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OCTOBER 2005 Home Office Science and Research Group OCTOBER 2005 IRAN Home Office Science and Research Group COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION SERVICE OCTOBER 2005 IRAN Country of Origin Information Reports (COI Reports) are produced by the Science & Research Group of the Home Office to provide caseworkers and others involved in processing asylum applications with accurate, balanced and up-to-date information about conditions in asylum seekers’ countries of origin. They contain general background information about the issues most commonly raised in asylum/human rights claims made in the UK. The reports are compiled from material produced by a wide range of recognised external information sources. They are not intended to be a detailed or comprehensive survey, nor do they contain Home Office opinion or policy. ii Disclaimer: “This country of origin information report contains the most up-to-date publicly available information as at 1 July 2005. Older source material has been included where it contains relevant information not available in more recent documents.” OCTOBER 2005 IRAN Contents Paragraphs 1. SCOPE OF DOCUMENT ...................................................................... 1.01 Advisory Panel on Country Information.......................................... 1.11 2. GEOGRAPHY.................................................................................... 2.01 3. ECONOMY........................................................................................ 3.01 Sanctions........................................................................................ 3.11 4. HISTORY.......................................................................................... 4.01 Pre 1979......................................................................................... 4.02 1979 to 1999 .................................................................................. 4.04 2000 to date ................................................................................... 4.12 Student unrest ................................................................................ 4.19 Parliamentary Elections February 2004 ......................................... 4.26 Presidential Elections June 2005 ................................................... 4.30 5. STATE STRUCTURES ........................................................................ 5.01 The Constitution........................................................................... 5.01 Citizenship and nationality.............................................................. 5.02 Political system ............................................................................ 5.05 Political parties............................................................................. 5.08 Judiciary ......................................................................................... 5.13 Juveniles in the justice system ....................................................... 5.33 Court documentation ...................................................................... 5.39 Legal rights and detention .......................................................... 5.41 Death penalty ................................................................................. 5.48 Stoning ........................................................................................... 5.52 Internal security............................................................................ 5.54 Composition of the security forces and their division of labour ...... 5.60 Prisons and prison conditions.................................................... 5.61 Military service ............................................................................. 5.69 Medical services........................................................................... 5.72 Drugs.............................................................................................. 5.73 Drug addiction ................................................................................ 5.74 Psychiatric treatment...................................................................... 5.77 HIV/AIDS ........................................................................................ 5.80 People with disabilities ................................................................... 5.84 Educational system...................................................................... 5.85 6. HUMAN RIGHTS................................................................................ 6.01 6. A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES .................................................................... 6.01 General........................................................................................... 6.01 Freedom of speech and the media ............................................. 6.15 Press law........................................................................................ 6.30 Internet and satellite ....................................................................... 6.43 Freedom of religion...................................................................... 6.54 Legal framework............................................................................. 6.62 Sunni Muslims ................................................................................ 6.64 Christians ....................................................................................... 6.66 Apostasy/conversions .................................................................... 6.69 Jews .............................................................................................. 6.74 Zoroastrians ................................................................................... 6.77 Sabeans (Mandeans) ..................................................................... 6.79 Baha’is............................................................................................ 6.80 Ahl-e Haq (Yaresan)....................................................................... 6.95 Freedom of assembly and association ...................................... 6.96 Disclaimer: “This country of origin information report contains the most up-to-date publicly available information as iii at 31 August 2005. Older source material has been included where it contains relevant information not available in more recent documents.” OCTOBER 2005 IRAN Employment rights....................................................................... 6.105 People trafficking ......................................................................... 6.109 Freedom of movement................................................................. 6.110 Refugees in Iran ........................................................................... 6.121 6. B HUMAN RIGHTS SPECIFIC GROUPS .................................................... 6.129 Ethnic minority groups ................................................................ 6.129 Kurds .............................................................................................. 6.130 Arabs .............................................................................................. 6.137 Baluchis.......................................................................................... 6.147 Azeris ............................................................................................. 6.151 Women .......................................................................................... 6.155 Honour killings................................................................................ 6.166 The Hijab ........................................................................................ 6.175 Marriage ......................................................................................... 6.178 Mehriyeh......................................................................................... 6.180 Divorce ........................................................................................... 6.182 Abortion .......................................................................................... 6.189 Children......................................................................................... 6.192 Child care arrangements ................................................................ 6.195 Homosexuals/transsexuals ......................................................... 6.199 Political dissent ............................................................................ 6.212 Mojahedin-e Khalq MEK/MKO or PMOI (Peoples Mojahedin of Iran) 6.218 Rastakhiz Party and Monarchists................................................... 6.224 Savak ............................................................................................. 6.227 Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI)........................................ 6.228 Komala ........................................................................................... 6.233 6. C HUMAN RIGHTS OTHER ISSUES ......................................................... 6.235 Adultery......................................................................................... 6.235 Illegal drugs situation .................................................................. 6.242 Exiles/dissidents outside Iran..................................................... 6.249 ANNEXES Annex A – Chronology of events Annex B – Political organisations Annex C – Prominent people Annex D – List of source material Return to Contents iv Disclaimer: “This country of origin information report contains the most up-to-date publicly available information as at 31 August 2005. Older source material has been
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