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Country of Origin Information Report Iran March 2009

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Country of Origin Information Report Iran March 2009 COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION REPORT IRAN 17 MARCH 2009 IRAQ 31 OCTOBER 2006 UK Border Agency COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION SERVICE ii The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 1 February 2009. Further brief information on recent events and reports has been provided in the Latest News section to 16 March 2009. 17 MARCH 2009 IRAN Contents Preface Latest News EVENTS IN IRAN, FROM 2 FEBRUARY 2009 TO 16 MARCH 2009 REPORTS ON IRAN PUBLISHED OR ACCESSED BETWEEN 2 FEBRUARY 2009 TO 16 MARCH 2009 Paragraphs Background Information 1. GEOGRAPHY .............................................................................................1.01 Maps..............................................................................................1.03 Iran............................................................................................1.03 Tehran.......................................................................................1.04 2. ECONOMY ...............................................................................................2.01 Sanctions......................................................................................2.13 3. HISTORY ..................................................................................................3.01 Calendar.......................................................................................3.02 Pre 1979........................................................................................3.03 1979 to 1999.................................................................................3.05 2000 to date..................................................................................3.16 Student unrest..............................................................................3.25 Parliamentary elections – February 2004...................................3.41 Presidential elections – June 2005.............................................3.47 Elections – 2006...........................................................................3.54 Elections – 2008...........................................................................3.56 4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS ..............................................................................4.01 5. CONSTITUTION ...........................................................................................5.01 6. POLITICAL SYSTEM .....................................................................................6.01 Political parties............................................................................6.05 Human Rights 7. INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................7.01 8. CRIME .....................................................................................................8.01 Arazel va obash............................................................................8.01 9. SECURITY FORCES ......................................................................................9.01 Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) and Vezarat-e Ettela’at va Aminat-e Keshvar (VEVAK) aka Ettela’at ...........9.09 Basij..............................................................................................9.12 Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps or Pasdaran......................9.18 Ansar-e Hezbollah........................................................................9.19 Ashura Brigades..........................................................................9.20 Torture..........................................................................................9.22 10. MILITARY SERVICE ....................................................................................10.01 11. JUDICIARY ..............................................................................................11.01 Organisation.................................................................................11.06 Independence...............................................................................11.09 Fair trial.........................................................................................11.18 The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 1 February 2009. Further brief iii information on recent events and reports has been provided in the Latest News section to 16 March 2009. IRAN 17 MARCH 2009 Penal code................................................................................11.29 Knowledge of the judge.............................................................11.33 Court documentation...................................................................11.39 Amputation...................................................................................11.42 12. ARREST AND DETENTION – LEGAL RIGHTS ......................................................12.01 13. PRISON CONDITIONS ..................................................................................13.01 14. DEATH PENALTY ......................................................................................14.01 Stoning.........................................................................................14.12 15. POLITICAL AFFILIATION ..............................................................................15.01 Freedom of association and assembly......................................15.01 16. OPPOSITION GROUPS AND POLITICAL ACTIVISTS ...............................................16.01 Political dissent............................................................................16.01 Mojahedin-e Khalq Organisation (MEK / MKO) or People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI) .................................16.05 Rastakhiz Party and Monarchists...............................................16.19 Savak............................................................................................16.22 Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) aka PDKI...................16.23 Komala..........................................................................................16.31 Partiya Jiyana Azada Kurdistan (PJAK) or Kurdistan Free Life Party......................................................................................16.37 17. FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND MEDIA .................................................................17.01 Treatment of journalists..............................................................17.24 Internet and satellite....................................................................17.28 18. CORRUPTION ...........................................................................................18.01 19. FREEDOM OF RELIGION ..............................................................................19.01 Overview.......................................................................................19.01 Legal framework..........................................................................19.14 Sunni Muslims..............................................................................19.16 Christians.....................................................................................19.20 Apostasy / conversions..............................................................19.26 Apostasy bill..............................................................................19.37 Jews..............................................................................................19.41 Zoroastrians.................................................................................19.47 Sabeans (Mandeans or Madaeans).............................................19.54 Baha’is..........................................................................................19.56 Ahl-e Haq (Yaresan).....................................................................19.88 Sufis..............................................................................................19.90 20. ETHNIC GROUPS .......................................................................................20.01 Kurds............................................................................................20.07 Arabs.............................................................................................20.20 Baluchis........................................................................................20.40 Azeris............................................................................................20.52 Qashqais.......................................................................................20.61 21. LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER PERSONS .....................................21.01 Overview.......................................................................................21.01 Legislative position and penalties..............................................21.05 Evidence and repenting.............................................................21.08 Enforcement of the laws and executions...................................21.11 Social Protection Division..........................................................21.35 Government attitudes..................................................................21.42 Societal attitudes.........................................................................21.46 Transgender and transsexuals...................................................21.50 22. DISABILITY .............................................................................................22.01 23. WOMEN .................................................................................................23.01 iv
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