Incarcerated Reformist Mostafa Tajzadeh’s Daughter and Son-in-Law Summoned to Appear At Evin Court

February 25th, 2012 – According to reports by Norooz, incarcerated reformist Mostafa Tajzadeh’s daughter Arefeh Tazjadeh and his son-in-law Ali Tabatabai, received a notice to appear at Evin’s Shahid Moghaddas court in the next 20 days.  Although they both currently reside abroad, the summon also stated that they have been banned from traveling and leaving the country.

The Latest from Iran (25 February): A Far-from-Simple Election

A man sweeps up discarded flyers for the Parliamentary campaign

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1815 GMT: We are taking a Saturday night break, but we will be back at 0600 GMT with the latest news.

1735 GMT: Bank Fraud Watch. Voice of America has posted video of Amir Mansour Khosravi, the man at the centre of the $2.6 billion bank fraud, detailing bribes of 600 billion Toman (then about $500 million) to officials from Transport, Industry, & other Ministries, as well as banks.

Iran Snapshot: Expecting an Unhappy New Year in Tehran (Dehghan)

Woman Passes Election Posters in TehranSaeed Kamali Dehghan writes for The Guardian:

This is the time of year when Iranians prepare for the most important holiday of the Persian calendar, Nowruz, the ancient Zoroastrian festival marking the spring equinox. Carpets are washed, furniture wiped down, tables set with painted eggs and children are bought new clothes. Family come to visit: there are many faces you get the chance to see only once a year.

This year, the 13-day family celebration which is meant to blow away the fatigue of winter is clouded by the fear of war, exhaustion and public anger caused by political discontent at home and western economic sanctions.

Infografik über die Zahl der Hinrichtungen in Iran im Jahr 2012

Die Islamische Republik Iran richtet nach wie vor beängstigend viele Menschen hin. Darunter sind auch Menschen, die wegen Drogenhandel verurteilt wurden. Das ist ein Verbrechen, welches nach internationalem Recht nicht zu den Ausnahmen gehört, für die die Anwendung der Todesstrafe zulässig wäre, berichtet Iran Human Rights Documentation Center.

Die folgende Grafik zeigt die Zahl der im Iran im Jahr 2012 hingerichteten Menschen. Sie zeigt wie viele Hinrichtungen offiziell von der Regierung bestätigt wurden, wie viele nur von den Staatsmedien (halboffiziell) bestätigt wurden, und von wie vielen zusätzlichen Hinrichtungen nichtstaatliche Quellen berichteten.

Insgesamt gab es dieses Jahr bis zum 23. Februar bereits 67 Hinrichtungen im Iran. Somit richtet der Iran mehr als eine Person pro Tag hin. Das ist ein wahrhafter Gottesstaat.

BREAKING NEWS Human Rights Activist Kouhyar Goudarzi Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison

February 25th, 2012 – [CHRR] Seven months after his arrest, Kouhyar Goudarzi, human rights activist and member of the Committee of Human Rights Reports was sentenced to 6 years in prison by the 26th branch of the Revolutionary Court presided under by Judge Pir Abassi.   Ghoudarzi was charged with „propaganda against the regime“ and „assembly and collusion against the regime“.

Kouhyar Goudarzi was arrested a second time on July 31st, 2011. Following his arrest he was kept in solitary confinement for 60 days. His whereabouts were unknown for three months after his arrest.  His family believes that he continues to be held in Evin’s security ward 209 [a ward under the supervision of the Ministry of Intelligence] and security authorities continue to prohibit his transfer to the general ward at Evin.

Iran Document & Snap Analysis: The IAEA Report on Tehran’s Nuclear Programme

I suspect there will be a lot of fuss this weekend about today’s quarterly report from the International Agency Energy Agency, much of it made without actually reading the document. Many in the mainstream media are already primed to see a likely if not inevitable military showdown, and they will be fed soundbites that prove Iran’s confrontational approach.

In fact, the major shift is not in substance — „the Agency continues to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material“ is the same clause in its conclusions of the last two years — but in tone.

Previously, the IAEA has called for transparency from Tehran in allowing access to facilities and documents. Now, the Agency adds the warning that it „is unable to provide credible assurance about the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities“. And then comes the line that will dominate coverage: „The Agency continues to have serious concerns regarding possible military dimensions to Iran’s nuclear programme.“

Iran Analysis: Elections and Power — This is More Than The Supreme Leader’s Show

This week there has been a sudden bandwagon of comment that the Supreme Leader is the only man in town when it comes to Iranian politics. Consider, for example, this summary on Friday from Alistair Lyon of Reuters, „Iran’s Ahmadinejad, Reviled Abroad, Fades at Home„:

Ultimate power, however, remains with Khamenei.

„Iran has become a one-party system: the party of Khamenei,“ said Karim Sadjadpour, an Iran analyst at the Carnegie Endowment. „The most important qualification for aspiring members of parliament is obsequiousness to the Supreme Leader.“

Ahmadinejad may pay the price for failing to conform to this rule in a March 2 election expected to erode his support in Parliament.