Warning! Prevent quiet murders in the Islamic Republic’s prison! Another human tragedy is about to happen.

Warning! Prevent quiet murders in the Islamic Republic’s prison! Another human tragedy is about to happen.

The suspicious death of eight prisoners in the Rejaee Shahr (Gohardasht) prison is alarming for human rights defenders and political-civil rights activists. These are painful news reaching us, but the depth of the tragedy may be even deeper. The deplorable conditions of the prisons demand special attention and it is necessary to prevent these “silent deaths”. These conditions are not just specific to the prisons in Tehran; they are present in prisons in cities around the country, prisons like Karoun-e- Ahwaz Prison, Behbahan Prison, Ghezel Hessar Prison etc. Additionally, prisons like Kahrizak, and Gharchak Varamin continue to operate.

In Kahrizak, common, male prisoners, and in Gharchak Varmin , common female prisoners are facing incredibly harsh and inhuman conditions that need to be seriously investigated. To increase pressure on prisoners, The Islamic Republic, at times, transfers them to these prisons, like in 2009, when we watched the atrocities that happened in Kahrizak prison. Other example include the transfer of female political prisoners to Gharchack-e- Varamin, which was faced with widespread protests, forcing their return to Evin prison albeit, not to their previous locations but to a substandard cell.

Suspicious deaths in the prisons of the Islamic Republic increase every day. Examples are Mohammad Zalieh Naghshbandian, a Kurdish political prisoner who after suffering 21 years in prison, because of previous damages to his lungs during the Iran-Iraq War, and the unhealthy prison conditions, fell increasingly ill and, due to the negligence of prison authorities who denied him medical treatments, died last night in the Gohardasht prison.

Mansour Radpour also died on May 21, 2012 in the Gohardasht prison due to medical neglect in prison and intense psychological pressure and torture. Mohsen Dogmehchi, also died in Gohardasht prison on March 27, 2012 due to a pancreatic cancer and lack of medical care.

Hoda Saber, an activist for religious and national causes, who protested the killing of Haleh Sahabi, died in Evin Prison on June 12, 2012 of hunger strike and lack of care. According to a statement issued by 64 political prisoners in Ward #350, she was transferred to the Evin Prison Clinic under critical conditions and not only was she not helped, she was subjected to beatings and insults and was thrown out of the clinic room.

Amir Reza Mirsayafi, a weblog writer, died under suspicious circumstances in Evin Prison in 2008, due to tremendous emotional stress and lack of care.

Amir Heshmat Saran, Director of the National Union Front who had been sentenced to 16 years of prison on two separate occasions, was severely injured during an attack by the Special Guards of the Gohardasht Prison. Due to lack of care from the prison officials and injection of suspicious drugs, after three episodes of losing consciousness, he was transferred to the Rejaee Karaj Hospital and passed away in the same hospital on March 6, 2000.

A variety of diseases have become common epidemic occurrences in prisons, and are seriously threatening the lives of many prisoners who have suffered various tortures, and abuses during their detention and who have no access to medical services. Prisoners like Farrokh Vazehan, one of the prisoners following the Ashura events, who was sentenced to 15 years, is suffering from an infectious disease and has been taken to the intensive care unit once, in handcuffs. However, his health condition remains dangerous and his bail has been set at a very high level.

Maryam Akbari Monfared, is a family member of the martyrs from the decade of 80 whose three brothers and one sister were executed in those very years. She was arrested on December 31, 2009 and was sentenced to 15 years in prison and exile in the Rejaee Shahr Prison for collaborating with the Mujaheddin Khalgh Organization. She was recently transferred to the hospital by the security forces for a gall bladder surgery and was immediately transferred back to the prison without any regards for the recovery terms.

Narges Mohammadi Sokhangoo, the vice president of the Human Rights Society was arrested on May 1, 2012 to serve her six years term sentence. She is extremely ill and suffers from muscular paralysis and in her last visitation in Zanjan Prison, four female agents had to carry her on a regular chair to the visitation hall.

Behnam Ebrahimzadeh, Labor activist was arrested on June 12, 2010. He suffers from ear infection but went on a hunger strike in support of Reza Shahabi and, in spite of requests by him and his family members, the prison masters pay no attention to his conditions.

Riaz Sobhani, a Bahai Citizen with heart conditions has received an angiogram once, but is still in critical condign;

Hamed Roohnejad, a student from Beheshti University, accused of collaborating with The Iranian Royal Society, has been sentenced to ten years of actual prison terms and exiled to Zanjan Prison, in spite of suffering from an advanced form of Multiple Sclerosis and a compromised health.

Djila Karamzadeh Makvandi, one of the Laaleh Park mothers, who were arrested on December 27, 2011 to serve a two-year term, is suffering from high blood pressure and recently passed out in prison and needs special attention.

These are but a few of the prisoners in the country’s prisons, suffering, and facing various challenges on a daily basis, due to physical and psychological abuse and pressures, unsanitary and unhealthy environment, and neglect by the authorities.

The lack of basic services for prisoners in the prisons of the country, specially for political prisoners, has brought them face to face with serious issues, as if , invisible hands behind the scene are at work to eliminate political prisoners and even common prisoners. These days we are facing, not only an increasing wave of executions, but also, suspicious deaths in the country’s prisons,

The Women’s Ward of Evin Prison which holds female political prisoners, is yet another substandard prisons in the country. This prison is very cold in the winter and very hot in the summer and is in danger of crumbling any minute to the extent that a while back, during a storm in Tehran, part of its ceiling came down and put female prisoners in serious conditions. Lack of warm water and other basic amenities in this prison is one reason why most of the political prisons are grappling with multiple illnesses.

Sometimes prisoners have to go on long hunger strikes to obtain their most basic demands, putting their own lives in danger. Prisoners like Hossein Malaki Ronaghi, in objection to forced televised confessions, has gone on a huger strike multiple times and, in spite of kidney problems and stomach bleeding, and despite the recommendation by the prison’s medical staff, the security forces are not allowing his transfer to the hospital or his a medical leave for treatment.

Mohammad Sadigh Kaboodvand, a Kurdish political prisoner was arrested in June 2007 and sentenced to 11 years of prison. He is ill and, many times, he has asked to go on a leave due to his son’s cancer. He has been denied and has been on a hunger strike. He has indicated that he will stay on a hunger strike as long as they deny him the chance to visit his sick child. Arash Sadeghi, a student activist, who, after 2009 protests, has spent 30 months in prison, mostly in solitary confinement, has gone on a hunger strike in support of Hussein Ronaghi.

Reza Shahabi, a bus driver, and a member of The Labor Syndicate of The Vahed Bus Company, is yet, another prisoner whose life is threatened. At the time of arrest, he was brutally beaten by the security forces and has suffered injuries to his neck and spine and, ever since, he has lost his balance. He has frequently resorted to hunger strikes to protest a lack of attention to his conditions and almost lost his health completely when, finally, after widespread protests, locally and internationally, he was transferred to the hospital and underwent an operation.

Many more of the political prisoners are in similar conditions and if this continues, everyday, we will witness these silent murders in the prisons of the Islamic Republic.

We, the Mothers of Laaleh Park, while emphasizing our three fundamental demands, are hereby asking the human rights organizations and all the defenders of human rights, especially the family members of political prisoners, to prevent yet another tragedy in the country’s prison. We must use all the available tools to obligate the Islamic Republic to recognize the rights of prisoners; prisoners who, according to all the international conventions, have the right to live and the signatories of these conventions are bound to completely follow all its articles.

Mothers of Laaleh Park

June 6, 2012

 

http://www.madaraneparklale.org/2012/06/warning-prevent-quiet-murders-in.html 

Third Year Anniversary of Mothers of Laaleh Park

Third Year Anniversary of Mothers of Laaleh Park

It has been three years since the popular protest of the people of Iran in 2009. This was a year when the streets of Iran were filled with men and women seeking freedom and justice. People who were frustrated with years of pressure and oppression, inspired by this political movement, and impressed by the TV shows and debates, were convinced that “their votes” would have value and that they could change their conditions by participation in the elections.

After the announcement of the results, people poured onto the streets in protest but this time, it was not just the people who had voted. Many people, who had suppressed their frustrations over the years, came out to the streets in protest to such an overwhelming injustice. However, the government responded to people’s simple and peaceful protest by imprisonment, torture, bullets, and killings. These detentions and killings, once again, brought out mothers of many detainees to find out about their children by gathering outside prisons, courts, and cemeteries, and many mothers ended up grieving for their beloved children. The grieving mothers and the families of political prisoners wore black as a sign to seek justice for their murdered children, protesting the suppression, detentions, tortures, killings, and they asked for trial and punishment of those responsible for the crimes committed in prisons and on the streets.

During a meeting on June 25, 2009, as a symbolic act of protest, the Grieving Mothers announced that they were going to gather every Saturday from 7 to 8 pm in the Fountain Square of the Laaleh Park, and in other parks in Tehran, and that by holding the pictures of their sons and daughters, they would light candles and would make their voices heard by the people of the world, and that they would never stop fighting until their demands were met. Following the publication of this meeting, different groups, supporting the grieving mothers, were formed across Iran’s cities and around the world. These groups also gathered in protest every week to show sympathy with the grieving mothers.

The protest movement of the Grieving Mothers began on June 27, 2009. From that day on, a large number of the mothers and their supporters (around 90), were subjected to attacks and assaults of the security forces, and were detained. During this entire period, these individuals and their family members have been subjected to threats, harassments, summons, and beatings by the forces of oppression. Yet, every day, the bond between these mothers became stronger and they became even more determined to fight through various forms of civil activism. They held on to their demands steadfastly by gathering in front of Evin Prison and the Revolutionary Courts, gathering in various parks, showing their support for prisoners on hunger strikes, participating in memorial ceremonies of those killed, visiting and sympathizing with the families of those killed in Tehran and other cities, and protesting the executions. This protest movement gained widespread support from different political and social groups around the world and a large number of human rights activists announced their support of the grieving mothers. The support continues and, everyday, this network of justice seekers attracts more supporters. They include high profile Iranian and international human rights and peace activists, activists in the women movements, student movements, movie and theatre artists, poets and writers, and also, the world’s black-clothed women, and the Argentina’s De Mayo Square Mothers.

On the first anniversary of this protest movement, the grieving mothers changed their name to the Mothers of Laaleh Park and, defining their goals more specifically, they continued their activities, and they have not rested to this day, insisting on their demands. Mothers of Laaleh Park present themselves in the following terms:

“We are a group of mothers and family members of those individuals who were either killed or damaged during the rule of the Islamic Republic and, seeking justice, we have the following demands:

1.We demand an end to capital punishment and the killing of human beings in any shape or form.
2.We demand the immediate and unconditional release of all political and ideological prisoners.
3. We demand a public and fair trial of all the perpetrators of the crimes committed by the Islamic Republic since it’s inception.

We, the Mothers of Laaleh Park, believe that it is a crime to execute people individually or in groups in prisons, to kill and assassinate ethnic, national, religious, political, and ideological targets on the streets, to attack homes and student dormitories and work places, to kidnap, detain, and hurt individuals in order to kill human ideas, to torture, get forced confessions, rape, kill by stoning, or for vendetta. We are fighting to prevent these crimes and to elevate human condition.

As mothers, we are trying to create a safe and humane environment, away from war and bloodshed, discrimination and humiliation. That is why we are against revenge and physical elimination. But we believe that, in order to prevent crimes from happening, it is imperative that all those agents who, directly or indirectly, were perpetrators of crimes during the rule of the Islamic Republic, should be tried in a fair, public, and popular court and be held accountable for their anti-human actions and to receive punishments in accordance to their crimes, while also being rehabilitated and educated in understanding and respecting human ideas.

As mothers, we ask all those who have been victims or witnesses of these crimes over the years, to join us in asking for justice. As victims of violence and discrimination against women, we support all actions that oppose violence, seek equality and the removal of discrimination, and invite all the victims of violence to join forces with us.

In the last three years, we, the Mothers of Lealer Park, have not failed, even for a second, to pursue our demands, and have, continuously, tried to make the authorities respond to family members. We have tried to be strong allies of all those who have been hurt and who demand justice from the Islamic Republic. We have done so by participating in popular protests, sympathizing with families of those killed, writing protest letters and stories of our quest for justice, writing letters to the representatives of the human rights organization, writing letters to Ahmad Said, organizing demonstrations in various countries and bringing the protest cry of the Iranian people to the outside world, launching different campaigns for the release of other political prisoners, writing declarations and protest letters requesting the annulment of the inhuman punishments and the capital punishment, protesting against the terrible conditions of the prisons and the prisoners, protesting the indifference towards the rights of the families of those killed who need to know “why” and “how” the killings took place, and to prevent injustice and discrimination.

It has been three years since the popular uprising against the outcome of the elections; yet, the authorities have been unresponsive to the demands of the people of Iran and the three demands of the mothers. To this day, none of the individuals responsible for the bloody suppression of the children of this land have been punished. Instead, they have intensified threats and pressures on all the victims of violence and they have tried and detained a number of Mothers of Laleh Park on the charge of supporting and sympathizing with the families of political prisoners who were killed and who are in prison.

These pressures started from the very beginning of the pro-justice movement of the Mothers of Laaleh Park and continue to this day. During this time, they have harassed and abused many of them for supporting the grieving mothers throughout the 33 years of the Islamic Republic crimes. Many have gone through temporary detentions, many others have been constantly harassed by summons and threatening calls, and some have been put through unlawful and Para judicial trials and handed down heavy sentences, and, still, others were pressed to leave the country. The prison sentences of three mothers and their supporters, namely Djila Karamzadeh Makvandi, Leila Seifollahi, and Nader Ahsani, have been affirmed in the court of appeal and Zhila Karamzadeh Makvandi, in spite of illness and high blood pressure, has been detained as of December 26, 2011 to serve a two year sentence. Leila Seifollahi has been sentenced to two years actual and two years of suspended sentence, and Nader Ahsani has been sentenced to two years of actual prison. Also, actual prison sentences have been handed down to Mansoureh Behkish for four and a half years, Mehdi Ramezani for three years, Hakimeh Shekari for three years, Neda Mostaghimi for three years, and Seyed Mohammad Ebrahimi for five years. Additionally, the following individuals await the decision of the appeals court subsequent to the preliminary court ruling, Djila Mahdavian, three years of actual and two years of suspended prison terms, Maryam Najafi, six moth of suspended term, and Omolbanayn Ebrahimi, three years of suspended prison term.

In the three years, no amount of threat, scare tactics, arrest, detention, and frequent court rulings against the mothers has prevented the protest movement of Mothers of Laaleh Park. Instead, the longer the authorities have refrained from offering answers, our resolve to demand our legitimate and rightful human rights has become stronger. By taking lessons from our past experiences and to prevent history from being repeated, we reached out across the lines and together with all the families of those killed as political prisoners of the past and today, in the 33 years of the Islamic Republic crimes, and we continuously and steadfastly, insist on our three basic demands!



Mothers of Laaleh Park
June 26, 2012

http://www.madaraneparklale.org/2012/06/third-year-anniversary-of-mothers-of.html 

Please join us in our protest against this injustice!

Honorable and Freedom-loving People of Iran! International human rights organizations, political and civil rights activists! Please join us in our protest against this injustice! Following the protest of Mothers of Laaleh Park (Mourning Mothers of Iran)to 33 years of killings and crimes committed by Islamic Republic, and their show of sympathy with Grieving Mothers, pressures, threats, detentions, and heavy handed prison sentences continue. By continually handing prison sentences for Mothers of Laaleh Park, the Islamic Republic is clearly demonstrating its high level of violation of human rights, and its disregard for freedom and justice. Not yet through with the news of prison sentences for Jila Karmzadeh Makvandi, Leila Seyfollahi, Nader Ahsani, Omolbanain Ebrahimi, Jila Mahdavian, Maryam Najafi, and Mansoureh Behkish, we have received news that prison sentences have also been ordered for three other individuals by the names of Hakimeh Shokri, Neda Mostaghimi, and Mr. Ramezani (the father of Ramin Ramezani, killed on the street in 2009), as well as another individual by the name of Seyed Mohammad Ebrahimi, charged with helping Mothers of Laaleh Park. Prison sentences for Jila Karamzadeh Makvandi, Leila Seyfolahi, and Nader Ahsani have been affirmed in the Appeals Court and Jila Karmzadeh has been detained as of Dec 27, 2011. The sentences for other mothers from Mothers of Laaleh Park are in preliminary stages. We, Mothers of Laaleh Park are extremely concerned about the present situation. How far these injustices can go on and we remain silent? Every day we witness that the pressure on these mothers and the families of the martyrs and their supporters become more and more difficult to the point that even sympathizing with the mothers and the grieving families is considered a crime. We want to know: Why is it a crime to protest against human rights violations? Why in our country, Iran, people do not have the right to freedom of speech and thought? Why is it considered a crime to show sympathy with hurt and grieving human beings? Why is it that even attorneys are deprived of defending their own clients and are, themselves, viewed as criminals? We, the Mothers of Laaleh Park, continue to assert our three fundamental and everlasting demands: The abolition of death penalty, the release of all political-ideological prisoners, the prosecution of the instigators and agents involved in all the crimes committed by the Islamic Republic. We are asking for the immediate and unconditional release of Jila Karamzadeh Makvandi, and for the annulment of all the court orders issued for the Mothers of Laaleh Park. We appeal to all the freedom loving, justice seeking, and honorable people of Iran and across the world, the international organizations for human rights, and activists for civil and political rights to show serious objections to these unjust and anti-human rulings by writing letters and by spreading the word about these injustices. Mothers of Laaleh Park May 16, 2012

inter your name and last name

http://www.mpliran.com/2012/05/blog-post_18.html 

Die Laleh-Park-Mütter (trauende Mütter)

Die Laleh-Park-Mütter (Trauende Mütter)

Wir sind eine Gruppe von Müttern und Familienangehörigen der Opfer des islamischen Regimes im Iran und haben folgende Forderungen:

1. Die Abschaffung der Todesstrafe
2. Die sofortige und bedingungslose Freilassung aller politischen Gefangenen
3. Ein rechtsstaatliches und öffentliches Verfahren  gegen die Funktionäre der Islamischen Republik, die für die in diesem Unrechtssystem begangenen Menschenrechtsverletzungen verantwortlich sind

Wir, die Mütter von Laleh-Park, verurteilen:

• Todesstrafe (öffentlich und nicht-öffentlich), Massenhinrichtungen in den Gefängnissen
• Exekutionen von Angehörigen ethnischer Minderheiten, aufgrund der Zugehörigkeit zu nationalen, religiösen und politischen Gruppierungen oder aufgrund der sexuellen Orientierung
• Steinigungen und Vergeltungsurteile (Qhesas)
• Entführungen, Arrest, Folter und Vergewaltigung als Mittel zur Erzwingung von Geständnissen
• Hausdurchsuchungen, Angriffe auf studentische Wohnheime sowie auf Arbeitsplätze

Wir setzen uns für eine freie, sichere Zivilgesellschaft, eine menschenwürdige Umwelt, ohne Krieg, Blutvergießen, Demütigung und Diskriminierung ein.

Wir sind nicht einverstanden mit Vergeltung und Racheaktionen sowie mit physischen Eliminierungen; wir sind jedoch überzeugt, dass es, um den Kreislauf dieser menschenverachtenden Verbrechen zu durchbrechen, notwendig ist, das sich alle direkt und indirekt Mitwirkenden dieser Regierung einem offiziellen, gerechten und öffentlich anerkannten Gerichtsverfahren stellen und für ihre menschenverachtenden Taten verurteilt werden müssen.

Wir appellieren an alle Opfer oder Zeugen solcher Verbrechen, mit uns für die Erlangung der Gerechtigkeit zu kooperieren und uns auf diesem Weg zu unterstützen. Auch wir, die selbst Opfer der Gewalt gegen Frauen geworden sind, unterstützen alle Aktionen und Gruppierungen, die sich gegen Gewalt und Diskriminierung sowie für die Gleichberechtigung einsetzen.

http://www.mpliran.com/2011/06/blog-post_11.html

Gegen Menschenrechtsverletzungen im Iran 28.04.2012

Wir setzen uns für die Einhaltung der Menschenrechte im Iran ein.
Wir unterstützen die drei Forderungen der Laleh Park Mütter in Iran: 1. Abschaffung der Todesstrafe in jeder Form, 2. Sofortige und bedingungslose Freilassung aller politischen Gefangenen  3. Öffentlicher und fairer Prozess gegen alle Schuldigen dieser Verbrechen der letzten 33 Jahre islamischer Republik im Iran.
Wir verurteilen die Schikane und die Verhaftung der Laleh-Park-Mütter im Iran
und um unsere Solidarität mit den "Lalehpark Mütter"(den trauenden Mütter) im Iran zu zeigen, halten wir jeden Samstag eine Mahnwache in Frankfurt (an der Hauptwache von 15-16 Uhr). Dort berichten wir vom aktuellen Geschehen aus dem Iran.
Die Solidaritätsgruppe mit den "Lalehpark Mütter"im Iran in Frankfurt

In Celebration of International Workers' & Teachers' Day!

Who Is Responsible For Increasing Intimidation Against Protesting Workers, Teachers And Their Families?

This year, we celebrate International Workers' Day and Teachers' Day, while on the one hand, we are delighted with the release of Ebrahim Madadi, and Mansour Asanlou, directing board members of the Vahed Bus Workers Union of Tehran;  Pedram Nasrolahi and  Farzad Ahmadi, union organizer; and Hashem Khastar, member of the Teachers' Union of Mashhad and on the other hand, are extremely upset with the approved execution sentences, including that of Abdolreza Ghanbari, a high school teacher in Pakdasht.

There are also prison sentences for some workers and workers' and teachers' right activists, including Reza Shahabi, directing board member of The Vahed Bus Workers Union of Tehran and Rasoul Badaghi, directing board member of The Teachers' Union of Iran, each sentenced to six years imprisonment and five years banning of public activity. There are many others behind bars, including workers Shahrokh Zamani, Ali Akhavan, Ali Nejati, Sasan Vahebi Vash, Mohammad Housaini, Mehdi Farahi Shandiz, Mehrdad Amir Vaziri,  and teachers Abdulah Momeni, Ali Pour Suleiman, Rasoul Badaghi and Mohammad Davari.... and Nabiolah Bastan, a hard working teacher has been sentenced to five years exile in Boroujerd.
This year, we celebrate Workers' Day and Teachers' Day, while thousands of workers and teachers have lost their jobs and each day, more join the ranks of the unemployed, due to firings, factory and schools shut downs or the down sizing of the work force. According to the head of the House of the Workers, last year alone, one hundred thousand workers have been fired.
Each year, we witness more economical, political and social hardships, more workers and teachers being sentenced to long term prisons for slightest protests which causes their families to suffer great financial and psychological difficulties.
Beside all these, we are deeply concerned with the news of the appointment of Saeid Mortazavi, the one responsible for the crimes of Kahrizak, to head the Social Security Department, one of the most important organizations closely related to the work force. This appointment is a great disrespect towards the families who have lost their children to torture and execution at Kahrizak prison and are seeking those involve, especially this person, to be put on trial. In this line, there are more disturbing news about an increase in the executions and heavy prison sentences against dissident workers and teachers who are held in jails.
Day by day increasing financial stress denies people a humane and honorable life. We are not talking about the reasons for the crisis, inflation and the high cost of living, class discrimination and unemployment here, but we are talking about human rights abuse, injustice and disregard for basic rights.What we say is that all people, young, old, male and or female should have the right to chose the way they want to live, to organize, to protest, have job safety, work and education. They should have the right to chose to whom they want to befriend, to travel, to elect and get elected,... a free life, without discrimination. We want to know:
- Why can't workers and teachers organize and defend their rights?
- Why do they get fired or jailed for a simple act of protest?
- Why there is no official organization responsible to protect them, after they lose their job?
- Whey are their families suffer injustice and discrimination?
- Why the majority of employers and and the state deny worker and teachers job security ?

 - Does justice means to appoint people like Saied Mortazavi and killing people like Farzad Kamangarha?

These and thousand others are legitimate questions that the workers and teachers have been asking the employers and the state for years, but no authority has ever responded.
The firing and imprisonment of the workers and the teachers are only part of the problem, the other part is the difficulties that their families have to face afterwards. Difficulties of unemployment, lack of job security that cause losing ones home and homelessness and suicide.
Only a few instances are enough to demonstrate the depth of this terrible injustice. Unfortunately, we hear more and more of workers committing suicide, due to being fired and poverty:
1- On Sunday morning, October 16, Mohsen Ahmadian, a worker at Shiran Diary Production in Shahr Kord, committed suicide. He threw himself off the administrative building and died instantly because of extreme poverty and not receiving his wages.
2 - Mostafa Alizadeh, a worker at the paint division of Bahman (Mazda) Group, committed suicide and died in the afternoon of January 1, 2011, in the factory area, after he found his name on the list of those to be fired at the end of the year.
3- Mansour Zarei was a fired worker of a textile factory in Kurdistan, who was 42 and had worked more than 15 years under harmful conditions at the spinning division. On Monday, March 6, 2011, he committed suicide and ended his difficult life, because of the extreme poverty after his unemployment.
4- Hassan Vakili, working as a stone cutter in Sanandaj, about 40 year old, with a wife and two children, committed suicide and ended his difficult life on the first day of 2012, at home in Abbas Abad area, due to unbearable pressures.
We, The Mothers of Laleh Park, while as always stress on our three basic demands, defend workers' and teachers' rights and demand immediate cancellation of execution sentences and unconditional release of all workers and teachers. We strongly condemn any intimidation against workers, teachers, students, lawyers, human rights activists, minorities, women, children and The Mothers of Laleh Park and their supporters who are fighting for their most basic rights. We also condemn the unlawful arrest of Narges Mohammadi, vice chair of The Society to Defend Human Rights, who has two small children and is severely sick. We demand her immediate release and all other men and women of our country who fight for freedom.

The Mothers of Laleh Park in Iran

and The International Solidarity with Mothers of Laleh Park

May 2012  

 

http://www.madaraneparklale.org/2012/04/in-celebration-of-international-workers.html#more 

A Harsh Prison Sentence Against A Mourning But Determined Woman!

The news of the sentencing of Mansoureh Behkish to four and a half years prison on April 4, 20012, not only drew attention from national and international news agencies in a couple of hours, but caused some immediate condemnations from human rights organizations, including The International Federation of Human Rights League andthe World Organization Against Torture.
Mansoureh Behkish is being sentenced for seeking justice for her six close family members who were killed by the Islamic Republic in the 80's, while she is responsible for the care of her 91 year old mother.
Although the courts of the Islamic Republic are known for unfair sentences, what causes this one to create a world wide reaction, is that showing solidarity with other mournful mothers and families is considered as "conspiring against social security" and "propaganda against the regime".! These families who have lost their loved ones in the 80's and during the Green movement, used to gather in Laleh Park in Iran holding candles, flowers and photos of their children, and were known as Mournful Mother of Iran or Mothers of Laleh Park.

Although unlawful and harsh sentences made by judicial system in Iran is not rare, it still is hard to hear another case and not to be astonished,. How can one get accustomed to witnessing the imprisonment of lawyers, or human rights activists, only for the crime of defending their clients, or regarding for human values? How can we not to get outraged every time we hear showing solidarity with mournful mothers or seeking justice for their lost loved one is considered as a crime?

Jila Karamzadeh Makvandi ,a poetess, is also another supporter of the Mourning Mothers, who is now behind bars only for attending the peaceful gatherings at Laleh Park to show her solidarity to them.. Many other of these mothers and women as well, are being intimidated or forced to flee the country with heavy sentences and every day harassment.

Mansoureh Bahkish had been threatened, interrogated and illegally imprisoned many times in the past, only for going to Khavaran or Behesht Zahra cemeteries or participating in vigils along with other Mourning Mothers at Laleh Park. Once in Summer 2008 she was arrested insultingly at work, just because the day before, she had participated in a commemoration ceremony with “Mothers of Khavaran”. Although this arrestment did not last more than 3 days, it coasted her losing her job at the bank. She was also arrested two times in support of other Mournful Mothers at Laleh Park ; on December 5, 2009, with twenty eight other mourning mothers, and once again on January 9 ,2010 with twenty nine other Mothers of Laleh Park . She was also arrested on January 12, 2010 on the street and spent one month in solitary and was finally released with a heavy bond.

The International Solidarity with The Mothers of Laleh Park strongly condemns inhumane sentences against the supporters of The Mothers of Laleh Park like Mansoureh Behkish, Jila Karamzadeh Makvandi and others. They also like always stresses on their demands for freedom of all political-conscience prisoners, abolishment of the death penalty and the trial of all those involved in the crimes of The Islamic Republic in an open and fair court.

This campaign is firmly asking the Islamic regime to stop the illegal arrests and harassment against the family members of those killed and abused and at the same time, seeks help from all conciseness people of the world to demand from the regime to respect the International Human Rights Charter and its international treaties.

The rulers of Iran must know that the response to mothers seeking justice is not to put them behind bars and the bones of the thousand sons and daughters buried in Khavaran or Behesht Zahra cemeteries are awaiting justice.

April 2012
http://www.madaraneparklale.org/2012/04/harsh-prison-sentence-against-mourning_09.html#more

Interview mit der zu 4,5 Jahren Haft verurteilten Menschenrechtsaktivistin Mansoureh Behkish

Jaras, 7. April 2012 – Die Menschenrechtsaktivistin und Unterstützerin der Gruppe der Trauernden Mütter vom Laleh-Park, Mansoureh Behkish, wurde am 3. April 2012 wegen “Versammlung und Verdunkelung gegen die nationale Sicherheit durch regimefeindliche Propaganda” zu 4,5 Jahren Haft verurteilt.

Mit Jaras sprach sie über ihre Verurteilung.

“Am 3. April setzten sie mich über mein Urteil in Kenntnis, jetzt warte ich auf die Entscheidung der 2. Instanz. Wie Sie wissen, ist eine ordentliche Verteidigung vor Gericht nicht zugelassen, aber ich habe mich im Gerichtssaal selbst verteidigt. Der Repräsentant der Staatsanwaltschaft war ebenfalls zugegen, er nahm Snacks zu sich und forderte wiederholt die Höchststrafe.”“Sie fragten, was ich am Grab von Neda Agha Soltan wollte. Ich antwortete mit der Gegenfrage, ob es ein Verbrechen sei, eine Grabstätte aufzusuchen. Dies sei für mich nicht ungewöhnlich, ich würde seit 30 Jahren die Gräber meiner Lieben besuchen.”

“Es ist mein Recht als Bürgerin, die Gräber meiner Angehörigen zu besuchen. Das sind alles Vorwände. Mit viel Druck und Schikane wollen sie erreichen, dass ich nicht mehr zu den Gräbern meiner Geschwister gehe. Wir dürfen nicht einmal Gedenkfeiern für unsere Angehörigen abhalten.”

Mansoureh Behkish war im November und im Dezember 2009 sowie im Juni 2011 verhaftet worden. Sie wurde im Juli 2011 gegen Kaution aus dem Evin-Gefängnis entassen.

“Bei einer meiner Verhaftungen kamen sie an meinen Arbeitsplatz, um mich festzunehmen. Sie behandelten mich sehr grob und führten mich in Handschellen ab wie einen Dieb. Nach diesem Vorfall verlor ich meinen Job.”

“Ich wurde stundenlang verhört, die meisten Fragen betrafen meine Schriften. Ich habe nur über das Thema Menschenrechte geschrieben.”

“Ich habe bei den Verhören meine Meinung gesagt und ihnen Fragen gestellt. Ich habe über all die Gräuel gesprochen, die sie an uns verübt haben. Ich sagte zu ihnen, dass sie viele unserer Lieben umgebracht haben, auch zwei meiner Brüder.”

“Ich sagte zu ihnen: ‘Meine Brüder hatten gegen das Schah-Regime gekämpft, aber nach der Revolutin habt ihr sie verhaftet, verurteilt und nach ein paar Jahren Gefängnis 1988 hinterichtet.’ Einer der Befrager sagte darauf: ‘Wir haben damals einige Fehler gemacht – warum lasst ihr es nicht einfach auf sich beruhen?’”

Mansoureh Behkish hat durch die Massenhinrichtungen in den 1980er Jahren sechs Familienangehörige verloren.

“Warum sollen wir es auf sich beruhen lassen? Sie haben sechs Mitglieder meiner Familie getötet, und niemand ist verantwortlich. Sie sollten zumindest zugeben, dass sie Fehler gemacht haben. Das ist das mindeste, was sie für eine Frau tun können, die ihre Brüder verloren hat.”

“Sagt uns die Gründe, warum sie getötet wurden. Sie haben uns die Leichen nicht zurückgegeben, sie haben uns nicht einmal gesagt, wo sie begraben sind. Nicht einmal den letzten Willen unserer Brüder haben sie uns mitgeteilt. Und auch Khavaran (den Friedhof, auf dem die Opfer der Massenhinrichtungen der 80er Jahre in Massengräbern beerdigt wurden) haben sie nicht in Frieden gelassen. 2007 sind sie mit Bulldozern dort angerückt und haben Bäume hingepflanzt.”

“Dieses Jahr war ich kurz vor Neujahr mit meiner Mutter in Khavaran, um den Ort zu besuchen, an dem ihre Kinder begraben sind. Jedes Jahr haben sie die Straße dorthin geschlossen. Dieses Jahr war die Straße offen, aber in Khavaran selbst waren viele Sicherheitskräfte präsent. Meine Mutter ist 91 Jahre alt und kann nur mit Mühe gehen. Wir nahmen sie bei der Hand und wollten mit ihr hineingehen, aber sie haben uns den Zutritt zum Friedhof verwehrt.”

“Sie haben sogar Angst davor, dass wir Blumen auf die Grabstätten setzen. Es sind nur Blumen. Aber sie sagen, dass unsere Blumen gefährlicher sind als Handgranaten und Schusswaffen.”

Ihre Mutter wisse von dem gegen sie verhängten Urteil, so Mansoureh Behkish. “Sie ist auf mich angewiesen und macht sich große Sorgen. Sie setzen mich auf tausend Arten unter Druck. Ich darf das Land nicht verlassen. Sie haben mich an meinem Arbeitsplatz verhaftet – wofür? Nur weil ich die Gräber meiner Geschwister besuchen will. Ich will wissen, warum sie hingerichtet wurden. Wie wurden sie getötet? Wo sind sie begraben?”

“Es war nicht leicht für uns, herauszufinden, dass sie in Khavaran sind. Ein Jahr lang ging meine Mutter zum Evin-Gefängnis [um sich zu erkundigen]. Sie schickten sie nach Behesht-e Zahra (einen großen Friedhof bei Teheran). Dort schickte man sie wieder zurück nach Evin. Irgendwann gab uns endlich jemand die Adresse von Khavaran.”

“Unter großen Schwierigkeiten haben wir das Grab meiner Schwestern gefunden. Den Grabstein meines Bruders haben sie drei Mal zerbrochen. Sie haben uns so viel schikaniert – dies sind nur Kleinigkeiten.”

“Die Familien legen nur Blumen auf die Gräber und gehen wieder. Warum setzen sie uns so unter Druck?”

Sie werde ihre Menschenrechtsarbeit fortsetzen, so Behkish. “All diese Jahre hindurch haben sie mich so unter Druck gesetzt, das war schlimmer als das Gefängnis. Aber ich werde meine Menschenrechtsarbeit fortsetzen. Diese Urteile werden mich nicht von meinem Weg abbringen.”

“Ich glaube, dass diese harten Urteile nur dazu führen werden, dass diejenigen, die bisher nur als Zuschauer am Rande sitzen, ihr Schweigen brechen. Wie viel können Menschen ertragen? Wenn sie es nicht länger aushalten und die Geduld verlieren, kann das ernste Konsequenzen haben.”

“Ich habe ihnen oft gesagt, dass sie sich mit ihrem Verhalten selbst schaden. Sie haben sogar erreicht, dass ihre Anhänger zu ihren Feinden wurden. Darum ist ihr Weg nicht der richtige. Wer so unter Druck gesetzt wird, wird nicht schweigen, und dann wird es zu spät sein.”

Anmerkung: Das “Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders” – ein gemeinsames Projekt der Internationalen Föderation der Menschenrechte (FIDH) und der “World Organization Against Torture” (OMCT) hat in einer Erklärung das Urteil gegen Mansoureh Behkish kritisiert und ein Ende der juristischen Schikanen gegen sie gefordert. Mit dem harten Urteil solle sie lediglich davon abgehalten werden, ihre Menschenrechtsarbeit fortzusetzen. Zudem diene es als Einschüchterung an die Adresse aller Menschenrechtsaktivisten in Iran, heißt es in der Erklärung

Menschenrechtsaktivistin Mansoureh Behkish zu 4,5 Jahren Gefängnis verurteilt

Bitte unterschreiben!
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/repeal-the-prison-sentence-of-mansoureh-behkish-her-fam.html

GVF, 4. April 2012 – Die Menschenrechtsaktivistin Mansoureh Behkish ist nach Angaben der Webseite
Human Rights Activists News Agency für ihre Rolle bei der Formierung der Gruppe der Trauernden Mütter zu 4 Jahren Haft verurteilt worden. Für Beteiligung an “staatsfeindlicher Propaganda” erhielt sie eine zusätzliche Haftstrafe von 6 Monaten.
Die Gruppe der Trauernden Mütter setzt sich vornehmlich aus Frauen zusammen, deren Kinder während der Unruhen nach der umstrittenen Präsidentschaftswahl von 2009 getötet wurden, verschwanden oder ins Gefängnis kamen. Später schlossen sich auch Familien und Unterstützer von Opfern anderer Menschenrechtsverletzungen der Gruppe an.
Behkishs Gerichtsverhandlung fand am 25. Dezember 2011 in Abteilung 15 des Revolutionsgerichts unter Vorsitz von Richter Salavati statt.
Die 55jährige Mansoureh Behkish war am 12. Juni 2011 von Sicherheitskräften verhaftet und nach weniger als einem Monat gegen Kaution wieder freigelassen worden. Am 9. Januar 2010 war sie zusammen mit 32 weiteren Frauen der Trauernden Mütter bei einer der wöchentlichen Zusammenkünfte der Gruppe im Teheraner Laleh-Park verhaftet und mehrere Tage festgehalten worden.

Zusätzlich zu ihrer Haftstrafe wurde Behkish mit einem Ausreiseverbot belegt.

Mahnwache:jeden Samstag 15-16 Uhr an der Hauptwache

 Wir unterstützen die drei Forderungen der Laleh Park Mütter in Iran: 1. Abschaffung der Todesstrafe in jeder Form, 2. Sofortige und bedingungslose Freilassung aller politischen Gefangenen und 3. Öffentlicher und fairer Prozess gegen alle Schuldigen dieser Verbrechen der letzten 33 Jahre islamischer Republik im Iran

http://www.fr-online.de/frankfurt/opfergedenken-auch-spitzel-schuechtern-sie-nicht-ein,1472798,11702122.html

Auch Spitzel schüchtern sie nicht ein

An der Hauptwache erinnern jeden Samstag Demonstranten an die Opfer des Mullah-Regimes im Iran. Sie zeigen Fotos derer, die wegen ihres Engagements für Demokratie und Menschenrechte im Gefängnis sitzen, gefoltert oder gar getötet werden.

Gegen das Vergessen: Die Menschen auf den Fotos kämpfen für die Freiheit in ihrer Heimat.
Foto: Michael Schick

Jeden Samstagnachmittag sind sie an der Frankfurter Hauptwache – ob es schneit, ob es regnet oder die Sonne vom Himmel brennt. Mitten im Einkaufstrubel stehen sie da – zehn bis 15 Frauen und Männer. In ihren Händen halten sie Fotos von Menschen, die in Iran wegen ihres Engagements für Demokratie und Menschenrechte im Gefängnis sitzen und mit Folter oder Tod bedroht sind.

Von einem der Bilder blickt Saeed Malekpour, ein junger Mann mit einem offenen, freundlichen Gesicht, hinter ihm die Berge Kanadas. Dort lebte der junge Programmierer viele Jahre. 2008 reiste er in den Iran, um seinen kranken Vater zu pflegen. Malekpour wurde in Teheran festgenommen, der Verbreitung von Pornografie beschuldigt und nach Folter zum Tode verurteilt. Erst jüngst hat das Oberste Gericht die Todesstrafe bestätigt.

Wahlen im Iran

Am 2. März wird ein neues Parlament im Iran gewählt. Insgesamt haben sich 5300 Bewerber angemeldet, darunter 390 Frauen. Die demokratische Opposition ist von der Wahl ausgeschlossen, die Reformisten sind nicht zugelassen. Insgesamt wurden vom Wächterrat acht Parteien zugelassen.
Beobachter erwarten eine geringe Wahlbeteiligung. Denn deren Höhe gilt als Gradmesser für die Akzeptanz des Mullah-Regimes in der Bevölkerung. Die in Großbritannien lebende iranische Friedensnobelpreisträgerin Schirin Ebadi rief Ende Januar alle Iraner zum Wahlboykott auf.
Gruppen, die Solidarität mit den Lalehpark-Müttern üben, gibt es in Europa und den USA. In Deutschland demonstrieren sie samstags in Frankfurt, Dortmund, Hamburg, Köln und Nürnberg.
Infos im Internet: lalehpark-muetter-frankfurt.blogspot.com

Seit August 2009 erinnern die Frauen und Männer an der Hauptwache an die grüne Revolution 2009 im Iran und deren Folgen. Vor allem junge Leute hatten damals gegen den Wahlbetrug der Mullahs in der iranischen Hauptstadt Teheran und in anderen Städten demonstriert. Weltweit waren die Zeitungen voll mit Berichten über die Proteste, die etliche Demonstranten mit dem Leben bezahlten, in Gefängnissen verschwanden, gefoltert wurden und noch immer werden. Inzwischen haben die meisten TV-Sender, Zeitschriften und Zeitungen die grüne Revolution vergessen.

Nicht aber die Frauen und Männer an der Hauptwache. Sie erinnern beispielsweise an Nasrin Sotudeh. Die Anwältin vertrat vor allem minderjährige Straftäter in Todeszellen und festgenommene Oppositionelle, die gegen die Wiederwahl von Präsident Mahmud Ahmadinedschad protestiert hatten. Im September 2010 wurde sie verhaftet und im Januar 2011 zu elf Jahren Haft verurteilt. Sie trat mehrfach in den Hungerstreik. Die Frauen und Männer an der Hauptwache nennen sich „Solidaritätsgruppe mit den Lalehpark-Müttern im Iran“. Der Lalehpark liegt in Teheran in der Nähe des Ortes, an dem eine der Ikonen der grünen Revolution, Neda Aghasoltan, erschossen worden war. Viele Monate erinnerten die Lalehpark-Mütter an die Opfer des Regimes. Doch dann wurden einige von ihnen festgenommen und verschleppt. Seither trauen sich die anderen nicht mehr in den Park.

In Europa und den USA jedoch finden sie Solidarität. Gruppen wie in Frankfurt gibt es in Los Angeles, in Großbritannien, Norwegen, Italien und der Schweiz. Die Demonstranten drängen sich nicht marktschreierisch auf. Wenn sie von Passanten angesprochen werden, geben sie Auskunft über ihre Aktionen. Sie haben Petitionen dabei, mit der die Menschenrechtsorganisation Amnesty International Leben im Iran schützen und retten will. Vor allem junge Leute bleiben stehen, sehen sich die Fotos an, wollen mehr wissen und unterschreiben Petitionen.

Parteipolitisch, religiös oder ideologisch lassen sich die Gruppen nicht vereinnahmen. Denn sie wollen frei in ihren Entscheidungen und Aktionen bleiben. Ständig schleichen Spitzel des Mullah-Regimes um die Samstagsdemonstrationen. Manchmal pöbeln sie so massiv, dass die Polizei eingreifen muss, manchmal wollen sie nur Angst erzeugen.

Doch die Frauen und Männer an der Hauptwache lassen sich nicht einschüchtern. Und manchmal können sie sogar Erfolge verbuchen: Allein in Frankfurt sammelten sie 1000 Unterschriften gegen die Todesstrafe für die Kurdin Zeynab Jalalian im Iran. Die Strafe wurde umgewandelt in lebenslange Haft.