Kurdistan Strikes May 2010

The town of Bukan has joined the general strikes

Bukan- In response to the call for a general strike by the Kurdish people to protest the execution of five Kurdish political activists, citizens of Bukan went on a coordinated strike. All shops, bazaars, and public places have been shut down. Security forces are situated in various street corners.

Today the city of Bukan is on a general strike. In most places in Bukan, along with most of Kurdistan from Maku to Ilam, all stores are closed. People are not leaving their houses.

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Bazaar in Sanandaj shut down

Despite all of the security measures in Kurdistan for today, reports indicate that the bazaar in Sanandaj is completely shut down and the students did not attend their classes. The streets of Sanandaj are full of special guards. The city seems to be shut down.

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City of Divandareh: complete shutdown of Divandareh

At 10:30 a.m. on May 13, 2010, the bazaar in the city of Divandareh was shut down. The city looks deserted. Only security forces can be seen roaming the streets on foot in order to prevent any filming.

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Bazaar shut down in Mahabad

City of Mahabad- In the province of Mahabad, military presence is high. The city’s bazaar has been closed and the people are on strike. The slogans ‘Death to the Regime’ and ‘Death to the Dictator’ have been written in various places (walls, etc) around the city.

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The students in Mahabad and Bukan have refused to go to school.

Kurdistan Strikes May 2010

According to the Committee for Protests and Strikes in Kurdish Cities, a general strike has taken over all Kurdish cities.

City of Sanandaj- Citizen of Sanandaj: My child woke up early today and told me he won’t go to school today. He said, “You had promised to close down the school, don’t break your promise.” I caressed his head and replied, “My dear, I won’t go to work either today, but I have to go out and see what is happening in the city.” I went to the street corner a block away and noticed that Haji’s grocery store which is usually open before the neighbours wake up was closed. I quickly went to the center of the city. I noticed that there was no sign of people and the stores were all closed. Those who had gathered in front of pharmacies were looking at each other bewildered. Maybe they felt bad for coming out today. To sum it up: the city is shut down. Azadi Square is completely closed. Ferdowsi street and the little bazaars are all closed. 6th-Bahman street and Sharifabad are closed. Many streets are closed. Not even one person has opened his shop in the industrial and blacksmith townships. Market squares are all closed. The old Asef bazaar and all surrounding shops are closed.

Only government offices are open and security forces roam back and forth in their vehicles. They stand in groups next to banks and government offices. I send my greetings to the city of Sanandaj for the strike.

General Strike in Kurdistan PART 1

City of Kamyaran (hometown of Farzad Kamangar)- Except for government offices where security forces have come to work, the entire city is shut down. Security forces roam the streets. People are moving toward Farzad Kamangar’s home in increasing numbers.

General Strike in Kurdistan PART 2

City of Marivan- Marivan is shut down, except for schools and government offices run by security forces. All shops are closed.

According to reports received from cities of Baaneh, Bukan, Saghez, Divandareh, and Mahabad, most shops and bazaars are closed and the city atmosphere resembles a general strike.

According to reports in some cities, security forces are forcing shop owners to open some stores, but the people have resisted. In Kamyaran and Sanandaj, security forces have been stationed on main street corners.

In most Kurdish towns, security forces are implementing martial law and attempting to begin conflicts.

General Strike in Kurdistan PART 3

Translation: Tour Irani | Persian2English.com

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Report from Bukan on Strikes, Phone Lines Disconnected

Bukan, Kurdistan

A citizen from Kurdistan: The coordinated attempt by the people of Bukan has put regime forces on alert. In order to prevent the news of Bukan strikes from spreading, the government has disconnected all phone lines. All squares in the city and all main areas like the Governor’s Office, Kurdistan Boulevard, Shahrbani intersection, Molavi intersection, Eskanadari Square, Ostadhaghighi intersection, and East and West Molavi streets are occupied by security forces. All schools are closed.

Amnesty International Urges Action for Imminent Execution of Jafar Kazemi

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Amnesty International has issued an urgent statement about the imminent execution of Jafar Kazemi in the next few days:

“The danger of imminent execution in Iran”

An Iranian, Jafar Kazemi, is in imminent danger of execution for participating in anti-government demonstrations. He has also been accused of collaborating with the MKO (Mujahedeen Khalgh Organization).

Jafar Kazemi was arrested on September 18, 2009 during a demonstration and was transferred to Evin prison. He has been accused of participating in a demonstration where 100,000 others participated and he has not been accused of any violent actions.

He has been sentenced to death for being ‘an enemy of God’ and propaganda against the regime. He was arrested along with at least one other person, Mohammad Ali Aghaii who has been accused of similar charges but Amnesty International has no information whether he has been sentenced to death as well.

According to reports, Jafar Kazemi has been interrogated for months and has been under pressure appear in fake v. confessions but he has refused.

In April 2010 he was informed that his order of execution has been re-confirmed by a court of appeals. His lawyer who has had limited access to his client has asked the Judiciary office to review this case. Unless this request is accepted, then the execution could happen at any moment.

In 1980s and 1990s Jafar Kazemi was arrested for being a member of MKO and for spending time at Ashraf Camp in Iraq. One of his sons is in Iraq.

Others who are in danger of execution for protesting after the election:

Amir Reza Arefi, Mohammad Amin Valian, Motahareh (Simin) Bahrami and her husband Mohsen Daneshpour Moghadam and their son Ahmad Daneshpour, two friends: Hadi Ghaemi and Reyhaneh Ghanbari.

Source: Amnesty International

Several Teachers Arrested on National Teachers’ Day

Security forces arrested a number of teachers on the occasion of National Teachers’ Day on May 2, 2010.

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) - The teachers were paying tribute to Dr. Abol-Hassan Khan-Ali by visiting his grave when security forces arrested a number of teachers present at the site. Dr. Khan-Ali was a teacher who was killed on May 1, 1961 for protesting teachers’ right.

HRANA has confirmed the arrest of Mohammad Taghi Fallahi, Iraj Javadi, Forghani, Mohammadi, Raeiszadeh, Ms. Barpar, Zeinalzadeh, Souri, Shivarani, Iman Zadeh, and Montajabi.

According to HRANA eight other teachers were also arrested last week in the lead up to Teachers’ Day in Iran.

Translation by: The Green Voice of Freedom | Persian2English.com

Second Trial Held for Student Mohammad Yousef Rashidi

RAHANA - The second trial for Amirkabir University student Mohammad Yousef Rashidi was held yesterday at branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court with presiding judge Pir-Abassi.

According to the Committee of Human Rights Reporters (CHRR), during the hearing, Rashidi was charged with “propaganda against the government through ties with enemy groups (I.e. the MKO)” and “participation in illegal gatherings.” Rashidi denied the charges and repeated the statements he has made throughout the investigation and interrogation process.

Maryam Darayi and Amir Salar Davoodi, Rashidi’s two attorneys, defended the charge linked to the Mujahedin Khalgh Organization (MKO) and pointed out the lack of evidence to support the charge.

As to the charge related to participation in illegal gatherings, the lawyers, based on their client’s statements during his investigation, argued that since Qods Day and the November 4th rallies were both legal events held annually, their client did not act illegally by participating, and therefore his participation does not constitute as sufficient grounds for the charge.

Judge Pir-Abassi referred to the presence of the accused in a March 2009 rally at Amirkabir University in protest to the burial of the Iran-Iraq war victims on the university grounds. Pir-Abbasi stated that the defendant continues with his past activities, thus it does not seem Rashidi has been punished enough.

In his own defense, Rashidi said, “[My] presence in student gatherings is a matter that should be addressed by the university. I have already been suspended from the university for four semesters and detained for 108 days as a result of my presence in the gatherings and my student activities.”

The court session only lasted 30 minutes. It ended after the defense arguments. The maximum punishment under penal law for “propaganda activities against the Islamic regime” is one year in prison.

Mohammad Yousef Rashidi was arrested at his parents’ home in Noshahr (a port city in the province of Mazandaran in northern Iran) on November 27, 2009 under a warrant issued by the city’s Revolutionary Prosecutor. The student activist was first moved to the Ministry of Intelligence main detention centre in Sari, Mazandaran, before his transfer to Tehran’s Evin prison.

On March 15, 2010, Rashidi was released on $50,000 bail.

Source: RAHANA | Persian2English.com