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Update: Iran: Release of Shiva Nazar Ahari

UPDATED 20/09/2010: An Iranian court has now jailed Shiva Nazar Ahari for six years after convicting her of "moharebeh" or "emnity with God" - usually punishable by death.

The Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) international solidarity network and the Global Campaign to Stop Killing and Stoning Women (SKSW campaign) welcome the news that Shiva Nazar Ahari was released from prison on Sunday 12 September 2010. Shiva Nazar Ahari is a 26-year-old human rights activist specializing in women’s rights, children’s rights, and the defense of political prisoners. She is a journalist and blogger, as well as actively involved with the Committee of Human Rights Reporters and the One Million Signatures Campaign. Formerly a civil engineering graduate student, Ahari was expelled from university as a result of her student activism. She had endured 266 consecutive days in Evin Prison, 100 of which were spent in solitary confinement, for participating in non-violent actions.

UPDATE: Iran: Shiva Nazar Ahari's will face 3 charges on 4 September

Writing about Shiva Nazar Ahari is more than writing about a human rights activist and fighter. It’s writing about those who take up the mantle of struggle to fight for establishing and consolidating their countrymen’s basic rights, without having a political agenda. Some bear prison and torture, others exile and refuge camps. Still, Shiva Nazar Ahari’s case is a dangerous one and the silence of the media about her is reprehensible, especially as her lawyer says Shiva’s trial date is set for September 4, for charges of moharebeh, war on god, which is punishable by execution.

Iran: Life of Maryam Ghorbanzadeh in Danger, Forced Abortion at Six Months

According to Javid Kian, the lawyer for 25 year old Maryam Ghorbanzadeh, in a letter to Judiciary intelligence and security, judicial officials (most notably Saeed Mortazavi) decided that the case of Maryam Ghorbanzadeh needs to be resolved so they could deal with Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani’s case. Javid Kian tells Rooz that “all the attention is focused on the Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani case, and in the midst of it all, the life of Ms. Ghorbanzadeh is at risk. In the wake of protests against Ms. Ashtiani’s stoning sentence, [authorities] changed the stoning sentence for Ms. Ghorbanzadeh to death by hanging. The ruling was sent to the department that processes death sentences. She can be executed any moment now.”

Iran: Execution of Over 70 Individuals in Mashhad

Some of the individuals who were executed for drug related charges had received their sentences in the past and the death penalty should not have been applied to them. In some cases, the individuals only had to pay a monetary penalty. However, their sudden death sentence was issued by the judiciary authorities.

Iran: A Statement of Concern Regarding the Televised ‘Confession’ by Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani

The Global Campaign to Stop Killing and Stoning Women and the Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) International Solidarity Network deplore the staging of a ‘public confession’ on Iranian television by Sakineh Mohammadi-Ashtiani, who is awaiting execution in Iran by stoning for adultery.

The ‘confession’, done in an interview format, was broadcast on Wednesday 11th August on the '20:30' television program by Seda va Sima, the government broadcasting station. The ‘confession’, showed Sakineh implicating herself in the murder of her husband.

Iran: Condamnation à 20 ans d'emprisonnement de sept membres de la minorité religieuse baha'ie

Amnesty International déplore la condamnation à 20 ans d'emprisonnement de sept membres de la minorité religieuse baha'ie d'Iran, sanction prononcée à la suite d'accusations motivées par des considérations politiques. Ces cinq hommes et deux femmes, membres influents de la communauté baha'ie en Iran, ont été arrêtés il y a plus de deux ans. Ils ont été déclarés coupables samedi 7 août d'« espionnage pour le compte d'Israël », d'« insultes au caractère sacré de la religion » et de « propagande contre le système » par un tribunal révolutionnaire de Téhéran.

UPDATE: Iran: Sentencing of 7 Baha’is to 20 years in jail on politically motivated charges

Amnesty International has condemned the sentencing of seven members of Iran's Baha’i religious minority to 20 years in jail on a series of politically motivated charges. The five men and two women, leaders of the Baha’i community in Iran who were arrested over two years ago, were convicted on Saturday 7 August of crimes including "espionage for Israel", "insulting religious sanctities" and "propaganda against the system” by a Revolutionary Court in Tehran. This is an update on Iran: Baha’i seven face court and death

Fiji: ICJ & ASF Statement on permanent stay of all charges against HRD, Imrana Jalal

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and Avocats Sans Frontières (ASF) welcome the ruling on Friday, 30 July 2010 by Justice Priyantha Fernando in the High Court of Fiji to permanently stay the remaining charge under local business licensing regulations against prominent human rights lawyer and advocate, Ms. Imrana Jalal. The high profile manner in which Ms.

UPDATE: Iran: Mohammad Mostafaie seeks asylum in Norway and his wife is released from Evin prison

Since our last update on the case of Sakineh Mohammadi-Ashtiani, and her former attorney Mohammad Mostafaei, there have been a few important developments: Mostafaei, who had fled to Turkey after the arrest of his wife and brother in-law in Tehran, was arrested by the Turkish authorities and placed in a detention centre. He has been released, and is now in Norway seeking asylum. Although the brother in-law was released shortly after his arrest, Mostafaei’s wife, Fereshteh Halimi, continued to be held at Evin prison. However, on Saturday 7 August, Halimi was also released from prison.

France: Les Français favorables aux mesures sarkozystes

Les principales mesures gouvernementales pour lutter contre l’insécurité apparaissent largement plébiscitées par les Français, recueillant entre 55% et 89% d’opinions favorables selon les propositions, selon un sondage Ifop pour le Figaro publié jeudi. Le consensus semble transcender assez largement les tranches d’âge, appartenances socio-professionnelles ou préférences politiques affichées. Le sondage a été réalisé sur un échantillon de 1.003 personnes, représentatif de la population française âgée de 18 ans et plus, selon la méthode des quotas. Les interviews ont eu lieu par questionnaire auto-administré en ligne entre le 3 et 5 août.