Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Publish date: March 04 • Printable version    

Iran balances release of five dissidents with more arrests



Iranian authorities released five post-election detainees. Morteza Kazemian, executive member of Association of Defending Press Freedom was released on bail after 60 days in solitary confinement.

Nooshin Jafari, reporter for Etemad daily which was banned on Monday, and Nilofar Laripour, reporter for Chelcheragh publication, were released after a month at Evin Prison.

Rashid Esmaili, member of policymaking council of the student organization Danesh-Amoukhtegan was released on a 40-million-rial ($40,000) bail. He was arrested over two months ago by the Ministry of Intelligence in Esfahan.

Sina Shokouhi, a student activist and member of Mehdi Karroubi headquarters was also released on bail after 100 days in prison.

Despite a series of releases in the past weeks, the Islamic Republic still continues to arrest more dissidents almost everyday.

Iqan Shahidi and Sama Noorani, two suspended Baha’i university students were arrested yesterday by security forces.

Rasoul Imanzadeh, member of MirHosein Mousavi headquarters in East Azerbaijan Province was also arrested yesterday.

Following the tenth presdidential election in Iran over five thousand people have been arrested. Many prominent political and social activists are amongst these detainees and many of them have received heavy prison terms.

Neday-e Sabz-e Azadi reports that Peymon Aref, journalist and student activist has been sentenced to one year in prison and 74 lashes. Aref was acquitted from the charge of “membership in a seditious group.”

The court sentence maintains: “The court recognizes the history of the accused and holds that this punishment is not commensurate with his crime; therefore, following the 19th provision of Islamic Penal Code, the court bans the accused from journalism and collaboration with any political party for the rest of his life.”

In the past eight months, several journalists and university students have received heavy sentences ranging from 15 years to six months. Today, a Damghan University student was even sentenced to death.

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