human rights in Iran in the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee, during the assembly’s 73rd session:

“The adoption of this UN resolution by countries from every region of the world sends a strong message to the Iranian regime that it must respect human rights.

“It also voices the support of Canada and the international community for the people of Iran in their struggle to enjoy the rights and freedoms to which they are entitled. Canada urges the Iranian regime to address the grave human rights concerns raised in this resolution.”

Foreign Policy CAN

✔@CanadaFP

Canada welcomes international community’s call for #Iran to meet #humanrights obligations. http://ow.ly/JKg630mDwmX 

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1:04 AM - Nov 16, 2018

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Considering the regime’s other crimes and repressive policies which the resolution fails to enumerate, including systematically assassinating opponents abroad, and depriving the people of Iran of their rights to decide their country’s fate, to enjoy the rule of law, to have access to fair trials, to have free access to information, and to form independent syndicates and unions for workers, students and government employees, it is safe to say that the Iranian regime is the most ruthless, aggressive violator of human rights in the world today.

“Condemning the systematic and gross violations of human rights by the theocratic regime ruling Iran, the UN resolution once again confirmed that the regime blatantly tramples upon the Iranian people’s most fundamental rights in all political, social and economic spheres,” said Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, in welcoming the 65th UN resolution condemning human rights abuses in Iran.

Maryam Rajavi reiterated, “The most vivid example of grave violations of human rights in Iran is the 1988 massacre of political prisoners perpetrated by the regime’s key institutions and leaders, who are still in power, still defend this crime, and remain immune from punishment.

The world community faces a monumental test in investigating and prosecuting those responsible for this great crime against humanity.”

Maryam Rajavi

✔@Maryam_Rajavi

The adoption of the 65th UN resolution, condemning #HumanRights abuses in #Iran, once again confirms that the regime blatantly tramples upon the Iranian people’s most fundamental rights in all political, social and economic spheres.

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Maryam Rajavi

✔@Maryam_Rajavi

#Iran’s ruling theocracy must be isolated by the world community, its dossiers referred to the UN Security Council, and its leaders face justice for crimes against humanity#HumanRightshttps://www.maryam-rajavi.com/en/item/maryam-rajavi-iran-ruling-theocracy-world-community-un-security-council-justice-crimes-against-humanity … …

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The world community must refer to the dossiers of the regime’s crimes to the UN Security Council and recognize the right of the people of Iran to resist against so inhuman a regime.

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UN Special Rapporteur: An Upsurge In Executions And Suppression In Iran

UN Special Rapporteur: an upsurge in executions and suppression in Iran

In his recent report, Mr. Javid Rehman, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran, criticized the increase in executions and suppression inside the country.

Abolish Sentencing Children to Death in Iran – UN Special Rapporteur (Press Conference)

On Oct 24, 2018, in a press conference held after the UN session, the UN Special Rapporteur expressed his concern about the huge number of prisoners in Iran, including:

• Environmental activists, who are facing the death penalty charged with “corruption on earth”.
• Women, who are arrested for protesting against the compulsory hijab.
• At least 8,000 people who were arrested during the January protests, and are threatened with the death penalty.

The UN special rapporteur advised that the UN continue to monitor the ever increasing protests in Iran, and the Regime’s suppression and mistreatment of those arrested and detained. Many Iranian prisoners have died since the beginning of the year under suspicious circumstances, likely whilst being tortured, but the Regime claims that “these are suicides and rejects a full investigation of the facts”.

As a matter of fact, what can be realized from the UN special rapporteur’s primary report, is that the human rights situation in Iran is calamitous, just like the political and socio-economic situation of the country. By appointing a UN special rapporteur.

The international community is holding the mullahs’ regime accountable. However, despite repeated requests, the regime denies the UN special rapporteur and human rights monitors permission to look into the situation directly by going to Iran. No one has visited the country since 2005 for inspection of the human rights situation.

Therefore, the Iranian society expects that the United Nations Human Rights Council takes their protests into consideration and addresses the dire human rights situation in Iran. The next reports of the UN special rapporteur must deeply unveil this catastrophic human rights situation for the international community.

As the UN special rapporteur, Mr. Javid Rehman is tasked with scrutinizing the human rights situation in Iran, the eyes are on him for thoroughly exposing the human rights violation committed by the mullahs regime. He is also expected to take urgent action to compel this medieval regime to release all the detainees of the recent uprisings and to abolish its cruel punishments including torture, the death penalty, deprivation of medical care and etc.

Related:

UK’s Religious Leaders Condemn Iran’s Human Rights Abuses

Human Rights Abuses In Iran, Against The Most Basic Rights

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Iranian resistance calls for European action against regime

Maryam Rajavi, the leader of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, says Western powers stand “against the Iranian people’s will.

The president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), Maryam Rajavi, called on European leaders to cut off the financial lifeline to the Islamic Republic of Iran in order to further put pressure on the regime for its eventual downfall.

The call for action came Saturday during a video broadcast to the 2018 Iran Uprising Summit held in New York. More than 1,700 supporters of the NCRI and the People’s Mujahadeen of Iran (PMOI/MEK) gathered to hear information on the status of the uprisings across their home country and to share ideas on how to push for a new, democratic Iranian republic.

The gathering was headlined by Rudy Giuliani, attorney for President Trump, as well as other dignitaries.

Ms. Rajavi described recent horrific, desperate actions by the regime as she requested European and American support for the cause, “In committing these crimes, the mullahs are testing Western governments. In such circumstances, a lack of resolve or a passive attitude by Western governments will intensify the regime’s terrorist actions.”

The prospects of student uprisings in Iran

As protests continue to rage across Iran, the regime is eyeing students with growing fear and skepticism.

 In recent days, reports have surfaced of student movements supporting the strikes of teachers and truck drivers. Student movements and protests in Iran have historically been closely tied to nationwide uprisings and social and worker-class protests.

The unity between students and workers and other hardworking classes of the Iranian society are not new, and neither are they unique to Iran. All across the world, student protests have had a pivotal role in the society. Some examples include the 1968 protests in France and the student protests in China at the end of the 20^th century.

In Iran, students have been the momentum of struggles for freedom, both under the Shah and Khomeini dictatorships. And despite having been suppressed violently, they have never backed down from their struggle.

For instance, during the reign of the Shah dictatorship, security forces murdered three students after the coup against Mohammad Mossadegh in 1953. The people of Iran still commemorate that event today as the Day of Student. In 1980, the Khomeini regime shut down all universities in a wave of suppression that aimed to curb the growing influence of PMOI/MEK. The event led to the souring of relations between the regime and students across the country.

Throughout the rule of both the Shah and the Khomeini regime, student associations and universities have been a bastion for freedom fighters. The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran was founded by three students.

 

Student protests in Iran during the mullahs’ rule

Soon after Khomeini seized power in Iran following the 1979 revolution, he ordered the shutdown of universities in what he called the “Cultural Revolution.” During that time, several students were murdered and injured, and several university professors were fired.

The regime later tried to prevent dissidents from finding their way into universities by creating forged accounts and bringing up excuses to disqualify them. The main fear of the regime was opposition groups such as MEK and the Organization of Iranian People's Fedai Guerrillas.

37 years after the so-called cultural revolution, the regime continues to suppress university students.

In recent years, the question has remained that why does the regime continue to create an environment of suppression and terror in universities. Why are student activists facing heavy punishments from regime courts and security forces? Why is the regime so terrified of students?

The regime eyes every single student as a threat to its rule. The students of Iran do not tolerate the outdated ideology of the Iranian mullahs' regime, a fact that is not lost on its officials. Students are also very explicit in their opposition to the censorship and oppression of the ruling regime.

There’s potential that the rage of Iranian students might erupt at any time and expand to the entire country, facing the regime with a serious challenge at a time it is dealing with an escalating wave of protests everywhere in Iran.

Also, the history of the Shah and the Khomeini regime has shown that the voice of students can’t be stifled, and any effort by both regimes to silence protests in universities has failed.

 

The prospects of the student movement

As protests continue to rage across Iran, the regime is eyeing students with growing fear and skepticism. And that is why it is ramping up its suppressive measures against students and universities. However, as we’ve seen in the past months, the will of Iranian students, teachers, workers, merchants and every other community in Iran can’t be suppressed. And the Iranian people will continue to fight for their rights no matter how hard the regime tries to suppress them.