IRAN

Yeah so lets kiss this psychos ass instead of preventing him from killing millions.

Last year when I was in Iran, I noticed a big trend in privatization of the various industries. Unfortunately it appears that the trend been toward militarization. Remember that Ahmadinajd in member of the elite guard called [Sepah Pasdaran], which is basically a forth branch of military which reports directly to the [leader] rather than the chief of staff. As a result many of these contracts been awarded to ex high level members of this branch.

There are concerns among the analysts that this trend might spill over to the parliament.

continued

These very justified demands, in no way are related to national security issues. But why are judges reluctant to announce that women are being sentenced to prison and lashings for making demands with respect to their rights? The reason is very simple. They are fearful of public opinion. In other words, while the courts are handing out such sentences, they are not willing to announce their true intention in doing so, as this would incite public opinion in objection to such sentences. As such, without even addressing the nature of the crime, and without even addressing the crime in the final decision of the court, they arrest someone for collection of signatures and put them on trial. With the vague accusation of actions against national security, they try to justify their actions as far as public opinion is concerned. But these tactics will only go to justify and further give credibility to the demands of women.

Q: In your opinion, given the pressures activists face and the price they have had to pay for the mere act of collecting of signatures in support of the Campaign’s petition, do you think it is necessary to continue along this path, or should we end the collection of signatures? A: Not only should we not end this strategy, but we should continue signature collection with greater determination and resolve. Because these arrests and sentences demonstrate that this movement has been very effective and from a patriarchal perspective which is prevalent in our society the effort is viewed as dangerous, justifying the harsh crackdowns. The strategy of signature collection must not change, because it is the most peaceful of strategies and the women involved in the Campaign have never infused this effort with their political discussions, or even their political beliefs, and have only emphasized the concept of equality. Equality of men and women is an issue that even decision-makers have come to accept, at least in terms of their discourse. I hope that one day the Parliament will take action on the issues they speak about.........................

Woman’s Rights Activist’s Three Year Prison Sentence to be Implemented
Alieh Eghdam Doust To Serve Three Year Prison Term
Sunday 1 February 2009

Change for Equality: Alieh Eghdamdoust who had been sentenced to three years of mandatory prison as a result of her participation in the June 12, 2006 protest in Hafte Tir Square was transferred today under guard supervision to the Office of Implementation of Sentences at the Revolutionary Courts. Alieh Eghdamdoust, a woman’s rights defender, was arrested during the protest objecting to discriminatory laws against women in Hafte Tir Square in June 12 2006, and spent a week in prison. She was sentenced by the 15th security branch of the Revolutionary Courts to three years and four months mandatory prison sentence and 20 lashes. The appeals courts upheld three years of the mandatory prison sentence, reducing her original sentence by four months and 20 lashes.

According to Nasim Ghanavi one of the lawyers in this case, Eghdamdoust contacted her by telephone to inform her that agents had come to her home in Fouman city (Northern Iran) to transfer her to the Revolutionary Courts, office of Implementation of Sentences, so that she could begin serving her three year prison term. Ghanavi visited with her client Eghdamdoust in the Revolutionary Court today.

According to Ghanavi, the only option left for Eghdamdoust is to request a judicial review which is allowable through amendment 18 of the Law Regulating Public and Revolutionary Courts.