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Iran Country of Origin Information (COI) Report COI Service Iran Country of Origin Information (COI) Report COI Service 26 September 2013 Iran September 2013 Contents Preface Background Information 1. Geography ............................................................................................................ 1.01 Maps ...................................................................................................................... 1.05 Iran ..................................................................................................................... 1.05 Tehran ................................................................................................................ 1.06 Calendar ................................................................................................................ 1.07 Public holidays ................................................................................................... 1.08 Weekend ............................................................................................................ 1.09 2. Economy ............................................................................................................... 2.01 Exchange rates ..................................................................................................... 2.10 3. History ................................................................................................................... 3.01 Pre 1979: Rule of the Shah .................................................................................. 3.01 From 1979 to 1999: Islamic Revolution to first local government elections ... 3.04 From 2000 to 2008: Parliamentary and presidential elections ......................... 3.06 From 2009 to May 2010 ........................................................................................ 3.07 Presidential election – 12 June 2009.................................................................. 3.07 Demonstrations and aftermath of the election to government crackdown during 2010 ................................................................................................... 3.12 From 2011 to May 2012 ....................................................................................... 3.21 Parliamentary elections: March and May 2012 .................................................. 3.24 4. Recent developments (June to 31 August 2013) .............................................. 4.01 Presidential elections 14 June 2013 ................................................................... 4.01 5. Constitution .......................................................................................................... 5.01 6. Political system .................................................................................................... 6.01 Political parties ..................................................................................................... 6.06 Human Rights 7. Introduction .......................................................................................................... 7.01 8. Crime ..................................................................................................................... 8.01 Drug smuggling .................................................................................................... 8.01 9. Security forces ..................................................................................................... 9.01 Overview of security and intelligence forces ..................................................... 9.01 Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) known as Vezarat-e Ettela’at va Aminat-e Keshvar (VEVAK) or Ettela’at .......................................................... 9.04 Law enforcement forces (including the police) ................................................. 9.05 Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC also known as ‘Pasdaran’) ......... 9.07 Qods / Quds Force ............................................................................................. 9.13 Basij ................................................................................................................... 9.16 Ansar-e Hezbollah (Helpers of the Party of God) ............................................... 9.23 Armed forces ........................................................................................................ 9.26 Human rights violations by government forces ................................................ 9.28 Arbitrary arrest and detention ............................................................................. 9.28 Detention centres ........................................................................................... 9.34 Torture ................................................................................................................ 9.44 Amputation and floggings ................................................................................... 9.55 ii The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 31 August 2013. September 2013 Iran Extra-judicial killings ........................................................................................... 9.61 10. Military service ..................................................................................................... 10.01 11. Judiciary ................................................................................................................ 11.01 Organisation ......................................................................................................... 11.01 Court structure ................................................................................................... 11.06 Independence ....................................................................................................... 11.09 Fair trial ................................................................................................................. 11.16 Trial in absentia .................................................................................................. 11.24 Double jeopardy (ne bis in idem) ........................................................................ 11.26 Bail ..................................................................................................................... 11.27 Penal code ............................................................................................................ 11.34 Security laws ...................................................................................................... 11.46 Knowledge of the judge ...................................................................................... 11.47 Crimes committed outside Iran ........................................................................... 11.52 Court documentation ........................................................................................... 11.53 Summonses ....................................................................................................... 11.53 Arrest warrants ................................................................................................... 11.59 Reporting ............................................................................................................ 11.62 Court verdicts and issuance/enforcement of judgments ..................................... 11.63 12. Arrest and detention – legal rights ..................................................................... 12.01 13. Prison conditions ................................................................................................. 13.01 14. Death penalty ........................................................................................................ 14.01 Stoning .................................................................................................................. 14.13 15. Political affiliation ................................................................................................. 15.01 Freedom of political expression.......................................................................... 15.01 Events during and after the 2009 Presidential elections..................................... 15.07 Political dissidents outside Iran and family members ........................................ 15.19 Political prisoners and prisoners of conscience .................................................. 15.30 Freedom of association and assembly ............................................................... 15.37 Opposition groups and political activists .......................................................... 15.44 Green Movement ............................................................................................... 15.49 Student activists ................................................................................................ 15.56 Mojahedin-e Khalq Organisation (MEK/MKO) (aka People‘s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI) or Holy Warriors of the People) ............ 15.67 People‘s Resistance Movement of Iran (PMRI) aka Jundallah [Jondallah] ........ 15.79 Kurdish political parties: ..................................................................................... 15.87 Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI, also DPIK) ...................................... 15.89 Komala [Komalah, Komaleh] .......................................................................... 15.92 Partiya Jiyana Azada Kurdistan (PJAK) aka Kurdistan Free Life Party or Party of Free Life of Iranian Kurdistan ........................................................... 15.98 16. Freedom
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