Archiv für den Tag 17. Mai 2012
Iran uses intimidation to deter Arab protests
Martial law, arrests, imprisonment, torture & killings, Tehran’s media promotes racist anti-Arab propaganda
May 2012
The Iranian regime is using racist propaganda, intimidation and violent repression to deter protests by its persecuted Arab citizens. It has imposed martial law and resorted to arrests, imprisonment, torture and extra-judicial killings to suppress mass demonstrations.
Ahwazi Arabs have staged anti-government protests every April since 2005, the date of the Ahwazi intifada that saw scores killed and hundreds arrested by the Iranian regime. The protests in April 2011 were the strongest since 2005, encouraged by the April Spring revolutions that toppled governments in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen and rocked the Iranian-allied Assad regime in Syria.
This year, the Tehran government prepared well in advance to preempt any uprising; rounding up prominent members of the Ahwazi community (http://ahwazsolidarity.org/1/post/2012/02/iran-arrests-tortures-and-kills-ahwazi-arabs-in-new-clampdown.html), killing some under torture, broadcasting forced confessions on its international Press TV network(http://ahwazsolidarity.org/1/post/2012/03/anti-arab-propaganda-on-irans-press-tv.html) and imposing martial law on Arab-majority districts. Around 100 people were arrested in the run-up to the planned protests last month, according to the Ahwaz Centre for Human Rights (http://acfh.info/ahwaz/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=132:ahwaz&catid=44:2010-09-16-17-14-58), in a clear attempt to intimidate the Arab population.
The Iranian media distributed pro-regime propaganda to provide a justification for the violent repression of Arabs in the weeks leading up to the April 2005 intifada anniversary. In March 2012, the state-controlled Press TV broadcast a documentary which used political prisoners, who had been detained for months in secret prisons without charge or trial, to construct an outlandish conspiracy theory. Ahwazi Arabs were portrayed as “simple people with simple minds” and therefore vulnerable to mysterious “mind termination” brain washing techniques that turned them into violent unthinking killers. The documentary narrator talked of ideas instilled by the former Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein, being “grounded firmly into the Arab psyche”; implying that Arabs are an enemy within and inherently untrustworthy. Such racist assumptions have underpinned the regime’s policy of discrimination against Arab citizens and are also used to justify violent repression. The documentary infantilised Arabs, suggesting that unrest in the region is due to Arab tribes fighting each other “to secure their interests” rather being as a result of the regime’s harsh persecution of Arab people. A previous documentary, broadcast by Press TV in December 2011, aired forced confessions from three Ahwazi Arabs following months of incarceration in a secret Ministry of Intelligence detention centre.
Some of those shown in the TV reports are among those facing execution. In March, Amnesty International sent out an appeal(http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/MDE13/013/2012/en/0e6bb54f-85aa-435f-980e-63042c3da37f/mde130132012en.html) on behalf of five Ahwazi Arabs, including three brothers, their cousin and another man, who were believed to be at imminent risk of execution after their death sentences were upheld by the Supreme Court. Amnesty warned that the death sentences were apparently intended to deter 15 April mass demonstrations.
Meanwhile, at least two young Ahwazis – Nasser Derafshan Alboshokeh and Mohammad al-Ka’bi - arrested by the security forces in January were killed under torture(http://www.amnesty.org.au/news/comments/27850/) following a round-up of Arab youth, teachers and others. Nineteen year-old Alboshokeh had been rushed to hospital with a broken neck and torture wounds but was confirmed dead. Al-Ka’bi’s death sparked huge protests in his home town Shush, but the authorities refused to return his body and instead buried it in order to prevent further disclosure of the torture he’d suffered.
As security operations began and martial law was enforced in March and April, targeting the restive Hay al-Thawra district of Ahwaz City in particular, the regime imposed a media blackout.
Deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, Joe Stork, said: “Security operations in Khuzestan province since protests there last April have resulted in the largest number of deaths and injuries since the crackdown that followed the disputed 2009 presidential election. With the province under an information blackout and the history of secret convictions and executions, we have reason to be very worried about the people the authorities have been snatching up and carrying off there.”
Protests did take place in some districts such as Hay al-Thawra, Hamidiya, Kut-Abdullah and Zewiyah with protesters carrying banners and Ahwazi flags, but were quickly put down by the regime. In one disturbing development, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards besieged the Shohada High School in Amaniyah(http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/04/15/207872.html) district after some Arab children hoisted the Ahwazi flag in the school. Children were detained and interrogated for days while their parents were denied access to them.
The consequences of the repression of protests will be felt for many months, with activists expecting more show trials and executions. These deaths will be in vain if the international community and the global media continue to ignore the plight of the long suffering Ahwazi Arabs.
Daniel Brett is Director of the Ahwazi Arab Solidarity Network: http://www.AhwazSolidarity.org
UANI and the Institute for Strategic Dialogue Launch Transatlantic Initiative to Prevent a Nuclear-Armed Iran
New York, NY - United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) and the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) are pleased to announce the launch of a major joint non-governmental initiative-UANI-ISD-dedicated to combating the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran with a view to preventing international conflict. The UANI-ISD Initiative will collaborate on research, education, policy, and action initiatives in Europe and beyond.
By partnering together now, UANI and ISD combine the knowledge and experience of more than 30 outstanding leaders from North America and Europe with significant expertise in the areas of foreign policy and nuclear non-proliferation. UANI and ISD’s combined expertise and capabilities will strengthen efforts to highlight the dangers of a nuclear-armed Iran throughout the U.S. and Europe. The partnership will also greatly expand and enhance efforts at European grassroots, legislative, and regulatory activism.
Ambassador Kristen Silverberg, former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union and current member of UANI’s Advisory Board, will serve as UANI-ISD President. Dr August Hanning, former State Secretary in the Federal Interior Ministry of the Federal Republic of Germany in Berlin and former President of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) of Germany, has accepted the position of Senior Advisor to the Initiative. Ambassador Silverberg and Dr. Hanning will be joined by eight extraordinary individuals with extensive backgrounds in European government and security. Lies den Rest dieses Artikels
ZAMAN DAILY: Iranian activist Ghaemi: Human rights conditions worst ever since the 1980s
We’re facing a very repressive environment. All of the social movements are under tremendous persecution – including the student movement, the women’s rights movement and the labor movement – in addition to persecution of political dissidents,” he said.
He also added that ethnic and religious minorities are persecuted too, even the Shiite clergy.
“So anyone who dares to challenge the official narrative of the state is either in prison, forced into exile or subject to continuous intimidation. Trends have been really troubling,” he said.
Answering questions during his visit to Turkey last week, Ghaemi elaborated on the issue.
You had a career in physics and now you are doing human rights work full time. How did you make this transition? Why was it so important for you? Lies den Rest dieses Artikels
365 Days Painting for Iran’s Freedom by Soheil Tavakoli
Selected 100 Paintings out of 320 (Digital & Acrylic) that have been created during 365 day from June 14, 2009 until June 13, 2010. Music composition by Mehran Jalili, Chicago, IL. http://www.angelsofpersepolis.com/
26 PRISONERS EXECUTED IN IRAN: 10 OFFICIAL AND 16 UNOFFICIAL EXECUTIONS IN THREE PRISONS
Iran Human Rights, May 17: According to the official and unofficial reports 26 prisoners were executed in three different Iranian prisons yesterday and today.
Ten of the executions were announced by official Iranian media while 16 other executions were reported by a rights group.
SEVEN PRISONERS, AMONG THEM ONE WOMAN, EXECUTED IN KERMANSHAH (WESTERN IRAN):
According to the official site of the Iranian judiciary in Kermanshah seven prisoners were hanged in the central prison of this city early yesterday morning, May 16.
All the prisoners were convicted of drug-related charges said the report.
According to the report the prisoners executed yesterday in Kermanshah are identified as:
“A. A.” (woman) for keeping and carrying 27 kilograms of heroin, “R. A.” for participation in keeping and carrying 100 kilograms of morphine and 254 kilograms of opium, “Kh. Sh.” for participation in keeping and carrying 57 kilograms of opium, “M. B.” for participation in keeping and carrying 69 kilograms of opium, “A. S.” for participation in keeping and carrying 4 kilos and 548 grams of morphine, “M. S.”For participation in keeping and carrying narcotics (not specified in the report), and “M. Kh.” for participation in keeping and carrying 1529 grams of crack.
THREE PRISONERS HANGED IN THE PRISON OF ARDEBIL (NORTHEASTERN IRAN): The official website of the Iranian judiciary in Ardebil (northeastern Iran) reported about execution of three prisoners in the prison of Ardebil this morning, Thursday May 17. According to the report the prisoners were convicted of buying and carrying 105 grams of heroin, 498,15 grams of heroin and 160 kilograms and 493 grams of opium. None of the prisoners were identified by their names.
16 PRISONERS (AMONG THEM FOUR WOMEN) WERE HANGED IN THE PRISON F YAZD (CENTRAL IRAN) ACCORDING TO UNOFFICIAL REPORT:
According to a report by the group “Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran” (HRDAI), 16 prisoners were hanged in the prison of Yazd early this morning Thursday May 17. According to the report there were four women among the prisoners executed today. The report also said that five of the 16 prisoners were Afghan citizens. One of the Afghan prisoners executed today was identified by “Mohammad Damardeh” (25 year old) son of Nour Mohammad originally imprisoned for illegal immigration to Iran but later the case changed to drug trafficking, said the report.
The executions in Yazd have still not been confirmed by the official Iranian sources.
Iran Human Rights (IHR) strongly condemns yesterday and today’s mass executions in the Iranian prisons. Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the spokesperson of IHR urged the international community to show strong reaction to the executions in Iran. He said: “The world must not get used to the executions in Iran. Most of the people executed in Iran haven’t been through fair trials and each of the executions must be condemned by the international community”.
Eye on Iran: Advocacy Groups Join in Drive to Tighten Sanctions
Top Stories
NYT: ”An American advocacy group that has successfully pushed for strict sanctions against Iran joined with a prominent European research organization to press for further economic penalties against Iran over its disputed uranium enrichment program. The partnership, between United Against Nuclear Iran in New York and the Institute for Strategic Dialogue in London, is to be announced Thursday and will ‘collaborate on research, education, policy and action initiatives in Europe and beyond,’ the groups said. Their effort comes as Iran, hurting economically, is claiming progress in talks over the dispute with major powers and demanding a loosening of the sanctions as a sign of good faith ahead of a negotiating session in Baghdad on May 23. ‘Now is not the time to be loosening anything,’ said Mark D. Wallace, the chief executive of the American group, who is to testify at a Congressional hearing on Thursday.” http://t.uani.com/JyBv87
Reuters: ”Syria remains the top destination for Iranian arms shipments in violation of a U.N. Security Council ban on weapons exports by the Islamic Republic, according to a confidential report on Iran sanctions-busting seen by Reuters on Wednesday. Iran, like Russia, is one of Syria’s few allies as it presses ahead with a 14-month old assault on opposition forces determined to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. News of the panel’s report came as Tehran and the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency try narrow their differences on how to tackle concerns over Iran’s atomic program, and as Iran prepares for talks with the five permanent council members and Germany in Iraq next week. The new report, submitted by a panel of sanctions-monitoring experts to the Security Council’s Iran sanctions committee, said the panel investigated three large illegal shipments of Iranian weapons over the past year.” http://t.uani.com/KABA99 Lies den Rest dieses Artikels
EIL! Ahmadinejad will Olympische Spiele in London besuchen EIL!
Irans Präsident Mahmud Ahmadinedschad möchte im Sommer die Sportler seines Landes bei den Olympischen Spielen in London besuchen. Großbritannien habe damit jedoch Schwierigkeiten, berichtete die staatliche iranische Nachrichtenagentur IRNA am Donnerstag.
„Ich möchte die Olympischen Spiele besuchen und das iranische Team unterstützen”, wird Ahmadinedschad zitiert. „Aber die haben ein Problem damit”, heißt es weiter mit Bezug auf britische Funktionäre. Details wurden nicht genannt. Die Spiele in London dauern vom 27. Juli bis 12. August.
Die Beziehungen zwischen dem Iran und vielen westlichen Staaten sind aus unterschiedlichen Gründen schwierig. Seit die britische Botschaft in Teheran im vergangenen November gestürmt wurde, haben beide Länder ihre Diplomaten abgezogen. Vor der Fußball-Weltmeisterschaft 2006 in Deutschland hatte Ahmadinedschad Pläne für einen Besuch des Turniers wieder fallen gelassen.
Roundup of Today’s International News 17/05/12
IRAN – IAEA, P5+1 TALKS
Iran official warns West against pressure in nuclear talks, says Tehran seeks ‘cooperation’
Iran’s top nuclear negotiator said Thursday his country is seeking “cooperation” from world powers in next week’s nuclear talks in Baghdad and warned against pressure by the West.
Iran nuclear concession would test big power unity
Facing an imminent toughening of sanctions, Iran is hinting at a readiness to give some ground in its long nuclear stand-off with world powers, but any flexibility could split their ranks and lead to protracted uncertainty about how to respond.
Iran nuclear output seen steady before Baghdad talks
Iran is installing more centrifuges in an underground plant but does not yet appear to be using them to expand higher-grade uranium enrichment that could take it closer to producing atom bomb material, Western diplomats say. Lies den Rest dieses Artikels
In Case You Missed It: “Total Sanctions Might Stop Iran”
Total Sanctions Might Stop Iran
The regime is hurting. Fully cutting off its access to international business, especially banking and shipping, could be the solution to its bomb program.
By Meir Dagan, August Hanning, R. James Woolsey, Charles Guthrie, Kristen Silverberg and Mark D. Wallace
“[The authors] are members of a new initiative of the U.S.-based group United Against Nuclear Iran and the U.K.-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue.“
As the Iranian regime races to fulfill its nuclear ambitions, the world faces a stark choice. Our near future carries the risk of a military conflict with Iran, or a nuclear arms race in the already-volatile Middle East. It is still possible to avoid these outcomes, but only if like-minded nations act immediately to deliver a potentially decisive economic blow to the regime.
It is still in Iran’s interest to change course and address international concerns regarding possible military aspects of its nuclear program. Our rationale is based on strong empirical evidence from the last few months that sanctions are having a tangible impact. For example, the value of Iran’s currency, the rial, is currently in free fall. Lies den Rest dieses Artikels
Bonn: Zwischen Verhandlungen und Säbelrasseln – Der Atomkonflikt mit dem Iran / Montag, 4. Juni 2012 19 bis 21 Uhr
Vortrag mit Diskussion
Zwischen Verhandlungen und Säbelrasseln – Der Atomkonflikt mit dem Iran
16. Mai 2012.
am Montag, den 4. Juni 2012 lädt das BICC (Internationales Konversionszentrum Bonn) in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Forum-Eine-Welt Bonn herzlich zum Vortrag von Dr. Rolf Mützenich MdB, außenpolitischer Sprecher der SPD-Bundestagsfraktion, zum Thema „Zwischen Verhandlungen und Säbelrasseln – Der Atomkonflikt mit dem Iran“ mit anschließender Diskussion ein. Jerry Sommer, Associate Researcher BICC, wird als Kommentator am Podium teilnehmen, Peter J. Croll, Direktor BICC, wird die Diskussion moderieren.
Verhandlungen zwischen Iran und den sechs Mächten USA, Frankreich, Deutschland, Großbritannien, China und Russland über das iranische Atomprogramm haben wieder begonnen. Das Säbelrasseln zwischen Israel, USA und Iran ist deutlich leiser als noch vor ein paar Monaten. Wie sind die Chancen auf eine diplomatische Lösung und wie könnte diese aussehen? Welche Hindernisse stehen einer solchen Lösung – vor allem in Teheran und in Washington – entgegen? Ist die Gefahr eines Krieges wirklich gebannt? Was kann Deutschland tun, um einer diplomatischen Lösung zum Durchbruch zu verhelfen und um einen Krieg abzuwenden?
Einladung mit Rückantwort unter:
http://www.bicc.de/uploads/pdf/events/2012/Event_Iran_040612_d_layout.pdf
Montag, 4. Juni 2012
19 bis 21 Uhr
Hauptgebäude der Universität Bonn, Hörsaal XII (1. OG), Regina-Pacis-Weg 3
Foto: Iranischer Militärkapelle, Foto: Walter G. Allgoewer / JOKER
Festival of Local Games in Marivan
Last week, the village of Sadabad in Marivan, Iran’s Kurdestan province, was host to the 2nd festival of local games. 186 competitors from various Iranian provinces and Iraq’s Kurdish provinces of Arbil, Dahuk, and Sulaymaniyah participated at the event. The festival included competition in various games along with traditional dances from the various regions, Young Journalists Club reported.
Rising Alcohol Addiction Concerns Iranian Health Ministry
Source: Radio Zamaneh
The Iranian Ministry of Health says the consumption of alcoholic beverages has reached alarming levels in the southern areas of Tehran.
Photos: Over 15,000 bottles of alcohol seized by Iranian police (July 2010)
Shargh Newspaper reported on Tuesday that senior ministry official Bagher Larijani said: “According to reports from physicians and hospitals in the southern Tehran area, the spread of alcohol consumption is very concerning.” Lies den Rest dieses Artikels
Authorities ease restrictions on captive leader Mehdi Karroubi
Source: Radio Zamaneh
Opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi, who has been under house arrest for close to 15 months, has been given “permission to open his windows to get fresh air, to stroll in the building’s parking area and to lock his apartment door,” reports from Iran indicate.
Mehdi Karroubi
Saham News reports that Karroubi has been under house arrest for 440 days, denied even the most basic prisoners’ rights, all with no trial or court sentencing.
The report adds that Karroubi was allowed a Mother’s Day visit with his family at their home in Jamaran.
The family reports that the authorities have told them that Fatemeh Karroubi, the opposition leader’s wife, will now be allowed to visit him twice a week.
In recent months, Karroubi had been reportedly held for long stretches with no visits allowed, not even from his wife.
The Karroubi family maintains that Mehdi Karroubi’s house arrest is “illegal” and they demand an immediate end to it.
Mehdi Karroubi and Mir Hossein Mousavi, the two presidential candidates that challenged Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s victory in the 2009 elections, were put under house arrest in February of 2011 together with their wives, Fatemeh Karroubi and Zahra Rahnavard. Karroubi was later transferred to a smaller apartment, and his wife was no longer allowed to keep him company.
Op art, pop art pop up in Tehran
An exhibition displaying works of a number of world-renowned artists in op art and pop art opened during a ceremony at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMCA) on Tuesday.
The works have been selected from the collections kept at the storehouse of the museum, the TMCA announced before.
Emerging in the United States in the mid-1960s, op art is a style of abstract painting that made use of optical illusions and other striking visual effects.
A chief inspiration for op art was German-American artist Josef Albers. Hungarian-born artist Victor Vasarely is considered one of the founders of op art.
One of the most important artistic movements of the 20th century, pop art principally emerged in the United States and Britain in the 1950s and 1960s.
Some artists duplicated soup cans, comic strips, road signs, and similar objects in paintings, collages, and sculptures based the movement.
Others incorporated the objects themselves into their paintings or sculptures, sometimes in startlingly modified form.
American artists Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, and Jim Dine and the British artist Richard Hamilton are the main founders of the movement.
The exhibit runs until June 15.
Tehran Engulfed by Polluted Air
For the thirds day in a row, the residents of Tehran are grappling with a severe air pollution that has engulfed the capital city and raised alarms. Air pollution is not a new phenomenon in Tehran. In fact, it has become a chronic problem over the past few years.
Air pollution alert issued in Tehran over choking dust storm
Tehran’s air pollution reached an alarming level on Tuesday after a heavy dust storm enveloped the metropolis, making citizens’ lives a misery.
Related Article: Photos: Tehran Engulfed by Polluted Air
Rasoul Ali Ashrafipour, the director of the Tehran Provincial Directorate of Environment Protection, said on Tuesday that the air pollution had reached an “alarming” level, warning about an imminent increase in the amount of floating dust particles in the air.
“It is predicted that the dust storm in Tehran will not dissipate until Thursday. In addition, there is the possibility that the air pollution in Tehran will reach an emergency level on Wednesday,” he added.
An official at Iran Meteorological Organization said on Tuesday that the dust storm had come from Iraq.
He also stated that the windy weather forecast for Tuesday would increase air pollution. Lies den Rest dieses Artikels
The Latest from Iran (17 May): Arms to Syria?
Syria’s Assad & Supreme Leader1005 GMT: Confusion over the Revolutionary Guards. A curious episode which may point to disinformation and/or divisions within the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps….
Earlier this week, Javan News, affiliated with the IRGC, posted an interview in which the commander of the Quds Force of the Guards, Qasem Soleimani, warned the leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah, against attacking Israel. Lies den Rest dieses Artikels
Iran Feature: The Week in Civil Society — Attacks on Journalists, A Death Bounty for A Rapper, A Woman Dragged from the Book Fair (Arseh Sevom)
Claimed photo of women being dragged from the Tehran International Book Fair for inappropriate dress
Our colleagues at Arseh Sevom, an NGO promoting civil society, post their latest weekly review of developments inside Iran:
Summary: 126 Iranian journalists signed a letter protesting the arrests and harassment of journalists, sending it to the head of the judiciary and the Speaker of Parliament. After a cartoonist faced lashing for his drawing of an MP, colleagues all over the world launched a campaign of support. An MP assaulted a journalist who asked a sensitive question. Publishers banned from attending the International Book Fair received support from a prisoner of conscience. Women were targeted for bad hejab. The Minister of Communicatoins calls for government institutions to host their email and sites on domestic servers. Rapper Shahin Najafi wakes up to find a price on his head, offered by an anonymous Gulf resident, after his new song satirising the wait for the 10th Imam hit the airwaves. And more… Lies den Rest dieses Artikels
International Day against Homophobia: Homosexuality in Iran still punishable by death
International Day against Homophobia: Homosexuality in Iran still punishable by death
As many countries prepare to mark the International Day against Homophobia on May 17, Iranian homosexuals continue to be persecuted and harassed by the state. Just a few days ago it was reported that four Iranian men were due to be executed for sodomy after their verdict was approved by high court judges. [1] Last month, a senior Iranian cleric spoke against homosexuals and legalizing gay rights in the West, claiming that homosexuals and pro-gay politicians are inferior to animals. [2]
Ahmadinejad kiss a friend
Homosexuality outlawed
According to Iranian law, until recently, sexual intercourse between two men was punishable by death for all individuals involved in the act. [3] But under new amendments approved recently in the Iranian parliament, the person who played an active role will be flogged 100 times if the sex was consensual and he was not married, but the one who played a passive role will still be put to death regardless of his marriage status. [4]
The punishment for women convicted of lesbianism is 100 lashes. Moreover, women convicted of lesbianism for the fourth time shall be sentenced to death. [5]
Convictions for homosexuality “frequently rely on confessions obtained through torture and extreme psychological pressure, and courts have convicted defendants of sodomy charges based solely on ‘knowledge of the judge’,”Human Rights Watch said in a 2010 report. [6]
It is estimated that more than 4,000 gay men and lesbians have been executed since the Islamic revolution in 1979. [7] Many others have been tortured and harassed. [8] Lies den Rest dieses Artikels
On anniversary of arrests, Canadian MPs highlight Iran’s human rights violations
OTTAWA, Canada, 16 May 2012, (BWNS) – In a wide-ranging debate that took place on the fourth anniversary of the arrest of imprisoned Iranian Baha’i leaders, members of the Canadian Parliament voiced their grave concern about worsening violations of human rights in Iran.
Earlier on Monday 14 May, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs – John Baird – marked the anniversary by issuing a statement which said, “Iranian authorities continually undermine the right to freedom of religion by tolerating and even encouraging persecution of Baha’is, Christians and members of other minority religious communities. Freedom of religion is a universal human right.”
“We urge Iran to uphold its international obligations and allow for freedom of religion, and to respect the fundamental rights of its people,” said Minister Baird.
Read Minister Baird’s statement here: <http://www.international.gc.ca/media/aff/news-communiques/2012/05/14a.aspx?view=d>
Opening the debate in the House of Commons, Deepak Obhrai – Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs – said that Iran’s refusal to respect human rights obligations is a “violation not just of universally recognized norms and standards but of those enshrined within its own constitution.”
Mr. Obhrai and other speakers highlighted, among other things, the Iranian authorities’ suppression of women’s rights, attacks on journalists, artists, independent trade unionists, and civil society, and the persecution of minorities.
“With respect to religious minorities, Iran remains a dangerous place for members of numerous communities, including the Baha’i,” said Mr. Obhrai, a Conservative MP from Alberta.
“For years, this peaceful community has been targeted by the Iranian authorities and subjected to discrimination and detention. Baha’i leaders have been arrested and imprisoned for practicing their faith.
“Iranian officials have also made statements to try to link the Baha’i to the political unrest in that country. These are trumped-up accusations and a cause of concern for the safety and well-being of those unjustly detained in Iran.”
Irwin Cotler, a Liberal MP from Montreal, told the debate that the plight of Iran’s Baha’is offers a looking glass into the situation of human rights in Iran in general, and the “criminalization of innocence.”
“Simply put, the persecution and prosecution of these Baha’i is a case study of the systematic if not systemic character of Iranian injustice as a whole,” said Mr. Cotler, “including arbitrary arrest and incommunicado detention, false and trumped-up charges.”
Scott Reid, a Conservative from Ontario, added “Baha’is face what really amounts to a systematic effort to exterminate the religion,” calling Iran’s persecution of Baha’is “one of the great tragedies of modern times.”
Welcoming the debate, Susanne Tamas – director of government relations for the Canadian Baha’i community – said it was significant that representatives from all of Canada’s major parties spoke and were unanimous in expressing their concerns.
“The debate was very heartfelt and very much appreciated,” said Ms. Tamas.
Read a full transcript of the debate here: <http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?language=E&Mode=1&Parl=41&Ses=1&DocId=5583473#SOB-7581615>
Source:Baha’i World News Service
Eye on Iran: Iran, IAEA in ‘Good Exchange’, to Meet Again Monday
Top Stories
AFP: ”Talks between the UN atomic agency and Iran saw a ‘good exchange of views’ and will resume on Monday, two days before world powers meet Tehran representatives in Baghdad, the watchdog’s chief inspector said. ‘During these two days we discussed a number of options to take the agency verification process forward in a structured way,’ Hermann Nackaerts said Tuesday in a joint statement to journalists with Iran’s ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh. ‘We had a good exchange of views and we will meet again on Monday,’ he said. Soltanieh said: ‘We had fruitful discussions in a very conducive environment. We have made progress on this issue regarding preparing and negotiating the modality framework for resolving our outstanding issues.’ Neither gave further details, including on whether International Atomic Energy Agency access to the Parchin military site was discussed at the talks at Iran’s embassy here. A day earlier Nackaerts had said he wanted to press Iran for ‘access to people, documents, information and sites’ in its contested nuclear programme. In particular Nackaerts wants Iran to address claims made in an extensive IAEA report in November that at least until 2003, and possibly since, there were ‘activities relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device.’ He also wants access to the Parchin military base near Tehran where the IAEA report said Iran had conducted explosives tests in a metal container. In two visits to Tehran in January and February, branded a ‘failure’ by Washington, the IAEA said Iran denied Nackaerts access to Parchin and dismissed out of hand the claims made in the report as based on forgeries.” http://t.uani.com/JqGPIs Lies den Rest dieses Artikels
Europäische Asylrechtsprechungsdatenbank
Am 17.02.2012 wurde in Dublin die mehrsprachige Europäische Asylrechtsprechungsdatenbank (European Database of Asylum Law – EDAL) gestartet. Sie enthält Entscheidungen zum Flüchtlingsrecht aus derzeit elf europäischen Ländern – darunter Deutschland – und ist allgemein sowie kostenlos zugänglich unter: www. asylumlawdatabase.eu . Eine Entscheidung wird jeweils in Englisch und der Sprache des Gerichtsstaates per Link und/oder pdf sowie – falls verfügbar – im Volltext nachgewiesen. Die Zahl der eingestellten Entscheidungen ist noch gering. Die meisten entfallen auf das Vereinigte Königreich (75), Frankreich (60) und Schweden (49); zu Deutschland finden sich 40 Entscheidungen.1 EDAL ist ein vom EFF gefördertes Projekt des Irischen Flüchtlingsrates.2 Nähere Informationen: http://www.asylumlawdatabase.eu/sites/asylumlawdatabase.eu/files/ aldfiles/EDAL%20Leaflet.pdf.
Deutschland: Integrationskurse immer erfolgreicher
Teilnehmerinnen eines Frauen-Integrationskurses
Die Erfolgsgeschichte der Integrationskurse des Bundesamts für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF) hat sich im vergangenen Jahr weiter fortgesetzt, wie die Jahresstatistik 2011 (Download in der rechten Spalte) zeigt.
Folgende Entwicklungen sind zu beobachten:
Millionste Teilnahmeberechtigung ausgestellt
Bei der Ausstellung von Teilnahmeberechtigungen wurde 2011 erstmals die Millionengrenze überschritten. Seit 2005 wurden rund 1.037.000 solcher Berechtigungen, die die Teilnahme an einem geförderten Integrationskurs bei einem öffentlichen oder privaten Träger nach Wahl ermöglichen, ausgestellt. Im Jahr 2011 waren es 120.000 Teilnahmeberechtigungen, dies sind rund 4 Prozent mehr als im Vorjahr.
Hoher Anteil an freiwilligen Teilnehmern und EU-Bürgern
Neben Neuzuwanderinnen und Neuzuwanderern aus Staaten außerhalb der EU, die zum Kursbesuch verpflichtet sind, nehmen konstant viele Personen freiwillig am Integrationskurs teil. Hierzu gehören Personen, die bereits länger in Deutschland leben und ihre Sprachkenntnisse verbessern möchten, aber auch EU-Bürgerinnen und -Bürger. Im Jahr 2011 waren dies am häufigsten Staatsangehörige der Länder Polen, Rumänien und Italien. Insgesamt besuchten rund die Hälfte aller Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmer den Integrationskurs aus freien Stücken.
Spitzenwert bei der Sprachzielerreichung B1
Ein Rekordwert wurde im zweiten Halbjahr 2011 bei der einheitlich abschließenden Sprachprüfung Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer (DTZ) erzielt. Rund 56 Prozent der Teilnehmer konnten dort das höchste erreichbare Sprachniveau, nämlich B1, nachweisen. Im Jahr 2010 hatte dieser Wert noch bei knapp unter 50 Prozent gelegen. Ein weiteres Drittel der DTZ-Teilnehmer erreichte das Sprachniveau A2. Insgesamt konnten rund 92 Prozent der DTZ-Teilnehmer im genannten Zeitraum ein Sprachzertifikat erwerben, das nicht nur beruflich weiter hilft, sondern auch als Nachweis von Sprachkenntnissen bei Behörden gilt. So ist beispielsweise das Niveau B1 eine Voraussetzung für den Anspruch auf Einbürgerung.
Der Integrationskurs des Bundesamts
Seit ihrer Einführung im Jahr 2005 haben rund 786.000 Menschen mit Migrationshintergrund einen Integrationskurs besucht, der aus einem Sprach- und einem Orientierungskurs. Letzterer vermittelt in kompakter Form Alltagswissen und Kenntnisse über Recht, Geschichte und Kultur in Deutschland. Neben dem allgemeinen Integrationskurs mit 660 Unterrichtsstunden gibt es auch Kurse für spezielle Zielgruppen, beispielsweise für Jugendliche, Eltern und Analphabeten. Mit einem neuen Zulassungsverfahren für Kursträger hat das Bundesamt 2012 die Qualitätsanforderungen bei der Durchführung der Kurse weiter gestärkt.
Integrationskursgeschäftsstatistik jetzt auch für Landkreise und Städte
Als neuen Service stellt das Bundesamt halbjährlich nun auch Berichte zu ausgewählten Kennzahlen für Landkreise und Städte im Bezug auf die Integrationskurse bereit. Mit diesen Berichten wird den statistischen Bedarfen der betreffenden Kommunen beziehungsweise Kommunalverbände und der Öffentlichkeit Rechnung getragen. Den Bericht für das Jahr 2011 finden Sie ebenfalls zum Download in der rechten Spalte.
The clock of Shams al-Emareh at the Golestan palace complex in Tehran.
Mohammad Saatchi Hamadani repairs the clock of Shams al-Emareh at the Golestan palace complex in Tehran
Iran News Round Up (May 16)
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Opposition Leader Mir Hossein Mousavi Urges Incarcerated Political Prisoner Mohammad Reza Motamednia to End His Hunger Strike
| by banooyesabz |
May 16th, 2012 – According to reports by Kaleme, two days ago, security agents accompanied opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi and his wife Zahra Rahnavard to visit with Zahra Rahnavard’s mother Mrs. Navab Safavi. During this visit, Mir Hossein Mousavi was informed by one of his relatives of the hunger strike launched by incarcerated war hero Mohammad Reza Motamednia, protesting the release of the leaders of the Green Movement. Upon hearing the news, Mousavi reportedly asked that his greetings be forwarded to Motamednia and requested that he put an immediate end to his hunger strike.
62 year old Motamednia, now on the 36th day of his hunger strike at Evin prison has reportedly lost more than 30 Kilos (66 Lbs) and is suffering from severe tremors and an irregular heartbeat. It goes without saying that his dire physical condition has led to extreme concern by his family members.
Motamednia, former special adviser to Bahonar and Mousavi during the war between Iran and Iraq and right hand to the commander in chief during the 8 year holy war, launched a hunger strike on April 9th, 2012 protesting the injustices committed by the ruling government and in particular the continued illegal house arrest of Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi and Zahra Rahnavard. Lies den Rest dieses Artikels
CNN TV Tipp: A Nuclear Iran: The Expert Intel – Freitag, 18. Mai 2012, 17:30 Uhr CNN
CNN’s Christiane Amanpour presents this special on Iran, from the Iranian nuclear threat and uncertain evidence of weapons testing to the uncertain intentions of its leaders.
Freitag, 18. Mai 2012, 17:30 Uhr CNN
