Street journalists and Barbaric regime

T he Bridge “The Bridge” welcomes contributions from talented writers, graphic designers, artists. Please contact us at: [email protected] Be the first to read “The Bridge” . Join our mailing list to receive regular updates. Write to : [email protected] with SUBSCRIBE in the subject IRAN’S FIRST INDEPENDENT JOURNAL IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES box. 6 Sunday November 8, 2009 Street journalists and Barbaric regime M r Zarqami, Head of Media and Broad­ casting in Iran, with your permission citizens have also made their re­ ports; of their massive protests, of the violence of the security forces and baton wielding Basij militia at the hands of the government. Of course they don’t have the facili­ ties of your vast organization and they‘re not allowed to film. And yet you filmed the people who were brought in front of the “den of espionage” (the Islamic Repub­ lic’s description of the American Embassy) [continued on pg 19] NEWS 400 New Detainees at Evin Prison following 4 November Protest Interview with Khalil Bahramian, Defense Lawyer for Hamed Rou­ hinejad (Sentenced To Death) and Ahmad Karimi Arrested Haft Tappeh Union Members to Serve Prison Sentences Baha'i Citizen's House Searched In Babol Arrests continue in “She was like an angel” Neda's mother talks about her daughter Setareh From Evin THIS WEEK: Shirin Neshat 13 Aaban In and out of Iran The Green Movement, Hejab and Ending the Death Penalty Kurdish Regions Strengthening of theR­ evolutionary Guard’s Intelligence Arm Students and Human Rights Activists De­ tained in 13 Aban Dem­ onstrations Victory of Sanandaj Bakery Workers Against Wage Reduction 100 Journalists Arrested in150 Days Pg 12 Hypernova Pg 11 Transsexuality in Iran: An Inter­ view with Sharareh Attari, Director of 'It Sometimes Happens' Pg 7 Stop Covering Up Sex­ ual Assaults in Prison Pg 3
Obama, Obama, It’s them or us! Pg 7 Iran On the Edge Iran police detain 109 over rally Demand for the Prose­ cution and Trial of Those Responsible for 1360s (1980s) Mass Killings Koohyar Goodarzi, Journalist and Human Rights Activist Expelled from Sanati Sharif Uni­ versity Protest gathering of 4 Pg 18 Pg 16 No One Knows About the Persian Cats Pg 15 The revolution is alive Pg 13 The Era of a New Poli­ tics Has Arrived November detainee fami­ lies outside the Revolu­ tionary Court Iran set to Execute Kurdish Political Pris­ oner Ehsan Fattahian Fars claims private hos­ pital helped fuel unrest National Coach: Euro­ pean teams reluctant to come to Tehran P6 26
Pg 25 Pg 23 Pg 22 Pg 4,5,8,9,10 2 2 Berlin celebrates fall of wall W orld leaders 1961, a 155km structure to gather to mark prevent East Germans from "happiest day running away into capitalist in postwar East Germany. More than German history" 100 people Thousands of people in Ber­ It was unexpectedly opened lin are celebrating the 20 year on 9 November 1989, after anniversary of the fall of the weeks of pro­democracy pro­ Berlin Wall. tests. World leaders are expected to Guests will include architects join them in marking the of the events leading up to event, which paved the way the fall of the wall, such as for the end of the Cold War. former Soviet leader Mikhail Celebrations will primarily Gorbachev, Lech Walesa, take place at the Brandenburg head of the Polish opposition Gate, the symbol of German movement Solidarity, and reunification in 1990. They Hans­Dietrich Genscher, then will be led by German chan­ West German foreign minis­ cellor Angela Merkel, who ter. grew up in East Germany. French president Nicolas She called it "a celebration of Sarkozy, British prime minis­ the happiest day in postwar ter Gordon Brown, and US German history". secretary of state, Hillary 1,000 giant foam dominoes, Clinton are also expected to painted by young people, will attend. be toppled along the former Yesterday, Clinton said that route of the wall, to show the the oppressed still needed to chain of events which swept be freed. She said: "Our his­ across Europe, collapsing tory did not end the night the Communist governments in Wall came down. To expand 1989. freedom to more people, we A big concert will take place cannot accept that freedom at the Brandenburg Gate fea­ does not belong to all peo­ turing musicians from across ple." the world, including conduc­ Far­left groups held a protest tor Daniel Barenboim and DJ march in the centre of Berlin Paul van Dyk. at the weekend, in an attempt Mayor Klaus Wowereit said: to disrupt the glorification of "History is palpable and alive a historical moment that here. The peaceful revolution unleashed the forces of capi­ of the fall of the Wall 20 talism. Ironically, the party is years ago paved the way to being backed by corporate an unprecedented transforma­ sponsors. tion of Berlin." The wall was built by Com­ munist East Germany in 2 Shadi Sadr receives Human Rights Tulip award
hadi Sadr, Iranian law­ yer and women’s ac­ tivist received the Dutch Human Rights Tulip award today in a cere­ mony at The Hague. S sies all across the world are told to extend their support to all human rights activists. Ms. Sadr called for legal pro­ ceedings against the perpetra­ tors of widespread systematic violence in Iran. She main­ tained that "Western govern­ ments, including the Dutch government as the host of the International Criminal Court, can ask the UN Security Coun­ cil to pursue the issue of crimes against humanity through set­ ting up an international court for Iran." The award includes a 10­ thousand­euros prize and the opportunity to claim 100 thou­ sand euros in subsidies toward a project to forward the recipi­ ent’s human rights activities. Shadi Sadr was elected by the Dutch foreign ministry out of 116 people from 63 countries Zamaneh reports that upon re­ who were also nominated for ceiving the award, Ms. Sadr de­ this award. clared that the issue of human rights in Iran should become a Justine Masica, Congolese hu­ topic of negotiations alongside man rights activists, was the the issue of the nuclear activi­ first recipient of the Tulip ties of the Islamic Republic. award last year. Maxime Verhagen delivered the Human Rights Tulip award to Ms. Sadr declaring that the Dutch government supports hu­ man rights activists in Iran as well as other countries. He maintained that Dutch embas­ According to the award organ­ izers, Shadi Sadr was chosen for her legal activities, publica­ tion of critical articles in vari­ ous websites, the campaign to fight stoning and activity in RAAHI organization. Shadi Sadr was also the recipi­ ent of Lech Walesa human rights award this year along with two other Iranian human rights activists, Roya and Ladan Boroumand. 3
3 ing the protests. This issue was a cause of concern for the government officials of Iran even before the day arrived. Revolutionary Guards of the Islamic Republic gave a state­ By Pejman Akbarzadeh ment that 13 Aban is the na­ tional day of struggle against Today is 13 Aban 1388 ­ arrogance, therefore partici­ Wednesday 4 November 2009; pants in this ceremony are there is unrest all over Iran. asked to shout slogans only th This time however it’s the 30 against America. Sections of anniversary of the hostage tak­ the public were invited to at­ ing the workers of American tend the ceremony with warn­ Embassy in Tehran. The Ira­ ings that people should beware nian government and local of the possibility of mischief media refer to this place as and misplaced intentions at Dabestani” dispersing the 400 people came together to “den of espionage”. this great event. sound level of gun shots and support people in Iran. Also th On the 13 day of Abaan 1358 Despite these statements and the people being beaten by po­ members of the human rights in the Iranian calendar the warnings people addressed the lice enforcements. associations were also present hostage taking pf American highest officials of the Islamic Iranians and citizens of other and gave a speech to the peo­ Embassy staff was carried out Republic in opposition, as countries have also gathered in ple. One of the Iranians who by students who were follow­ video footage uploaded on protest today. This afternoon participated in the protests in ers of the Imam line. (Imam YouTube have shown. Ariane, in the Netherlands, opposite Paris, in an interview with Khomeini). This event led the an eye witness, in an interview the Hague Tribunal, a demon­ Zamaneh radio said: “I am biggest political crisis between with Zamaneh radio stration was held from 5­7pm. here today to show Ahmadine­ Iran and the United States. said: “There were many peo­ Part of the route was cancelled jad that nothing can silence The hostage taking took 444 ple today who gathered at due to rain, but poetry read­ these voices.” He said that the th days until the 30 of Dey Hafte Tir Square between 3 ings continued. Vahid de­ least we could do is participate 1359 in the Iranian calendar and 4pm. They came ready to scribes this gathering: “There in the protests held outside when a contract was drawn up face the suppression of the was a speech in front of the Iran and show our support in between the Algerian, Ameri­ Special Forces unit. The forces court, alongside a memorial this way, as unfortunately we can and Iranian governments. attacked people and dispersed and slogans were chanted in are not in Iran and we cannot The pivotal agreement in this the crowd with pepper spray support of the Iranian people. participate at the protests held contract was: and tear gas. They forced busi­ People were holding cards de­ in Iran with all other Iranians. Iran’s commitment in order to nesses on Hafte Tir square to manding the freedom of politi­ German cities that hold thou­ release the American hostages. close their shops so there cal prisoners, free elections, sands of Iranians, planned pro­ America’s commitment to re­ would be nowhere for the peo­ and also the trial for recent tests on Saturday. Speaking frain from interference in the ple to escape from the forces. crimes perpetrate. These were from Aachen, Hadi Movayedi internal affairs of Iran. Before, the election was the carried out in exactly the same said: “We think that this is the In previous years, on 13 Aban, issue raised among people, but way as the protests in Iran. strongest movement we have government supporters have now the it was the whole es­ Demonstrations were also held had since the days of the con­ staged protests and slogans tablishment.” in Paris, in solidarity with the stitution. The influence of this against the United States of Iranian people, opposition to movement both inside and America. Today also in the lo­ Video footage sent from Iran the election results, and the outside the country is that dif­ cal media (Islamic Republic showed renewed slogans violence against people. Iraj ferent views were gathered media) an important part of against Russia, and the singing Adibzadeh was present. At St around a series of common the special protests against of revolutionary song “Yar e Michel Square, between 300­ slogans. Even at the beginning America took place at the for­ of this movement, there were mer American Embassy build­ collaborations between us and ing in Tehran and other cities other associations in Dussel­ of Iran. Ayatollah Makarem dorf and Cologne. With these Shirazi declared on state tele­ efforts there are now six hu­ vision that 13 Aban is one of man rights and political or­ the most important days in the ganizations working hard to­ history of our revolution. Out­ gether.” Mr Movayedi ex­ side of his jurisprudence, he plained the reason for holding also said that people would the demonstration on Saturday declare their enemy by appear­ 7 November “If we were to ing in the intense protests. hold this event on Wednesday, However this year, for the first then it would have been im­ time people who are against possible for people to gather.”
the Iranian government and regime were also present dur­ 13 Aaban In and out of Iran 3 4 4 400 New Detainees at Evin Prison following 4 November Protest E vin prison has issued registration cards for at least 400 people ar­ rested between No­ vember 4 th and 6 th , during the 13 Aban protests. The detainees were moved in groups to Evin from different police stations and temporary detention centers and have been placed for the most part in Ward 209 and the isola­ tion section of Ward 7. Some re­ ports suggest that the actual number of detainees could be higher but judiciary and police officials are purport that only a small number of people have been arrested during the pro­ tests. Women’s Rights Activist Behnaz Mehrani Sum­ moned to Court O n Wednesday, No­ vember 4th 2009, Behnaz Mehrani was summoned by phone to appear before the Revolution­ ary Court to “explain” her activi­ ties. Over the past few days several feminist activists and members of the One Million Signatures Campaign have received written or over­the­phone summons to appear before the Revolutionary Court. Ayda Sa’adat, Elnaz An­ sari, Khadijeh Moghadam, Maryam Malek, Kaveh Moz­ zafari, Jelveh Javaheri and Parisa Kakai are among the group of activists who have been sum­ moned. Behnaz Meharni is a feminist and children’s rights ac­ tivist and a member of One Mil­ lion Signatures Campaign. “Hamed & Ahmad don’t know anything about Anjoman Padeshahi Iran (API)” “The former Tehran prosecutor had a hand in writing the scenario.” I nterview with Khalil Bahramian, De­ capable of being involved in political propa­ fense Lawyer for Hamed Rouhinejad ganda activities. The court’s verdict does not (Sentenced To Death) and Ahmad comply with legal norms, and I am convinced Karimi that it has become common practice for revolu­ tionary courts to hand out harsher than normal Q­ Mr Bahramian, have you been representing sentences in similar cases. The mere fact that my clients were put on trial with the post­election Rouhineajad since the start of his trial? detainees shows that this is a political verdict. In A­ In the beginning, Mr Sayf­Zadeh and an­ my view, Mr. Mortazavi, Tehran Prosecutor at other colleague were representing Hamed Rouhi­ the time, tried as always to present a heavily nejad, and I was not involved. Following the ver­ loaded file to the court and misrepresent the case dict, his family contacted me, and, after reading to the public. Both my clients were arrested be­ the file, I agreed to represent him in his appeal, fore the election and had nothing to do with the which will be heard by the Supreme Court. post election protests. I can say beyond any Q­ Can you explain what your findings were af­ doubt that neither Ali Zamani nor my two clients had connections with API or even knew anything ter reading about the case? the organization. They were just three A­ I found out that my colleagues had presented about young people who, along with Zamani’s child, the defense case before the 28th branch of the went to Iraq, hoping to eventually go to a West­ Revolutionary Court, but in the end the court ern country. Poverty and other problems forced found Rouhinejad guilty of charges and sen­ my clients to return to Iran with the approval and tenced him to death. Rouhinejad’s charges in­ coordination of the Intelligence Ministry. They cluded having ties with API, acting against the told the officials about their ordeal without hold­ Islamic Republic, and armed struggle. When I ing anything back. was reading the file I noticed that, during the preliminary investigations, my client had told the Q­ From what you’re saying, they did not face truth in its entirety to the investigators. An indi­ any problems upon their return to Iran. Can you vidual named Ali Zamani had promised to take tell us why such heavy charges were brought my two clients and his own child to the US, against them during the trial? where they could work ­ something that was ob­ A­ From what I’ve been told by my client, his viously beyond his abilities. Rouhinejad was a interrogators pressured him to become part of a student at the time. fabricated scenario. It is my understanding that Q­ Do you have other clients awaiting trial who the former Tehran prosecutor had a hand in writ­ ing the scenario. For now, we have filed an ap­ are accused of having ties with API? A­ I represent Ahmad Karimi, a defendant in the peal which will be heard by the Supreme Court. I hope the Supreme Court judges will hear the same case awaiting trial. He will be tried at the case with God in mind and decide based on their 30th branch of the Revolutionary Court on No­ conscience and beliefs, unlike their previous de­ vember 9th, 2009. cisions, which were to uphold the verdict without Q­ What are your main arguments for the court considering the case in order to please others and of appeal? get on with their political agenda. They must A­ I have filed an appeal with the Supreme bear in mind that they have to answer to God and Court where I have listed my arguments. Having the Iranian people. met my client in prison, I understand that he suf­ Q­ Have you been given a time by the Supreme fers from multiple sclerosis. His two arms are Court as to when this appeal will be heard? almost paralyzed and he is unable to write for A­ It’s common for the Supreme Court not to set more than a few minutes at a time. He has lost any date. The judges read the cases one at a time sight in his right eye. He is a disabled person and and decide if there are grounds for appeal. I hope lacks the physical power to undertake actions the judges will decide with their conscience. against the country. His disability makes him in­ Source: ROOZ 100 Journalists Arrested in150 Days
freelance journalist Negar Sayeh have been forced to leave the at the beginning of Aban and country and the journalists Reporters Without Borders pub­ many reformist newspapers were stated: “In less than 150 days who’ve remained in the country lished an announcement on arrested on 13 Aban (4 Novem­ since the beginning of street pro­ are continuously threatened by Thursday, condemning the re­ ber) following the street demon­ tests against the re­election of the regime. cent arrest of Iranian journalists stration just one day before Has­ Mahmud Ahmadinejad on 22 In its annual report, Reporters stating that in less than 150 days, san Assadi Zeidabadi, human Khordad (12 June), at least 100 Without Borders states that with 100 journalists have been ar­ rights activist and blogger was journalists and web bloggers regard to freedom of press, Iran rested in Iran. This organization arrested. This organization em­ have been arrested and 23 of has fallen to a lower position with its headquarter in Paris ad­ phasized that the French journal­ them are still in prison”. this year and stands at 172 dressed the latest arrests in Iran ist had legal permission to report Reporters Without Borders says among 175 countries. announced that Farhad Pooladi, news. According to this state­ that in addition to the arrest of France news agency reporter and ment Reporters Without Borders 100 journalists in the past 5 [More News on pg 5] Nafiseh Zarekohan colleague of has also reported the arrest of months, more than 50 journalists 4 5 5 Strengthening of theRevolutionary Guard’s Intelligence Arm T wo weeks after Gholamhossein Ramezani had Ramezani duo would help to Ayatollah Khame­ served as counter intelligence construct the core of the nei approved and intelligence directors in IRGC’s intelligence and secu­ sweeping changes both the country’s police rity activities. According to to the structure of the Islamic force and IRGC in various analysts, in addition to his Revolution Guards Corps ideological and professional periods. (IRGC) and remarks by affiliation with Taeb, The news of changes in the Mohammad Ali Jafari about IRGC’s intelligence leader­ Gholamhossein Ramezani has the necessity of the IRGC’s ship has been announced two played an influential role in engagement in intelligence weeks after the IRGC’s chief carrying out the recent elec­ and security affairs, the web­ Mohammad Ali Jafari an­ tion coup and the post­ site “Basirat,” run by the nounced sweeping changes to election arrests. Ramezani IRGC’s political affairs divi­ the IRGC’s structure and played a key role in arresting sion, announced the imminent leadership as approved by and cracking down on reform­ appointment of Gholam­ ists during the presidency of Ayatollah Khamenei, also hossein Ramezani as the Mohammad Khatami, when noting the institution’s in­ IRGC’s Counter Intelligence creasing engagement in secu­ he served as the police force’s and Security Director. rity and intelligence affairs. counter­intelligence and intel­ A spokesperson for the IRGC’s chief said, “Today is ligence director. IRGC’s political affairs divi­ the era of soft warfare, and we The appointment of figures sion reported, “Following the must be able to carry out our such as Hossein Taeb, Mohammad Reza Naghdi and transfer of Hojjatoleslam duties in confronting soft Taeb from the Basij resistance threats. This requires organ­ Gholamhossein Ramezani to senior intelligence posts in the force to the IRGC intelligence izational and structural unit and his replacement with changes, and the changes that IRGC’s and the beginning of Commander Naghdi, other have taken place in the past the second phase of changes changes are taking place in year, two years are in connec­ in the institution continue the the IRGC leadership. As a re­ tion with this development.” trend of IRGC’s transforma­ tion from a military unit to a sult Hojjatoleslam Gholam­ Mohammad Ali Jafari also hossein Ramezani will be ap­ spoke of Hossein Taeb’s ap­ security unit, which began two years ago with the ap­ pointed as the IRGC’s pointment as the IRGC’s In­ Counter Intelligence and Se­ telligence Director, “The ne­ pointment of Mohammad Ali Jafari as Head the IRGC. curity Director, replacing cessity of Mr. Taeb’s service The recent changes take place Commander Nejat.” as the IRGC’s Intelligence According to Basirat, Nejat, Director prompted us to ap­ following wholesale dismiss­ who in addition to being the point him to this post. This is als in the Ministry of Intelli­ IRGC’s counter­intelligence a very important post, because gence, where, in addition to the minister, five deputy min­ and security director also today the regime expects headed the special Vali Amr more from the IRGC in intel­ isters and dozens of senior managers have been removed brigade in charge of the su­ ligence matters.” preme leader’s personal secu­ Prior to the official announce­ from their posts since the rity, will be given a post in ment of recent changes in the election. the National Security Council IRGC’s leadership, some ana­ as deputy of internal security. lysts had predicted that the Prior to his appointment, Hossein Taeb­Gholamhossein Arrested Haft Tappeh Union Members to Serve Prison Sentences T wo board members of the Haft Tappeh sugar cane fac­ tory’s labor union have been arrested and taken to prison to serve their sentences. Two Haft Tappeh labor union board mem­ bers were arrested by the company’s security on Thursday November 5th at 10am. The two union activists, Jalil Ahmadi and Fereydoon Nikoofar were handed over to security forces at 2pm who in turn took them to Dezful prison to serve their sentences. The Revolutionary Court in Dezful had previously sentenced the two to fixed and suspended prison terms for their activities. The Provincial Court of Ap­ peals upheld the Revolutionary Court’s verdict for both activists and referred their cases to the enforcement depart­ ment of Dezful Court. The activists were arrested today to serve their sen­ tences. In October, 2009, the Revolutionary Court in Dezful found a group of labor activists guilty of union activities and sentenced them to prison terms. Ali Ne­ jati, Feraydoon Nikoufar, Ghorban Ali­ poor and Jalil Ahmadi were each sen­ tenced to a six month of fixed prison term followed by a six month sus­ pended term. Mohammad Haydari­Poor was sentenced to a four month fixed prison term followed by eight months of suspended term. According to reliable sources, the three remaining activists will also be arrested in the coming days to serve their sentences. Arrests continue in Kurdish Regions I n the past few days, a number of people have been arrested in dif­ ferent parts of Kurdistan by secu­ ccording to reports by Free centage. Sanandaj bakery workers cook 32 rity forces. In the city of Mahabad, Workers Unions in Iran, a three units of bread and according to the recent a woman named Roghayeh and a man hour strike of bakery workers in changes, their salary increases by 2080 To­ named Mahmoud Cheereh were arrested Sanandaj on 4 Aban (26 October) mans ($2). According to the workers, if all by security forces under charges of hav­ with an ultimatum of fulfillment of their de­ bakery workers had participated in the strike, ing ties with the Kurdish opposition. Mr mands or a full one day strike of all bakers, there was a possibility of increasing the Cheereh is the father of a deceased achieved not only a stop in reduction of their wages even more. The Free Workers Union member (guerrilla) from the Kurdish wages but also the authorities’ agreement to of Iran in congratulating the workers added opposition. increase their wages. that the victory of preventing the reduction of It has been also reported that the Intelli­ wages is considered a symbol of workers’ gence Ministry forces of Naghadeh According to this report on 11 Aban (2 No­ fight to increase wages and asked all Iranian raided the house of a civil activist and vember), in a meeting with the officials the workers to fight for higher wages in solidar­ writer named Hassan Ashaari last Satur­ bakery workers’ representatives discussed ity. day. The so called forces arrested Mr. the 10 gram increase to each loaf of bread Ashaari and took him to an unknown and an increase in workers wages from 379 Long Live the Bakery Workers of Sanandaj! location. Another report from the city of Tomans (30c) per loaf baked (120 loaves) to Long live Labour solidarity! Naghadeh claims that a cultural activist 435 Tomans (40c). Wages of all bakery named Kaveh Hassanpour has been re­ workers have also increased by the same per­ [More News on pg 8] leased on $50,000 bail until the hearing of his charges. Victory of Sanandaj Bakery Workers Against Wage Reduction
A 5 6 6 Transfer of Arrested Girls I Never Feared Death: The Plight to an Unknown Place of Ehsan Fattahian
Jafar Pooyeh I t has been reported “Unstoppable and extensive from different cities protests in Iran shows the that a day after the mass critical situation in this coun­ protest of Iranian peo­ try which has put pressure on ple, 13 Aban (4 Nov) that the non democratic leader of turned into a day of fighting this country. The Leader’s against dictatorship, intelli­ decision has been to intimi­ gence agents and plain date and pressurize, which clothes forces have attempted has made the situation in Iran to arrest many young adults critical. We are sympathetic and freedom seekers. The with the victims and those repressive and barbaric acts injured as a result of repres­ of the Supreme Leader’s sion by the regime.” forces were so shameless that Despite all the objections to many worldwide reacted. the regime’s repressive forces Robert Gates, spokesperson against the people’s protests, for the Whitehouse, despite Iran’s regime still continues President Obama’s peaceful with its repression, entering statement, addressed the Su­ political activists’ houses or preme Leader of Iran and re­ those of well­known human acted against protestor re­ rights defenders attempting to pression stating: “The gov­ arrest them. According to ernment of Barak Obama is news received from Bahar closely following the changes Street in Tehran, female pro­ occurring in Iran and deeply testors were transferred to an hopes that the protests won’t unknown place by bus on 13 turn violent”. Aban. Many girls have also Yet he is clearly aware that been arrested on the streets these acts of indecency by the around Hafte Tir and Valiasr, regime are a result of world who are still missing and remaining indifferent towards noone is aware of the loca­ the human rights situation in tion of their captivity. Nu­ Iran and the lack of a centrist merous others were detained policy position against peo­ at the end of the protest and ple’s suppression. By adopt­ taken to Ward 209 of Evin ing a different tone of voice, prison. he tried to not stay indiffer­ Considering the shameless ence against the suppression record of behavior of the re­ of people in Iran. pressive forces against ar­ Public’s sensitivity to the Ira­ rested females we ask all in­ nian people’s movement due ternational communities, hu­ to citizen reports is so strong man rights and especially that politicians have reluc­ women rights organizations tantly been forced to react. to take a stand against the ar­ At the same time, Bernard rest, unknown circumstances Kouchner, France’s Minister and captivity place of these of Foreign Affairs in a press young girls and women and conference took a strong po­ put pressure on the regime to sition against the people’s announce the place of their repression stating: “This act captivity. will damage the character of Arrested brave females are Iran’s regime even more; a the core leaders of the peo­ regime which puts pressure ple’s movement. These cou­ on internal forces and is not rageous and freedom seeking willing to have discussions leaders must be freed imme­ with other countries.” diately and unconditionally. However, the strongest posi­ tion has been taken by the German Green Party. Ms. Claudia Roth, leader of the German Green Party in a statement against people’s repression by repressors of t h e r e g i m e w r o t e : 6 T he last glimmers of the dusk sun Are showing me the path on which to write; The sounds of leaves under my steps Are telling me “let yourself fall And you will rediscover the path to freedom.” I never feared death. Even now, as I feel its odd and honest presence next to me, I still want to smell its aroma and rediscover it; Death, ligence Ministry’s local office. A who has been the most ancient few hours later, as I was blind­ companion of this land. I don’t folded and chained and could not want to talk about death; I want to see or move, a person who intro­ question the reasons behind it. To­ duced himself as the deputy prose­ day, when punishment is the an­ cutor began questioning me. His swer for those who seek freedom questions were irrelevant and filled and justice, how can one fear his with made up accusations (let me fate? Those of “us” who have been remind you that it is strictly against sentenced to death by “them” are the law to interrogate people in only guilty of seeking an opening places other than courts and tribu­ to a better and fair world. Are nals). This was the first of many “they” also aware of their deeds? interrogation sessions I had to face. I started my life in the city of Ker­ The same night, I was taken to the manshah, the name of which has Intelligence Ministry’s provincial always been on the tongues of my headquarters in Sanandaj, where I compatriots for its greatness; the had to attend the real party: a dirty city which is called the cradle of cell with a disgusting washroom. civilization. As my thoughts were The blankets had not been washed developing, I came to see and feel for years. This was the beginning the injustice and discrimination; an of three months of going up and injustice that targeted me not only down the hall from my cell to the as an individual but also as a mem­ interrogation room, always being ber of humankind. I went in thou­ beaten along the way. The honor­ sand different directions to find out able interrogators were so keen to the reasons behind injustice. Alas, get a promotion or make a bit more they had made the arena so closed money that they accused me of all for those who were thriving for jus­ kinds of bizarre things, even though tice that I could not find my way in. they knew of the falsehood of their I immigrated to another arena out­ accusation. They used every means side the superficial boundaries to in their power to prove that I had find answers to my questions. I be­ taken part in armed operations. In came a Komeleh guerilla in order the end they could only prove that I to find my stolen identity. Yet I had been a member of Komeleh never separated from my first and had taken part in propaganda home, and once in a while I re­ activities against the regime. The turned there to renew my memo­ 10 year sentence handed by the ini­ ries. And then one day, they found tial court is good proof that I only me during one of my visits, ar­ had one charge. The 1st branch of rested me and put me in a cage. The the Revolutionary Court in Sanan­ greeting my captors reserved for daj sentenced me to 10 years in me from day one convinced me that prison, to be served in Ramhormoz my fate would be similar to those Prison outside Kordestan. The po­ who had walked before me along litical and administrative establish­ that road: torture, fabricated ment in Iran has always been in fa­ charges, biased court, an unjust and vor of centralized policies, but, ap­ politically motivated verdict and parently, in my case, they had de­ finally death. cided to reverse course! Let me put it this way: after being arrested on July 20th, 2008, in [Continued on pg 11] Kamyaran, I was taken to the Intel­ 7 7 The Green Movement, Hejab and Ending the Death Penalty By Asal Akhavan I n the months following in the political literature of sues are still unclear: the the June 12 coup, Iran the country and the Islamic death penalty, and forced has been engulfed in a Republic has created a new Hejab . One cannot use the massive movement record in the number of po­ battle against Ahmadinejad’s and while this real people’s litical executions not only in administration as an excuse movement has become the history of Iran but of the to ignore these two and known as the green move­ whole Middle East. “Must other important issues that ment, it is in fact a kaleido­ be Executed” was one of the concern fundamental human scope of colors portraying main slogans of the 1979 rights. It appears that the all political and social manner by which intel­ movements in it, lectual and political which under normal groups look at these and stable political two issues is a good conditions would criterion to see their probably have been practical commitment opposing each other to human rights. The rather than standing groups in the Green side by side. movement, ranging The goal of this from right to left, from movement, as its new religious and lib­ leaders and spokes­ eral thinkers to national people inside and outside revolution, something that ­religious groups and the Iran have said is the estab­ in time gradually came to Marxists must expressly re­ lishment of the democratic include those who had sup­ spond to the question of rights of the people, such as ported. This is something their views regarding ban­ freedom of opinion and ex­ that the Green Movement is ning the death penalty. They pression, freedom of parties, aware of and has experi­ must also specify their posi­ syndicates, and associations, enced. But how does a tion regarding forced Hejab. freedom in elections, press movement that has been cre­ Specifically, does the gov­ freedom, and freedom of as­ ated to build the future dis­ ernment have the right to sociation. associate from its bitter past impose and dictate what It is clear that these democ­ and damage? There is no women must wear? The ratic rights are the minimum doubt that this movement groups that dominate this requirements for a civil life must succeed. But as we movement have a greater for all political and social currently focus on winning, duty to clarify their views, groups which is why they we must also be conscious and specifically Mr Mous­ can constitute the basis of an and sensitive to possible fu­ savi and Mr Karoubi, and effective political coalition, ture deviations and harm. those who inside and out­ which may only be tempo­ The very fact that “must be side Iran act as their spokes­ rary. The most recent executed” has been elimi­ people and have specific movement of the Iranian nated from the slogans of views in this regard, must people, while different from people is a hopeful sign but express their views categori­ the 1979 revolution, carries we need greater guarantees cally so that we may gain with it three decades of bit­ about the future ahead of reassurance and become ter experience from that us. more trustful, in view of revolution. For example, the views of past experience and events. In the last three decades, the many individuals and death penalty has been one groups in the movement re­ of the most common words garding two important is­ Works Turbulent, 1998. Two channel video/audio instal­ lation. Rapture, 1999. Two chan­ nel video/audio installa­ tion. Soliloquy, 1999. Color video/audio installation with artist as the protago­ nist. Fervor, 2000. Two channel video/audio installation. 7 Passage, 2001. Single channel video/audio instal­ lation. Logic of the Birds, 2002. Multi­media Performance. The Last Word, 2003. Sin­ gle channel video/audio installation. Mahdokht, 2004. Three channel video/audio instal­ lation. Zarin, 2005. Single chan­ nel video/audio installa­ tion. Munis, 2008. Color video/ audio installation based on Shahrnush Parsipur’s novel Women Without Men. Faezeh, 2008. Color video/ audio installation based on Shahrnush Parsipur’s novel Women Without Me Expressing the inexpressi­ ble THIS WEEK: Shirin Neshat
Shirin Neshat (born march 26, 1957 in Qazvin, Iran) is a contemporary Iranian visual artist who lives in New York. She is known primarily for her work in film, Video and photography. Her work refers to the social, cultural and religious codes of muslim societies and the complexity of certain oppositions, such as man and woman. Neshat often emphasizes this theme with the technique of showing two or more coordinated films concurrently, creating stark visual contrasts through such motifs as light and dark, black and white, male and female. Neshat has also made more traditional narrative short films, such as her recent work, Zarin. The work of Shirin Neshat addresses the social, political and psychological dimensions of women's experience in contemporary Islamic societies. Al­ though Neshat actively resists stereo­ typical representations of Islam, her artistic objectives are not explicitly po­ lemical. Rather, her work recognizes the complex intellectual and religious forces shaping the identity of Muslim women throughout the world. As a photographer and video­artist, Shirin Neshat was recognized for her brilliant portraits of women entirely overlaid by Persian calligraphy (notably through the Women of Allah series). In 2009 Neshat won the Silver Lion for best director at the 66th Venice Film Festival for her directional debut "Women without Men". She said about the movie: "This has been a labour of love for six years.(...) This film speaks to the world and to my country." 8 8 Iran set to Execute Kurdish Iran police detain 109 over Political Prisoner Ehsan rally Fattahian
M E hsan Fattahian’s lawyer, Nassrollah Nasri, was noti­ fied on November 6 that his client will be executed on Wednesday morning, November 11, 2009, Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI) reported today. Ehsan, 27, was arrested in July 2008 and first sen­ tenced to 10 years in exile by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court in Sanan­ daj. During the appeals process his sentence was changed by Branch 4 of the Kordestan Appeal Court to execu­ tion for being an “enemy of God” (Mohareb), allegedly by being a member or PJAK (Kurdistan Inde­ pendent Life Party). Despite undergo­ ing torture, Ehsan refused to confess to carrying arms and participating in an armed struggle. His family maintains that he’s being persecuted for his Kurdish political activities. Ehsan’s interrogators tried to force him to make a false confession on tape, and he was often physically assaulted by guards in prison. In response to the regime’s intention to execute him, Ehsan started a hunger strike on November 8, and his fellow Kurdish prisoners in the Central Sanadaj Prison began an open­ended hunger strike as well. In his last letter from Sanandaj Prison, Ehsan wrote: I don’t want to talk about death; I want to question the reasons behind it. To­ day, when punishment is the answer for those who seek freedom and jus­ tice, how can one fear his fate? Those of “us” who have been sentenced to death by “them” are only guilty of seeking an opening to a better and fair world. Are “they” also aware of their deeds? If the rulers and oppressors think that, with my death, the Kurdish question will go away, they are wrong. My death and the deaths of thousands of others like me will not cure the pain; they will only add to the flames of this fire. There is no doubt that every death is the beginning of a new life. The Alliance for Kurdish Rights calls for the immediate release of Ehsan Fat­ tahian, and all Kurdish political pris­ oner in Iran. 8 Kouhyar Goodarzi, Journalist and Human Rights Activist Expelled from Sanati Sharif University ore than 100 people were detained for pub­ lic order offenses after Wednesday's protests in Tehran, officials say. The protests coincided with an official rally to mark 30 years since the storming of the US embassy during the 1979 Is­ lamic revolution. The 109 people were on the fringes of an opposition­organized demon­ stration when they were detained. Security spokesman Azizollah Ra­ jabzadeh said 62 are due to face trial while the others were released after questioning. Kouhyar Goodarzi, hu­ Persian TV. He was man rights activist and charged with granting an aerospace engineering interview with BBC Per­ student of Sanati Sharif sian, while according to Protest gathering of 4 November detainee families University has been ex­ recent law; interview pelled from the univer­ with internal or external outside the Revolutionary sity and strictly banned media is not a crime. Ac­ Court from entering the campus cording to disciplinary or dormitory area for one laws, the disciplinary semester. Goodarzi was committee must not be he families of detainees summoned to the disci­ used as a tool to suppress gathered in front of the plinary committee one students’ protests or ob­ Revolutionary Court on Sat­ day after the students jection. Such charges urday 7 November and de­ protest against the pres­ against individuals and manded the release of their loved ones. ence of the Minister of issuing verdicts based on The protest began gathering at 9am. By Science and was charged other crimes is against 9.03am there were more than 140 with negative influence the law and the issued families and their number was increas­ on other students, protest verdict holds no legal ing by the minute. and interview with BBC value. Others joined them in support. Some of families, especially mothers Another Kahrizak…What's happening stood in front of the court with hand in Khorin Detention Centre in written scripts showing their demands, such as: "We demand the immediate Varamin? release of our loved ones". Many of them are unaware of their loved ones ing the protests on No­ location and situation. ollowing the vember 4th and most of Among the detainees are a large num­ arrests on No­ them were women and ber women and young girls between vember 4th young girls. the age of 20 and 30.and their families in Tehran and According to reports al­ have no information about their where­ particularly that of young most all the women and abouts. This has caused so much dis­ girls and women, some girls arrested have been tress that they have no faith in prom­ worrying news has been transferred to Khorin, the ises and demand unconditional free­ circulating on the unclear terror prison near Va­ dom for their loved ones. situation of these detain­ ramin where there have Police repression forces, plain­clothes ees in recent days. Ac­ been alerts of crimes and Revolutionary Guards brutally at­ cording to reports the ar­ even worse than those rest of women and girls reported at Kahrizak. tacked the families after seeing the on November 4th had Reports say that some of placards and tried to take the placards been planned by the Khorin’s regular prison­ from the mothers’ hands. But they re­ criminal coup govern­ ers have been transferred fused to let go. Human rights and de­ ment. to Evin prison to make mocracy activists in Iran, condemn Police had already dis­ room for the women and these arrests and the lack of informa­ girls. Immediate action tion provided and demand the commis­ claimed the arrest of women and young girls. from human rights and sioner of human rights This dangerous denial is international organiza­ and international officials to act made while there is clear tions is vital to prevent for the unconditional and immediate evidences that100s of more horrors. release of political prisoners in Iran. people were arrested dur­ [More News on pg 9] T F 9 9 Baha'i Citizen's House Searched In Babol T he Baha'i rights com­ mittee of HRA re­ p o r t s th a t o n Wednesday October 21, agents from the Intelligence Ministry in Babol raided the home of Pejzman Nikoonejad a Bah'i resident of the city. The agents arrested Nikoonejad and confiscated religiouos books and personal belongings. Nikoonejad was released after being questioned for two hours. Karroubi: Iranian government doesn't know what it's doing O pposition cleric Me­ hdi Karroubi ad­ dressed Iranians in a video message in which he criticized the Ahmadi­ nejad government's changed stance toward the United States. Karroubi expressed surprise at Iran's policy change toward the U.S. and said that the sending of a congratulatory message and letters to Washington was in di­ rect contrast with the regime's bashing of the American govern­ ment. Demand for the Prosecution and Trial of Those Responsible for 1360s (1980s) Mass Killings F ars News Agency reported that a private hospital fueled the post­election unrest by refusing to treat injured police officers and individuals resembling Basij militiamen. The Parcham report carried by Fars wrote that the unnamed private hospi­ tal had allocated its resources to treat­ ing a 'certain group of people and turned away all bearded individuals who had a Basiji appearance.' According to the report, while Health Ministry regulations clearly state that the names of patients must be regis­ tered on hospital administration forms, many of the "leaders" of the unrest who were brought in were treated group of families of those who were killed in without their names being recorded. the ‘60s have issued a statement demanding Parcham also alleges that after treating the wounded, demonstrators were the prosecution and trial of those involved, given clean clothes and sent home in especially in the collective executions that ambulances. occurred in1367 and that the government announce the After the unlawful behavior of the hos­ names and identities of those who were buried at that pital's director was brought to light, he time at Khavaran cemetery in Tehran. In respect to re­ left the country on an alleged research vealing these identities they have also demanded that the grant and returned to Tehran a few names of those killed during recent events must also be days before Nov. 4, Parcham added. announced. The hospital director continued his Nowroz website, the database news of the Participation unlawful behavior after his return and refused to admit many of the wounded Front, long ago announced the names and identities of almost 100 people who were killed during recent events. brought in during Nov. 4 protests, the Iranian officials calculated this number to be 30 people. report claimed. A During the 1360s (1980s) a large number of government opponents were executed in Iran’s prisons. According to Herana news agency reports quoting Zamaneh radio, the group that released this statement have announced that they also seek the abolition of execution, for any crime He referred to Mohammad­Reza and torture under any title. They have asked the authori­ Mir­Tajeldini's remarks about ties of Iran to release all political prisoners of conscience, Ahmadinejad's two­hour meet­ without any constraints or conditions. ing with 50 American officials during his last trip to New York In this statement, the Iranian government has been asked and said, "If even a tenth of such to officially recognize the burial place of those who were killed during past events and return their bodies to their a meeting had taken place dur­ ing previous administrations, families, to allow families to mark the place with a tomb shroud­wearing devotees would stone and finally to allow families to hold memorial have [taken to the streets and] events privately at home or at the cemetery at which they thrown Tehran, Qom and Tabriz are buried ­ this is currently forbidden. The burial place into chaos." of those executed in the 1360s has never been announced to the families and they have been barred from holding "Why is it though that hardliner any mourning ceremony under any circumstances. dailies such as Kayhan have nothing to say about this issue?" Another point which has been raised in this statement is that the Iranian government should allow the families to "Iranian interests are not the play­toy of nouveau politicians. receive the final testaments of their loved ones as well as One day there is a meeting with the indictment of political prisoners and those who have the Americans over Afghanistan, been executed in the past 30 years, in order to reveal the the nuclear issue, and oil, and reason for their execution. next, they ruin everything." These families, of those who were executed during the "I think such policies will create 1360s say that the events following the June elections doubts among the people and it has given them the opportunity to talk about the execu­ is obvious that the government tions after a long time. Some officials of the Islamic Re­ is confused and does not know what it is doing," said Karroubi, public of Iran such as Mohammad Javad Larijani and Ayataollah Mohajerani have raised their opinions on the adding that he believed talking about such issues were his duty. executions of those who were opposed the government in the ‘60s. 9 Fars claims private hospital helped fuel unrest 271 schools in Tehran Province temporarily closed due to swine flu
Some 271 schools in cities across Tehran Province have been temporarily closed due to the swine flu epidemic, the Tehran Education Department’s public relations officer for provincial cities said on Satur­ day. Ali Soleimani added that 19 school chil­ dren in Tehran Province have been diag­ nosed with the H1N1 virus and 12 of them have been hospitalized. The director of the Tehran Education De­ partment has said six of those infected with the virus are from the city of Tehran. So far, many schools in Kashan and Isfa­ han have been temporarily closed to pre­ vent the spread of the H1N1 virus. On Oc­ tober 28, 235 schools at the elementary and secondary levels were closed for eight days in Kashan. The Health Ministry has said 23 citizens have died of the H1N1 virus so far. The Health Ministry announced last week that 515 new cases of swine flu have been detected in the country, increasing the number of those infected with the disease to 2,153. [More News on pg 10] 10 10
Relatives of Victims Unable to Iran authorities confirm Families of political Mourn location of detained detainees protest prison The families of many of the young people killed in November 4 protesters post­election unrest have been unable to mourn conditions properly because the authorities have banned cere­ C A ccording to the letter, the post­election detainees in the general holding cells of Evin prison, especially sections 7 and 8, lack all forms of hygienic provisions and are in dire c o n d i t i o n s . Reportedly, 50 political detainees are currently in this section and due to lack of space sleep in the halls of the section. Those who protested the condition were reportedly transferred to solitary confinement last week. oncerns over the transference of detained protesters of No­ vember 4 demonstrations to the undesirable detention centre in Varamin was put to rest by Sohrab Soleymani, head of Tehran pris­ ons. Mr. Soleymani told Mehr news agency that “Khoreyn” detention centre is only used for the “general criminals of the area” and there are 40 to 50 fe­ male criminals at this site and neither of them was arrested on November 4th. On November 4th, 109 people were ar­ rested and over 40 of them were re­ leased on bail. The rest are reportedly transferred to Evin Prison. From the start of protests against the alleged fraud in the election, over four thousand people have been arrested. Po­ lice claims under 400 of those are still in custody. The arrest of these people which also include a group of promi­ nent political and social activists has been contested by reformist clerics and h u m a n r i g h t s g r o u p s . The government appointed committee in charge of following up on the situa­ tion of these detainees has issued no re­ ports except for denying Mehdi Kar­ roubi’s allegations that some of the de­ tainees were raped by prison officials. Human Rights Watch announced last week that they have concrete evidence that rape of detainees in the post­ election arrests in Iran has occurred and They add that “In this cold weather, expressed concerns that the government they do not have a bed and are forced intentionally neglected the evidence. Citizen’s rights accorded by the judi­ ciary, allows at least one square me­ ter to each prisoner. The letter from the families maintains that their “loved ones are currently placed in cells where they have even less than half a square meter of space.” to sleep on the cold ground and many of them are suffering from the International Federation of Human flu.” Rights Leagues (FIDH) has also ex­ pressed concern over possible torture of Section 8 of the Evin prison is cus­ members of university alumni group, tomarily used for drug smuggling Advar­e Tahkim­e Vahdat detainees. and murder convicts and it appears that the transfer of political prisoners to this section is another form of National Coach: European teams reluctant to come to Tehran pressuring them. Iran football coach Afshin Ghotbi The government has arrested over said that the big European teams are four thousand people in the post­ not interested in coming to Tehran. election protests to the alleged "I would rather face the powerful fraudulent victory of Mahmoud European teams but they are reluc­ Ahmadinejad. Over three thousand tant to come here. Meanwhile, we have been released mostly on bail. have to pay a lot of money to big teams to play with them and Iran's Families of many of the remaining Football Federation has no budget prisoners have been actively pursu­ for this," Ghotbi told reporters in the ing their cases demanding their re­ national team's training session lease or in the least, better conditions ahead of the warm­up match against whilst in custody. Iceland which will be held at the Azadi Stadium on Tuesday.
10 monies for the dead, hampering the grieving process. Some have not had their loved ones’ bodies returned or have had to wait weeks, and there have been re­ ports of the authorities burying frozen bodies en masse. The victims were among the many thousands of young people who protested at the declaration that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had won re­election. They, as well as opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi and re­ formist candidate Mehdi Karroubi, say the authorities rigged the June 12 vote to ensure the re­election of Ahmadinejad. Security forces cracked down on the protests and many died, the best­known being Neda Agha­Soltan, a young woman whose shooting was captured on a mobile phone. An Iranian commander was quoted in September as say­ ing 36 people died in the unrest including three in a Te­ hran prison. Human rights organisations inside Iran be­ lieve the true figure is more like 200. To their families, the victims were just campaigning for a better future for Iran. Much of the country, however, now sees itself as being in a state of national mourning. On Radio Farda on August 11, 2009 Alireza Beheshti, a member of the Mousavi­Karroubi Committee for the Support of the Harmed, said, “Due to policies dictated by security offi­ cials, the families of the deceased were not able to per­ form proper burial ceremonies for their lost ones.” The mourning process is an important rite in Iranian so­ ciety with particular ceremonies on the third, seventh, and fortieth days after death. These are all part of the process of healing but that can only start with the cer­ tainty of death and knowledge of how the person died. For this reason, close friends and relatives go to the mortuary to see the body washed. After 40 days, the bereaved then revert to life as before, still remembering the deceased on their birthdays, the anniversary of their death, and other days that are remi­ niscent of them. All this has been disturbed by the ab­ sence of the bodies of the protesters or the delays in re­ leasing them. People showed great forbearance during the Iran­Iraq war, when many Iranian soldiers died. Mothers were able to cope with their loss because of a belief that those martyred were in God’s trust. It was all very different in the latest protests, with many families made to wait weeks before the deaths of their sons and daughters were confirmed. There were similar delays in the delivery of corpses, pre­ venting families from holding proper ceremonies. Many were merely given directions to the burial place. Complete mourning is a catalyst for healing. Denying families the ability to hold ceremonies in mosques and other public places prevents them from keeping alive the memory of the deceased. Mourners gain strength from collective re­ membrance, ultimately enabling them to heal deep wounds. A mother whose son’s death was hidden from her finds it hard to move beyond shock and denial. A father who watches the crushed body of his child being buried cannot be expected to grieve when the authorities refuse him the ability to mourn. Without support and empathy, they cannot overcome their loss. People have found some ways to alleviate the pain caused by the restrictions, like a gathering in Tehran on July 30 that commemorated those killed in the protests. Mothers supporting each other in their grief hold weekly gatherings and notable figures from the protest movement have vis­ ited some of the families in mourning. But this is not enough. Since many believe that these young people lost their lives in the quest for freedom and truth, they believe their passing must be commemorated at the national level. Full healing will depend on widespread support from soci­ ety. 11 11
From pg 6 (I Never Feared the judges of this country can Death: The Plight of Ehsan Fat­ say that they have not broken tahian) their oath and have remained Setareh From Evin
fair and impartial? In my opinion the number is count­ Recently provincial appeals able with the fingers on my courts have become the judi­ hand. When the entire justice cial authority to rule in cases system in Iran orders arrests, related to political prisoners, trials, imprisonments and even in capital punishment death sentences with the sim­ cases. Capital punishment ple hand gesture of an unedu­ cases were the jurisdiction of cated interrogator, what is to the Supreme Court. So, the be expected from a few mi­ Kamayaran prosecutor ob­ nor judges in a province that jected the initial ruling, and, has always been discrimi­ surprisingly, against Iranian nated against? Yes, in my law, the 4th branch of the view, it is the foundation of Kordestan Appeals Court the house which is in ruins. changed the 10 year sentence to a death sentence. Accord­ Last time I met in prison with ing to Article 258 of Iranian the prosecutor who had is­ Criminal law, appeals courts sued the initial indictment, he can only issue a heavier sen­ admitted that the ruling was A report from Evin prison on tence when the initial sen­ illegal. Yet, for the second tence is lighter than the mini­ time, it has been ruled that 14 Aaban (5 Nov)
mum punishment required by my execution should be car­ law. The indictment pre­ ried out. It goes without say­ sented by the prosecutor ing that the insistence to have just returned from stated the charge as Mohare­ carry out the execution at any Evin an hour ago, my beh (enmity against God). cost is a result of pressures mind is not functioning and I I
exercised by political and in­ The minimum punishment telligence groups outside the required by law in similar Judiciary. People who are cases is 1 year in prison. part of these groups look at Now, be the judge yourself the question of life and death and compare the 10 year of a prisoner only based on prison sentence (served in their own political and finan­ exile) with the minimum re­ cial interests. They cannot quired to see how illegal, see anything but their own unlawful and political the illegitimate objectives, even death sentence is. when it is the question of a person’s right to life ­ the Let me add that, shortly be­ most basic of all human fore my sentence was rights. How pointless is it to changed to the death sen­ expect them to respect inter­ tence, I was taken from San­ national treaties when they andaj prison to the Intelli­ don’t even respect their own gence Ministry’s detention laws? center, where I was asked to make a false confession on Last word: if the rulers and camera, show remorse for the oppressors think that, with actions I had not committed my death, the Kurdish ques­ and reject my beliefs. I did tion will go away, they are not give in to their illegiti­ wrong. My death and the mate demands, so I was told deaths of thousands of others that my prison sentence like me will not cure the would be changed to the pain; they will only add to death sentence. They were the flames of this fire. There fast to keep their promise and is no doubt that every death prove to me how courts al­ is the beginning of a new life. ways concede to the demands Ehsan Fattahian, of intelligence and non­ Sanandaj Central Prison judicial authorities. How can one criticize the courts then? Source: Human Rights Activ­ All judges take an oath to re­ ists In Iran main impartial at all times and in all cases, to rule ac­ cording to the law and noth­ ing but the law. How many of 11 felt my heart sinking. I heard from a friend who was with them that Raha never stopped chanting as she was trans­ ferred to the security forces' car. Although I didn't know every­ just want to scream. It was one, many faces were familiar. around 3pm that a friend told It felt like I had known them me about the protest of de­ for years. I was upset that my tainees’ families in front of friends had been captured by Evin prison. We immediately the devil and there was noth­ joined them there and were ing I could do about it. I de­ greeted by some 400­600 fam­ cided to start chanting with the ily members and humans others. At this point security rights activists outside the forces started threatening eve­ prison gates. About 10 minutes ryone to leave the premises, later, several guards and sol­ but nobody was paying any at­ diers rushed out of the main tention to their threats of ar­ gate and started pushing peo­ rest. We stayed there with con­ ple away from the scene. At tinued threats from the secu­ this time a car pulled up by the rity forces for another 30 min­ gate and several people, who utes after the gates were were all handcuffed got out. closed, until darkness fell. But Seeing this, people started I feel I left my heart back chanting and the situation be­ there, behind those closed came charged. gates. I will suppress my anger After paying close attention I until future protests. I will wait realised that some of them to release all my anger towards were my friends. It was obvi­ the reactionary forces. ous they were brought in from other detention centers and We have been also been noti­ traces of pain were evident on fied that many detained friends their faces. At this time some were taken to the office of the of the detained friends started Intelligence Ministry behind chanting too. I saw Yashar and Reza's Computer Bazaar. Raha's faces. They were show­ Until future events... ing the peace sign with their hands in the air and chanting Down with the dictator of the “Death to the Dictator”. My Islamic regime eyes welled with tears and I 12 12
“She was like an angel” Neda's mother talks about her daughter
T he night before she in her heart, to empty her soul. was killed on the And that's what this is: a mourn­ streets of Tehran, the ing mother who for months has woman the world wept and remained silent about would come to know simply as her daughter's killing, until now. Neda had a dream. "There was a "This is a pain that will never war going on," she told her heal” she said in a gentle, mother the next morning, "and I hushed tone. Watch mom mourn was at the front." the "look in her eyes" Neda's mother had joined her on the street protests that erupted “I need not worry” after Iran's disputed June 12 presidential election. But on that On June 20, Neda Agha­Soltan, fateful morning, she told her 26, headed to Tehran's Niloufar daughter she couldn't go with Square, where thousands of pro­ her. As Neda prepared to leave, testers had gathered. Clashes her mother was filled with anxi­ were particularly intense that ety. "I told her to be very care­ day, with demonstrators and riot ful, and she said she would." police squaring off. More than four months after Neda, accompanied by her mu­ Neda's death, her mother, Hajar sic teacher, called home with Rostami, described the pain her frequent updates. "Mom, there family has endured and how are just too many clashes hap­ grateful they are to millions pening. There are a lot of police across the world who have and security forces around." hailed Neda as a martyr ­ a sym­ Tear gas was thrown at the bol of freedom for Iran. She crowd and Neda headed to a spoke with CNN by phone in medical clinic to get her eyes her native Persian langauage washed. "My eyes are really from her home in Tehran a few burning badly" she said. days ago: "As a message to eve­ Twenty minutes later, Neda's ryone, I really want to thank the mom reached her again. "She whole world. And I don't really said she was on her way back know how to thank them, so I home, that I need not worry." ask of you, Please find the right Neda told the same thing to her words for me. aunt and uncle, who also called I can't tell you how much it has to check up on her. warmed our hearts, how much it Wearing blue jeans, a black shirt has helped us." and white sneakers, Neda There’s an Iranian expression walked towards her car, parked that describes a grieving per­ on a side street not far from the son's need to talk about the pain heated protests. "It didn't occur to her that anything was going to be different," her mother said. Then, Neda was killed. A single bullet struck her chest. Recalling that day, her mother paused in the hour­long inter­ view. The family, she said, has gone back to the scene and re­ traced Neda's movements. "She was only 26 steps from her car." Those were 26 steps Neda never had a chance to take the differ­ ence between returning home to her family and becoming a sym­ bol of a greater struggle inside Iran. 'She was absolutely beautiful' While millions across the globe were transfixed by Neda's death, captured on video, her family entered a traditional seven­day grieving period. Her parents' house was too small to host eve­ ryone; they gathered at Neda's older sister's home. “She was never the type of girl who would resort to force.” The family, Neda's mother said, was barred from holding a me­ morial service. "I did see Neda when her body was being washed before bur­ ial," she said. "When her body was covered in the white shroud for burial, when they uncovered her face, I saw her. She was ab­ solutely beautiful, with a smile, Editor: Saeed Valadbaygi Associate Editor: Negar Esfandyari Advice & assistance: Abbas,Amin,Ana,Babak Translation: Sara,Navid,Elham,Negin,Mahan,Cristina,Pascal,Shohre,Keyvan,Arsham Bahareh,Pegah &… Newsgroup: Saeed,Maryam,Bahareh,Amir,Lara,Negin,Sima,Kamelia,Kaveh, Saman &… NOTICE: PLEASE HELP THE PUBLICATION OF THIS JOURNAL WITH DIRECT DONATION OR BY PRINTING & DISTRIBUTING EACH EDITION IN YOUR AREA. BEST J o u r n a l 12 a beautiful smile. Like an an­ gel." It was during the seven days of mourning, around the third or fourth day, that a relative told her about the video of Neda's death, by then widely watched on the Internet. Her mother did­ n't watch it that first week. "But when I returned home, I did see the video," she said. "It was enormously painful. So painful that I've never been able to watch it again all the way through to the end.It was the moment of seeing her give her life, the life leaving her body. That was very painful. The look in her eyes at that moment...I wake up with that look in her eyes every morning; I go to bed with the image of that look in her eyes every evening." She continued, "I want to say that the moment that bothers me the most, that bothers me terri­ bly, is the moment Neda got shot. That's because Neda was an extremely brave person. Ever since she was a child, she was brave and fearless. So that mo­ ment when she got shot, I saw it in the video, she couldn't believe it, that she had taken a bullet. So much so that she takes a look at her body. And when she sees she's been shot, she takes a few steps backwards and then falls. The only words she managed to utter was: 'Teacher, I'm burning.' And people said she passed within 44 seconds." [Continued on pg 13] 13 13
From previous pg( “She was daily basis, when I think of like an angel” Neda's mother talks her, I can't tell you how hard about her daughter ) it is. It's hard to speak" Neda, the second of three children, shared her room She visits Neda's grave every with her younger brother, who Friday and is heartened that plays the guitar and violin. even now, throngs of people Neda loved the piano, and still greet her. "It's as though wanted him to learn to play. she only just passed away." Just days before she was She carries with her a painting killed, she picked out a piano of her smiling daughter that for him. He has since bought she received as a gift. "People it. "When he comes home go and write the word 'martyr’ from work he plays the piano on her grave in red ink and and sings in Neda's memory. then the authorities go and And that's what keeps us go­ wipe it off." ing every evening" their Neda’s mother said her mother said. She hopes the daughter's killer is still at people of Iran and the world large, but she's confident the will hear her story ­ Neda's person will be found and tried story ­ and never forget her in court. "I am waiting for that daughter. day.I saw Neda as a martyr from the start. Neda was a "I want to thank you for re­ martyr for her homeland." membering her. That’s what stays with me, and her eyes, A “caring” debater the look in her eyes in those last moments that had a story Long before Neda became an to tell that I can never forget," iconic figure, she was a "very she said.. "Neda has made me excited girl who always had enormously proud." answers to everything. She was very good natured, It is tradition in Iran to give friendly, very emotional and away personal belongings of a caring…extremely emotional loved one after they die. But and caring," her mother said. Neda's bed, her makeup stand, “I saw her face when they un­ her photographs everything covered her. She was abso­ that was hers remains un­ lutely beautiful ...like an an­ touched. The reason; Neda gel. She was never the type of appeared in her sister's dream girl who would resort to and told her not to part with force." anything. "I am alive," Neda In their last face­to­face con­ said. versation, the mother and daughter debated the political climate inside Iran. "We had a hearty debate and discussion," her mother said. “Neda was divorced. After the divorce she tried to get a job, but it was impossible. Every time she went for an interview or filled out an application, she felt people viewed her dif­ ferently. Neda loved aerobics. She also liked to sunbathe at our local swimming pool. Her last meal was her favorite dish, pan kabob.” Their home is now adorned with photographs of Neda. One of her last gifts to her mom was perfume, a birthday present she cherishes. "On a 13 Iran On the Edge The Islamic Republic is facing a political and economic crisis. Obama must keep that in mind as he plans his next move. I ran is at a tipping point, an estimated $40 billion. Tehran and President Obama's can no longer pay the bills, keep policies in the next few the regime's corrupt sycophants months could define the satisfied, and deliver a minimum Iran that emerges from the cur­ level of subsidies to poor Irani­ rent turmoil. In considering the ans to keep the lid on political next step in its engagement with dissent. Iran, the Obama administration must take a hard look at the Faced with these economic re­ country's increasingly unstable alities, the regime has decided to domestic situation. cut energy and food subsidies, Given the an increasingly seri­ gradually increasing the price of ous political and economic cri­ basic goods such as oil, electric­ sis, the "Islamic" in the Islamic ity, and bread to international Republic of Iran is no longer ap­ market rates over a period of plicable ­­ nor is the word about five years. While many "republic." After the recent elec­ senior members of government tions and the brutal treatment of have long appreciated that this protestors and anyone opposed was necessary in order to to the regime, the mullahs are no achieve an economic turn­ longer seen as legitimate by the around, they were loathe to take Iranian people. The Revolution­ this step for fear of a domestic ary Guard Corps has carried out backlash. Now that subsidies are a bloodless coup with the bless­ being slashed, the people are be­ ings of a puppet supreme leader ginning to stir. and president. Today Iran is, for all intents and purposes, a secu­ Electricity bills have increased lar military dictatorship. by 300 percent, with payments due within 45 days and late pay­ The country's economy is also in ments subject to a 20 percent dire straits. The regime has put interest penalty. The expected off reforms for three decades, price increases associated with blaming sanctions for its self­ the elimination of subsidies inflicted failures. Inflation is should send inflation soaring running at an annual rate of 20­ above the 30­40 percent rate, 25 percent. Unemployment is making the lot of poor Iranians around 20 percent and on the unbearable.
rise. Iran's foreign exchange re­ serves have declined rapidly, to [Continued on Next pg]
14 14
From previous pg ( Iran On the Edge) Film review: Bright Star (PG) Both the regime and average Irani­ ans hope that a rapprochement with the West can alleviate these economic pressures. They assume that the removal of sanctions and Iran's re­integration into the global financial system will quickly rein­ vigorate economic growth. But they are wrong. Iran's economic wounds are largely self­inflicted; they are the result of failed institu­ tions, ill­conceived economic plans, and pervasive corruption. The removal of all sanctions will enable corrupt business and politi­ cal leaders to amass even larger fortunes as they scramble to repre­ sent U.S. firms in Iran, but average Iranians will see very little benefit so long as the present regime stays in power. For economic conditions to improve, Iran needs a dramatic change in policies and practices, not just the removal of sanctions. The continuing turmoil in Tehran has also afforded Iran's ethnic mi­ norities ­­ principally the Arabs in the Southwest, the Baluchis in the Southeast, and the Kurds and Aze­ ris in the Northwest (but also Lurs and Turkmens) ­­ an opening to challenge the regime with their list of growing grievances. There is fear among Iranians that their na­ tion may be in serious danger of dismemberment if additional po­ litical and economic pressures are brought to bear on the already strained government. The Iranian regime, fearing these developments, has exhibited an un­ precedented willingness to negoti­ ate with the United States in order to regain its legitimacy. The United States should seize this opportunity ­­ not only by tackling the issue of nuclear enrichment, but also by raising governance issues with the Islamic Republic. Embracing the regime in Tehran and lending it unconditional support, as the United States has done with other dictatorships in the region, will only backfire. Washington is fool­ ing itself if it thinks it can prop up this regime. The mullahs have lost all credibility, and the Iranian peo­ ple are unwilling to pretend other­ wise. It is in America's interest not to alienate the Iranian people and the rest of the Muslim world. 14 Ryan Gilbey A deft treatment of John Keats's love life Dead romantic sometimes referred to as an "eye­of­God" shot. Here it feels more like Keats himself has story­ boarded the action. There's a unique awkwardness reserved for po­ etry on film, but Campion sidesteps this by han­ dling the poems with special informality. Fanny asks her sister, Toots (Edie Martin), to read Keats's work aloud, so the first excerpt we hear ­ the opening stanza of "Endymion" ("A thing of beauty is a joy for ever") ­ is delivered in the child's halting, sing­ song voice, before Fanny snatches the book from her hands and si­ lently completes the reading herself. As Keats, who is 23 when the film begins, Whishaw wears thick, shaggy hair like a cowl and purses his plump lips in the manner of someone sucking jam from a wooden spoon. When he recites a poem, his eyes dart from side to side, as though trying to keep up with a high­speed ping­pong match. It was the cat wot done it, at least for me. Either Whishaw plays him as a grubby­looking oik, that or the rabbit. In Bright Star, the 18­year­ with holes in his socks and an overcast pallor old Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish) is curled up that renders any shafts of sunlight in his mood all the more magical. When he's plodding in the window of her mother's Hampstead through a meadow with Brown, their stupor is townhouse, reading poetry by her neighbour, John Keats (Ben Whishaw), with whom she is interrupted by a ball, tossed suddenly into the frame. Keats reaches up and pulls it from the gradually becoming besotted. A moggie that air in a casual movement that makes us aware has been mooching around Fanny's room of his lightning reflexes, his youthfulness. pushes its boxy head into her book and turns the page in a lazy but insistent gesture. Even as his health is failing, we see how he is Hats off, then, to Topper (is it strange to check lit up inside by Fanny's curiosity and company. a cat's name in the credits?), and to Jane Cam­ This is an organic screen romance, not a trick of lighting or editing. Neither actor idealises pion for keeping the screen thrumming with their character: Keats is prone to sulking, Fanny spontaneity. Every inch of this film is inti­ can be maddeningly irrational. But they do con­ mately alive. While Fanny is busy crossing swords with Keats's chauvinistic friend Charles vey the pull of mutual intelligence and how it shades into attraction. Much of the momentum Brown (Paul Schneider), a girl in the back­ ground offers a dozy rabbit to another child to in this largely plotless film comes from Cor­ pet. You'll never catch a bit­player rhubarbing nish's uninhibited vitality. Her excitability in one of Campion's movies, but there's more to sometimes exposes the Australian accent she it than that: the central love story is fortified by has worked hard to conceal, turning "poems" back into "pomes". But it would be a stony the detail bristling around it. heart indeed that did not forgive the actress this lapse, especially in the light of her work in the The romance between Keats and Brawne, final scenes of the film, when her hands make which began in 1819, two years before the poet's death, isn't used to explain or corroborate shapes in the air as though trying to describe what Keats wrote in that period ­ the film gives the contours of grief. their love its own worth. Campion is more in­ terested in the point where life and art become For what it's worth, Bright Star is already my indivisible, and her stylistic choices are mod­ favourite of Jane Campion's films. It has the dream logic of The Piano, the crazed inventive­ elled on this idea. Sound and song spill over from one scene to the next, while Greig Fraser's ness of Holy Smoke, the forensic detail of In the cinematography takes its cue from Keats, who Cut. It's a reminder not to take for granted this clambers high above the forest floor or reflects director, who has spent her career pulling rab­ on a dream in which he was floating above the bits out of hats, nor to commit the same slight treetops. Fraser keeps finding vrtiginous cam­ against love.
era angles from which to gaze down at the char­ acters through a lattice of branches. This is 15
“Obama, Obama, It’s them or us!” 15 The following is the complete message released on Tuesday evening: By Elham
"30 years ago today, the American Embassy in Tehran was seized. The 444 days that began on November 4, 1979 deeply affected the lives of courageous Americans who were unjustly held hostage, and we owe these Americans and their families our gratitude for their extraordinary service and sacrifice. This event helped set the United States and Iran on a path of sustained suspicion, mistrust, and con­ frontation. I have made it clear that the United States of America wants to move be­ yond this past, and seeks a re­ lationship with the Islamic Re­ public of Iran based upon mu­ n November 4th have. One of the most talked pathetic spineless coward who tual interests and mutual re­ once again brave about phrases that Iranians thrives on love from people. spect. We do not interfere in Iranian students used on November 4th was He is just too weak to stand up Iran’s internal affairs. We have demonstrated their “Obama, Obama, You’re ei­ to anybody, and let's not forget condemned terrorist attacks massive power and urge for ther with us or with them!” his love for being adored and against Iran. We have recog­ freedom. November 4th (13 Let's take a look at what he treated as a messiah. He will nized Iran’s international right Aban) is Student Day in Iran has done to prompt the people play along as long as he does to peaceful nuclear power. We and this year demonstrations to think of such a phrase. not have to face fearless and have demonstrated our will­ were bigger than ever. President Obama has been one demanding citizens. ingness to take confidence­ Throughout Iran students and of the most talked about politi­ During his campaign, on many building steps along with oth­ other citizens put their hands cians in recent months and occasions he talked about ers in the international com­ together to show their solidar­ could have used his unimagin­ “taking a special interest” in munity. We have accepted a ity and firm standing on get­ able power to do some good Iran's nuclear matter and its proposal by the International ting their motherland back deeds around the world and problems, which we all know Atomic Energy Agency to from the evil regime of the Is­ especially in Iran. Instead he what they are by now. He was meet Iran’s request for assis­ lamic Republic. While all this decided to sit back, relax and going to force the regime to tance in meeting the medical was going on in Iran, I heard a watch the disaster from far, far stop the nuclear program and needs of its people. We have very interesting speech from a away. In his most recent mes­ was going to “clean out” the made clear that if Iran lives up spineless president in this part sage he talked about the 52 danger areas. But now that it to the obligations that every of the world. I would like to American hostages in 1979. is time for action, Mr Obama nation has, it will have a path touch on his speech here and He took some of his precious says that the US wants to to a more prosperous and pro­ give him some answers that time to remember them and move beyond this past, and ductive relationship with the should have been said to his once again let the world know seeks a relationship with Iran international community. Iran face had this been possible. what had happened in that "based on mutual interests and must choose. We have heard In the statement Obama re­ year. Meanwhile thousands of mutual respect." “For 30 for 30 years what the Iranian leased on Tuesday November Iranians' are imprisoned in the years,” said President Obama, government is against; the 3rd he raised November 4th Islamic regime's barbaric pris­ "we have heard ... what the question, now, is what kind of 1979 and the American hos­ ons and are being tortured, Iranian government is against; future it is for. The American tage taking in Iran. The tone of raped and many have died as a the question now, is, what people have great respect for his statement gave the sense of result. But he decided to stay kind of future it is for." the people of Iran and their him telling the Iranian regime silent and not even mention Finally I want you to judge; rich history. The world contin­ that as long as they are not these recent events once. was it right to give such useful ues to bear witness to their harming the States, their ac­ You be the judge, would you power to Obama? Do you powerful calls for justice, and tions would not face any con­ call him a coward or not? I agree that maybe, just maybe their courageous pursuit of sequences from the govern­ honestly don't know, and don't he could have put his power to universal rights. It is time for ment of the United States. I want to know why he remains work a lot better than he has? I the Iranian government to de­ assume that includes non­ silent when the people have would really hope to see cide whether it wants to focus accountability to their recent been screaming to get their Obama take action. Instead of on the past, or whether it will killing sprees. voices heard and doing every­ clinging to the past and pun­ make the choices that will I for one am sure that Iran's thing possible draw attention ishing Iranians for what the open the door to greater op­ regime will interpret this as a to our desperation. But no, he regime has done. portunity, prosperity, and jus­ green light and based on what could not be bothered with tice for its people.” we have seen they already that. To me he is just another O 15 16 16
The third case involved Maryam authorities are required to inves­ Saberi, 21, who was arrested on tigate and prosecute those re­ July 30 during the commemora­ sponsible. The Human Rights tion of the 40th day after the kill­ Committee, which authorita­ ing of Neda Soltan " whose tively interprets the International shooting death during a demon­ Covenant on Civil and Political stration shocked the world. Sa­ Rights, to which Iran is a party, beri was arrested after her photo has said that complaints about ill appeared on a website connected ­treatment must be investigated to the Revolutionary Guard that effectively by competent authori­ posted pictures of protesters and ties. Those found guilty must be asked people to identify the peo­ held responsible, and the alleged ple in the photos so that they victims must themselves have could be arrested. Before she effective remedies at their dis­ was released on August 12, Sa­ posal, including the right to ob­ Source: Human Rights Watch tors dropped him off by car beri says, she was raped four tain compensation. somewhere in Tehran with his times by the prison guards. Judiciary Ignored Documenta­ hands and feet tied, bleeding, Background and semi­conscious. People who On August 9, in a letter pub­ On August 10, Ali Larijani, tion of Torture found him on the street took him lished in the Etemad Melli paper, speaker of the parliament, dele­ (New York, November 6, 2009) to a hospital. the reformist presidential candi­ gated a special committee to in­ ­ Iran’s judiciary should immedi­ date Mehdi Karroubi wrote that vestigate Karroubi’s allegations ately investigate cases of sexual The medical examiner’s office, “some detained individuals and review evidence of the assaults in prison and prosecute which reports to the judiciary, stated that some authorities have physical condition of those de­ those responsible, instead of cov­ examined Mehtari the next day. raped detained women with such tained during post­election ering up these crimes, Human The report, which has been seen force, they have sustained inju­ events. Rights Watch said today. by Human Rights Watch, de­ ries and tears in to their repro­ scribed: discoloration and in­ ductive system.” On August 12, Larijani an­ Human Rights Watch has docu­ flammation under both eyes nounced on behalf of the com­ mented three cases of sexual as­ “caused by being hit with a hard Mehtary’s is the only known mittee that Karroubi's claims sault in Iranian prisons on per­ object”; bruises on the left rear case of official documentation of were completely false and that sons arrested since the disputed of his head; deep scratches on injuries consistent with allega­ ‘in careful reviews of the Kahri­ June 12, 2009 presidential elec­ both wrists and both ankles; tions of rape with a zak and Evin prison detainees, tion. In the most recent case, the wounds on his right shin; second stick. Sources close to Karroubi, no cases showing abuse or rape medical examiner’s office con­ degree burns caused by a hot ob­ who has established a committee were found.” firmed that multiple injuries suf­ ject around his head, neck, left to investigate the condition of fered in prison by Ebrahim Me­ shoulder, and on both hands to­ political prisoners detained after On August 29, Ayatollah Sadegh htari, a young activist, resulted taling two percent of his body the elections, said that judiciary Larijani, the head of the judici­ from torture and mistreatment surface; and bruises on both but­ authorities told Karroubi that ary and brother of the parliament consistent with his allegations of tocks and the external area of the rapes with a stick have taken speaker, appointed a committee sexual abuse. But Judiciary au­ anus caused by being hit with a place and been documented by to review allegations of those thorities refused to conduct fur­ hard object. The report also the medical examiner's office but arrested during the recent events, ther investigations and instead noted that Mehtari complained that the identities of the perpetra­ including rape claims. The com­ told Mehtari and his family that of anal pain. tors were unknown. mittee consisted of Ebrahim there would be severe conse­ Raeesi, first deputy to the head quences if they talked about the Mehtari told Human Rights They said that judiciary authori­ of the judiciary, Gholamhossein abuse he suffered. Watch that when hospital au­ ties also asked Karroubi how Mohseni Ejehi, general prosecu­ thorities learned he had just left Mehtari’s father had been able to tor, and Ali Khalafi, the head of “It’s shameful for Iran’s govern­ the prison, they tried to destroy photograph his son's anus to judiciary’s office manager. ment to close its eyes to official the medical report, but his father document his wounds and that evidence of severe sexual abuse was able to make a copy of it the authorities had used their In their report to Sadegh Larijani of detainees by prison authori­ while visiting him in the hospi­ skeptical stance to try to dis­ on September 12, the committee ties,” said Sarah Leah Whitson. tal. credit Mehtari’s allegations. wrote that they found “no evi­ dence of rape in the cases of the Mehtari, 27, was first arrested on A second young activist, Ebra­ “The official documents and im­ individuals claimed by Mr. Kar­ July 26 and released on August him Sharifi, 24, who was ar­ ages of Mehtari’s tortured body roubi,” and that his claims and 1. On August 19, several officers rested on June 23, told Human speak for themselves,” Whitson documents “are all fabricated whom Mehrati’s family said he Rights Watch that he had been said. and designed to divert public believed were members of the raped in detention while he was opinion.” Revolutionary Guards, abducted handcuffed, blindfolded and his Mehtari is now outside of Iran. him from his workplace and later feet were tied, and that he had After he left the country, security The committee also demanded transferred him to a location in attempted suicide several times forces raided his family’s house judicial action against those who eastern Tehran. He told Human after his release. He said that ju­ twice. During the second raid “through propagation of false­ Rights Watch that during his de­ diciary officials had refused to they threatened his father with hoods and presentation of accu­ tention he was severely beaten accept his complaint and told arrest if he talked about the sations and slander” have dam­ repeatedly and sodomized with a him that if he spoke out about his abuse his son had suffered. aged “the reputation and credi­ baton or stick. case his family would be in dan­ bility of the government and cer­ ger. The prohibition against torture is tain symbols of it.” On August 24, he said, his cap­ absolute in international law, and Stop Covering Up Sexual Assaults in Prison
16 17 17
Latest Reports on Prisoners
ents to go and ask the MKO to free their daughter. Mahsa Naderi is a 19 years student in economics. She is currently serving her sentence in women’s ward of Evin prison. fers from severe flu. He told the family that despite his critical condition, prison offi­ cials are refusing to take him to prison’s medical facility where he can see a doctor. Dr. Davood Soleimani is a for­ mer MP for Tehran and a member of the Participation Front. During his time in the parliament he was a member of the Majlis Culture Commit­ tee. Soleimani was also the deputy director of students’ affair at Tehran University. He was arrested on June 16th, 2009 and up until last week was held in solitary confine­ ment. Soleimani is currently detained in a public ward in Evin prison. (November 8th): Prisoners Fariba Pajooh has been de­ Denied Medical Care by Evin tained for 80 days and is re­ Officials portedly in critical mental and physical state. During her de­ Parastoo Sarmadi was tention, she has been system­ Denied Visit with her De­ Mahsa Naderi, Davvod atically mistreated and ver­ tained Husband Soleimani and Fariba bally abused by prison guards. Parastoo Sarmadi was not able Pajooh are denied Evin prison guards refuse to to visit her husband, Hossein medical care. give Pajooh her medication Nourani­Nejad in prison to­ Prison visits were canceled and prison officials are ignor­ day. The family who had gone ing her repeated complaints. to Evin this morning was told for Hossein Nourani­Nejad, Fariba Pajooh was arrested on by prison officials that Esmail Sahabeh and Saeed August 22nd, 2009 and has yet Nourani­Nejad’s name was Nour­Mohammadi. not on Evin prisoners’ list. Behzad Navai appeared be­ to be charged. The family then contacted the fore the court. Saeed Nour­Mohammadi Prosecutor’s office and was Farhad Pouladi, Habib Ha­ and Esmail Sahabeh Held able to get a visitation permit. jian, Hadi Haydari, After waiting a few hours, Incommunicado Ehsan Fattahian on Hun­ Mohammad­Javad Mozafari, Saeed Nour­Mohammadi and prison officials told the family ger Strike Mohammad­Amin Shirzad, The Kurdish political prisoner, Ebrahim Shirkavand and May­ Esmail Sahabeh, both arrested they would only allow the at Komail Prayer service, are visit if Parastoo Sarmadi left Ehsan Fattahian has gone on sam Vareh­Chehr were re­ still held in solitary confine­ the visitation room. Evin offi­ hunger strike to protest his leased. cials claimed that Sarmadi was death sentence. He is currently Ehsan Fattahian has gone ment in Evin prison. They have not contacted their fami­ making too much hubbub over detained in Ward 2 of Sanan­ on hunger strike. lies since the arrest and are be­ her husband’s detention and daj Central prison. should remain silent till his Fellow political prisoners have Behzad Nabavi in Court ing held incommunicado. This morning Sahabeh’s father release. announced that they would go Second court hearing for went to the prison hoping to Hossein Nourani­Nejad has on hunger strike if Fattahian’s Behzad Nabavi, a senior mem­ see him but was denied visit been detained since his arrest execution takes place. ber of the Mojahedin of Is­ by prison officials. Sahabeh’s 60 days ago. lamic Revolution organiza­ 7 Detainees of 13 Aban tion, was held behind closed father had an official authori­ Hojat Sharifi Contacts Released doors today. Nabavi had asked zation to visit his son but the Hassan Hajian, member of the his family in writing and verbally to have interrogator opposed the visit. Saeed Mohammadi was previ­ Hojat Sharifi contacted his participation Front was re­ an open trial to answer to ously arrested after the elec­ family two days after being leased today on his own re­ charges brought up against tion but was released after 62 arrested. Sharifi who is a cognizance. He was arrested him during the show trials. member of Adavar Tahkim during 13 Aban protests in Te­ The court rejected his requests days. Both men are held in and he had to defend himself Evin prison since October 21st Vahdat told his family he was hran. The AFP correspondent, during a closed hearing. The when they were arrested. Yes­ unaware of his detention Farhad Pouladi was released court has recessed until Tues­ terday 10 other Komail prayer place. detainees were transferred to a Sharifi was arrested with his from prison today. Pouladi day. wife, Nafiseh Zareh­Kohan. was arrested while covering Nabavi was taken back to the public ward in Evin. There is no news on the fate or 13 Aban protests. hospital after the hearing. He Mahsa Naderi in Critical whereabouts of Zareh­Kohan 5 detainees of Komail Prayer was arrested in June, 2009 fol­ who is a journalist and a mem­ service were released from Condition lowing the presidential elec­ The imprisoned student, Ma­ ber of the Iranian Alumni Or­ prison this afternoon. Hadi tion. hsa Naderi is being denied ganization. Haydari (cartoonist), Fariba Pajooh in Critical medical care despite suffering Ahmad Zaid­Abadi, Abdollah Mohammad­Javad Mozafari, from a range of health condi­ Momeni, Mohammad Mohammad­Amin Shirzad, Mental and Physical tions. Nadrei was arrested on Sadeghi, Hassan asadi, Ebrahim Shirkavand and May­ State Fabruary 20th, 2009 and sen­ Koohzad Esmaili and Mousa sam Vareh­Chehr were all ar­ Fariba Pajooh’s family was rested on October 22nd, 2009 able to meet her today despite tenced to one year in prison. Saket are the other detained The judge has refused to grant members of the Advar Tahkim during a Komail prayer ser­ the opposition of Evin offi­ vice. cials, and after they showed an her a sick leave. Naderi suffers Vahdat. authorization letter from the from severe migraines, kidney problems and gallbladder in­ Source : Davood Soleimani in tribunal. The family had to Human Right Activists in Iran Need of Medical Care wait for a long time before the fection. Her migraines have In a phone call from Evin visit and was able to meet her worsened over the past few through the glass divider the days. Judge Moghiseh has re­ prison, Davood Soleimani in­ portedly told the Naderi’s par­ formed his family that he suf­ visitation cabin. 17 18 Transsexuality in Iran: An Interview with Sharareh Attari, 18
Director of 'It Sometimes Happens'
By Sasan Ghahreman Ms. Attari, before we begin, please tell us a little bit about yourself and your experience with work, study, and life. In the Name of God, my name is Sharareh Attari. I am 33 years old, and I still live with my par­ ents, honoring the same tradi­ tional and religious ideals from my youth. Though I had dreams of becoming an astronomer, when I was 17 years old, I unex­ pectedly discovered film. From age 19 to 21, I studied film di­ recting at Jahad University, after which I went to Professor Samandarian’s azad (free) work­ shopfor acting. After studying theater, I worked an additional two to three years in that field. It was then that I became a senior assistant director and worked in planning, management, and pro­ duction of film and television. In 2003, I made a fictional docu­ mentary­style film on Ashura (the religious ceremony com­ memorating the death of Imam Hossein). There was some commotion in the first screening on June 27, 2006 in Khane­ye Honarmandan (House of Artists.) One or two viewers, who found the film in­ appropriate, protested and ques­ tioned the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance’s authori­ zation of such a film. As it turned out, there was no need for me to answer or defend myself, because the rest of the audience answered on my behalf. The film was shown a second time just a few days ago in Khane­ye Sinema (House of Cin­ ema) in a theater that was so packed that there was no stand­ With behavior unique to a rewarding. Because it took so ing room. There were just as woman, he drew me in and be­ long to make and because Amir many viewers outside as those gan to confide in me. Then came set out to live his life, the film admitted into the theater. The the tears…and after the tears, took on a fictional quality. But, only thing we could do to ac­ “Shide” was the only way I in fact, it is 100 percent docu­ commodate them was to sched­ could see her. She told me so mentary. As far as I know, when ule an additional screening. much about her life, and after I started, no one had discussed some time, I realized I had taken this subject in Iran. At the time it The audience’s attitude was very her hands into mine, saying, “I was considered crazy. Everyone rewarding, as the majority understand, I understand.” That told me that the film would just claimed that their views on the was the seed for this film. That collect dust in my house. But I subject had changed. I was grate­ was how it all started. thought that even among people ful because that was precisely who come to my house as guests, what I had hoped for. Many of I learned that Amir, the owner of the film could be influential and those who attended were theater When and how did you come the house, was scheduled to have worthwhile. This project would and movie actors and actresses, not be in vain. By the time I fin­ musicians, and writers. The sec­ upon your idea for the film It a sex­change operation a few Sometimes Happens? How did days later. That is when I made ished, three years later, several ond showing also brought in you find and select the actors my decision. I thought that films with similar themes had many people from various em­ maybe I could make a film that been made. When it was ready, I bassies as well as United Nations for your film? could transform society’s views took the film to the Ministry of staff in Iran. In 2004, I was invited to the and prejudices into a fair and Culture and Islamic Guidance. house of someone I did not know reasonable perspective. Just as I Without a single “powerful con­ In a question and answer session, to see a musician friend. The was embarrassed at my initial nection” or bureaucratic diffi­ one woman remarked that a few owner of the house, Amir, was behavior, I wanted others to no­ culty, I was given permission to days prior she had seen a film by not there, but my friend was, tice their own prejudices. There show my work, but only in do­ a famous female filmmaker that along with a few other people, was not much time before mestic and international festi­ had a minor transsexual charac­ one of whom was a man by the “Rima’s” (Amir’s feminine vals. Interestingly enough, even ter and that it had made her name of Mehrdad but who eve­ name) operation. I said to my­ though I was given this permis­ laugh in the theater. She went on ryone called “Shide.” Although self, “Here goes nothing,” and sion, most domestic festivals de­ to say, “I repent right here in the his clothes and appearance were began. Amir was the focal point clined to screen the film because presence of God that I made fun male, Mehrdad’s behavior was of the film: Amir’s life, before of the sensitive nature of the sub­ of those people and laughed at female. His hair was perfect, his the operation, the actual opera­ ject. It Sometimes Happens was them that day.” One famous ac­ makeup precise and thick, and tion, and her life after. Mehrdad only accepted by a large annual tor noted that, “I have always his eyebrows plucked. Years ago (“Shide”), Ali (“Hilda”), and celebration of Iranian Cinema seen those people, and even once I had seen people similar to him Shahin (“Sharmine”) were three where it was nominated for an or twice I played the role of one, and had run into quite a few other transsexuals who appeared award for best documentary and but never understood them.” One around Shahr Theater, but I had in the film, along with Amir’s for best documentary director. Danish gentleman said that in always avoided contact with mother and sister, a sex­change spite of living in a free country them. Seeing them had made me specialist, and an Islamic cleric. How many times were you able where these issues are not taboo, sick with visions of sexual devi­ to show this film? What atti­ It Sometimes Happens had ance. Mehrdad was friendly and How would you describe the changed his view. When he re­ tudes, debates, and contro­ kind, but I was not. I was angry film? turns to his country, he will ad­ versy surrounded it? that I was there, I felt it beneath dress this subject with others. I me, and I was unwilling to even Because of financial difficulties, Until now, the film has been am so happy that the film was look at Mehrdad. But it was not it took three years to complete shown four times. We have had able to encourage viewers to God’s will that the situation re­ the film and still it was not per­ two scheduled private screenings gain more insight and develop a main tense. Mehrdad put all of fect. However, the result, with of the film and, in both cases, we fairer attitude in regard to this his effort into winning me over. all of its shortcomings, was very held an additional screening. subject. 18 19 19
Street journalists and Barbaric regime M Today in most cities showed scenes of discord with the govern­ ment of “Seyed Ali Khamenei” and there are reports that students of Esfahan University had a very bountiful gathering, all the time singing the revolutionary anthem “Yare Dabestani”. We draw According to the people’s reports and images posted of each person who made up millions, members of the Ahmadinejad’s government and its supporters, the level of violence by the baton wielding Basij was un­ precedented. The level of violence was such that many women r Zarqami, Head of Media your attention to it now were left with fractured heads and Broadcasting in Iran, and many women fell unconscious with your permission citi­ after the blows they suffered in pun­ According to reports from the city zens have also made their ishment. The level of violence of of Rasht, the people marched reports; of their massive protests, of the the arrogant within Iran on the offi­ against your conditioning govern­ violence of the security forces and baton cial day of struggle against arro­ ment and raised your attention to wielding Basij militia at the hands of the gance is clearly evident in these im­ this with the “Yare Dabestani” government. Of course they don’t have the ages that have reached the public of anthem facilities of your vast organization and the people and the world. they‘re not allowed to film. And yet you filmed the people who were brought in See All Videos here: http://youtube.com/user/TheBistoon The posted images that front of the “den of espionage” (the And have not been broadcast in the Islamic Republic’s description of the Live Report on our blog: anti­people media and never American Embassy) with astonishing http://shooresh1917.blogspot.com/
will be unless we show them, organization, from every possible an­ speaks of the people’s desire gle. Our people can’t show the faces for the formation of a “people’s of the 16 and 17 year old kufiya wear­ government”. Thousands who ing Basiji children who don’t even are clearly visible in these im­ know their left from their right, and ages, were shouting say that they took to the streets “by “Independence, Freedom, a order of their leader” on the day of People’s Government!” struggle against global arrogance, later broadcasting the “America Amer­ Tehran University, on the ica…”(anti U.S. ) anthem. day designated to the “struggle But, with the permission of your anti­ against global arrogance” was people media, the people have also the scene of protest against do­ reported from the streets of Iran, re­ mestic arrogance and the stu­ porting that on the official day of dents greeted this day with slo­ struggle against global arrogance, the gans of “Death to the Dicta­ arrogant inside our own country were tor” and “Death to the Su­ beating our sisters and mothers at the preme Leader’s Jurisdic­ approaches to Hafte Tir Square. The tion”. people also reported that the batons of “your leader’s” soldiers inflicted a great deal of pain. If you don’t believe pecial forces who this ask the boy whose head was swarmed the streets to create smashed, he knows that pain well. The violence and beat people were people reported tear gas, they reported in the end not able to stop the how enthusiastically they greeted Karoubi, sea of people, and in the end people 1000s of people in Tehran with and people reported how the leader’s were able to embitter the taste of the conclusive judgement of him as a anonymous, violence seeking soldiers who coup government and stand in hope murderer, declared the authority of are sympathizers of Ahmadinejad’s gov­ of future days. The presence of the your conditioning leader ­ whom ernment have put Moussavi under house guards generating violence is evi­ you recognize in your media broad­ arrest. dent in these images. casts as the “substance of the mus­ lim world” – void. The protestors in With Mr Zarqami’s permission, the people Although US controversy was one these images available to the public have also reported, that child Basij were in Iran and the world, they chanted: of the aims of the Islamic Republic planted in front of the American Embassy and the leadership, pronounced day “Khamenei is a murderer, his and other loutish Basij at the entrances to and night even at football matches jurisdiction is void!”. Rather Hafte Tir Square so that they may attack where stadium billboards are cov­ people with unprecedented violence. With than the American flag, it was his ered with “America, depraved sub­ the permission of Mr Zarqami and other image that was torn down and stance of the century”, people pay lying media of the Islamic Reublic’s gov­ trampled on. The images are broad­ more attention to the government ernment including IRNA and Fars who cast here for you. Experts have at­ and people of America than to your placed the Basiji among the people to tributed this behaviour to the con­ propaganda. People in this clip are pummel and beat them, the people have tinuation of the dictatorship and the expressing this in the simplest way also made their reports, a fragment of excessive practice of murder by with “Obama, Obama, It’s which we present for your observation. government forces. them or us!”
ZEDBAZI [continued on Next pg] S
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without interest, asking the Basij to leave the university. From previous pg(Street journalists and Bar­ baric regime)... In contrast to people’s view that the government wants to introduce America as the enemy of the Ira­ nian people gathering a load of people outside the American Em­ bassy, equipping them with flags and spending a sizeable sum on their anti­people ceremony, people all over Iran went for simple hand clapping and sloganslike “The The people of Ahvaz too, stood alongside the Iranian people, sing­ ing anthems and shouting slogans. The people of Iran also reported from Tabriz , transmitting footage of slogans of “Death to the Dicta­ tor” and calling for support from Mir Hossein Moussavi. According to footage posted by protestors in Mashad, the people of Mashad also hit the streets to protest against the dictatorship anddomestic arrogance. Russian Embassy is a den of espionage”. Word on the street suggests that the government and leadership are extremely angered on hearing such slogans. One gov­ ernment member in a historic speech, forgetting that Ayatollah Khomeini has been dead for years, quoted on his behalf, saying “With the intention of misleading people, they’re chanting Death to Russia”. Even on the metro returning home, people chanted against Russia and its support for the coup d’etat gov­ ernment, and domestic arrogance. This street war is very absorbing. People have become so shrewd and act so quickly that any spectator is left in awe that with the slightest ap­ proach of the government’s vio­ lence seeking security forces, the vast crowd of people disappear. The university students’ protest against domestic arrogance thrived with the zeal of the crowd. Likewise protestors in this after asking the anti­riot police to wash Ahmadinejad, once again recog­ nized the official leader as a mur­ derer and therefore declared his authority void. If it’s inconceiv­ able, just watch. The protestors also suggested that Mojtaba Khamenei bow out now with no need to wait for the pomp and ceremony of death. The people of Kerman too want Ahmadinejad’s coup d’etat govern­ ment to step aside, and called “Ya Hossein, Mir Hossein” lobbing kicks at the abusive government. The throwing of tear gas towards the people by the violence seeking Basij forces is evident. Here is another report, another ex­ ample of the height of primitiveness of the agents who beat the people of Iran. Unlike the sorrow of the exhaus­ tive violence of the coup d’etat forces, the people with great wit and spirit clapped their hands and in some street barricades. According to reports submitted, a number of our compatriots were try­ ing to track down our oil revenue then realized that it had been spent on Basij forces, at the same time they know that the people of Iran are at the mercy of a vile man by the name of Mr Jannati. A group of protestors standing against the inalienable right of the Basij who are in the process of de­ stroying Iran, shouted: “A free green Iran doesn’t want an atom bomb!” Protest against domestic arrogance took place in different points of the country. With this direction, the people of Shiraz did not deny do­ mestic arrogance, shouting “Death to the Dictator!” The people of Esfahan in unison with the country’s other cities sang “Yare Dabestani” against the coup d’etat government. Protestors today followed a woman’s slogan “He who they call righteous, is a murderer.” We have reports and images of Te­ hran University students making charitable offerings to Basij forces with quick slogans. The people of Shahr Kord didn’t leave the coup d’etat government And more footage from Qazvin and the students saying: “Our Neda hasn’t dies, it’s the government that’s [Continued on Next pg]
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From previous pg(Street journalists and Barbaric regime)… It’s exactly five months that the Is­ lamic Republic has resorted to “open violence” showing this in the worst possible way, by even killing its protestors and opponents. As to which forces and which people, and how, they have been reared and trained such that what we have seen on 13 Aban (4 November) and wit­ nessed before that is an example that must be pursued and a proper reaction shown to it. On 13 Aban, savage forces of the coup d’etat government proceeded to the extreme of fracturing heads and rendering others unconscious and the women who stood at the front of the queue to try and save people were treated in the most ruthless and cold­hearted way. That which has been published in photo­ graphs and footage and that which has been conveyed by objective wit­ nesses describes a violence that one must question the angry and con­ fused state of the government. Although the coup d’etat govern­ ment has assigned another game to the people and sees it as an occasion for propaganda against the waves of protest of thousands of lost citizens and the media and governments and people of the world have been wit­ ness to an absolute objection to the government, the anger and promo­ tion of violence is astonishing after two days of talks and statements. Such that anyone would think that the coup d’etat forces remain only for the massacre of the people. But how can this “open violence” be stopped? The Islamic Republic according to the country’s current constitution and with attention to international covenants that it has signed and must commit to, does not have the right to subject the citi­ zens of Iran to such savage beatings and injury. Firing tear gas such that the heads of Karoubi’s caretakers are injured, firing plastic bullets such that sev­ eral people ended up in hospital, bleeding on Qods Day, beating peo­ ple’s heads and faces with batons such that people are fractured and rendered unconscious, are indica­ tions of extreme violence that Aya­ tollah Khamenei and Ahmadinejad 21 and the heads of the three branches must be accountable for. In Iran today because of corruption in the daily workings of the judici­ ary imposed by institutions affliated to the government and the leader­ ship, the citizens of Iran are not per­ mitted to question their rights in re­ spect to this open violence. The rep­ resentatives of the Islamic Council do everything in parliament except defend the rights of the people they claim to represent. Public and inde­ pendent institutions with supervi­ sory roles that have the power to perform are non­existent. In such circumstances there is little that can be done against this dirty violence and forcing the government to put an end to it. The soldiers reared by the government have the power to carry out any act with iron immu­ nity and newspapers like Keyhan promote this. 13 Aaban,student day in Iran on Foreign Media
The only solution against this vio­ lence is pressure on the Islamic Re­ public in every possible way (to the extent of this open violence) on be­ half of foreign governments, inter­ national institutions, the United Na­ tions and international groups de­ fending human rights.. This mission that must be undertaken very quickly and forces outside the coun­ try must put all their efforts into it. Supporting the people of Iran isn’t simultaneous gatherings outside em­ bassies. They must do all they can, using every possible resource to put the maximum pressure on the Is­ lamic Republic to stop this inhuman behaviour. The bodies of our mothers should not be subjected to batons that de­ scend and strike to silence the rights of the people. Our mothers and sis­ ters suffered the most brutal treat­ ment from the government trained security forces on 13 Aban and the days preceding it. We must show severe disgust towards this savage treatment and security forces out­ side Iran must view this problem as their fundamental responsibility. This behaviour by the government can only be compared to barbarism. Dealing with such a government in this age is the responsibility of each and every noble and democratic hu­ man being whose heart beats for hu­ m
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The Era of a New Politics Has Arrived (1)
of and the level of concrete reality and facts. Producing ideas alone does not lead us to social truth. 3. Revolutionary Politics Revolutionary politics is poetic and committed to the truth. Bad politics says, "People, you must revolt!" Revolutionary politics shows people that, to live free and equal, a social revolution is needed. Bad politics says, "People, Moussavi and the re­ formists cannot lead you in the direction of a democratic soci­ ety." Revolutionary politics, however, shows how and why the interests of one faction of the the meaning. The addressee is power elite ­­ though possibly By Amir K. not a mere observer, but a par­ different from the interests of the Khiaban No. 50 ticipant. current dominant faction ­­ are not equal to the interests of the 1. Art people. Revolutionary politics 2. Social Research An important distinction be­ The unearthing/understanding of shows that reformists' politics tween good and bad art is that social realities is possible with and strategies are alien to social bad art 'tells', while good art the help of research. An impor­ and political freedoms, and that 'shows'. A bad poem says, "I am tant phase of research is the op­ their aim is not social justice. in love", but a good poem recre­ erationalizing stage. We cannot Revolutionary politics 'shows'. ates the feeling of being in love reach reliable conclusions with a Bad politics says: People, sepa­ through the use of poetic meta­ mere idea. A social researcher rate your ranks from those de­ phors. It doesn't say, "I'm in who is investigating the role of fending the ancient regime, from love"; it writes: the educational system in the the representatives of the great "Woe, blade, do not scar my [formation of] definitions and world powers and those who cheek through neglect, structures of gender roles, in or­ contribute to your oppression Oh, hand, do not disturb the se­ der to test a hypothesis and in and exploitation. Revolutionary renity of my hair, order to get closer to the social politics shows that people, in or­ And do not shame me, Oh, heart! actuality, must operationalize der to attain freedom and to the drunken you, without having her/his research. Hundreds of build a people's governance, drunk a drop; pages of presenting ideas and must form their own massive The moment of meeting is close." conceptualizations do not com­ front independent of this or that Kafka, in his novel Metamorpho­ plete the task of research. For ruling faction, or independent of sis, does not state that humans example, the researcher studies the interests or likings of this or lose their humanity in a capitalist through the textbooks used in the that imperialist country. Bad system. Good art does not 'tell'; elementary school years, and politics says Islamic Republic is instead, with the help of literary through a close investigation of capitalist, so it must die. Revolu­ metaphors and artistic creativity the illustrations/photos, shows tionary politics shows people it creates an atmosphere, in that women are usually por­ that the economic policies of the which it shows this metamorpho­ trayed doing house work and rulers are designed to protect the sis of humans. When Gregor other family­oriented activities, interests of the wealth hoarders Samsa wakes up one morning, etc., while men are seen engaged and the powerful, and shows too he realizes that he has been in social activities, free actors, that a free society is a society in transformed into a [giant] beetle. independent and dominant. which the ownership of the Kafka does not speak of the Or else, you want to investigate means of production and sources alienation of the human relations the living conditions of workers. of wealth are not in the hands of in the twentieth century cities. You must operationalize this re­ a few, but one where collective He shows Gregor's relations with search. One researcher may pre­ ownership over the sources of his family. When you finish pare a survey and, with the aim wealth has been established. In reading the book, you are of scientific sample­taking from bad politics, bad politicians shaken. Its impact sticks in the the intended community, go to speak badly, and the people are deepest corners of your soul, and the workers and collect the the audience. Bad politicians you carry that effect with you needed information, and analyze carry out the political acts, they forever. and explain it. Another re­ are the actors/initiators, and the searcher may go to a working people are the observers. It is The art that tells assumes for it­ class neighborhood and live possible that the people hear self a passive audience. Good there for several months and note what they say, and even believe art, however, activates the intel­ his/her observations, and then in them, but this belief can only lectual and sensual powers of the based on those, attempt to ana­ help in bringing the particular addressee. Art that tells is a fin­ lyze and explain the findings. politician to power, and cannot ished product, ready to be di­ In order to proximate the social help in the popular sharing of gested by the consumer. Art that truth, we must repeatedly travel power [by the people]. shows involves the audience in back and forth between the level In revolutionary politics, people the outcome of the construction of the abstract and understanding are not an audience. People are 22 22 actors. Their decisions, their thinking and their actions are the parts that complete the revolu­ tionary politics. They them­ selves, from what revolutionary politics has revealed before their eyes, gain awareness and be­ come involved in determining solutions, tactics, and what­is­to­ be­done's. The social revolution for which the revolutionary poli­ tics seeks a path is not one of re­ placing ancient rulers with mod­ ern ones. It is, rather, a new sys­ tem of rule based on the collec­ tive power of the people, and the people matured in the fires of social struggle are the citizens and the creators of it. Bad politics remains on the level of ideas and hypothesizing. 'Long live freedom!' 'Long live social welfare!' 'Long live peo­ ple's power!' Revolutionary politics, however, operationalizes these ideas. [It shows] what practical steps are necessary in order to reach free­ dom, social welfare and justice. Bad politics says Islamic Repub­ lic must go. Revolutionary poli­ tics seeks those practical forms and methods, which can be put to use, and which are capable of overthrowing the Islamic Repub­ lic in reality and establishing a people's governance. Bad politics says that the avail­ able media are not free and re­ flect the interests of the ruling elites. Revolutionary politics proposes practical plans, in which free media can take form and the people's real voice can­ not be censored. Bad politics raises merely the pictures, images and symbols of people's struggles, and rallies the people around them. Revolution­ ary politics, although not ne­ glectful of symbols and signs, focuses its concentration on op­ erationalizing the ideas from which those signs and symbols receive their justification. Iranian society is experiencing immense developments. The so­ ciety has passed an era and is ex­ periencing a new birth. The tunes sung these days in the world of politics have no propor­ tionality with the immensity of this era. Both the reformists' politics and that of the available political parties and organiza­ tions, like a bad poem or a weak tract, will not remain in the memory of time. The society is in need of a new revolutionary politics and is working to de­ velop it. 23 23
from their trucks, the people re­ sponded with “Death to Russia”, showing their anger at the Rus­ sian government’s cordial rela­ By Babak Kasrayi a very clear warning by the gov­ tions with the Ahmadinejad gov­ ernment’s military thugs, the ernment. On September 18 there were misnamed “Revolutionary One interesting detail was the mass demonstrations in Iran, Guards”, that declared all pro­ fact that there were also some confirming the fact that the testers would be treated as Israeli slogans against Chavez, as un­ movement that began against spies (the harshest possible accu­ fortunately he has publicly sup­ electoral fraud is not dead. That sation in Iran). The protests were ported the Iranian regime. He movement shook Iranian society, not limited to Tehran, however, has repeatedly come out in sup­ and although there will be ups but took place all over Iran in­ port of Ahmadinejad, in the mis­ and downs, it will continue until cluding Tabriz, Qom, Esfahan, taken view that the Iranian re­ the present hated regime is Mashhad, Shiraz, Rasht, gime is “anti­imperialist”. The brought down. The key question Booshehr, Ahvaz and Kerman­ Venezuelan CMR already is the role of the working class shah. warned that this wrong position and the need for a revolutionary Contrary to what many of the of Chavez risks alienating those leadership. media have tried to depict, not who are the natural supporters of The Islamic Republic of Iran has all the slogans were nationalistic. the Venezuelan revolution in a hard task before it. It is a Iran, the workers, the counter­revolutionary regime youth, the women, who that has to suppress a revolu­ make up the ranks of tion… under the guise of being those who have been “revolutionary!” After all, how struggling against the re­ could a regime call itself actionary Iranian regime “revolutionary” and at the same in the last few months. time justify preventing the [See Solidarity with the masses of people from conquer­ movement of the Iranian ing the streets? masses – Statement of On September 18, the Iranian the Revolutionary Marx­ masses, in a very intelligent ist Current (Venezuela)] move, used Quds Day, typically Another interesting as­ a day of government­sponsored pect was that in the face rallies that nobody goes to, to of the immense courage further their revolution and con­ and determination of the tinue their struggle against the masses on September 18, Islamic Republic. This was the the police and Basij biggest presence of the masses Although some people did use thugs did not attack the protest­ on the streets, since the millions­ the slogan of “Not Gaza, Not ers with their usual killings and strong demonstrations just after Lebanon, I give my life to Iran”, beatings. Their action was lim­ the elections that ignited the this was by no means the domi­ ited to using tear gas and arrest­ revolution. The Quds Day dem­ nant slogan. The slogan that evi­ ing a number of protesters. It onstrations proved that the revo­ dently became the dominant one was clear that their so­called lution is alive and kicking. was “Death to the Dictator!” Ac­ “leniency” comes out of a fear of Quds is the Arabic name for Je­ cording to reports, at one point openly clashing with hundreds rusalem and “Quds Day”, the thousands of protesters filled and thousands of people on the last Friday of Ramadan in the Valiasr Street, the major avenue streets, and of provoking an even lunar Arabic calendar, is an ini­ in Tehran which runs across bigger movement tiative first launched by much of the city, chanting Continuous struggles Khomeini with the aim of sup­ “Death do the Dictator”. Ana­ The turbulent atmosphere is evi­ porting his fellow fundamental­ lysts say that it is pretty clear dent in every part of Iranian so­ ist, anti­leftist colleagues in the that they are no longer aiming region under the disguise of this slogan only at Ahmadinejad ciety. In the last days of Septem­ “supporting the Palestinian peo­ but also at Khamenei, the Great ber, the government finally re­ sorted to opening the universi­ ple”. The Iranian people have Dictator himself. There were always seen through all this and also slogans such as: “Cannons, ties. Ahmadinejad didn’t dare to that is why the government has Tanks, Torture or Rape will not be present at the opening of the usually had a hard job filling the stop us anymore”. This is remi­ new academic year in Tehran streets on this day. But not this niscent of an old revolutionary University. He instead sent his time around! slogan of the 1970s used against Minister of Science, Kamran Daneshjoo, who had to meet In the week building up to this the Shah’s regime. day people were determined to What is to be noted is how once hundreds of protesting students use Quds Day 2009 (September again the masses of Iran demon­ who had gathered in front of the 18) as a stage for their protests. strated their endless courage and Central Library of Tehran Uni­ And this is exactly what hap­ determination in facing up to this versity chanting: “Death to the pened. Depending on the differ­ criminal regime. On Quds Day, Dictator, both leader and doc­ ent reports one reads, the demon­ even the trucks of government tor” (referring to “The Supreme Leader, Khamenei” and “Dr. strators numbered anything from thugs were surrounded by the tens of thousands to one and half protesters. While the government Ahmadinejad”) and also million in Tehran. This is despite thugs shouted “Death to Israel” “Students prefer death to indig­ The revolution is alive
23 nity”. Students marched through the university and gathered in front of the university entrance in Enqelab Avenue. Only a strong presence of police and se­ curity guards prevented students from joining forces with people who had gathered outside the en­ trance in their support. On October 2, the masses even used the Tehran soccer derby match between two famous Te­ hran clubs, Persepolis and Esteghlal, to protest against the Ahmadinejad government. The match was in the colossal Azadi Stadium, watched by nearly 100,000 people, and you could even hear the anti­Ahmadinejad slogans on State TV! The Quds Day demonstrations proved a very important point: nothing can take the situation back for the regime to the “good old times” before June 22. Peo­ ple will use every possible op­ portunity to fill the streets. The “nightmare” of revolution will haunt the Islamic Republic until it comes tumbling down. And it is this fact that colours all further developments. “Unity of the regime”? We saw before how the old lead­ ers of the “Reformist” wing of the regime were tried in Tehran show trials by their erstwhile cousins. They were forced to re­ nege on all their ideas. In a hu­ miliating move, Sayid Ha­ jarian ­ the main “Reformist” ideologue who is the survivor of an assassination attempt and who has always been regarded as sort of a martyr for the reform­ ists ­ after denouncing whatever he once proclaimed and thanking his “brothers” for his place of confinement (that he described as being more “enjoyable than a prison”) was freed last week. On the other hand, Mousavi and Karoubi, two election candidates and “leaders of the reformists”, have resorted to unprecedented criticisms of the regime they had once contributed to building. Al­ though they too were careful to add that their ultimate goal is how to “avert the crisis” [read: save the regime] while continu­ ing their criticisms so as not to lose all their support among the masses; support that is already being undermined, the more peo­ ple progress in their demands. [Continued on next pg] 24 24
From Previous pg( The revolution is alive)... In a statement that would undoubt­ edly disgust some people who have been putting their lives at risk in fighting this regime, Mousavi said: “Our demand is full execution of the Constitution and the return of the Islamic Republic to its initial ethical principles. We want the Islamic Re­ public, not a word more, not a word less [echoing Khomeni’s famous say­ ing; my translation, BK] and he then went on to condemn those who want to go “beyond the regime” and break the “structures”. In general, we could say that the more the revolution has progressed, the more heightened have the internal divisions within the regime become. However, it is Rafsanjani, the fox of the regime, that “Man of crises”, that has astonished his “reformist” allies with an act that reveals that his crude political manoeuvres are truly unpre­ dictable. This astonishing act happened at the 6 th Summit of the Assembly of Ex­ perts, which is headed by Rafsanjani and has the constitutional power of replacing the Supreme Leader and picking a new one. Many people were contemplating about what this Assembly might do under the leader­ ship of Rafsanjani to counter Khame­ nei. But the summit, in its final dec­ laration and in its opening speech, gave its full support to Khamenei, as if to pour a bucket of cold water on all the “Reformist” leaders who had tied all their hopes to Rafsanjani. The final declaration praises Ayatollah Khamenei for his role in “putting out the fire of conspiracy and the inci­ dents after the elections”. It goes on to say: “We (members of the Assem­ bly of Experts) once more declare our allegiance to the Supreme Leader of the Revolution, Ayatollah Khame­ nei…. And we declare him to be the only candidate that is worthy of lead­ ing the nation” [my translation, BK]. The fact that this declaration was read out while Rafsanjani was no longer in the room (he left the sum­ mit in the early hours of its second and last day) means simply that he was trying not to completely alienate himself from his “Reformist broth­ ers” and not to attract more contempt from the people. His signature, how­ ever, was on this declaration. The show of “allegiance” to Khame­ nei on the part of the Assembly of Experts was quickly welcomed by the kind Supreme Leader. He used the occasion of his Eid­al­Fitr (End of Ramadan) sermon to give the green light to Rafsanjani. It was no­ ticeable that Rafsanjani, and also Hassan Khomeini, Ayatollah Khomeini’s son who has been mix­ ing with the “reformist” camp, at­ tended the sermon. Khamenei said that while what the accused reform­ ists have said in the show trials “about themselves” is acceptable, one cannot accept their accusations against “others”! It was clear that by this he meant he is ready to put to 24 one side confessions that the reform­ ist leaders, in the show trials, have made involving the Rafsanjani fam­ ily and its well­known thieving ac­ tivities. These events outraged Karoubi who wrote a very angry letter to Rafsan­ jani asking what is the point of hav­ ing an Assembly of Experts if it is just a rubber­stamp for Khamenei. “Isn’t it better for such an Assembly to be left only for the day that, God forbid, something should happen to the Supreme Leader?” he asked. [My translation, BK]. We can conclude from all this that different factions within the regime are doing their best to unite in the face of the massive people’s move­ ments that they we once again saw on September 18. But that does not necessarily mean they will be suc­ cessful in this endeavour. Rafsanjani knows very well that he has to take his cue from Khamenei who openly declared in his Friday sermon, about three months ago, that he feels closer to “The President” than his “revolutionary friend of 50 years”, i.e. Mr. Rafsanjani. He, like other reformists, knows well that if the re­ gime had the strength to deal firmly with this crisis, they would be among its first victims. We therefore should not exaggerate the degree of “unity” within this regime. While Rafsan­ jani’s green light to Khamenei in the summit of Experts was unexpected, disunity and confusion still shines out from every corner of this rotten regime. Obama and Ahmadinejad go “fishing”! The Ahmadinejad government would love to jump at such a prospect. Ahmadinejad has already been talk­ ing about how he should be consid­ ered as a “friend” by Obama. In a move that is unprecedented in the last 30 years, Saeed Jalili, Iranian nuclear negotiator, met with William Burns, US envoy and “highest rank­ ing Foreign Service Officer in the United States” as part of the Geneva negotiations. But there are two problems that will ruin this joint daydreaming and “fishing” on the part of Ahmadinejad and Obama: The Islamic Republic has long tied the question of its legiti­ macy to “opposition to the Great Satan” and leading the camp of Fundamentalist Islamists against the “world of arrogance”. Making a sud­ den turn and shaking hands with the “Great Satan” will surely further destabilize the regime in its ideological roots and will cause further divi­ sions within it. The revolutionary movement that has shaken society for the past three months cannot be stopped by these deals of the ruling class. The masses have entered the pages of history and they will not be driven back so easily. The Islamic Republic is tangled in a political, economic and diplomatic dead­end and Obama cannot really do much about this fact, as much as he would like to. Where to go? There is a Persian proverb that refers to those who try to “fish in muddy waters”, by which is meant abusing a situation in their own favour. This is an apt way to describe the recent be­ haviour of Obama and US imperial­ ism. Obama had clearly waited for the perfect timing to reveal the de­ tails about nuclear facilities in the city of Qom. He did so ­ standing shoulder to shoulder with Brown and Sarkozy at the G20 meeting in Pitts­ burgh ­ to show he is more serious than ever. He also had already made concessions to Russia by announcing the dismantling of US missile bases in the Czech Republic, so as to make sure he has Russian support should he need to inflict more sanctions on Iran. Obama has several aims in mind. He is trying to pressure the weakened Islamic Republic that is under the fire of a revolution, to “sober up” and accept the honoured position of being a “Western ally”. This could be a big stone for Obama, with which he could kill two birds, i.e. strengthen the new “western­allied” Islamic Re­ public and help them suppress the revolution at the same time; and also be able to count on a new ally in the region to help sort out the terrible mess that US imperialism has got itself into in Afghanistan and the Middle East. We have repeatedly said that the weakness of the Iranian Revolution so far has been the lack of an active and conscious participation by the workers as a class. Although from the beginning we did witness work­ ers’ protests and even strikes, a gen­ eral strike that could stop the wheels of society never materialised (despite a lot of calls for it from different parts of society). However, in the last month we have seen an intensification of workers’ struggles which will surely be an im­ portant factor in the coming revolu­ tion. It is not for nothing that Samare Hashemi, Ahmadinejad’s close advi­ sor, last week had to say in Kerman, “Some of the heads of the opposition after the recent chaos have been try­ ing to create economic sabotage in different sectors such as industry, agriculture and finance. This could lead to sabotage within the re­ gime” [My translation, BK]. We know very well what Mr. Samare is referring to when he speaks of “economic sabotage”. He is referring to strikes that are growing every­ where in Iran. On October 3, the Haft Tapeh agri­ business workers started new pro­ tests, gathering in front of the doors of the management offices. They are demanding the unpaid wages of the last two months. On September 26, autoworkers at the Zagros Factory in Boroujerd organized a gathering for the third day in a row protesting non­ payment of their wages. Before this we also saw the three­day strike of some of the workers in the textile factory of Kerep­Naaz in Kerman­ shah province. The employers had to give in to some of the workers’ de­ mands and the workers have threat­ ened that they will go on strike again if all their demands are not met. Now everybody is talking about how the “Blue­collars” have also risen. Iran is passing through a decisive moment. The people’s movement is growing and seeking every opportu­ nity to assert its power. Every official occasion is exploited to express the anger of the people. Demonstrations for the anniversary of the 1979 Revo­ lution next February will undoubt­ edly turn out once again to be anti­ government demonstrations. Workers and the people should use every op­ portunity to raise revolutionary mo­ rale and the true heritage of the de­ feated 1979 revolution and go toward to finish what the 1979 revolution left unfinished: to bring down Iranian capitalism and establish workers’ rule. What is required is for the working class to step forward in a decisive manner and put itself at the head of the protest movement. The youth in particular should turn to the workers directly and unite the student move­ ment with that of the working class. The demands of the workers on such questions as jobs for all, decent wages and conditions, should be brought together with those of the movement as a whole. All this should be part of the preparation of a mass, all­out general strike at some stage. That is what will finally put the nails in the coffin of this hated regime. If a genuine revolutionary party of the working class existed, the whole process could be accelerated. All the conditions have matured for a revolu­ tionary overthrow of the regime. Lacking this revolutionary leadership of the working class, we see the pre­ sent situation, where the movement rises and recedes again, at each step drawing lessons and preparing for the next stage. This creates a vacuum, which unfortunately can even be filled by elements such as Mousavi, who instead of leading is using his authority to hold the movement back. All genuine Communists, Socialists and Marxists in Iran should be work­ ing towards building what is missing, a revolutionary party of the working class. However, the masses will not sit and wait for such a party to be built. They will move through which­ ever channels are available. To the degree that the working class, in unity with other oppressed layers in society, such as women and youth, plays the role that history has re­ served for it in the upcoming devel­ opments, the Iranian Revolution will take an important step forward.
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ART MAGNET
Movie:
No One Knows About the Persian Cats
by Josh S. Henaman photos by M'Lou Elkins Production year: 2009 Country: Iran Runtime: 106 min. Directors: Bahman Ghobadi having their instruments confis­ cated. anthem, the guys of Hypernova walked onstage one by one to face a steadily growing crowd of It has to be said. You just can't Goths there to see headliners, get away from it. And we're The Sisters of Mercy. With the pretty sure the band members whirl of guitars and frantic themselves are probably tired of drumbeats, dapper lead singer seeing it reiterated over and over Raam hugged the microphone in article after article, headline close and started with after headline… and we're going "Somewhere Far Away." In a to be the first to disagree with it. deep baritone cry, Raam held the mic in a death grip and for Hypernova is not an Iranian that first song didn't venture band. from that one spot. With lyrics such as, "This world is not for Okay, on the surface that is not the feint of heart," the lack of exactly true. The band IS from audience interaction on the first Tehran, Iran and if there ever song almost seemed to say that was a poster child for being an Raam was keeping this song "underground" rock band, try close. It was for him. It was for honing your craft under a regime the band. And it was an homage where the threat of arrest and to everything they have been physical harm for even hum­ through. Once the song ended, ming a hook from Western mu­ Raam finally acknowledged the sic was a distinct possibility. It audience with a slight bow of was in this atmosphere that Hy­ thanks. pernova forged their sound, per­ fected their licks and built a After that brief bit of tribute to reputation for pure rock. their past, Hypernova opened up to the here and now with In the U.S., about the only ex­ "Universal," a somewhat poppy, perience the majority of Ameri­ finger­snapping riff that the Hol­ cans have had with a society in lywood crowd embraced in a which music was outlawed un­ frenzy of applause. If you were der penalty of imprisonment or to say Raam played to the crowd death was in watching the antics as a cool and confident front­ of High School everyman Ren man, you would then have to McCormack in Foot­ point out guitarists Kodi and loose. Needless to say, we've Poya as the band's chaotic been pretty sheltered if the only side. For every smooth slide example we can pull is a pop that Raam gave the audience, culture bit o'cinema starring the two guitarists followed it up Kevin Bacon. with battling energetic grinds to the forehead. Their camaraderie So why are we going as far to quickly became apparent during say Hypernova is not an Iranian the song "Sinners," and the band? If the show at the Henry members showed that they are Fonda Theatre in Hollywood destined to riff and play off each was any indication, Hypernova other much like the greats of is so much more. rock history. The movie is really about the universal power of music and the passion of the youth which know Cast: Ashkan Koshanejad, no boundaries. We see that Ira­ Hamed Behdad, Negar Shagh­ nian musicians go to any lengths aghi to defy censorship and restric­ tions to play their music. They Screened for first time at Cannes do not need concert halls. They film Festival’ parallel show “Un play anywhere: from metro sta­ Certain Regard”(May 2009) tions to cow sheds and for any­ where it won the special jury one who wants to listen. Where prize ex­aequo, and showed at Persian Cats works best is when London Film Festival two weeks it combines the dreams of being ago, the Iranian film Kasi az in a successful band and playing irani gorbehaye Khabar nadareh in London – the sort western au­ (“No One Knows about the Per­ diences may be used to – with sian Cats”), is a overwhelming aspirations of personal and artis­ and shocking trip in the under­ tic freedom that those audiences ground music scene in Tehran, would take for granted. Music directed by kurdish­iranian fil­ and lyrics for the young Iranians maker Bahman Ghobadi, regu­ has become a desperate, but at larly boycotted if not totally cen­ the same time powerful, means sored by the central government, of expression and communica­ who had to seek refuge tion with the world at large. abroad.Co­written by Roxana Ghobadi's film manages to con­ Saberi (who was released just in vey all the passion, energy, anger May), the story begins shortly and hope that is contained in after Ashkan, a member of an these music. It is a brave, and indie rock band, is released from undoubtedly controversial jail and follows him and female (specially with the two leads singer Negar as they attempt to seeking asylum in the west) film obtain, via forgers and bootleg­ made with so much passion that gers, the passports and visas that the viewers can not remain un­ will allow them to leave Iran to moved. It is masterfully directed play a gig in London. The threat and photographed and brilliantly of the police and authorities is all edited. A masterpiece which is around. Bands soundproof secret certain to become another mile­ rehearsal spaces and venues; one stone in the history of Iranian heavy metal band avoids arrest and world cinema. Absolutely by playing in a stinking cowshed unmissable. on a farm far out of town; mem­ Amidst an orchestral trumpeting bers of another band talk about 25 [Continued on next pg] 26
26 From previous pg (Hypernova)... That's not to say bassist, Jam, and drummer, Kami, didn't play their part. It's hard to imagine "Somewhere Far Away," without the soul­crunching bass or the cymbal crash of "Universal." As much as Raam and Kodi bounced off each other, Kami and Jam filled in the gaps and brought it all to­ gether. On tour with the Sisters of Mercy for the better part of a month, Hypernova is promoting their upcoming release, "Through the Chaos." With highlights of their live perform­ ance being, "Lost in Space," "Viva La Resistance" and the final song, "Fairy Tales That Don't Have Happy Endings," it jority of the population is in their twenties, and listening to Western music is illegal since Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad banned it in December of 2005. Bassist Jamshid and lead vocalist/guitarist Raam met at a military camp in Iran. Raam, whose vocal style has been linked to Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis, lived in Eugene, OR, for several years in the 1980s before returning to the Middle East, and formed the group with drummer Kami, second guitarist Kodi, and rhythm guitarist Poya. Though suffering from a limited access to the music they enjoyed, they were influenced by Sisters of Mercy, the Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, the Kings of Leon, the Ramones, looks and sounds like the album is going to make a few Best of 2009 lists. One standout of the evening was the haunting "American Dream." Starting off with some post­60's groovy grind that had an end­of­summer vibe, the song showcased Raam, now on guitar. Simply put, "American Dream" has an opening that feels like a gut punch of reality to anyone with even a bit of knowledge of the band's past. The song itself felt more personal than any other and with the opening lyric, "I know I'll never go back home again," it brought to the forefront that no matter what, you can never go back to how it all be­ gan. Everyone has a story and everyone knows how they came to be where they are. The song itself is a warning against becoming the cold, plastic and easily packaged prod­ uct for the consumer at the expense of your beliefs. "Is this what we really want?" The band seems to ask itself that very ques­ NOFX, and Queens of the Stone Age. With an aspiration to be tion. heard in the United States, their dream became a reality In 2007, where a casual application over the Internet garnered an invitation And it was that song, "American Dream," that truly cemented the to play at the South by Southwest Music Conference in Austin, TX. belief that Hypernova isn't simply an Iranian band. They're a band But legal issues blocked their visas and prevented their appearance that is going to show the world it doesn't matter who your influ­ in Texas, and they were stuck in Dubai. ences are and it doesn't matter what side of the street you picked up that guitar on. All that matters is you do what has to be done in or­ Their consolation prize was a onetime appearance at the club Fat der to get where you need to go. Baby in New York City on the Lower East Side, made possible with help from New York Democratic Senator Charles Schumer. "All I ever wanted was to rock and roll." From there, despite marginal attendance, the ball started rolling for Hypernova, as editors from MTV and The New York Times heard That lyric says it all. and touted them, as did ABC News, Telegraph UK, and NPR, who all conducted interviews with the bandmembers. Eventually they moved to Los Angeles while splitting time in New York City; pro­ duced a limited­edition EP, Who Says You Can't Rock In Iran?; Biography: worked on their debut album, Through the Chaos, produced by The modern political underground crunch dance­rock band Hyper­ Herwig Maurer; and explored further performance opportunities. In 2008 they toured as the opening act for their idols Sisters of Mercy. nova were hatched in a most unlikely locale ­­ Tehran, Iran. Be­ tween their debut in 2000 and their international breakout in 2004, Critics have compared them to Bauhaus and Interpol, and they have been featured on the VH1 television network. Interestingly enough, the ensemble had been performing to a growing audience, albeit under strict veils of secrecy in their homeland. In Iran, the vast ma­ Hypernova sing their lyrics in English.
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