1 May 2012 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
An 80-year old head of a banned opposition party in Iran has been ordered to serve eight years in prison. Ebrahim Yazdi, activist and former foreign minister, was convicted in December 2011 on charges of “attempting to act against national security”. Yazdi, who is currently suffering with cancer and a heart condition was informed on 16 April by Evin prison that he had 20 days to surrender to serve the 2011 sentence. The elderly activist, who was a key figure in the 1979 Islamic revolution, refuses to acknowledge that the charges against him are valid.
19 Apr 2012 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
A popular Iranian singer has been sentenced to a year in prison after releasing pro-opposition songs online. During the protests that occurred in the wake of the disputed 2009 presidential elections, Arya Aramnejad angered officials by uploading songs about the Ashura protests, when government security forces opened fire on demonstrators during a Shia holy day. Later, Aramnejad released another song condemning the government crackdowns. Aramnejad was arrested in February 2010, according to a friend, the singer has been convicted of acting against national security and spreading propaganda against the regime.
12 Apr 2012 | Digital Freedom, Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
Mohammad Solimaninya, an Internet and social network expert who has been detained for the past three months, is reportedly being pressured to work with the Iranian government on the creation of a National Internet. Solimaninya ran u24, a popular social networking website for Iranian professionals, and created websites for many Iranian NGOs. He was arrested on 10 January after being summoned before a revolutionary tribunal in Karaj, a town 20 km north of Tehran. According to his family, is now on a second hunger strike in protest against his detention conditions. No charges have been brought against him.
15 Mar 2012 | Index Index, minipost
An Egyptian university banned the screening of an award winning Iranian film last week. The film A Separation”was due to be screened at Cairo University on 8 March, but objections from fundamentalist university groups led to the screening permit to be revoked. The film, which has won several international awards, tackles issues relating to immigration. The fundamentalist groups who objected to the screening of the film claimed it promoted Shiasm, secularism, and al-Assad’s regime at the expense of Syria, though these are not said to be themes of the film.