Mothers of Laleh

Feminist Attorney Speaks Out Against Rape As a Weapon of Torture in Iran

2009-09-07T14:13:00.000-07:00

Source: http://www.meydaan.com/Showarticle.aspx?arid=894
Translated by Frieda Afary (http://iranianvoicesintranslation.blogspot.com)

Shadi Sadr is a young feminist attorney and journalist who has been in the forefront of women’s rights struggles in Iran during the past few years. She was abducted by plainclothes police on July 17, and released eleven days later. She was arrested once before at a women’s rights demonstration in 2006. In this article dated August 14, 2009, she responds to Ayatollah Mehdi Karroubi’s open letter to Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani about the need to investigate the rapes of young protesters imprisoned after the forged June 2009 election. Sadr begins her article specifically with the case of Taraneh Mussavi, a young victim whose identity has been questioned by the Iranian government.

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Kidnapped and killed by security forces

2009-09-07T14:02:00.000-07:00

Mohammad Naderi was kidnappaed by plain cloth security forces. His body was found after 48 hours in a veichle.

Reformist release names of 72 post-election victims, Iranian site says

2009-09-07T14:01:00.000-07:00

By Samira Simone
CNN

(CNN) — An Iranian reformist Web site on Friday released the identities of 72 people it says were killed by government forces in the aftermath of Iran’s disputed presidential elections — in a defiant move that demands a response from the Islamic republic.

The list posted on Norooz News’ Web site is more than double government estimates, which put the death toll of protesters between 25 and 30. Norooz gives the names, ages and details surrounding most of the victims’ deaths, which range from being shot by members of the Basij militia to being beaten to death in Tehran’s Evin prison.

Iranian government officials did not immediately respond to the claims by Norooz and could not be immediately reached for comment during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Mothers gathering in Laleh agust 29

2009-09-07T13:56:00.000-07:00

Secret graves in Iran

2009-09-07T13:52:00.000-07:00

TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- City officials in Tehran have agreed to investigate claims that bodies of protesters killed in the unrest that followed Iran's disputed presidential election were secretly buried in the nation's largest cemetery, Iranian media reported Sunday.

The city council has formed a committee to look into the allegations reported last week by a reformist news site, said council spokesman Khosrow Daneshjou, according to the Iranian Labor News Agency.

The charges against Iran's government are the latest by reformists who claim protesters arrested in the aftermath of the June 12 election were raped and tortured. The government rejected such reports, but still pledged to investigate them if there was evidence.

Last week, Norooz News reported that at least 28 people who died in the violence that followed the June 12 election were buried anonymously in Tehran's Behesht-e Zahra cemetery.
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Freelance journalist and blogger Fariba Pajooh has been arrested

2009-08-25T14:35:00.000-07:00

more to come

Solidarity with mothers of Iran. Verona Italy

2009-08-25T13:14:00.000-07:00

Solidarity with Iran´s mothers in Los Angeles, USA

2009-08-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

Solidarity with Iran´s mothers in Frankfurt, Germany

2009-08-25T13:09:00.000-07:00

Vigil in other cities

2009-08-25T13:03:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday black dressed mothers gathered for third week in the park in Rasht, city located in north of Iran. They showed their tribute to victims of last months state violence by tying black ribbons in trees.

Mothers of Laleh, Mothers of Khavaran: MOTHERS OF IRAN

2009-08-21T14:36:00.000-07:00

Bodies burried in secret

2009-08-21T12:44:00.000-07:00

Norooz News:
42 bodies´ of protesters from Tehran who were killed in demonstrations was secretly buried 12 and 14 of July in section 302 of Beheshte Zahra cemetery outside Tehran.

40:th day memorial ceremony for Sohrab Aabi

2009-08-21T02:08:00.001-07:00

Investigate Security Chiefs in Post-Election Abuse

2009-08-14T16:26:00.000-07:00

Nature, Scale of Abuses Indicate Coordinated Efforts Ordered at Highest Levels
August 14, 2009

(New York) - The Iranian government should investigate the nation's top security officials to determine whether attacks on demonstrators and detainees following the disputed June 12, 2009 election were ordered and coordinated at the highest levels, Human Rights Watch said today.
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Argentine general sentenced to life for rights abuses

2009-08-14T03:08:00.000-07:00

"Must read" for Judge Mortazavi and prison authorities in Iran

AFP)

BUENOS AIRES — The former general who ran a base that was the backdrop for multiple abuses during Argentina's 1976-83 dictatorship was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday for human rights violations.

Santiago Omar Riveros, 86, who commanded the Campo de Mayo barracks near Buenos Aires, was found guilty of torturing and beating to death 15-year-old Floreal Avellaneda, and abducting his mother, Iris.

The teenager and his mother were arrested at their home a month after the March 1976 military coup.

Iris told the court they were both tortured to find out the whereabouts of her son's father, who had managed to escape capture by jumping from his rooftop when neighbors warned him of the police raid.
More >
Picture: Members of the organization Mothers of Plaza de Mayo pose with pictures of relatives who disappeared

UN rights experts warn Iran over torture

2009-08-13T12:30:00.000-07:00

UN rights experts warn Iran over torture
(AFP)

GENEVA — Iran's Revolutionary Court must reject confessions of political opponents extracted under torture or harsh interrogation, three UN human rights experts warned Iran on Thursday.

In a joint statement, the experts said they were continuing to receive reports of deaths in custody and of torture of opponents arrested during the wave of protests in Iran.

"No judicial system can consider as valid a confession obtained as a result of harsh interrogations or under torture," said the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Manfred Nowak.

"These confessions for alleged crimes such as threats against national security and treason must not, under any circumstances, be admitted as evidence by the Revolutionary Court," added El Hadji Malick Sow, vice-chair of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
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Solidarity with the mourning mothers of Laleh Park - weekly in Vienna, Austria

2009-08-12T05:42:00.001-07:00

"Allow international observers to monitor trials"

2009-08-12T05:31:00.000-07:00

"The trial now going on in Tehran appears to be nothing but a 'show trial' through which the Supreme Leader and those around him seek to de-legitimize recent mass and largely peaceful protests and convince a very sceptical world that Mahmoud Amadinejad was re-elected fairly for a second term as president," said Irene Khan. "It is vital, therefore, that there is an international presence to observe the proceedings at this trial and uphold the rights of the defendants, and I urge the Iranian authorities to allow this."
More>>

Iran admits election demonstrators were tortured

2009-08-11T13:14:00.000-07:00

Simon Tisdall
The Guardian, Monday 10 August 2009 02.13 BST
Senior police commander says head of Tehran prison dismissed after evidence of abuse but denies anyone died
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Iran says 4,000 initially arrested in vote unrest

2009-08-11T13:03:00.000-07:00

(AFP)
TEHRAN — Iran's judiciary said on Tuesday that 4,000 people were initially arrested by security forces in the crackdown on protesters after June's disputed presidential election.

"In the aftermath of the election, 4,000 people were arrested," judiciary spokesman Ali Reza Jamshidi told reporters.

He said 3,700 were released "very soon", but that "those who were involved in the riots were detained."

About 30 people were killed in the violence that flared during massive street protests against the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the June 12 vote. Hundreds of top reformists, political activists and journalists were among those arrested.

At least 110 people have been put on trial before a revolutionary court in Tehran, including a French woman lecturer and two local employees of the British and French embassies, accused of involvement in the unrest.

Solidarity with Mourning Mothers of Iran- Stockholm August 8

2009-08-10T04:53:00.000-07:00

Etemadmeli: “Parliament to investigate the death of 12 year old demonstrator”

2009-08-06T16:09:00.000-07:00

Etemadmeli (Karroubi’s official newspaper) reports that a member of the investigation committee of the Iranian parliament has indicated that the parliament intends to investigate the death of a 12 year old boy who died as a result of getting hit on the head by a baton. Hamid Reza Katozian

Ali Reza Tosali, was attending the demonstrations that took place last week on Thursday with his father. These demonstrations were held in Tehran’s cemetery (Behesht Zahra) to commemorate the passing away of those that died during the demonstrations. Ali Reza reportedly got separated from his father and was fatally hit in the head with a riot police officer’s baton.

His body was held for a period of four days by authorities before being returned to his family on Monday. According to Iranian officials, Ali Reza is the first child to die during the demonstrations.

Translation:niacblog.wordpress.com

In memory of Behzad Mohajer

2009-08-06T15:01:00.000-07:00

Today Behzad Mohajer´s family and friend had a memorial ceremony for him.
Behzad Mohajer's body was delivered to his family after 50 days.

"Bay Area Women in Black " support Mourning Mothers

2009-08-06T14:27:00.000-07:00

To: The Committee of Mourning Mothers
From: Bay Area Women in Black
Oakland, California,
Dear Mourning Mothers,

We would like to convey to you our sense of sorrow and outrage at the treatment you and your loved ones are receiving from the Government of Iran. We conduct a silent vigil each Saturday to express our desire for the end of all injustice and repression, particularly in the Middle East but in any area where violence is done to human beings. We will dedicate our forthcoming vigils to the Mourning Mothers in the hopes that your children may be freed and that justice may be done.

In solidarity,

Bay Area Women in Black

Eyewitness: Tears and blod at Kianoush Asa´s memorial!

2009-08-06T12:07:00.000-07:00

Thousands of Kermanshai people attended Kianoosh Asa´s 40th day memorial. To start with when crowd followed the family to the cemetery police forces avoided confrontation. But later on the stopped people from reaching the grave.
When Kianoosh Asa´s brother wanted to say some words about his brother police forces tried to arrest him.
When people interfered and did not let police arrest Asa´s brother they started to use tear gas and pepper sprays against crowd. The they attacked mourners with sticks.
Asa´s sister and mother´s face was covered with tear and blod.
About ten mourners got arrested.

Prisoners and their families under pressure!

2009-08-06T04:04:00.000-07:00

Fereshte Ghazi- iranbaanJournalist Zhila Bani Yaghoub is under pressure and her family is asked to stay silent & avoid interviews.

Mahsa Amrabadi's interrogator has asked her mother to avoid interviews about her & Masoud Bastani & stay silent

"women in and beyond the global" about Mourning Mothers

2009-08-06T03:35:00.000-07:00

Haunts: Mourning Mothers, Morning Mothers
More>>

Women activist beaten and arrested

2009-08-05T13:41:00.000-07:00

Iranbaan
Haleh Sahabi Women activist and member of Mothers of peace was beated and arrested in Baharestan.
She was taken away from the crowd nad hit in the head with a baton such that her head cracked and bleed.
54-year-old Haleh Sahabi has high diabetes & the smallest bruise can lead to heavy loss of blood.

Mourning Mother disappeared!

2009-08-05T13:22:00.000-07:00

Zahra Nozari, mother of Pooya Maghsood Beigi one of the demonstrators who died after release from arrest because of torture injuries in Kermanshah was arrested while holding en sit-in strike outside of Intelligence ministry office. Police authorities will not give the family any information she is being hold.

Tell Us the Reason for Our Children’s Death

2009-08-04T14:34:00.000-07:00

By Fereshet Gjazi roozonline.com

While the identity of a new victim of popular protests is revealed every day, the families of the victims are under heavy pressure not to disseminate information about the death of their loved ones.

They are not even allowed to hold memorials for their loved ones. Some families discussed the pressures facing them with Rooz and demanded an investigation into the cause of their children’s death.

Air Javadifar, who was studying management at the Qazvin Azad University, is one such victim who was buried last week. The lifeless body of this 25-year-old man, who was arrested on July 9, was delivered to his family last Sunday. His family did not know about their son’s whereabouts or fate until then.
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Memorial for Kianoosh Asa

2009-08-03T14:26:00.000-07:00

A memorial ceremony for Kianoosh Asa will be hold Thursday august 5 in Talar Abbasiye in Kermanshah between 17:30PM and 19:PM.
A tribute to his memory will also be hold at cemetery same day.

Last Sunday his mother was visited by a group of local human rights activists.

In support of Mourning Mothers- Cologne, Germany

2009-08-03T14:22:00.000-07:00

More >>

Don´t leave us alone!

2009-08-02T15:40:00.000-07:00

Families protest against forced confessions.

Tomorrow August 2, at 11 AM, families of prisoners will gather in front of Ayatollah Hashemi Shahroudi, Head of the Judiciary Office to protest against illegal trial procedures and forced confessionse.
Families urge fellow Iranians and all freedom loving people in the world to join them in this cause.

' Brave mother of Sohrab Arabi at memorial in Beheshte Zahra

Feminist Peace Network supports Mourning Mothers of Iran

2009-08-02T13:33:00.000-07:00

More>>

Women In Black: Solidarity with the mourning mothers of Iran

2009-08-02T12:32:00.000-07:00

In response to the appeal of Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Peace laureate, we express our solidarity to the Iranian mothers and to all women who, in Iran and elsewhere in the world, even at risk to their own lives, go out on to the streets to demand justice and truth, so that silence does not fall on the victims of repression and power that uses force of arms to silence those who struggle for their rights.

While we extend our solidarity to the Iranian mothers, we also raise our voices so that their suffering will not be used to justify military "solutions" to the crisis in Iran, as the repression of Afghan women was used to justify the war begun in 2001 and continuing today.
Women in Black Italy
An international movement of Women for Peace

Protester´s body identified after 46 days.

2009-08-02T11:59:00.000-07:00

Baezad Mohajer, 47-years-old, disappeared June 15 during the street protests. After 46 days his family found his body in Kahrizak.

Release the Children of the Women’s Movement

2009-08-02T10:26:00.000-07:00

Change for Equality: The following statement, which was signed by over 800 activists, was issued by a group of women’s rights activists. This is the second statement issued by women’s rights activists regarding recent developments in Iran and the broad arrest of civil, political and human rights activists and ordinary citizens. The last statement was signed by over 600 women’s rights activists and called on the government to end the crackdown against Iranian citizens and free all those arrested. The latest statement, which is provided below, requests that officials release women’s rights activists and those who support the women’s movement. Shadi Sadr, one of the activists named in this statement was released from prison on July 17, after 11 days in detention.
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Mourning Mothers continue marching in the park

2009-08-02T06:32:00.000-07:00

Saturday August 1, a group of mothers gathered in Laleh park to protest against recent months arrests and killings of demonstrators
Women, about 40 of them, gathered by the pound in the park.
Police and plainclothes were walking around and keeping women under observation.
By 19:45 mothers started to march in the park square. Groups of people from around the park joined them.
Others were asking mothers why they march and some raised their hands making the victory sign.
Police forces who did not expected such a move from mothers surrounded women and tried to force them out of the park by driving vehicles trough the crowd.
Other officers photographed the demonstrators.
The march lasted 20 minutes. At the end mothers lifted their hand showing victory sign and then left the park.
Mourning mothers will continue the gathering every Saturday in the parks.

Mother of killed demonstrator arrested

2009-08-02T06:23:00.000-07:00

Zahra Nozari, mother of Pooya Maghsood Beigi one of the demonstrators who was killed in Kermanshah got arrested while holding en sit-in strike outside of Intelligence ministry office.

Mosafa Kia Rostami was beaten to death

2009-08-01T15:18:00.000-07:00

Now, the identity of another dead demonstrator been revealed.
Mosafa Kia Rostami 22 years, was beaten by truncheon at the Friday prayer for two weeks ago. He died same night due to cerebral hemorrhage.

"These are not my father´s own words"

2009-08-01T15:02:00.000-07:00

My father's confessions in court are no legal, says Fatemeh Abtahi, Mohammad Ali Abtahi´s daughter to BBC.
- We do not recognise this court. Neither we as his family or his lawyer had any information about trial.
These confessions will not hold in a proper trial. Those who are familiar with the may father´s blog know that those words in the court were not his own.

"Don´t leave us alone"-Families protest against forced confessions.

2009-08-01T14:51:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow August 2, at 11 AM, families of prisoners will gather in front of Ayatollah Hashemi Shahroudi, Head of the Judiciary Office to protest against illegal trial procedures and forced confessionse.
Families urge fellow Iranians to join them in this cause.

40:th day Memorial- July 30, Berlin

2009-07-31T13:24:00.000-07:00

Berlin July 30

"They killed you, my daughter but there are thousands of you"

2009-07-31T11:26:00.000-07:00

Report from memorial in Iran (sign4change- Farsi)>>

Stockholm July 30

2009-07-31T06:12:00.000-07:00

40:th day memorial- Mourning Mothers- Stockholm

2009-07-31T04:59:00.001-07:00

Stockholm July 30

LATimes: Iranians defy authorities to mourn those slain in the unrest

2009-07-31T01:35:00.000-07:00

more >>

Neda’s Mother Holds Solitary Candle Vigil While Her Memorial Service is Violently Attacked

2009-07-30T16:03:00.000-07:00

Iranhumanrights.org
(30 July 2009) Thousands of people gathered to commemorate the fortieth day of Neda Agha Soltan’s killing and to mourn all other recent deaths at Behesht Zahra Cemetery today. The peaceful gathering was attacked violently by Special Guards and plain-clothes Basij agents, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said. Security forces also prevented Mir Hussein Moussavi and Mehdi Karrubi from participating in the memorial services.

Neda’s mother, Hajer Rostami Motlagh, who had previously announced her intention to go to her daughter’s grave for the memorial service, announced last night that for unspecified reasons she and her family had cancelled their plan to go to Behesht Zahra.
more >>

Neda´s mother holding vigil at a park near her home

2009-07-30T14:53:00.000-07:00

Neda´s tomb

2009-07-30T14:47:00.000-07:00

"You have five minutes!", says plain cloth agent to Neda´s family and friends.

Memorial in Iran July 30

2009-07-30T14:31:00.000-07:00

Cemetary-Tehran

Abbaas Abad-Tehran

Shiraz, Esfahan, Tabriz Mashhad

Morein youtube>>
More in Youtube/onlymehdi>>

Pictures from todays gathering in beeheshte Zahra cemetary in Tehran

2009-07-30T14:22:00.000-07:00

Iran police arrest mourners in cemetery memorial

2009-07-30T05:19:00.000-07:00

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iranian police arrested mourners who gathered at a Tehran cemetery to commemorate victims of the unrest that followed the country's disputed June presidential election, witnesses said on Thursday.

The police forced Mirhossein Mousavi, a defeated candidate at the election, to leave the cemetery.

"Hundreds have gathered around Neda Agha-Soltan's grave to mourn her death and other victims' deaths ... police arrested some of them ... dozens of riot police also arrived and are trying to disperse the crowd," a witness told Reuters.

More >>

"I couldn't even recognize his face in the morgue"

2009-07-30T00:17:00.000-07:00

twitter:iranbaan

Kianoush Asa's brother: What was my brother's sin that I couldn't even recognize his face in the morgue?
If he was shot in his heap on June 15, why was there a bullet in his face? When was that fired?
If he was just on June 15 why was the death announced on the 19th? What happened in these days?

Sohrab´s mother will attend at Neda's memorial in Beheshte Zahra

2009-07-29T08:53:00.000-07:00

sign4change (Farsi)>>

Davood Sadri, 25, was shot down June 15 by security guard

2009-07-29T05:05:00.000-07:00

Roozonline (Farsi) >>

Mothers breaking the silence: I dream every night my Kianoosh is back!

2009-07-29T00:13:00.000-07:00

Kianoosh Asa´s mother talks about her son´s feath (Farsi)>>

Amir Javadi Langroodi´s father: They told me to come and my son's body.

2009-07-27T08:04:00.000-07:00

Letter from Amir Javadi Langroodi´s father
" They just called from Evin prison and said I should to mourge and get my son's body. My son was arrested July 9 in the neighborhood around Amirabad civilian dressed police and was taken to hospital after he got beaten.
From there he was transported to the Evin prison. Now they want me to come and get my young 24-year-old son's body.
My son Amir Javad Langroodi was not involved in politics but he loved his country. He had recently lost his mother and mourned her. Now I have to mournne him and no mother who can cry for him. "
Ali Javad Langroodi

Ramin was tortured to death

2009-07-27T07:55:00.000-07:00

Norooz:
Ramin Gharemani called for interrogation after he has been identified in a surveillance camera at a demonstration.
He was released after being locked in 15 days.
After release he says to his mother that they tortured him in prison by hanging him from hooks in the ceiling. Ramin´s mother has seen signs of beating on son's body.
Ramin died in hospital skjukhus for "blood propagate in the chest".

Masood Hashmzade´s brother: They didn't let us have a memorial for him

2009-07-26T06:29:00.000-07:00

BBC Farsi >>

Shirin Ebadi urges women of the world to support Iraninan Mourning Mothers.

2009-07-26T05:28:00.000-07:00

"His jaws were broken"

2009-07-26T05:10:00.000-07:00

Mohsen Ruh-ol-aminis father - Farsi >

Mohsen Ruh-ol-Amini's father: My son was killed under torture

2009-07-25T16:54:00.000-07:00

Iranbaan- Fereshte Ghazi

Mohsen Ruh-ol-Amini's funeral tomorrow @ 4pm in Balal mosque. Karoubi will attend.

Infectious diseases & meningitis are raging in the prisons.

Min. of health, during the past days we've send over 2k strong Penicillin & anti-Meningitis shots to prisons.

Mohsen's mather: My Mohsen's gone, worry about the other Mohsens.
Mohsen's father: To receive the body they made us sign an undertaking not to sure anyone.

He didn't receive medical attention after being injured, his blood got infected & got meningitis from 40° fever

Mohsen Ruh-ol-Amini's father: My son was beaten to death & killed under torture.

Mohsen Ruh-ol-Amini was arrested on July 9th by plain cloths & taken to the police in Amirabad (Kargar) ave.

Mousavi / Karoubi supporters have announced they will be at IRIB's Balal mosque tomorrow chanting Allah-o-Akbar.

"I, his mother – day and night I am asking God to put an end to this oppression"

2009-07-24T16:37:00.000-07:00

Sohrab's mother at Tehran´s City Council
" My 19 year old child who has not yet even been given the entrance examination for his Bachelors Degree, a child who hadn’t yet reached for any of his wishes, is assassinated by whom? And by whose order? and why? I ask the City Council, what had my son asked of you? Of the government? Of the country? We just wanted tranquility, liberty, my son was just thinking about who he would vote for, and then asking “Where has my vote gone…?” He asked for nothing more, he was just killed because he was supporter of Mr. Mousavi… for what kind of crime was he killed…? My son was just a 19 year old boy…. He hadn’t yet reached for any of his wishes… I, his mother – day and night I am asking God to put an end to this oppression…."
More >>

Mohsen Ruh-ol-aminis, 25 killed under torture!

2009-07-24T13:46:00.000-07:00

Iranbaan
about 1 hour ago from web Mohsen Ruh-ol-aminis body (Son of Abdolhossein Ruh-ol-amini (Rezaie's #iranelection advisor) was returned to his family.

about 1 hour ago from web ... 25-year-old Mohsen Ruh-ol-amini was arrested near in home in Nosrat ave on July 9th. #iranelection

... While Mohsen's family had received news that he would be released soon, they received his dead body. #iranelection

(AFP)
A young Iranian man arrested in protests against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's disputed re-election has died after over a week in custody, two reformist newspapers reported on Saturday.

"Mohsen Ruholamini, arrested in July 9 gatherings ... was killed," Etemad newspaper reported, quoting a pro-opposition website.

The newspaper did not elaborate on what actually caused Ruholamini's death in detention.
More >>

Families of prisonors planing a protest action in front of Evin prison tomorrow morning.

2009-07-24T13:44:00.000-07:00

Families of prisonors planing a protest action in front of Evin prison tomorrow morning.

Sohrab Arabi´s mother testifies about Sohrab for Tehran´s city council (Farsi)

2009-07-24T02:44:00.000-07:00

With greetings to the Tehran City Council and friends. Please hear my painful story as a resident of Tehran. I lost my son on Monday 25 of Khordad (15 June) during a peaceful rally that was taking place to protest the election results. With the crowds estimated at minimum 3 million, many people were lost and I too lost my son. The mobiles were cut off and I couldn’t reach him – I searched everywhere for him and went back home and found he was not there either so I went back to Azadi Square to keep searching for him. The atmosphere was terrible, so much tear gas everywhere, it felt more like a battle ground and I have been sick ever since with chest problems. I couldn’t find my child and I returned home and together with the sons of my relatives we searched every hospital and police station and we didn’t get a response – my son did not have his ID card with him; he just had a bit of money on him to go and buy test papers at Enghelab Sqaure to prepare for the university entrance exams coming up.
Whole testimony (mightierthan.com)>>

Mothers breaking the silence: Sohrab´s, Neda´s and Ashkan´s mothers met women activists

2009-07-23T09:43:00.000-07:00

sign4change.info

Farsi >>

Family member of killed demonstrator arrested

2009-07-23T09:41:00.001-07:00

Iranbaan:Father of Masood Hashemzadeh (a recent martyr) arrested by plain cloths.
Plain cloths raided Hashemzadeh residence, collected black fabric, photos & messages then arrested his father.
Masoud Hashemzadeh died of a bullet to his heart on June 21 in Shademan ave., north of Azadi st.
Hashemzadeh family were banned from holding funerals & after 25 days they recently hung black fabric.

Amnesty: Mourning mothers weep for victims of excessive force in Iran

2009-07-22T14:00:00.000-07:00

As time goes on, the official Iranian figures of up to 21 people killed during the demonstrations against the disputed election result look increasingly meagre.

Information remains extremely hard to come by, with swingeing restrictions in place on the transfer of news and videos out of Iran. Over the last week, the number of photo-journalists in detention has risen to seven.

Many Iranians are now simply too frightened to pass on verifiable details of human rights violations. Yet the stories which are trickling out of Iran show a different picture.

Take the case of 19 year-old Sohrab Arabi. He went to express his feelings about the election three days afterwards at a demonstration on 15 June. After that time, his family heard nothing about him for over three weeks, despite his mother’s constant searching at prisons and courts for news about his fate.
More >>

Breaking the silence: Meysam Ebadi, 17, shot to death June 13

2009-07-22T12:01:00.000-07:00

Meysam Ebadi, 17 years old was shot to death June 12 in Sadeghiye square in Tehran.

Mourning Mothers breaking the silence

2009-07-21T12:26:00.000-07:00

"My son had become more hopeful about life lately. I had never seen Masood so happy. He was a calm and patient son. His passion was actually arts not politics. But he became involved in the last election."
Fateme Mohseni mother of Masood Hashmzade who was shot down in the street protests.
Farsi>>

18 years old died of injuries

2009-07-21T12:19:00.000-07:00

Fereshte Ghazi, Iranbaan: 18-year-old Mohammad Kamrani who was arrested on July 19 protests died of his injuries.

A mother´s letter to her daughter in prison: "In this country it is a crime to defend human rights. "

2009-07-20T14:23:00.001-07:00

My dearest Shiva
This last month you've been away from us, I have sought the memory of you all over the house and recalled memories from your childhood. When you were born, when you fought against death at the hospital in Tajrish.
The month has been like a century for me. Wondering if you get enough food i prison, how you're sleeping on hard floor on a thin blanket.
I ask myself if those who took you and others from their mothårs, if they have children? They certainly have. But they are not mothers.
My only small satisfaction these days has been that I am not alone. When I go to the Revolution Court, Evin prison and other authorities, I meet hundreds of mothers who also are looking for their children but do not get a response.
Shiva, you do not know what we have gone through without you. Young men and woken whoes only crime was that they had green shawl around the head bathed in blood and met their creator and their mothers weep blood.
When I see these mothers, I am glad you are not here. Because I would not be able to make you keep quiet. You feel the pain and sorrow of people and it was the offense thet got you to solitary confinement for so long.
For in our country, it is a crime to defend human rights.

Shahrzad Kariman mother of Shiva Nazar A’hari, human rights activist, who have been arrested for 36 days

Mourning Mothers´ persian site

2009-07-19T14:24:00.000-07:00

http://www.mournfulmothers.blogfa.com/

Judge Hadad’s Office Denies Accepting Bail to Release Shadi

2009-07-19T14:03:00.000-07:00

Meydaan.org

More >>

Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi´s letter to Mourning Mothers of Iran

2009-07-19T13:54:00.001-07:00

Conscientious women of the world:
The tragedy in Iran is much larger than we had imagined. People who took to the streets to express their objection to the election results peacefully were met with bullets and truncheons.
Many of those who survived the confrontations were arrested in the days that followed the protests.
Iran's state radio and television broadcasts initially announced the number killed as eight and later eleven. However, more than twenty-five days after the street demonstrations, there are still many who have disappeared and their names are not on the lists of those who have been killed or arrested.
Many mothers have been anxiously going to any authorities who may give them information about their disappeared loved ones but have received no answers.

Now that families are slowly receiving the bodies of their slain children, it has become clear that the number of fatalities is much higher than what the government of the Islamic Republic has published.
Moreover, the families are being forced to sign legal covenants that they would not disclose how and when their loved ones died. But it is not possible to hide the truth forever, and it is not possible to silence the cries, so the tragedy of the past weeks is showing larger in
the eyes of the Iranian people as days pass.

Many mothers whose children were killed, are still among the disappeared or are in prisons have formed the Committee of Mourning Mothers.

Every Saturday from 7 to 8 PM, the members of this committee and other women who empathize with them dress in black and gather in public parks in their cities and towns to stand vigil and silently express their pain.

I would like to express my deep sorrow and condolences to the mothers who have lost their loved ones for freedom and democracy in Iran, and I stand in solidarity with women who are still searching for their disappeared and the large number of young Iranian women and men who are
now in prisons because of their civil activism.
I invite all freedom loving women of the world to dress in black and gather in solidarity with the Committee of Mourning Mothers every Saturday in their own cities and towns to help make their voices heard throughout the world.

Shirin Ebadi
More (Farsi)>>

For support of Mourning Mothers Vienna July 11

2009-07-19T11:20:00.000-07:00

Shaiva Nazar A’hari

2009-07-19T10:01:00.001-07:00

twitter.com/iranbaan

Shaiva Nazar A’hari, human rights activists, who have been arrested for 36 days, has not been briefed her charges yet. Sahrzad Kaiman, Shiva’s mother, said she’s worried about her daughter’s being kept in solitary.
- I’'ll sue against their treating Shiva illegally.

Mahsa Amarabadi

2009-07-19T09:57:00.000-07:00

twitter.com/Iranbaan

Mahsa Amrabadi’s mother: Tehran’s prosecuter told me their investigation might take 6 months. I’ll sue against violation of my daughter and son in law’s legal rights.

My daughter's life is in danger.

2009-07-19T09:30:00.000-07:00

hengamehshahidi.blogfa.com

Hengame Shahid's mother worries about her daughter's health but no official authorities will listen to her.
- All day I have been to different authorities. This morning when we were outside the Evin prison. They chased us away and humiliated us. The same thing happened at the Revolution Court.
Hangame has a serious heart problem but no body wants to hear this mother´s concern.
- They put pressure on us not to talk to media. But that silence leads nowhere. Now I have been without any information about my daughter in three weeks.
Hengame´s mother mentioned Sohrab and Nedas death and said:
- As a mother, I understand their parents very well. And now I can not keep quiet any more when my daughter's life is in danger.

For support of Mourning Mothers- Stockholm July 18

2009-07-18T14:27:00.000-07:00

Join the mothers today!

2009-07-18T08:23:00.000-07:00

July 18 the mourning mothers of Iran plan to continute ther peaceful protest in Laleh park, other parks i Tehran and alla over Iran. They need our support:

In Iran:
Don't let mothers be alone. Go to the park between 19:00 and 20:00. Give them your condolences, a flower. Sit beside them at the benches. Tie a black ribbon on the tree, bring a candle

Abroad:

Arrange support actions in your cities. Write to women organisation. Contact the media. Send condolences trough this site and others to the mothers.

Interview with Shadi Sadr´s husband

2009-07-18T08:20:00.000-07:00

From Fereshte Ghazi (twitter.com/iranbaan) interview with Shadi Sadr´s husband Hosssein Nilchian (summary from twitter)

"It seems that they saved a piece for Shadi in their jigsaw, they’re trying to complete.
Yesterday, a few hours after her arrest, security forces searched Shadi’s house.
Her belongings and manuscripts, her, her husband, her daughter’s PC, & Nilchian’s photography were taken from Shadi’s house
- They showed a warrant and said they are from security police; Then they searched the whole house.
With Shadi’s being arrested, her client, having been sentenced to death, has to attend the court alone today without lawyer.
They could have arrested her in house or work place or summoned her to court instead of kidnapping her intimidatingly and savagely. Her identity, work place, and address are known to the authorities.
There hadn’t been any clashes in the place they arrested her, proving that this was not at all an accident."

The security Police have investigated Shadi Sadr's office and home

2009-07-18T05:03:00.000-07:00

meydaan.org
On the heel of the July 17, 2009 illegal arrest of Shadi Sadr, apprehended on Keshavarz Boulevard by plainclothes government officers en route to the site of Friday Prayers, her spouse Hossein Niachian, sent word that several officers had introduced themselves to him as security forces. An hour beforehand, they had searched throughout their home and office, taking away some papers, documents, and two computer cases that had belonged to their little daughter and him. The inspection took several hours, as they ransacked the house and their ten-year-old daughter was present.

Then the officials demanded from Niachian that he leave for them the key to Sadr’s office, and after he expressed he didn’t know of the key’s whereabouts, they announced that they would go themselves to her law office and would search it.
More >>

Free Shadi Sadr

2009-07-17T14:18:00.000-07:00

Facebook group for support of Shadi Sadr
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=103067482498&ref=nf
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=logo#/group.php?gid=99946207886&ref=nf

Join the mothers tomorrow!

2009-07-17T12:09:00.001-07:00

July 18 the mourning mothers of Iran plan to continute ther peaceful protest in Laleh park, other parks i Tehran and alla over Iran. They need our support:

In Iran:

Don't let mothers be alone. Go to the park between 19:00 and 20:00. Give them your condolences, a flower. Sit beside them at the benches. Tie a black ribbon on the tree, bring a candle

Abroad:

Arrange support actions in your cities. Write to women organisation. Contact the media. Send condolences trough this site and others to the mothers.

Amnesty: Alarm at violent arrest of women's rights activist Shadi Sadr

2009-07-17T12:07:00.000-07:00

More >>

Another report on arrest of Shadi Sadr

2009-07-17T10:22:00.001-07:00

From meydann.com (Translation sims9.blogspot.com:

We were heading towards Keshavarz Blvd, not even reaching the middle of the boulevard, when someone approached me and said, “You’re coming with me. The others go.” Shadi and I were looking at him with surprise, and one of the motorists said to him, “Not that one, this one.” They were dressed in civilian clothes (probably security forces) and went towards Shadi. Shadi was shaken up and taken by surprise. Suddenly she was then taken away and kept in a Peugeot car. Me and a friend started to yell, “Where are you taking her?!!” That’s also when Shadi tried to struggle and started to cry for help, pounding the car door. My friend then tried to open the door, and we were pulling Shadi out but an official who was inside the car was grabbing onto her. He was pulling onto her in such a way that her manteau (overcoat) was coming off but one of my friends still held onto Shadi’s hand and her blouse and pants that were once intact started to come off when caught in the car. At that time she escaped. The officials in civilian clothing and also me and my friend were running after her. It was then one of the officials from the opposite side attacked her and was pulling onto her scarf. Shadi was resisting his force when the scarf came undone. Shadi again escaped. This time two other people appeared unexpectedly, one of them carrying a spiral baton. They took Shadi and beat her violently while she continued to resist them. We weren’t allowed to go towards her. By force they had taken her and put her in the car. The official manhandled Shadi and it was apparent that for them, her hejab wasn’t even important!! When they brought her to the car, they didn’t even give her the scarf back. The car turned around and sped away. It’s true that no one, other than me and my friend did anything. Maybe if we were more in number, we wouldn’t have let them take her.

Shadi wanted to give her bag to us when the motorist shouted from afar “Keep hold of her bag!” Everyone became shocked that they couldn’t react. We have never seen an official order or identification from these paramilitary forces and we have no idea who they are.

Shadi Sadr, Iranian women's rights activist, lawyer and journalist arrested

2009-07-17T03:45:00.000-07:00

Shadi Sadr, Iranian women's rights activist, lawyer and journalist was kidnapped earlier today (17 July) by civil dressed individuals.
Sadr was accompanied by some other women activist when she was on her way to Tehran University to participate in Friday pray in Tehran. Witnesses report that Shahdi Sadr was forced to follow people who refuse to show any policy certificate. The civil dressed individual used violence in order to force Sadr into their car.
Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Kharroubi have announced earlier that they will join former President Ahbar Hashemi Rafsanjani who will lead the Friday pray today in Tehran. Most of the protesters to the recent election had planned to participate in today's' Friday pray in order to continue to show their protest.
May 2004 shadi Sadr was awarded the Ida B. Wells Award for Bravery in Journalism. The kidnapping of Shadi Sadr is very disturbing news. Over one thousand people have been arrested during the last weeks in Tehran and othe cities in Iran. Many families still do not know where their relatives are.
The mysterious kidnapping of Shadi Sadr wakes the upsetting memories of serial murders and disappearances of dissident intellectuals in the 1990s who had been critical of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The brutal treatment of Iranian dissidents gave us all right to worry greatly for Shadi Sadr and
all other arrested and kidnapped people in Iran right now.

Latest:
Shadi has called her husband asked her cellphone pin code!

Urgent: Women right activist Shadi Sadr kidnapped in the street by plain clothes!

2009-07-17T02:32:00.000-07:00

More to come!

Mothers: Don´t leave us alone!

2009-07-16T14:10:00.000-07:00

July 18 the mourning mothers of Iran plan to continute ther peaceful protest in Laleh park, other parks i Tehran and alla over Iran. They need our support:

In Iran:

Don't let mothers be alone. Go to the park between 19:00 and 20:00. Give them your condolences, a flower. Sit beside them at the benches. Tie a black ribbon on the tree, bring a candle

Abroad:

Arrange support actions in your cities. Write to women organisation. Contact the media. Send condolences trough this site and others to the mothers.

World supports mothers

2009-07-16T13:45:00.000-07:00

Messages to the mourning mothers in the net:

Mourning Mothers Of Iran,World hasn't forgot your pain My friends from the south speak of U daily.Plz let them know!

I am so moved by the courage of the Mourning Mothers and the great women of Iran. God bless you

Mourning Mothers your courage and determination lifts me up. I pray for you and your precious loved ones.

I pray for the Mourning Mother of Sohrab A'rabi who was killed in Evin prison. Embrace / support Mourning Mothers

im crying 4 one of mourning mothers who has now lost her son from being tortured to death

Amnesty: Arrests and deaths continue as authorities tighten grip

2009-07-16T09:53:00.000-07:00

More >>

Mourning mothers third statemet: We wont forget!

2009-07-15T17:12:00.000-07:00

"This Saturday will be the fourth Saturday we, mourning mothers, will gather in Tehran parks.
We will be there in silence without any slogans or signs. We will give each other our condolences and show that the time and place were Neda Agha Soltan was brutally killed wont be forgotten.
Let oss remember Sohrab Arabi too whose lovefull heart became the target of enemies of freedom at afternoon of June 15."

Support the mothers!
Mothers need our support. We wont let these brave women who lost their children stand alone against militia and police.
These last Saturdays police forces have harassed the mothers and forced the out from parks. Those mothers who resisted got arrested.
In Iran:
Don't let mothers be alone. Go to the park between 19:00 and 20:00. Give them your condolences, a flower. Sit beside them at the benches. Tie a black band on the tree, bring a candle
Abroad:
Arrange support actions in your cities. Write to women organisation. Contact the media. Send condolences trough this site and others to the mothers.

Interview with Sohrab´s brother

2009-07-15T17:09:00.001-07:00

hra-iran:
More (Farsi)

Sohrab´s mother talking to Mourning mothers

2009-07-15T16:57:00.000-07:00

Watch at tinypic

Security forces surround funeral site

2009-07-15T16:46:00.000-07:00

RoozOnline:
On the Behesht Zahra cemetery grounds outside Tehran, at the site where Sohrab’s body is being washed, everyone is in chatter. Everyone is present: activists from the women’s rights movement, ...

More >>

Sohrab´s mother mourning

2009-07-15T16:37:00.000-07:00

"You all know how they killed my baby cowardly. They sent me around in 26 days.
They told me he was in Evin. But they shot him in the heart.
They are cowards!
I need to tell my story. No one can stop me!

Support the mothers!

2009-07-15T16:19:00.000-07:00

Mothers need our support. We wont let these brave women who lost their children stand alone against militia and police.
These last Saturdays police forces have harassed the mothers and forced the out from parks. Those mothers who resisted got arrested.
In Iran:
Don't let mothers be alone. Go to the park between 19:00 and 20:00. Give them your condolences, a flower. Sit beside them at the benches. Tie a black band on the tree, bring a candle
Abroad:
Arrange support actions in your cities. Write to women organisation. Contact the media. Send condolences trough this site and others to the mothers.