Friday, October 8, 2010

At least 32 Women in the Evin Prison (Iran) Awaiting Execution

Kurdishaspect.com - By Sayeh Hassan

According to news reports from Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran, there are currently at least 32 female prisoners (non-political) in the notorious Evin Prison who are facing execution.

According to this news report many of these women have been convicted of charges of possession of drugs or murder. While these are serious charges, it is important to keep in mind that these women live in a country ruled by the Islamic Regime, where there is no due process, many accused do not get to ever meet their lawyers before “trial”, and some don’t get to ever see a lawyer until after they have been “convicted” and “sentenced.” Trials usually take place behind closed doors, without a jury and with a biased judge whose only real training is “religious training.” In a country where the “Supreme Leader” Khamenei has a great 6 education it is not surprising that the so called “justice system” is in the hands of religious fundamentalist who are in no way qualified to be in the positions that they are.

Having said that I think it’s really important to take notice of these women, whose names we have most probably never heard before, and we may never hear again, and to realize that this is just the tip of the ice berg, one prison. We do not know the statistics from prisons in smaller cities where it is much more difficult to obtain any news from prisons.

A few months ago a campaign was started by Ms. Mina Ahadi who is a member of the central committee of the Worker-Communist Party of Iran in support of Ms. Sakineh Ashtiani who had been sentenced to death by stoning by the Islamic Regime. It is unfortunate that Ms. Ahadi has chosen to focus on one individual, and while bringing all media attention on Ms. Ashtiani, has simultaneously managed to take all attention AWAY from other lesser known political prisoners who are facing the same sentence.
This is one of the obvious dangers of individuals campaigns, and it’s a technique which the Islamic Regime has taken advantage of on many occasions, torturing, raping and executing many prisoners while the media attention was on a single case.

I hope that will not be the case on this occasion and I really hope all freedom loving people who have taken part in Ms. Ashtiani’s campaign and have supported her will do the same thing for other lesser known prisoners who are facing the same faith.

Please note at least in 10 0f these cases the “judge” who sentenced these women to death was Aziz Mohammadi.

The names of these women is as follows:

1. Ms. Soraya Zekr-Nejad, home maker, has been in prison for 4 years, was convicted of possession of drugs and is currently in section 3 of the women’s ward in the Evin Prison.
2. Ms. Ashraf Amiri, (38), home maker, has been in prison for 2 years, convicted of possession of drugs, her husband was executed on similar charges.
3. Ms. Soheila Pourhosseini (19), home maker, has been in prison for one year, has been convicted of murder.
4. Ms. Ashraf Kolher, (45), home maker, has been in prison for 9 years, has been sentenced to death by STONNING on charges of murder and adultery.
5. Ms. Shahla Jahed, has been in prison for 8 years, convicted of murder, the “judge” who sentenced her to death is Jafar Zadeh.
6. Ms. Kobra Rahmanpour, (29), home maker, has been in prison for 9 years, convicted of murder, “Judge” who sentenced her was Aziz Mohammadi.
7. Ms. Sogand Jahani, (28), home maker, has been in prison for 2.5 years, has been convicted of murder, “Judge” who sentenced her is Aziz Mohammadi.
8. Ms. Reyhane Jabri, (25), convicted of murder, has been in prison for 3.5 years,
9. Ms. Sadat Safavi, (45), home maker, has been convicted of possession of drugs, has been in prison for the past 3 years.
10. Ms. Sahar Pari Khani, (23) home maker, has been in prison for 3 years, has been convicted of murder.
11. Ms. Fatemeh Hadad, (34) home maker, has been in prison for 1.5 years, has been convicted of murder.
12. Ms. Akram Ali Mohammadi, (29) has been in prison for 5 years, has been convicted of murder.
13. Ms. Fereshteh Beygovand, (45), has been in prison for 5 years, has been convicted of possession of drugs.
14. Ms. Lila Khajevandi, (32) homes maker, has been in prison for 2.5 years, has been convicted of possession of drugs.
15. Ms. Noghre Khazayi (47) home maker, has been in prison for 4 years, has been convicted of possession of drugs and murder.
16. Ms. Lidiya Tavakoli Mahlati (28) has been in prison for 5 years, has been convicted of murder. The “judge” who sentenced her is Kaveh Kamrahi.
17. Ms. Fatemeh Masih (40) has been in prison for 15 years, has been convicted of murder, the “judge” who sentenced her was Aziz Mohammadi.
18. Ms. Mahbubeh Shikhler (18), convicted of murder, has been in prison for one year, the “judge” who sentenced her was Aziz Mohammadi.
19. Ms. Mina Cheraghi, 25, has been in prison for two years, has been convicted of possession of drugs.
20. Ms. Sherafat Beykovand, has been in prison for 5 years, has been convicted of possession and being a carrier of drugs.
21. Ms. Azita Mlahashemi, has been in prison for 6 years, the “judge” who sentenced her is Aziz Mohammadi.
22. Ms. Farahnaz Nik-khah, has been in prison for 7 years, has been convicted of murder, the “judge” who sentenced her is Aziz Mohammadi.
23. Ms. Raziyeh Julideh (35) and her daughter Ms. Marziyeh Tavakoli (20) has been convicted of murder.
24. Ms. Zarin Taj Gahrib, has been in prison for 4 years, the “judge” who sentenced her is Hemat Yar.
25. Ms. Zahra Adi Gozari Moghaddam, has been in prison for 7 years, has been convicted of murder, the “judge” who sentenced her is Aziz Mohammadi.
26. Ms. Masoumeh Aghayi, has been in prison for 3 years, has been convicted of murder, the “judge” who sentenced her is Aziz Mohammadi.
27. Ms. Saideh Khodayi-Del, has been in prison for 8.5 years, has been convicted of being an accessory to murder, the “judge” who sentenced her is Tabatabayi.
28. Ms. Soheila Pourhosseini, has been in prison for 10 months, has been convicted of murder.
29. Ms. Marziyeh Rahmani, on charges of being accessory to murder, has been in prison for 5 years, the “judge” who sentenced her is Aziz Mohammadi.
30. Ms. Zahra Rahimi, has been in prison for 5 months, has been convicted of murder.
31. Ms. Nasrin Najafi, has been in prison for 1 year, convicted of murder.
32. Ms. Azam Ahmadvand (27) has been in prison for six years, the judge who sentenced her is Aziz Mohamadi.

Down with the Islamic Regime in Iran
Long Live Freedom in Iran

News Report from: Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran http://hrdai.blogspot.com/2010/10/blog-post_05.html