News from around Iran

April 15

Former Iranian president barred from travel

Radio Zamaaneh – Iranian authorities have barred former Iranian president, Mohammad Khatami, from leaving Iran, a “knowledgeable source” has informed Parleman news.Iranian authorities have barred former Iranian president, Mohammad Khatami, from leaving Iran, a “knowledgeable source” has informed Parleman news.

Read the whole story on Radio Zamaaneh:

Last news on political prisoners: Nearly 30 prisoners are on hunger strike

According to AStreetJournalist.com,

By Mojtaba Samienejad

Rhana reports: Nearly 20 people in Urumieh Prison went on hunger strike and protested against “distribution of drugs freely” in jail and lack of attention from responsible prison official to this matter.  After this strike, all the concerned prisoners have been transferred to solitary confinement.
A bit further in Province of yazd, Ebadollah Ghassemzadeh, Bakhshali Mohamadi and Sahand Ali Mohamadi, 3 Kurdish citizens from Miando-ab who have gone on hunger strike to protest the poor prison conditions and the humiliating encounters of the prison guards and still continuing.
Also Behrooz Alizadeh, vedud Se’adaty and Rahim Gholami, journalists, have been on hunger strike since April 2, 2010 in Ardebil Prison and after 11 days of hunger strike they are in poor health condition.  Even though these three Turk prisoners are in a poor physical condition, the prison officials have transferred them to solitary confinement in the quarantine section of Ardebil Prison.
Hamad Davari in Tehran’s Evin Prison and Jafar Afshari in Mahabad Prison and Maryam Zia went on hunger strike since the month of March, however, Maryam Zia have been released.

Read the entire story by A Street Journalist:

April 14

Daimler cuts links with Iran over political situation

BBC -Daimler is to divest its 30% stake in an engine company in Iran as part of a wider review of links to the country. The German carmaker’s chief executive, Dieter Zetsche, said Tehran’s political policies were behind the move.

Read the whole story at the BBC:

3 Afghan Nationals Hanged in Iran

Three Afghan nationals were killed this week, 25 last week, for drug trafficking.

Read the entire story at Rahana:

April 13

Unemployment fears as important plant shuts down

Planet Iran - A conservative Iranian newspaper has reported that one of the Middle East’s biggest soft drink producers has closed down its plant after it fired its workers.

Read the whole story at Planet Iran:

Additionally, according to a source inside Iran *Students Committee), strikes at Abahan’s municipality went on strike for not receiving wages over the course of three weeks. 15 laborers at Parnian Poultry Company were fired over protesting their working conditions.  400 temporary workers fro Sasan Soft Drink Company were fired without being paid bonuses, and 49 laborers of Tavakoli Match Factory in Tabriz were fired, the latest firings after more that 200 have been fired in recent months.

Unrest Haults Execution

In other news, according to this same source (unconfirmed), a political prisoner in Behbahan who had been scheduled for execution was not hanged because crowds began to riot. Security forces fired into the air, but failed to disperse the crowd.

Mansour Osanlou, in prison for union activism, taken to Medical Commission in Handcuffs

RAHANA – The leader of the Tehran bus drivers’ union was examined for 9 hours by the coroner’s medical commission in a Karaj hospital. The commission was formed by the request of the Rajai-Shahr prison doctors.

Read the entire article at Rahana: