Monday, December 5, 2011

I juridisk gråsone

I juridisk gråsone

BAK LÅS OG SLÅ

BAK LÅS OG SLÅ - Sivilombudsmannen fastslår at Trandum kan oppleves som hardere enn et opphold i fengsel. Det kan Emanuel Agara skrive under på. Han lever på frysetørret mat.

Foto: Andrian Ørhn Johansen

Dommen er falt over internatet på Trandum som er uten rettslig regulering. Likevel sitter Emanuel Agara (25) innesperret og blir vekket hvert kvarter.
23.02.2007 00:00 – Av Dag Herbjørnsrud

Onsker lovregulering

Roar Hanssen i Politiets utlendingsenhet (PU) påpeker at alle som er på Trandum på grunn av tvil om identitet er varetektsfengslet av retten fordi retten mener at det er grunn til å tvile på den oppgitte identiteten.

Han viser til at PU har gjort flere undersøkelser mens Agara har vært på Trandum. Alle undersøkelser tyder på at han ikke er fra Liberia. PU undersøker nå hvilket land han egentlig er fra.

– Politiets utlendingsenhet ser frem til å få på plass loven om utlendingsinternatet som nå er til behandling i Stortinget. PU har i lang tid etterlyst en bedre lovregulering av utlendingsinternatet. Internatet på Trandum er det eneste i landet, og det fantes ingen mal for hvordan dette skulle drives da det ble etablert, sier Hanssen til Ny Tid.

– Loven som nå kommer besvarer mange av de tingene som Sivilombudsmannen har kommentert. For å bedre aktivitetstilbudet, er det nå under bygging et aktivitetssenter. Dette er ventet ferdig i mai i år. PU er også positiv til etableringen av et tilsynsråd.

[internert] Emanuel Agara har sittet innesperret et halvt år.

– Jeg ber til Gud om å slippe ut herfra. Jeg kan dra til Liberia, hvor som helst. Jeg blir gal av å være her, uttaler Agara.

Han sier at han er 25 år og kommer fra det borgerkrigsherjede Liberia, som han ti år gammel skal ha flyktet fra med moren. Etter at moren døde av tuberkulose i Ghana, fikk han med seg Bibelen hennes og ble blindpassasjer på et skip til Skandinavia. Tuberkoloserammede Agara har vært i Norge siden 2004. De siste seks månedene har han sittet på Politiets utlendingsinternat på Trandum, en ombygget militærbrakke ved enden av rullebanen på Gardermoen flyplass som egentlig var beregnet til kortidsopphold for utlendinger på noen få dager. Også små barn har hatt måttet være innesperret her.

15. februar la Sivilombudsmann Arne Fliflet fram sin rapport om forholdene: «Jeg har særlig funnet grunn til å fremheve at fraværet av en nærmere rettslig regulering av internatets drift er slående og klart uheldig i forhold til de internertes sikkerhet.»

24. februar i fjor hadde Ny Tid et førstesideoppslag om forholdene: Frysetørret mat, vekking hver halve time og manglende luftemuligheter skapte reaksjoner. Leder for advokatforeningen i Oslo krets, Arne Humlen, kalte Trandum «et regime utenfor alle eksisterende normer.» Han trakk paralleller til Guantánamo Bay. 1. mars 2006 besøkte Sivilombudsmannen stedet.

– Trandum framstår som fengselslignende, men uten det regelverket som fengsler er underlagt, sier kontorsjef Eivind Sveum Brattegard.

– Hvordan kan myndighetene drive et slikt sted siden 2004 uten å ha rettslig regelverk eller forskrifter for de man sperrer inne?

– Vi er ikke rette instans for et slikt spørsmål, men dette er helt klart uheldig.

16. februar la Justisdepartementet fram sitt forslag til regelverk for Trandum, hvor 2093 personer var innesperret i 2006. Det vil ta måneder før ny lov trer i kraft.

Agara påstår at han tirsdag ble fortalt av politiet at han må bli på Trandum i seks måneder til. Han har fått forståelse av at et videre opphold må godkjennes hver fjerde uke av domstolene.

– Kanskje sier de det for å bryte meg ned, jeg vet ikke. Myndighetene tror ikke på at jeg er fra Liberia, men ikke noe land vil ta imot meg, sier Agara.

På Trandum får man ikke varm mat som i norske fengsler, bare frysetørret turmat. Agaras norske venn Asgeir Føyen opplyser at han ikke får bringe annen mat til ham. Søknaden om cd-spiller er avslått. Agara må vaske klærne selv for hånd. Han henger dem til tørk på rommet. Når han dusjer, kommer vaktene inn og sjekker
.
Han blir også overvåket når han går på do, og påstår at han vekkes hvert kvarter natten gjennom.
Ifølge Sivilombudsmannen er det «et tankekors» at Trandum ble opprettet etter kritikk fra Europarådets torturovervåkningskomité, som mente det var feil å plassere utlendinger med usikker identitet i varetekt med kriminelle.

Trandum skulle derfor få et «mykere preg». Men Sivilombudsmannen fastslår at mye ved Trandum «må oppleves som hardere enn opphold i fengsel». Som maten, inspeksjonene, manglende aktiviteter og flere personer på ett rom. Noen uker etter Ny Tids oppslag ble Trandums glattcelle stengt i mai i fjor.

– Jeg likte meg på Oslo Kristne Senter. Mitt største ønske er å få lære å lese, slik at jeg kan lese Guds ord. Bare Gud kan hjelpe meg ut herfra, sier Agara.

PFU sak angående artikkel i Ny Tid

http://www.pfu.no/case.php?id=1739

Var denne avgjørelsen enstemmig?

- Statens søplekasse

- Statens søplekasse

Asylsøkere
Asylsøkere - Trandum Interneringsleir
Foto: Kim Nygård

Trandum interneringsleir ved Gardermoen ble bygget for kortidsopphold. Nå sitter folk der opptil ett år, mens de fores med frysetørret mat.
24.02.2006 00:00 – Av Gunnar Thorenfeldt

– Jeg lover å forlate landet. Jeg lover å aldri komme tilbake. Bare slipp oss ut herfra, ber Muhamed Alic (43). Gjennom vinduet kan man se enda et fly forlate Gardermoens rullebane. Kona hans Liza (41) gråter. Rommet består av seks senger og et bord. På bordet ligger det en bibel på serbokroatisk.
– Jeg orker ikke mer. Jeg vet ikke hva jeg skal gjøre, sier hun.

De to sigøynerne fra det tidligere Jugoslavia har vært på Trandum utlendingsinternat i 28 dager. De hadde med sine tre barn da de kom til Norge i 2005. Da Muhamed og Liza ble arrestert i januar var de ikke sammen med barna.Nå vet ikke norske myndigheter hvor de tre barna på femten, tretten og tolv år er.

– Dette er ikke noe sted for barn. Kan ikke i hvert fall kona få lov til å gå slik at hun kan være sammen med dem, spør ektemannen Muhamed.
Han og kona hevder at heller ikke de vet hvor barna befinner seg.

Guantánamo
Liza og Muhamed er bare to av de som er arrestert gjennom paragraf 37 i Utlendingsloven. Dersom en utlending nekter å oppgi sin identitet, eller «det er skjellig grunn til mistanke» om at de oppgir falsk identitet, kan de pågripes og fengsles. Samlet fengslingstid kan ikke overstige tolv uker, «med mindre det foreligger særlige grunner». Det betyr i praksis at det ikke finnes noen tidsbegrensing på hvor lenge de kan sitte fengslet. For Muhamed og Liza betyr det at de kan risikere å bli værende på Trandum i svært lang tid.
Advokat Arild Humlen er leder for advokatforeningen Oslo krets, som organiserer over 3500 advokater, og har en av de innsatte som sin klient. Humlen mener det er flere likhetstrekk mellom behandlingen av de internerte på Trandum og USAs fangeleir på Guantánamo.

– Man lager et regime utenfor alle eksisterende normer. Det er jo det som er Guantánamo-tankegangen. Man lager et fengsel hvor man slipper å forholde seg til samfunnets grunnleggende normer. Det kan vi ikke akseptere, sier Humlen.

Han har bedt Advokatforeningens menneskerettighetsgruppe vurdere i hvilken grad forholdene på Trandum strider mot menneskerettighetene.

– Forholdene strider helt klart med den europeiske fengselskonvensjonen. Og dette bærer på alle måter preg av å være fengsel, sier Humlen.

Han mener at behandlingen på Trandum også kan være i strid med artikkel tre i Den europeiske menneskerettighetskonvensjonen, hvor det står «Ingen må bli utsatt for tortur eller for umenneskelig eller nedverdigende behandling eller straff.»

Siste stopp
Mens andre fanger sitter i fengsler med gode fasiliteter, må utlendingene sitte på et internat som kun er beregnet på opphold over noen få døgn. Den tidligere militærleiren skulle egentlig bare fungere som siste stopp før utlendinger med ulovlig opphold ble sendt ut av landet. For fire år siden sa daværende kommunalminister Erna Solberg til Stortinget at «internatet er kun beregnet for kortiddsopphold […] Da internatet på Trandum ikke er tilrettelagt med tilbud for lengre fengselsopphold, holdes ingen i varetekt der i mer enn 14 dager»
.
Men et år senere skjedde det noe. Fengselskøene ble stadig lengre, og politiet tok over ansvaret for Trandum. I oktober i fjor besøkte Europarådets torturovervåkings-komité internatet. De fant ut at en person hadde vært innelåst på Trandum i over et år. Dessuten slo de fast at aktivitetstilbudet er for dårlig når personer holdes der over lengre tid.

Langdryg affære
Liza er alvorlig syk. Norske spesialister har slått fast at hun må gjennomgå en operasjon for å fjerne cyster i mageregionen.

Hver halvtime hele døgnet kommer det en vakt inn på rommet deres for å sjekke at vinduet er forsvarlig låst.
– Selv om jeg tar sovepiller får jeg ikke sove. Jeg må ligge med alle klærne på, jeg er redd for at de skal se meg naken, sier Liza. En vekter som lytter til samtalen sier flaut «at de forsøker å være så stille som mulige».
Fredag 24. februar skal saken deres opp for Oslo Tingrett. Liza har innrømmet at hun kjøpte

identifikasjonspapirene for 100 euro av en mann. I dommen fra Asker og Bærum Tingrett står det at «retten finner at det er overveiende sannsynlig at de fremstilte vil unndra seg politiets videre etterforskning hvis de ikke fengsles». Men mange sigøynere fra det tidligere Jugoslavia mangler identifikasjonspapirer. Selv påstår de at de er fra Bosnia og Serbia.

– Det er svært usikkert om bosniske og serbiske myndigheter ønsker å utstede id-dokumenter til sigøynere, sier deres advokat, Halvor Gjengstø. Og så lenge de ikke har noen gyldige id-dokumenter, er det heller ingen land som vil ta dem i mot.

Gjenstø tror de kan risikere å sitte lenge i internatet.

– Dette kan bli en langdryg affære, sier han.
Advokaten mener alternativet er at de overføres til et ordinært asylmottak, slik at de kan gjenforenes med barna sine.

– Jeg tror det er få som er klar over hvor ille forholdene her er. Dette er statens søppelkasse for menneskelig avfall, sier advokat Trond Olsen Næss
.
Den eneste maten de innsatte får er frossen turmat og brødskiver. I tillegg ligger Trandum internat i enden av Gardermoen flyplass. Så søvn er ifølge de innsatte en mangelvare.

Næss har hatt to klienter som har sittet i internatet over lengre tid. Den ene klienten satt fra august i fjor til januar i år. Den andre satt fra september til slutten av januar.

– Jeg synes det er rart at ikke folk lengre opp i systemet reagerer. Jeg lurer på hvor mye de vet, sier Næss.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Transportert til Trandum for deportasjon

Kjære …. 24 dager før jul ble en 21 år gammel palestinsk asylsøker fra den Palestinske leiren ved Jakob Kirke hentet fra gata i Oslo og transportert til Trandum for deportasjon tilbake til vestbredden.

Mohammed Abu Arman kom til Norge 18 år gammel, har tilbragt to og et halvt år i asylmottak og har i ni måneder deltatt i demonstrasjon mot Norges inhumane asylpolitikk. Som mange unge palestinske menn har Mohammed opplevde å komme i en konflikt-situasjon med Fatah bevegelsen - noe som gjør at han med rette frykter for sitt liv. 

Det går klart fram både fra Landinfo, dokumenter fra uavhengige seriøse menneskerettighets organisasjoner og FNs høykommisær at Palestina regnes som et usikkert sted å oppholde seg i. Dette gjelder både på grunn av okkupasjons-situasjonen men også på grunn av at palestinerne kommer i konflikt med sine egne myndigheter. 

Hvorfor fortsetter Norge å deportere folk til en så usikker situasjon? Mens nordmenn teller ned dagene til lykkelig overdådig julefering, er hver dag fremover nå preget av frykt og uvisshet for palestinerne i leiren. Mohammed, deres kjære bror og minstemann i flokken, sitter i fengsel og alle bekymrer seg over hva som vil møte han i vestbredden. 

Palestinerne spør stadig; hvem kan vi støtte oss på? hvem kan vi snu oss til? HVEM står ansvarlige for våre liv? Hvem av oss blir den neste? Palestinerleiren og alle deres støttespillere ber om at norske politikere nå involverer seg i saken, ikke lukke øynene for hva som skjer i det som ofte kalles "verdens beste land" og krever at deportasjoner tilbake til et land som ikke offisielt eksisterer opphører. 

Start debatten om asylpolitikk, og start den nå! Det er på høy tid, og altfor mange skjebner er allerede blitt offer for en Norges asylpolitikk. Videre ber vi spesifikt om at saken til Mohammed Abu Arman blir behandlet på nytt. En av våre palestinske venner sier: Et liv uten håp, er intet liv. Deres drøm er enkel; å være et trygt menneske i et trygt samfunn. 

Vi appelerer til medmennesket i dere og håper at dere ikke ignoerer dette brevet. med vennlig hilsen, Palestinerleirens støttegruppe i Norge

FAKKELTOG FOR MOHAMMAD

FAKKELTOG FOR MOHAMMAD

Besøket på Trandum

Besøket på Trandum



Etter gjentatte forsøk, får vi til sist laget en avtale med politiet på Trandum, slik at vi kan få møte Mohammad. Vi får ikke et tidspunkt utover «fredag,» og må vente på en telefonsamtale. De ringer fra Trandum, og vi får vite at vi har begrenset tid på oss. Vi setter straks kursen ut av Oslo. Kjøreturen til Trandum er lang og fengselet ligger bortgjemt og utilgjengelig. Utenfor ringer vi på calling-anlegget. Vi forteller vi er her for å besøke Mohammad, og blir sluset inn gjennom to store, høye metallporter. Inne i fengselet blir vi fortalt at det ikke er tillatt å fotografere eller bruke mobiltelefon, noe som også er tydelig gjentatt i form av skilt på veggene.

Vi blir tatt med inn til et møterom. Rommet er lite og veldig sterilt, med hvite vegger. I midten av rommet er det fire stoler. Det er et vindu på den ene veggen, men utsikten er langt i fra oppløftende. Utenfor ser en bare et nakent stort område, omkranset av piggtråd og metallgjerder.

Politiet går for å spørre Mohammad om han ønsket besøk. Litt etter, blir Mohammad ført inn i rommet. Døren blir låst fra utsiden. Vi klemmer hverandre, og spør hvordan han har det. Han er mer interessert i å få vite hvordan det går med oss i leiren. Han gir uttrykk for at han er bekymret for leiren, og sier han ikke får noen informasjon her. Han sier han er veldig redd, og vet ikke hva som vil skje.

Han forteller at han hadde sittet rolig i et rom den første dagen. Drukket te og sett på TV. Brått hadde fem politifolk kommet inn i rommet og tatt fra ham ID-kortet. Han ble tatt med til et enerom. En liten celle. Dette er rommet hvor han nå tilbringer tiden. Om rommet forteller han at det er lite, bare noen få kvadratmeter. Døren er en tykk celledør med en liten luke som kan åpnes fra utsiden for kommunikasjon. Foruten sengen er rommet helt nakent. Han forteller at hans eneste kilde til dagslys er en liten kvadratisk åpning i taket over senga. Veggene er uten vinduer.

Videre forteller han at han ikke får lov til å snakke med noen andre på Trandum. Skal han ut av rommet for å gå på do, må han først ringe på en ringeklokke, gjerne 10-15 ganger, for så å bli fulgt til toalettet. Ønsker han et glass vann, får han dette gjennom luken i døra. De ansatte på Trandum har kommet med mat til ham, men han sier han ikke vil spise. Han sier at de gangene de ansatte kommer med mat, er de eneste gangene han har noen kontakt med mennesker her.

«Si til folkene i leiren at de ikke skal bekymre seg for Mohammad. Jeg vil ikke spise noe før jeg møter dere igjen i leiren,» sier han. I går har han bare drukket vann med salt. Mens vi prater med ham, har han en kopp med vann i hendene. Han forteller at dette er den siste koppen han vil drikke  frem til han slipper ut av Trandum og er tilbake i leiren.

Vi tar kontakt med politiet, spør om vi kan få vise Mohammad noe fra Facebook. Det går greit, så lenge Mohammad ikke bruker telefonen til å ringe noen, blir vi fortalt. Vi viser ham Facebook-arrangementet for fakkeltoget på lørdag, innslaget fra TV2-nyhetene. Bilder fra demonstrasjonen etter at han ble arrestert. Han forteller at han er veldig takknemlig for all støtte og alle som vil hjelpe ham. Vi merker at han får en god følelse av å se dette. Han ser at han ikke er alene.

I det vi skal forlate hverandre smiler han til oss. Han har håp, og i det vi drar, ber han oss hilse til de andre i leiren.

Det er sjokkerende at slike steder eksisterer i Norge. Politiet på Trandum er ikledd beskyttelsesutstyr. Hele området er ikke ulikt de okkuperte områdene, og minner ganske mye om et israelsk sjekkpunt. Møtet på Trandum er et sterkt og veldig vanskelig øyeblikk, det verste hittil i Norge.

Lørdag 3. desember er det fakkeltog for Mohammad. Oppmøte ved Palestinerleiren klokka 16:00.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Mohhamed Abdelrahim

Noen fakta, skrevet av Evy Ellingvåg:

Mohammad skal deporteres….hvorfor skal han det, og hva vil han møte?
Mohammad er en ung mann på ….år fra ….på Vestbredden. I 2009 (?) kom han som asylsøker til Norge, landet i nord som hadde gått lang i å anerkjenne palestineres rett til eget land – så langt at vi var med og laget Oslo-avtalen.
Når man er ung og mann i palestina, eksisterer det forventninger til at man skal forholde seg til en okkupasjon som har pågått i 60 år. Dette fører til at mange unge menn fra palestinske områder kommer i konflikt – enten med egne myndigheter, eller med israelske okkupasjonskrefter. Det er arven de har fått.
Fram til 2009 fikk så godt som alle palestinere flyktningstatus i Norge. For at man skal innvilges denne statusen, skal man ha en «velbegrunnet frykt for forfølgelse, på grunn av rase, religion, nasjonalitet, medlemsskap i en spesiell sosial gruppe eller politisk oppfatning.» FNs høykommisær for flyktninger har anbefalt at ingen flyktninger fra Vestbredden eller Gaza returneres.
Til dette svarer UDI: «UNHCRs anbefalinger fra 2001, sier: “Under the current circumstances of generalized violence in Gaza and the West Bank, no returns of Palestinian refugees to these areas should be conducted”. UNHCR har ikke endret sine anbefalinger siden 2001, selv om situasjonen i stor grad har endret seg.
UDI følger ikke FNs anbefalinger når det gjelder retur av palestinere til Vestbredden/Gaza fordi vi mener at den generelle sikkerhetssituasjonen ikke lenger er av en så alvorlig karakter at alle personer fra Vestbredden og Gaza står i en reell fare for å bli utsatt for en umenneskelig behandling ved en eventuell retur.»
Litt raske fakta; (hentet fra UNRWAs OCHA )
• Det ukentlige gjennomsnittlige angrep fra bosettere som har resultert i Palestinske skadede og ødeleggelse av eiendom har økt med 40% i 2011, sammenliknet med 2010, og med over 165% sammenliknet med i 2009
• I 2011 har tre palestinere blitt drept og 167 blitt såret av israelske bosettere. I tillegg er en palestiner drept og 101 andre er såret av israelske soldater som følge av konflikter mellom bosettere og palestinere.
• Åtte israelske bosettere er drept og 30 skadet av palestinere i 2011, sammenliknet med fem drepte og 43 skadede i samme periode i 2010.
• I 2011 har nærmere 10 000 palestinsk-eide trær, primært oliventrær blitt skadet eller ødelagt av israelske bosettere. Dette undergraver levekårene til hundrevis av familier.
• I juli 2011 ble et samfunn på 127 mennesker fordrevet, som følge av gjentatte angrep fra bosettere.
• Over 90% av klager fra Palestinere til Israelsk politi vedrørende vold fra bosettere har blitt henlagt.
Disse faktaene er bare de som omhandler konflikter mellom bosettere og palestinere. Bosettingene er folkerettsstridige og brudd på avtaler mellom Israel og Palestina. Generalkommisær i UNRWA forteller at det ligger 3000 ordre om destruksjon av hus og venter, og han sier : "The worst is yet to come, unless much more urgent and effective pressure is exercised to stop these abuses."

Byggingen av muren mot Palestina begynte i 2003. Dette har åpenbart ført til et høyere konfliktnivå. UDIs uttalelse om at situasjonen har blitt bedre i perioden etter 2001 savner dekning i realitetene, og pr i dag er muren ca 670 km lang. Inne på Palestinsk område er det tusenvis av israelske check-points, og veier går mellom bosettingene, der palestinere ikke har lov å kjøre.
På denne bakgrunnen velger norske myndigheter å la være å følge FN’s høykommisærs anbefalinger – fordi vi ikke «syns» situasjonen har blitt verre siden 2009.
Mens Israelske myndigheter tilbakeholder Palestinske skattepenger som straff for at Palestina søkte om opptak i UNESCO, og mens den israelske stat opprettholder og utvider bosettinger inn på palestinsk område, mens den arabiske vår krever demokratiske rettigheter for millioner av innbyggere, henviser norske myndigheter til at det er trygt å returnere for en ung mann til Vestbredden.
Vær med på å kreve at vi forholder oss til høykommisærens anbefalinger, og bistå i kravet om at Mohammed må få den status som tilkommer ham; han er en statsløs på flukt fra krig og konflikt, og skal beskyttes etter de konvensjoner vi har tilsluttet oss!

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Iran's mullahs come out fighting

Iran's mullahs come out fighting



The storming of the British embassy in Tehran and William Hague’s closure of the Iranian mission in London brings to an end the fruitless diplomatic reconciliation instigated by the last Labour government.

Iranian protesters outside the British Embassy in Tehran. The compound was stormed and damaged - and the staff  were evacuated  - Iran's mullahs come out fighting
Iranian protesters outside the British Embassy in Tehran. The compound was stormed and damaged - and the staff were evacuated Photo: AFP/GETTY
For the beleaguered group of diplomats holed up in the British Embassy compound in Tehran and surrounded by a baying mob of Iranian protesters, it was, as one of their colleagues phlegmatically remarked yesterday, “a very hairy few hours”.
The embassy staff had been forewarned that trouble was brewing. All Tuesday morning, pro-government Farsi websites had posted comments calling for protesters to gather in Bobby Sands Street. This is the name that the road leading to the British Embassy was given by the ayatollahs when they last squared up to Britain, over the Salman Rushdie affair in 1989.
The original aim of the protest was to commemorate the assassination of an Iranian nuclear scientist, one of three killed in the past two years on the streets of Tehran. But with relations between Britain and Iran entering one of their periodic crises, the bloggers argued that there was no better way to mark the scientist’s death than to focus their ire on the embassy compound in central Tehran.
Britain has a long and undistinguished history of intrigue in Iranian affairs, dating from the 19th century when British gunboats regularly shelled Persian ports to persuade the Shah to toe the line. More recently, in 1953, British intelligence masterminded the plot to overthrow Mohammed Mossadegh – arguably Iran’s last democratically elected prime minister – after he sought to nationalise the British-owned Anglo-Iranian oil company.
Given this history of skulduggery, it is hardly surprising that most Iranians believe Britain is involved in the carefully coordinated campaign of assassinations, bombings and acts of computer sabotage that are clearly designed to disrupt Iran’s quest for nuclear weapons. In the most recent incident, a mysterious explosion appears to have caused significant damage to the uranium enrichment complex at Isfahan, a vital feature of Iran’s nuclear programme.
If, as seems likely, this was the result of sabotage, then the finger of suspicion will inevitably point towards Israel’s Mossad intelligence service. As Mossad works closely with its British and American counterparts, the Iranians, not surprisingly, will conclude that British agents are also engaged in targeting its nuclear facilities.
Only last month, a senior Iranian military officer claimed the British Embassy was a centre of “conspiracy and espionage” that should be dealt with by the Iranian people. The likelihood that the embassy was about to be attacked by a hostile mob was so strong that the Foreign Office took the unusual step of releasing a statement calling on the Iranian authorities to ensure that it was adequately protected. The request fell on deaf ears.
At just after 2pm on Tuesday, a mob, which included members of the Basij paramilitary brigades, surged through the lines of riot police that had been stationed in Bobby Sands Street and broke into the embassy grounds. At around the same time, another crowd broke into the residential compound at Qolhak Gardens in northern Tehran, a 50-acre parcel of land granted to the British by the Persian Qajar dynasty in the 19th century. In recent times Iranian officials have disputed Britain’s ownership of the Qolhak complex, claiming it was stolen from Iran. They have even suggested that Britain should hand over Hyde Park by way of recompense.
The mob hurled stones and petrol bombs, broke into the ambassador’s residence, tore down the Union flag, destroyed portraits of the Queen, ransacked offices and burnt at least one embassy vehicle. While the staff, as part of a well-rehearsed contingency plan, sought refuge in a secure room, the rampaging crowd set fire to the British, American and Israeli flags in the compound.
It seemed that the clock had been turned back to the early days of the Islamic revolution in 1979, when a group of student protesters – said to have included Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran’s current president – stormed the American Embassy and took 50 diplomatic staff hostage in a stand-off that lasted for 444 days.
In the event, the security precautions prevailed, and all the staff have now been safely evacuated. Yesterday William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, was able to inform the Commons that, by way of retaliation, he was ordering the closure of Iran’s diplomatic mission to London, thereby officially bringing to a close Britain’s short-lived diplomatic reconciliation with the mullahs.
With hindsight, it is a minor miracle that our diplomatic mission to Tehran lasted so long, given the dramatic decline that has taken place in recent years in relations between the two countries. Today’s atmosphere of mutual antagonism contrasts sharply with the period that followed the decision by the former foreign secretary Robin Cook to restore relations with Tehran as part of New Labour’s ethical foreign policy.
Both Mr Cook and Jack Straw, his successor, believed the best way to persuade Iran to freeze its nuclear programme was to establish a constructive dialogue with the mullahs. Mr Straw’s enthusiasm for the enterprise even led him to become the first British foreign secretary to visit Tehran since the Islamic Revolution.
But their goodwill was misplaced. Rather than negotiate, the Iranians continued with the development of their nuclear programme, to the extent that the most recent report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) concludes unequivocally that Iran has conducted work on projects normally associated with the production of nuclear weapons.
Throughout this period, British diplomats based in Tehran have had the unenviable task of trying to maintain a dialogue with their Iranian counterparts while nurturing deep reservations about the ultimate objective of their nuclear activities. This difficult balancing act was possible, to an extent, so long as Iran’s moderate president, Mohammad Khatami, remained in power. But after the more hard-line Mr Ahmadinejad came to power in 2005, relations quickly became strained, to the point where contact between British diplomats and Iranian officials became non-existent.
“It was a very frustrating experience,” says a diplomat who recently served at the embassy in Tehran. “We tried very hard to maintain some kind of dialogue, but the Iranians just didn’t want to listen to what we had to say.”
Normal diplomatic relations were effectively frozen after Britain backed the Green Movement that emerged in Iran following the disputed presidential election in 2009. The Revolutionary Guards responded by harassing Iranian members of the embassy staff, with one of them receiving a jail term on trumped-up treason charges.
In many respects, Britain’s continued diplomatic presence in Tehran was an accident waiting to happen, particularly after William Hague, following his appointment as Foreign Secretary, determined on a more robust approach to dealing with the ayatollahs.
This culminated last week in Britain announcing the most wide-ranging banking restrictions it had ever imposed on a foreign power, thereby denying Iran’s banks access to London’s financial institutions.
It is to be hoped that the British authorities gave due attention to the likely impact this would have on the security of our small diplomatic presence in Tehran, as Iran’s exclusion from London’s financial hub has added to the mood of paranoia that has swept the country following publication of the IAEA’s report.
The recent attempt by Revolutionary Guards to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to Washington is evidence that Iran is adopting a more offensive posture in its dealings with the West and its allies. There are also indications that Iran has placed itself on a war footing since publication of the IAEA report. The Iranian Air Force has set up a number of “Rapid Reaction Units” to intercept any attacks, while Mohammad Ali Jaafari, the head of the Revolutionary Guards, has ordered all military units to be in a state of operational readiness.
After Mr Hague’s announcement, diplomatic relations between the UK and Iran have been reduced to a bare minimum: for the moment, any contact will be through international institutions such as the UN’s nuclear negotiating team. As a new mood of anti-Western hostility descends on Iran, it is difficult to envisage British diplomats returning to Tehran soon.
Con Coughlin is the author of 'Khomeini’s Ghost’ (Pan Books)

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Tensions rise in Iran - President's top advisor arrested - Crippling sanctions on the way

Tensions rise in Iran - President's top advisor arrested - Crippling sanctions on the way

 

iReport — “The 2012 Presidential elections will be the scene of a tough and unprecedented battle between the Supreme Leader and elements of opposition - who are already “involved in the government,”” warns Heydar Moslehi, Iran’s Minister of Intelligence.

     The height of tensions between opposing factions of the leadership was clearly demonstrated just days ago, when authorities raided the office of Iran News [President Ahmadinejad’s press aide].  Each group has been threatening to unravel certain secrets that will incriminate the other side.  The United States and allies, on the other hand, are preparing to unleash the biggest blow to Iran’s economy: crippling sanctions on the Central Bank and the Energy sector.

     We will explore the issue with our panel of experts: Ali Mazrouie, former member of the Parliament; Mehrdad Emadi, Economic Advisor to the European Union and Ali-Asgar Ramezanpour, independent Iran Analyst.  First let us take a look at this report.

     Video Narrator:   We have an election coming up.  More than one hundred days to go, yet tensions are building up already.  The reformists whose candidacy was once the subject of much controversy, have now turned into mere witnesses to the process.  This time, the fight is between the two parties of the government.  The incident at Iran Newspaper was highly symbolic of the power play taking place at the highest level of our government lead by President Ahmadinejad and the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.

     Security forces showed up at the main office of the Newspaper to arrest Aliakbar Javanfekr, President Ahmadinejad’s close advisor.  The attempt was met with resistance by staff members, creating an unprecedented scene of conflict at a media headquarter, involving shouts, threats, physical confrontation, battery, tear gas and eventual arrests.  Mr. Javanfekr had harshly criticized Ahmadinejad’s critics in a recent interview with E’temad – an opposition Newspaper which was immediately closed down as a result.

     Tensions in the country are on the rise.  Heider Moslehi, Minister of Intelligence publicly predicts the upcoming elections turning into a “battle against Ayatollah Khamenei”.   Moslehi himself is one of the cogs in the wheel of the tensions.  His removal from his position as Minister of Intelligence by the orders of Ahmadinejad and his subsequent reappointment to the job on orders of the Ayatollah clearly marked the tensions between the two bosses. The internal conflicts are further complicated by external elements.  In the course of only four days, two resolutions were issued against Iran’s nuclear program and one against its human rights violations.  The sanctioning of Iran’s Central Bank by Britain, added a new dimension to all the existing sanctions, the sum total of which casts a cloud of mystery over the country’s future.  What are the solutions for this puzzle and who holds the key?

     Back in Studio]  Host:  Mr. Ramezanpour, it seems the political tensions began with the arrest of Aliakbar Javanfekr.  Do you think it was a premeditated move or that things simply got out of hand?
     Ramezanpour:  Well, the fact that the agents were armed and the reported shooting at the scene obviously indicate that they were prepared for possible conflict.  As for the resistance by Javanfrkr and his staff, I think that is an effort on the part of Ahmadinejad to separate his camp from that of the Ayatollah’s in a marked way, so yes the tensions are somewhat calculated it seems.

     Mr. Mazrouie, for a while things appeared to be moving along in a cohesive manner even with the changing of the Minister of Finance.  What do you think is behind the current tensions?
     Mazrouie:  Well, I think the attitude of the Majlis toward the Minister of Finance was in line with the wishes of Ayatollah Khamenei, as is the case with all Ministers in general.  Ahmadinejad does not have a lot of influence on the country’s Ministries.  He is only reacting to the events and developments, even at the cost of creating tensions.

     Mr. Ramezanpour:  Some of the opposing factions are threatening to reveal incriminating secrets.  Your thoughts?
     Remezanpour:  Well, now that the reformists are out of the picture, the competition has to then shift to the current players who are the heads of the government and they create undue tensions hoping to gain control of the elections process and the poles and voting booths and so on.

     Mr. Mazrouie, on one hand there are all these claims about evidence and documents involving the billion-dollar banking fraud and the players involved.  On the other hand, Mr. Ahmadinejad and his people claim innocence.  What is your take on this issue?
     Mazrouie:  Well, until all facts and evidence are revealed, we can not honestly judge the situation, but it is possible for the so called evidence to be presented at some point.

     Mr. Emadi, why do you think the U.S. is acting so quickly on the new round of sanctions even of the Central Bank, given that the claims about assassination plot are still under investigation and not fully proven?
     Emadi:  Part of the reason is the IAEA report and the fact that Iran has built continent-range ballistic missiles.  The question has come up as to the motivation behind building long-range missiles.  Another issue that has received less attention – or coverage – is that over the past six months, Iran has purchased many parts, tools and certain software in particular, for the express purpose of using in the ballistic missile project.  The purchases were made by the Revolutionary Guards and related companies.  This has caused serious concern.  Another issue is the large-scale money laundering that has been taking place on both national and international level, throughout Iran’s banking system including the Central Bank.  The multi-layered scheme included not only illegal purchases but also highly questionable sources of funding for the purchases.  So, all these strung together led to a conclusion that Iran has now become a serious threat to global economy and global security, as well as becoming a vessel for widespread corruption.

     Mr. Ramezanpour, What is your take on this?
     Ramezanpour:  A demand was made a while back, for transparency in Iran’s financial activities which has significantly declined over the past few years.  Iran’s Central Bank that has a given role of observing all financial activities, banking transactions and economic decisions, has essentially crossed over the boundaries of its designated function, instead having turned into an instrument of illicit political activity such as money laundering on international scale, serving both terrorism and the nuclear program.  The country’s leadership – Ayatollah Khamenei – has practically and completely eliminated the last vestiges of hope held by Iran’s civil society and the international community for any semblance of supervision on the country’s banking and financial activity.  Part of the reason for the pressures applied by the West is precisely because of the vulnerable and out of control conditions inside Iran, as demonstrated by the recent deadly explosion at the Missile base in [city of] Mallard for which there has been absolutely no explanation thus far.

     Mr. Emadi, Given all of Iran’s trading partners, neighbors, those countries in the Persian Gulf region that still deal with Iran, how do you see the West’s plan for complete sanctioning of Iran’s Central Bank, Energy sector, Petrochemicals and so on, play out in an effective way?
     Emadi:  Yes indeed these are the questions on the table for the West as well.  However, there have been notable developments in recent weeks in this regard.  First of all, the importance previously placed on the Straight of Hormuz has now paled - due in part to alternative oil contracts and means of delivery.  Secondly and more importantly, special delegates from the European Union and the United States were sent to the region asking for those countries’ cooperation with the West by providing transparency in their dealings with Iran.  And above all, lays a crucial point that Iran is now known as a proven destructive force – a definite threat to global security, and banking system.

     But that point may be debatable.  Some may argue that if this was true, then countries such as China and Russia would have joined the sanctions and not resisted as they have been.  So, the fact that it is still a unilateral move, has caused disappointment for many observers.
     Emadi:  Yes that is true, however, history shows that anytime the Western powers have proposed diplomatic action against a certain country – Iraq for example – they had had to make it a unilateral move -- independent of the United Nations -- until their case gained enough traction and credibility, then countries such as France and Russia who were reluctant to join the efforts because of their vast dealings with Iraq at the time, would finally consent.
     To that end, your point is extremely important in this case.  The fact that again these are unilateral sanctions without the support of United Nations, they are at risk.  If they prove to be reasonable, then maybe other countries would join hands, but still the absence of UN’s observing presence will be cause for concern.

     Mr. Ramezanpour, your view?
     Ramezanpour:  The trouble is that Iranian regime is so self-indulgent, even [delusional] that they can not face the reality.  The sanctions have indeed had adverse effects on Iran’s economy, on every Iranian citizen’s life, be it inside the country or abroad, on many small, medium and large Iranian corporations both inside the country and abroad.  They have had crushing effects on Iran’s already collapsing economy, yet the regime obstinately hangs on to the old and tired rhetoric that China will rescue the country – totally oblivious to the fact that today, both China and Russia are part of the global capitalism and for as long as they can use Iran to their own benefit they will keep their ties, but the moment Iran outlives its usefulness, China and Russia will dump Iran, acting as the final straw that breaks Iran’s back.  Alas, Iranian regime is too delusional to comprehend or to feel the real dangers surrounding it – inside or across the border.

     Mr. Emadi, given that the sanctions don’t seem to have a specific target, they can and they will affect a large majority of Iranian population.  How do you think the ordinary people are viewing the sanctions?  Will they blame the West or their own leaders?
     Emadi:  Well, I’m not sure of their reaction.  But in the first place, I would hold the Revolutionary Guards responsible for their take-over of the country’s business matters, which they failed in anyway.  They simply created bunch of virtual corporations and basically handed over the entire country’s business affairs to these companies.  Their Western counterparts who kept dealing with these firms are equally to blame though, because it was ultimately the ordinary populace who has paid a price so far.  However, if you asked the Westerners even up until six months ago, they would’ve said they had no intention of hurting the citizens.

     Regardless, THAT is what has happened anyway…
     Emadi:  Yes, it has.  But at any rate, Tehran can continue to deny and dismiss the impact of the sanctions but the fact is that Iran’s economy is at a near-collapse state.  Statistical numbers speak for themselves.  The factories that are still operative are producing below 50% capacity.  The cost of trade that used to cost us $1 as recently as two years prior; today costs us $3.5.  The cost of everything has tripled.  It is the ordinary people who bear the brunt of these costs, not the government.  For as long the regime refuses to understand and acknowledge the depth of the crisis, and insists on justifying its own position instead of seeking viable solutions, there is no hope for a real change.
.
Source:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/tv/2011/04/000001_page2_weekend.shtm

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Deplorable conditions and secret executions in Langeroud Prison in Qom

Deplorable conditions and secret executions in Langeroud Prison in Qom

prison2 











Freedom Messenger - According to human rights activists in Qom, the Central Qom Prison known as Langeroud Prison which is situated 10 kilometers from the old Qom- Kashan Road, has very bad conditions because of the large numbers of prisoners with limited facilities and the insulting treatment of prisoners by prison guards
.
According to this report, more than 4,000 prisoners are jailed here which is three times more than its actual capacity. This issue has led to immoral and unhygienic conditions in this prison. The low food quality in addition to the existence of lice and ticks in the sleeping area has made conditions in this prison very hard. Prisoners infected with HIV and hepatitis are kept in one place with other prisoners and they do not receive any kind of medical attention. Existing immoral deeds which has reportedly turned into a source of income for some prisoners also increases prison problems. This issue takes place more in the Youth Cellblock where prisoners under 18 are kept.

Prison officials’ arbitrary and illegal treatment of prisoners who commit wrongs has doubled the inhuman conditions. There were reports that in some cases, prison guards tied prisoners to light poles in the prison yard and kept them in the freezing cold weather after splashing them with cold water.

Silent executions
According to reports, in the past few months about 15 prisoners convicted with drug related and other charges were executed in the Langeroud Prison. In addition to these prisoners, there are reportedly 80 to 120 prisoners on death row. The latest executions occurred in November when two prisoners were executed in the prison courtyard after their drug related death sentences were upheld by the Supreme Court.
According to this report, prison officials have started building a new area for execution in this prison to carry out executions in a more ‘mechanized’ way. A number of prisoners, who were reportedly forced to work as construction workers for this new execution ward, have refused to help build this area.

Degrading and immoral body searches
According to Qom human rights activists, all prisoners are improperly searched on arrival under the pretext of preventing narcotics from coming into prison. Prisoners are all searched regardless of their [so-called] ‘crimes’. In these searches, instead of using sniffer dogs and electronic devices, they violate the prisoners’ dignity by conducting [immoral] body searches. Political prisoners are insulted and degraded under this pretext and those who protest these conditions are dealt with by officials.

The Suite or Guantanamo
According to this report, in some parts of Langeroud Prison in Qom, there are 2 by 3 meter rooms called suites which are used for death row prisoners and dangerous criminals. It is also used as a punishment for those deemed to deserve more pressure. In these rooms which are known as Guantanamo by prisoners, prisoners are denied fresh air time and light. Sometimes, up to 15 prisoners are put in one room and they are forced to sleep on their sides packed next to each other. Each prisoner is given half of the food portion of other prisoners and less blankets. There is an open toilet in the corner of each room, separated from the room with a 30 cm wall. This toilet is also used for bathing. This has made conditions very unsanitary in the suites. (Iran Press News, Neday Sabze Azadi – Nov. 23, 2011)

UN religious freedom expert: Iran is systematically persecuting Baha'is


 
UN religious freedom expert: Iran is systematically persecuting Baha'is
UNITED NATIONS, 23 October 11
Iran's persecution of Baha'is is among the most "extreme manifestations of religious intolerance and persecution" in the world today, according to a UN expert. The remarks of Heiner Bielefeldt – Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief – came during a press conference here in response to a question about a new report that documents the Iranian government's media campaign to demonize Baha'is. "The Iranian government has a policy of systematic persecution..." said Dr

Javid Houtan Kiyan



Javid Houtan Kiyan
  
Javid Houtan Kiyan is held in Tabriz Prison in connection with his defence of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, a client facing a sentence of stoning to death for “adultery while married”.  He was arrested in October 2010 along with Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani’s son and two German journalists, who have all been released.  He has been tortured in prison and is believed to have been sentenced to a prison term of up to 11 years.

Mohammad Seyfzadeh



Mohammad Seyfzadeh
 
Mohammad Seyfzadeh is serving a two-year prison sentence, reduced from nine years on appeal, for his role in establishing the Centre for Human Rights Defenders, which he co-founded with Shirin Ebadi and others.  He was also banned from practising law for ten years.

Nasrin Sotoudeh



Nasrin Sotoudeh
 
Nasrin Sotoudeh is serving a six-year sentence, reduced from 11 years on appeal, in Evin Prison, Tehran, after conviction of vaguely-worded “national security” charges. 


She was sentenced to five years in prison for “acting against national security, including membership of the Centre for Human Rights Defenders (CHRD)” and to one year for "propaganda against the system.” 

Nasrin Sotoudeh has denied that she has ever been a member of the CHRD. These charges stem solely from her work as a human rights lawyer. 

Before her arrest, Nasrin Sotoudeh had been warned to stop representing Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi, or face reprisals.

Iranian official's statement at UN cannot conceal persecution of defence lawyers



Amnesty International deplores the statement at a UN press conference on 16 November 2011 by Mohammad Javad Larijani, the Secretary General of the Judiciary’s High Council for Human Rights, that “[n]o lawyer is in prison because he is a lawyer or he is a defender of human rights.”


 http://www.payvand.com/news/11/nov/1198.html

Refugees in VAN

How to survive after the quake in VAN

UN resolution on the Human rights violations in Iran


http://united4iran.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/66th-3rd-Cmte-Iran-Resolution-Nov21.pdf
Sponsored by the Government of Canada and forty-one other states, the UN General Assembly finally adopted a resolution calling on Iran to release all arbitrarily detained individuals held for exercising their right to peaceful assembly and expression. The resolution drew the highest number of votes since 1992 with 86 countries in favor, 32 against, and 59 abstentions!
These 32 Countries shamelessly Voted NO to the UN resolution on the Human rights violations in Iran:
Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Brunel Darussalam, North Korea, Comoros, China, Cuba, Ecuador, India, (Iran), Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zimbabwe

Jafar Panahi



Panahi was born in Mianeh, Iran. He was ten years old when he wrote his first book, which subsequently won the first prize in a literary competition.[3] At the same age, he became familiar with film making. He shot films on 8mm film, acting in one and assisting in the making of another. Later, he took up photography. During his military service, Panahi served in the Iran–Iraq War (1980–88) and made a documentary about the war during this period.

Panahi studied film directing at Iran Broadcasting College in Tehran, graduating in 1988.[4][5] After graduating, Panahi made several films for Iranian television and was the assistant director of Abbas Kiarostami's film Through the Olive Trees (1994). Since that time, he has directed several films and won numerous awards in international film festivals.

France pushes for Iranian oil embargo - FT.com

 
France is pushing for a European oil embargo on Iran, breaking a diplomatic taboo that could have significant ramifications for the energy market and global economic growth. Paris has made the proposal to European Union members preparing a new round

ELEVEN UNIDENTIFIED PRISONERS WERE EXECUTED IN THE PRISON OF SHIRAZ (SOUTHERN IRAN)

Thursday 24 November 2011

Iran Human Rights, November 24:

Eleven prisoners were hanged in the prison of Shiraz (southern Iran) early Thursday morning November 24.

According to the official web site of the Iranian judiciary in Fars province, all the elleven prisoners were convicted of drug trafficking.  

None of the prisoners were identified by name and they were all sentenced to death behind the closed doors by the revolutionary court.
The charges have not been confirmed by independent sources
.
At least 27 people have been executed in the month of November according to the official sources in Iran.

Majid Tavakoli

Uholdbart av Lønseth

 
Det er Regjeringen som må ta ansvaret for at ­­utlendingsforvaltningen ikke har ivaretatt barns grunnleggende ­­rettigheter.
 

Ja, Norge er strengere mot barn!

Ja, Norge er strengere mot barn!

Når UNE behandler saker der de skal vurdere barns tilknytning til Norge, viser praksis at innvandringsregulerende hensyn veier tyngre.

Iran Human Rights


On May 14, 2011 Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois hosted this press conference to raise awareness of the 7 Baha'i leaders imprisoned in Iran. 
Actress Eva LaRue is among the notable figures offering their support.

Alle skal med, unntatt...

Alle skal med, unntatt...

"Det er ingen menneskerett å få asyl" sa tidligere justisminister Knut Storberget. Men det er en menneskerett å behandles med likeverd. Vil Grete Faremo ha en bredere tilnærming til menneskerettighetene?

Baha’i Citizen Farhood Eshtiyagh Incarcerated for the Past 5 Months

Baha’i Citizen Farhood Eshtiyagh Incarcerated for the Past 5 Months

24 , November , 2011
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
In his 5th month of detention, Baha’i citizen Farhood Eshtiyagh is still suffering from heart problems.


Farhood Eshtiyagh has been in prison since June without an arrest warrant. According to the Human Rights House of Iran, he is held in Mashahd prison after 4.5 months of detention.

he is suffering from heart problems and Guuillain-Barre Syndrome. The judicial authorities prevent his release.
In October, his arrest warrant was extended twice. He was granted prison visits twice during this time and his children are awaiting his release. His family has traveled to Mashhad several times in order to follow up on him.