News Update - January 02, 2010

Disabling Iranian Police Riot Control Vehicles

News Links

Selected Headlines from the Tehran Bureau

Iran's Younger, Smarter Revolution

Qoba mosque in Shiraz evacuated & sealed (Farsi)

Ex-spy chief says Iran government about to collapse

Ayad Jamal Aldin: Iran: the truth the UK cannot admit

Mousavi arrest would have 'catastrophic consequences': dissident

Turning Point: Where is the Green Movement headed?

Intel forecast: Regime change in Iran

A letter to Iranians outside Iran (Farsi)

Karoubi has met with Mousavi at his nephew's home

Students at Polytech U didn't attend finals in support of their arrested classmates. (Farsi)

Shirin Ebadi: Mousavi's Statement is not retreat (Farsi)

Late cleric's son warns of more Iran turmoil: report

Vatan Emrooz newspaper headline accusing Mousavi to have the support of Rajavi(MKO) (Farsi)

Members of Committee of Human Rights Reporters Detained & under Pressure

Rahesabz.net uses social media to propagate (Farsi)

Candlelight Vigil In New York In Solidarity With The People In Iran

Maryam Zia, Children’s Activist, Arrested

The protest of families in front of the Revolutionary Court- partial list of detainees from Dec 26 and Dec 27

Mourning Mothers of Laleh Come to Park Despite Strong Presence of Police

From Tweets

- Kayhan newspaper front page headline 1/3 - Mousavi's new statement written by CIA & Mossad.

- HR activist Rozbeh Karimi & his wife lawyer & human rights activist Forough Mirzai have been arrested.

- Author & HR activist Emadedin Baghi arrested 1 week ago has not contacted family yet, they are worried.

- Activist & blogger Sayed Ahmad-Reza Ahmadpour arrested Ashura night in Qom. Status & whereabouts unknown.

- Ahmad Zeidabadi's appeal denied. 6 years in prison, 5 years exile, ban from political activities.

- Court of Appeals has upheld the harsh sentence of journalist Dr. Ahmad Zaydabadi.

- Dr. Zaydabadi is sentenced to 6 years in prison, 5 years exile to Gonobad & life time ban from political activities.

- Dr. Zaydabadi endured some of the harshest interrogations during in imprisonment in Sepah
Section of Evin.

- Dr. Zaydabadi's real crime was not addressing Khamenei properly in an article he wrote criticizing him.

- Nemat Ahmadi denies being arrested, was at the farm where Ali Hekmat was arrested & went to police station with him.

- Justice Dept, Police Chief & Intel Minister have already accused some of the protestors arrested as MKO.

- Every time D opportunist Maryam Rajavi utters a word of support for Greens, regime uses it against the Greens.

- 8 political activists have been arrested in Gorgan since Ashura. Number of others have been summoned by Intel.

- Two other members of Committee of Human Rights reporters continue to get threatening phone calls from Intel.

- CHRR Members Parisa Kakai & Mehrdad Rahimi, were summoned by Intel, went there 8:30pm Fri they were arrested.

- Arrested Fri morning in Saveh(N.IR): Ali Hekmat, lawyer Nemat Ahmadi & journalists M.R. Zohdi & Mahsa Hekmat.

- Today Azad Law UNI, Polytechnic UNI & Elmo Sanat UNI boycotted classes in protest to attack at Mashhad UNI.

- Mohamad Esmail-Vandi, labor rights activist has been sentenced to 5 years, 3 of which is suspended for 5 years.


- Labor rights activist Pejman Rahimi has been sentenced to 5 years, 3 of which are suspended for 5 years.

- Intel Minister Moslehi said they have gained significant info through interrogating(torture) those arrested Ashura.

- The Clergy Scholars Society in Qom announced Ayatollah Sanei is no longer qualified to be a Marja(religious authority).

Misc. Sources

- Interview with Benjamin Rasouli who was released November 27 2009 -
According to Committee of Human Rights Reporters, Benjamin Rasouli was released, after 6 years anxiously awaiting execution. 15 year old Benjamin was in a fight when allegedly he accidentally killed his friend. He was initially convicted of murder and ...sentenced to death through Branch 74 of the criminal court of Tehran. His lawyer testified that due to his age and the fact that the strike was not premeditated that his file should be sent back to court for reconsideration. Due to the fact that the murder was not intentional, the family of the victim granted forgiveness and accepted the payment of approx.

Due to the fact that the murder was not intentional, the family of the victim $50,000.00 USD blood money in compensation. Human right activists and those fighting against child execution helped Benjamin´s family to raise the required amount. On Nov 27th the judges from branch 71 reviewed his file and signed his release due to the fat that he had spent sufficient time in prison for his crime..

Video