IRAN COUNTRY ASSESSMENT April 2003 Country Information And

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

IRAN COUNTRY ASSESSMENT April 2003 Country Information And IRAN COUNTRY ASSESSMENT April 2003 Country Information and Policy Unit IMMIGRATION & NATIONALITY DIRECTORATE HOME OFFICE, UNITED KINGDOM Iran April 2003 CONTENTS 1. SCOPE OF DOCUMENT 1.1 - 1.4 2. GEOGRAPHY 2.1 - 2.2 Economy 2.3 - 2.10 3. HISTORY 3.1 Pre - 1979 3.2 - 3.3 1979 - 1989 3.4 - 3.9 1990 - 1996 3.10 - 3.13 1997 - 1999 3.14 - 3.20 2000 3.21 - 3.28 2001 to Current 3.29 - 3.37 4. STATE STRUCTURES Political System and Constitution 4.1 - 4.6 Citizenship 4.7 - 4.9 Political Parties 4.10 - 4.14 Judiciary 4.15 - 4.33 Military Service 4.34 - 4.36 Internal Security 4.37 - 4.43 Legal Rights and Detention 4.44 - 4.48 Death Penalty 4.49 - 4.51 Prisons 4.52 - 4.56 Medical Services 4.57 Drug Addiction 4.58 - 4.59 Drugs 4.60 Psychiatric 4.61 - 4.63 People with Disabilities 4.64 HIV/AIDS 4.65 - 4.67 Education 4.68 - 4.71 5. HUMAN RIGHTS: OVERVIEW 5.1 - 5.13 Freedom of Speech and the Media 5.14 - 5.20 Press Law 5.21 - 5.38 Internet and Satellite 5.39 - 5.42 Freedom of Religion 5.43 - 5.49 Legal Framework 5.50 - 5.51 Sunni Muslims 5.52 Christians 5.53 - 5.57 Apostasy/Conversions 5.58 - 5.61 Jews 5.62 - 5.67 Zoroastrians 5.68 - 5.69 Sabeans (Mandaeans) 5.70 Baha'is 5.71 - 5.83 Freedom of Assembly and Association 5.84 - 5.89 Employment Rights 5.90 - 5.96 Trafficking 5.97 Freedom of Movement 5.81 - 5.106 Refugees in Iran 5.107 - 5.111 5.B. HUMAN RIGHTS: SPECIFIC GROUPS Ethnic minority groups 5.112 Kurds 5.113 - 5.115 Arabs 5.116 - 5.123 Baluchis 5.124 - 5.125 Azeris 5.126 - 5.128 Women 5.129 - 5.143 The Hijab 5.144 - 5.146 Marriage 5.147 - 5.150 Divorce 5.151 - 5.155 Abortion 5.156 - 5.157 Children 5.158 - 5.161 Iran April 2003 Homosexuals/Transsexuals 5.162 - 5.172 Political Dissent 5.173 - 5.178 Mojahedin-e Khalq 5.179 - 5.180 Rastakhiz Party and Monarchists 5.181 - 5.183 Savak 5.184 Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran 5.185 - 5.187 Komala 5.188 5. HUMAN RIGHTS: OTHER ISSUES Adultery 5.189 - 5.195 Illegal Drugs Situation 5.196 - 5.204 Exiles/Dissidents outside Iran 5.205 - 5.208 ANNEX A: CHRONOLOGY of EVENTS ANNEX B: POLITICAL ORGANISATIONS ANNEX C: PROMINENT PEOPLE ANNEX D: REFERENCES to SOURCE MATERIAL Back to Contents 1. SCOPE OF DOCUMENT 1.1. This assessment has been produced by the Country Information and Policy Unit, Immigration and Nationality Directorate, Home Office, from information obtained from a wide variety of recognised sources. The document does not contain any Home Office opinion or policy. 1.2. The assessment has been prepared for background purposes for those involved in the asylum/human rights determination process. The information it contains is not exhaustive. It concentrates on the issues most commonly raised in asylum/human rights claims made in the United Kingdom. 1.3. The assessment is sourced throughout. It is intended to be used by caseworkers as a signpost to the source material, which has been made available to them. The vast majority of the source material is readily available in the public domain. These sources have been checked for currency, and as far as can be ascertained, remained relevant and up to date at the time the document was issued. 1.4. It is intended to revise the assessment on a six-monthly basis while the country remains within the top 35 asylum-seeker producing countries in the United Kingdom. Back to Contents Iran April 2003 2. GEOGRAPHY 2.1. The Islamic Republic of Iran Persia until 1935 lies in western Asia, and is bounded on the north by the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, by Turkey and Iraq to the west, by the Persian Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman to the south, and by Pakistan and Afghanistan to the east. It has an area of 1.6 to 1.7 million square km. 636,000 to 635.000 sq.[1a][4j] The climate is one of extremes. It is a land of desert and mountain and is in the main semi-arid with, by contrast, a sub tropical climate in the north and northwest along parts of the Caspian coast. [1a] This is a result of the considerable rainfall that falls in these areas. The Caspian coast has a hot and humid climate and this region is by far the most densely populated. [1a] The capital city is Teheran, with an estimated population of 12 - 15 million. [26d] The towns of Mashad, Esfahan, Tabriz and Shiraz each have populations of 1 - 3 million; the total population of Iran is an estimated 66 million 2001 estimate. [1a] [4j] [36] 2.2. The principal language is Farsi Persian and Persian dialects, spoken by about 58 per cent of the population. 26 per cent of the population are Turkic-speaking, Kurdish 9 per cent, Arab 3 per cent, Lur 2 per cent, Baloch 2 per cent, Turkmen 2 per cent and others 1 per cent. [1a] [4j] The national flag comprises three unequal horizontal stripes of green, white and red, with the emblem of the Islamic Republic of Iran the stylised word Allah centrally positioned in red and the inscription “God is Great” on the Red and Green stripes. [1a] Economy 2.3. Pre - Revolutionary Iran ‘s economic development was rapid. Traditionally an agricultural society, in 1961 Iran initiated a series of economic, social and administrative reforms that became known as the Shahs White Revolution [1a]. The core of this program was land reform. By the 1970’s, Iran had achieved significant industrialisation and economic modernisation however the pace of growth had started to slow by the late 70’s. [4j]. Since the Revolution in 1979 increased central control, the disruption caused by the Iran/Iraq war and a general decline in oil prices in late 1985 had a detrimental effect on the economy. [1a] [4j] 2.4. In March 1989, Khomeini approved President Rafsanjani’s 5-year plan for economic development. [4j] Since then Iran’s five-year economic plans have emphasised a gradual move towards a market orientated economy and the development of the private sector. The third five-year plan, which came into force in March 2000, commits the government to an ambitious programme of liberalisation, diversification and privatisation and the creation of 3.8m new jobs by 2005. The resolution of Iran's external debt problems have eased the policymaking environment, and facilitated the unification of the exchange rate at the start of 2002, but significant political obstacles to rapid reform remain. [24a] However a lack of consensus on the privatisation drive has resulted in delay. [5ad] 2.5. Today, Iran’ economy is a mixture of central planning, state ownership of oil and other large enterprises, village agriculture and small scale businesses. [1a] [4j] [24a] It has been stated by an Iranian official [5ae] that the unemployment rate is 14 per cent nationwide whilst the International Money Fund IMFhas put it as high as 16 per cent. Iran April 2003 [5af] However figures quoted in the US State Department country report for 2002 released in April 2003 have estimated unemployment to be between 20 and 25 percent, and inflation at approximately 18 to 20 percent. [4m] The Iranian press also reported in September 2002 that some 12 million out of a population of 66 million live below the poverty line. [5ag] 2.6. Large charitable foundations called bonyads, most with strong connections to the Government, controlled the extensive properties and business expropriated from the Pahlavi family and from other figures associated with the monarchy. The bonyads exercised considerable influence on the economy, but neither accounted publicly for revenue nor paid taxes. Legislation was introduced in the Majlis during the year, which would require the bonyads to pay taxes at the rate of 25 percent. It was not yet clear if this legislation became law. [4m] 2.7. A key factor in Iran’s economic prospects is whether it will be able to gain full re- admittance to the international trading community World Trading Organisation WTO membership etc, which will depend in large part upon the outcome of the political contest in Tehran and the success of Iran’s policy of détente towards the outside world. [1a] [21w][5ax] 2.8. Whilst the Secretary General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development has said that UNCTAD supports Tehran's will to join the WTO currently the United States administration is opposed to Iran gaining membership of the WTO. It is to be expected that non-members will suffer grave economic losses in future years as a result of the majority of the International Community following the same trade policies. [5ac] 2.9. In its annual review September 2002 of the Iranian economy the IMF, notwithstanding concerns over unemployment rates and fiscal policy concluded that the economy had performed well during the year [5af] and the World Bank is planning to lend Iran $755m over the next two years although opposition from some of the World Bank's shareholders is to be expected. [21x] 2.10. In March 2003 the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Iran for Economic Affairs Akbar Kimanji reported that Iran's foreign debt stood at 23.438bn dollars up to end 20 January 2003.
Recommended publications
  • República Islámica De Irán
    OFICINA DE INFORMACIÓN DIPLOMÁTICA FICHA PAÍS Irán República Islámica de Irán La Oficina de Información Diplomática del Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores y de Cooperación pone a disposición de los profesionales de los medios de comunicación y del público en general la presente ficha país. La información contenida en esta ficha país es pública y se ha extraído de diversos medios no oficiales. La presente ficha país no defiende posición política alguna ni de este Ministerio ni del Gobierno de España respecto del país sobre el que versa. FEBRERO 2018 Constitución. Además, en torno a un 25 % de la población tiene una variedad Irán del turco como lengua materna y se hablan otros idiomas minoritarios, como el kurdo. Moneda: Rial iraní (cambio a 4 de febrero de 2018: 1€ = 46.086 riales) Religión: El Islam está consagrado en la Constitución hoy vigente como religión oficial. La mayoría musulmana iraní (un 96% de la población total) es chiíta (en Mar Caspio torno al 89% de los musulmanes). Hay una minoría musulmana que pertenece TURQUÍA Tabriz a la creencia autóctona conocida como bahaísmo. Existe una importante mino- TURKMENISTÁN ría cristiana de origen armenio, junto a asirio-caldeos; también hay un pequeño Mashhad grupo de judíos y de seguidores del Zoroastrismo. Teherán Forma de Estado: El artículo 1 de la Constitución de 1979 define a Irán como una República Islámica. El sistema se basa en la distinción entre un Ejecutivo encabezado por el Presidente de la República y compuesto por los distintos mi- Isfahán AFGANISTÁN nisterios, que gestiona la administración del país, y un Legislativo o Majlis, que de manera efectiva aprueba las leyes y vota a los candidatos a ministro propues- IRAK Ahvaz tos por el Presidente.
    [Show full text]
  • Iran Under Khatami
    IRAN UNDER KHATAMI A Political, Economic, and Military Assessment Patrick Clawson Michael Eisenstadt Eliyahu Kanovsky David Menashri A Washington Institute Monograph THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, re- cording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. © 1998 by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy Published in 1998 in the United States of America by the Washing- ton Institute for Near East Policy, 1828 L Street NW, Suite 1050, Washington, DC 20036. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Iran under Khatami: a political, economic, and military assess- ment / Patrick L. Clawson ... [et al.]. p. cm. ISBN 0-944029-27-2 (pbk.) 1. Iran—Politics and government—1997- 2. Khatami, Muhammad. 3. Iran—Economic conditions—1997- 4. Iran—Foreign relations—1997- 5. Iran—Military policy. I. Clawson, Patrick, 1951- . DS318.9.I73 1998 955.05'43—dc21 98-39718 CIP Cover design by Monica Neal Hertzman. Cover image AFP Photo/ Jamshid Bairami/Corbis. CONTENTS Contributors v Preface vii 1 The Khatami Paradox Patrick Clawson 1 2 Whither Iranian Politics? The Khatami Factor David Menashri 13 3 Iran's Sick Economy Prospects for Change under Khatami Eliyahu Kanovsky 53 4 The Military Dimension Michael Eisenstadt 71 5 Opportunities and Challenges for U.S. Policy Patrick Clawson and Michael Eisenstadt 99 CONTRIBUTORS Patrick Clawson is director for research at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy and senior editor of the Middle East Quarterly.
    [Show full text]
  • The Iranian Petroleum & Energy Club
    In the Name of God Proceedings of Iranian Petroleum & Energy Club Congress IPEC 2018 IRIB International Conference Center 16- 18 October 2018 Book Title: Collection of Speeches by the 4th Petroleum & Energy Congress Organization Name: Iranian Petroleum and Energy Club Publisher: Institute of Rooyesh Rahbord Tosee Aria Circulation: 1000 Volumes Pages Number: 412 Print Size: Vaziri Publication Date: June 2019 Editor: Mohammad Sadegh Azimifar Typography and Cover Design: Elaheh Lotfi CopyRight by: (Institute of Rooyesh Rahbord Tosee Aria) The 4th Iranian Petroleum & Energy Club Congress & Exhibition Organizer: The Iranian Petroleum & Energy Club Introduction Iranian Petroleum & Energy Club aims to promote efficiency and sustainable growth in Iranian energy sector by providing demand led policy advice based on professional experience and frontier research. As a professional and nonprofit association, we facilitate knowledge transfer to hundreds of energy executives and young entrepreneurs which help them better understand the financial and management issues that shape the current energy environment in Iran. In collaboration with our network of professional executives, leading academics and field experts, we provide impartial and evidence-based policy recommendations for decision-makers in the energy sector; recommendations which have been successful in addressing some of the most entrenched challenges of Iranian energy sector. We follow out our missions by forming specific workgroups to perform needed researches and to provide specific and general consultancy to these sections and provide strategy, solutions and also to hold strategic meetings, conferences and congresses. We fit to evaluate the issues from a strategic view, to observe, track and to analyze important and influential events in national, regional and global levels.
    [Show full text]
  • Tightening the Reins How Khamenei Makes Decisions
    MEHDI KHALAJI TIGHTENING THE REINS HOW KHAMENEI MAKES DECISIONS MEHDI KHALAJI TIGHTENING THE REINS HOW KHAMENEI MAKES DECISIONS POLICY FOCUS 126 THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY www.washingtoninstitute.org Policy Focus 126 | March 2014 The opinions expressed in this Policy Focus are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, its Board of Trustees, or its Board of Advisors. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including pho- tocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. © 2014 by The Washington Institute for Near East Policy The Washington Institute for Near East Policy 1828 L Street NW, Suite 1050 Washington, DC 20036 Cover: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei holds a weapon as he speaks at the University of Tehran. (Reuters/Raheb Homavandi). Design: 1000 Colors CONTENTS Executive Summary | V 1. Introduction | 1 2. Life and Thought of the Leader | 7 3. Khamenei’s Values | 15 4. Khamenei’s Advisors | 20 5. Khamenei vs the Clergy | 27 6. Khamenei vs the President | 34 7. Khamenei vs Political Institutions | 44 8. Khamenei’s Relationship with the IRGC | 52 9. Conclusion | 61 Appendix: Profile of Hassan Rouhani | 65 About the Author | 72 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EVEN UNDER ITS MOST DESPOTIC REGIMES , modern Iran has long been governed with some degree of consensus among elite factions. Leaders have conceded to or co-opted rivals when necessary to maintain their grip on power, and the current regime is no excep- tion.
    [Show full text]
  • Iran Preserves the Ethos of the Takeover of the US Embassy in Tehran by Militant Students in 1979
    Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Israel Intelligence Heritage & Commemoration Center (IICC) May 14, 2007 Iran preserves the ethos of the takeover of the US embassy in Tehran by militant students in 1979 The staff of the US embassy in Tehran taken hostage (November 4, 1979, www.iranian.com) 2 1. The capture and release of the 15 British soldiers in Iran1 calls for comparison with the takeover of the US embassy in Tehran by Iranian revolutionary students in 1979, which was a major turning point in Iran’s ideological attack on the US (“the Great Satan”) and the West. 2. Many student leaders responsible for the 1979 takeover have now become senior figures in the Iranian regime, mostly in the reformist bloc.2 Even now, the incident remains widely popular in Iran and is considered one of the formative experiences of the Islamic revolution. Even though the latest incident shows that the Iranians are basically willing to employ such tactics, there is a clear difference: the current regime avoided making use of the incident to inflame the emotions of the Iranians and the rest of the world, and released the hostages within a relatively short time. 3. The ethos of the takeover of the embassy is used by Iran as a deterrent to demonstrate the country’s firm stand against the international community, particularly as stances on the nuclear issue are becoming more polarized. Thus, for example, after Security Council Resolution 1737 was passed,3 President Ahmadinejad gave a speech at the site of the former US embassy in which he condemned the West (December 24, 2006).
    [Show full text]
  • Iran News Update September 2017
    September 2017 Politics: In an address to the joint strategy committee of Iran- Japan in Tehran, Masoumeh Ebtekar called for enhancing Iran’s parliament offered a vote of confidence to all the role of women in promoting peace and security in nominated ministers except for Habibollah Bitaraf, who the international arena. had previously served under a reformist administration. Demonstrations have been carried out in Baneh, in the Mohammad Javad Zarif was confirmed as Iran’s Foreign Kurdistan Province of Iran, to protest the deaths of two Minister for a second term. Zarif stated that Iran’s foreign Kurdish cross border carriers. The demonstrations led affairs will focus on boosting economic relations with its to violence and several arrests were made by Iranian neighbouring countries. authorities. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani appointed Mohammed Mohsen Hojaji, an Iranian military advisor in Syria, was Nahavndian as the new Vice-President for Economic taken hostage and beheaded by the Islamic State group Affairs. In another decree, highly experienced Mahmoud in Syria. Vaezi was appointed Rouhani’s new Chief of Staff. International Relations: Three women have been appointed vice presidency positions in President Rouhani’s new cabinet. Head of Iran-Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group Mahmoud Sadeqi met with Australian Ambassador to Mohammad-Ali Najafi, Iran’s ex-minister from the Iran Ian Biggs in Tehran. Ambassador Biggs stated that reformist camp, has been elected Tehran’s new mayor Canberra strongly supports the landmark nuclear deal with the votes of Tehran city council. and considers it an opportunity to establish peace in the region. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appointed Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, the ex-Chief The head of Iran-Britain Parliamentary Friendship Group Justice of Iran, as the new Chairman of Iran’s Expediency announced that British delegates are planning to travel Council.
    [Show full text]
  • April 2018.Indd
    1 IRAN CASE FILE ٢٠١٨ April CONTENTS Executive Summary ........................................................................ 4 Internal Affair .................................................................................. 6 Political File ...................................................................................... First: The motion to question President Hasan Rouhani: between failure and success ............................................................ 6 Second: Fundamentalists employ surveillance and espionage techniques to spy on reformists ....................................................... 8 The defense and security file .......................................................... 11 First: Iran and combat drones ......................................................... 11 Second: Arab Ahwaz region: Arab protests and popular resentment against racial discrimination policies ............................................ 14 The economic file .......................................................................... 16 First: explanations of the continuous decline of the Iranian currency between urgent crises and historical roots ......................................16 Second: Macroeconomic indicators ...............................................19 RASANAH The Social file ............................................................................... 22 +966112166696 First: Indicators related to addiction and drugs in Iran ....................22 [email protected] Second: overpopulation and its impact on unemployment
    [Show full text]
  • The Iranian Petroleum & Energy Club
    In the Name of God Proceedings of Iranian Petroleum & Energy Club Congress IPEC 2019 IRIB International Conference Center 8-9 October 2019 Book Title: Collection of Speeches at the 5th Petroleum and Energy Congress & Exhibition Organization Name: Iranian Petroleum and Energy Club Publisher: Institute of Rooyesh Rahbord Tosee Ariya Circulation: 1000 Volumes Pages Number: 372 Print Size: Vaziri Publication Date: First- Summer 2020 Editor: Hadi Khalili Dizaji Typography and Cover Design: Elaheh Lotfi CopyRight by: (Institute of Rooyesh Rahbord Tosee Ariya) The 5th Iranian Petroleum & Energy Club Congress & Exhibition Organizer: The Iranian Petroleum & Energy Club Introduction The Iranian Petroleum & Energy Club aims to promote efficiency and sustainable growth in Iranian energy sector by providing demand led policy advice based on professional experience and frontier research. As a professional and nonprofit association, we facilitate knowledge transfer to hundreds of energy executives and young entrepreneurs which help them better understand the financial and Management issues that shape the current energy environment in Iran. In collaboration with our network of professional executives, leading academics and field experts, we provide impartial and evidence-based policy recommendations for decision-makers in the energy sector; recommendations which have been successful in addressing some of the most entrenched challenges of Iranian energy sector. We follow out our missions by forming specific workgroups to perform needed researches and to provide specific and general consultancy to these sections and provide strategy, solutions and also to hold strategic meetings, conferences and congresses. We fit to evaluate the issues from a strategic view, observing and tracking changes and analyzing important and influential events in national, regional and global levels.
    [Show full text]
  • IRAN COUNTRY ASSESSMENT April 2002 Country Information And
    IRAN COUNTRY ASSESSMENT April 2002 Country Information and Policy Unit CONTENTS 1. SCOPE OF DOCUMENT 1.1 - 1.5 2. GEOGRAPHY 2.1 - 2.2 Economy 2.3 - 2.6 3. HISTORY 3.1 Pre - 1979 3.1 - 3.3 1979 - 1989 3.4 - 3.9 1990 - 1996 3.10 - 3.13 1997 - 1999 3.14- 3.20 2000 3.21-3.28 2001 to Current 3.29- 3.33 4. STATE STRUCTURES Political System and Constitution 4.1 - 4.4 Political Parties 4.5 - 4.9 Judiciary 4.10 - 4.27 Military Service 4.28 - 4.30 Internal Security 4.31 - 4.37 Legal Rights and Detention 4.38 - 4.41 Death Penalty 4.42 - 4.43 Prisons 4.44 - 4.47 Medical Services 4.48 Drugs 4.49 Psychiatric 4.50 - 4.52 People with Disabilities 4.53 Education 4.54 - 4.57 5. HUMAN RIGHTS: OVERVIEW 5.1 - 5.15 Press Law 5.16 - 5.33 Internet and Satellite 5.34 - 5.37 Freedom of Religion 5.38 - 5.43 Legal Framework 5.44 - 5.45 Sunni Muslims 5.46 Christians 5.47 - 5.51 Apostasy 5.52 Jews 5.53 - 5.57 Zoroastrians 5.58 - 5.59 Sabeans (Mandaeans) 5.60 Baha'is 5.61 - 5.70 Freedom of Assembly and Association 5.71 - 5.75 Employment Rights 5.76 - 5.81 Trafficking 5.83 Freedom of Movement 5.84 - 5.90 Refugees in Iran 5.91 - 5.95 5.B. HUMAN RIGHTS: SPECIFIC GROUPS Women 5.96 - 5.109 The Hijab 5.110 - 5.111 Marriage 5.112 - 5.114 Divorce 5.115 - 5.120 Children 5.121 - 5.123 Ethnic minority groups 5.124 Kurds 5.125 Arabs 5.126 - 5.127 Baluchis 5.128 Azeris 5.129 Homosexuals/Transsexuals 5.130 - 5.139 Political Dissent 5.140 - 5.145 Mojahedin-e Khalq 5.146 - 5.147 Rastakhiz Party and Monarchists 5.148 - 5.150 Savak 5.151 Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran 5.152 - 5.153 5.
    [Show full text]
  • Blood-Soaked Secrets Why Iran's 1988 Prison
    BLOOD-SOAKED SECRETS WHY IRAN’S 1988 PRISON MASSACRES ARE ONGOING CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY Amnesty International is a global movement of more than 7 million people who campaign for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all. Our vision is for every person to enjoy all the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards. We are independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion and are funded mainly by our membership and public donations. © Amnesty International 2017 Except where otherwise noted, content in this document is licensed under a Creative Commons Cover photo: Collage of some of the victims of the mass prisoner killings of 1988 in Iran. (attribution, non-commercial, no derivatives, international 4.0) licence. © Amnesty International https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode For more information please visit the permissions page on our website: www.amnesty.org Where material is attributed to a copyright owner other than Amnesty International this material is not subject to the Creative Commons licence. First published in 2017 by Amnesty International Ltd Peter Benenson House, 1 Easton Street London WC1X 0DW, UK Index: MDE 13/9421/2018 Original language: English amnesty.org CONTENTS GLOSSARY 7 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 8 METHODOLOGY 18 2.1 FRAMEWORK AND SCOPE 18 2.2 RESEARCH METHODS 18 2.2.1 TESTIMONIES 20 2.2.2 DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE 22 2.2.3 AUDIOVISUAL EVIDENCE 23 2.2.4 COMMUNICATION WITH IRANIAN AUTHORITIES 24 2.3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 25 BACKGROUND 26 3.1 PRE-REVOLUTION REPRESSION 26 3.2 POST-REVOLUTION REPRESSION 27 3.3 IRAN-IRAQ WAR 33 3.4 POLITICAL OPPOSITION GROUPS 33 3.4.1 PEOPLE’S MOJAHEDIN ORGANIZATION OF IRAN 33 3.4.2 FADAIYAN 34 3.4.3 TUDEH PARTY 35 3.4.4 KURDISH DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF IRAN 35 3.4.5 KOMALA 35 3.4.6 OTHER GROUPS 36 4.
    [Show full text]
  • Ira Di N: Ah Ismis Hmad Ssal a Dinej and R Jad B Resign Betwe Natio
    Iran: Ahmadinejad between Dismissal and Resignation Fatimah Smadi* Al Jazeera Centre for Studies Tel: +974-44930181 31 July 2011 Fax: +974-44831346 [email protected] www.aljazeera.net/studies Relations between the Supreme Leader of the Iranian Revolution, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, have certainly been seriously impaired although the latter had used to boast their father-son bond and the former had long supported him, asserting that among Iranian officials, Ahmadinejad is the closest to him. Ahmadinejad has sought to create a course of judgment independent from that of the Supreme Leader three times. The first time was when he appointed his son’s father-in-law and friend, Rahim Mashaei, as his vice president despite the severe criticism he received and he did not yield until Khamenei bluntly ordered him to dismiss Mashaei. Ahmadinejad reattempted to create his own course of judgment when he "offensively" dismissed his foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, due to disputes regarding foreign policies and after introducing a diplomatic path parallel to that of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs despite Khamenei’s disapproval. The third attempt that caused confrontation followed when he dismissed the Minister of Intelligence, Hojjatul-Islam Haydar Moslihi, despite the Supreme Leader's objection. The Supreme Leader, who was dissatisfied with Ahmadinejad's audaciousness, then directly addressed Moslihi (circumventing Ahmadinejad,) in an unparalleled precedence in the Iranian politics, with a letter praising his achievements and ordering him to hold on to his position. In truth, Khamenei can depose Ahmadinejad from office if he finds it beneficial to do so, especially with the increase of criticism from the Ayatollahs of Qom and strained relations with the legislative and judicial authorities.
    [Show full text]
  • 1. Scope of Document
    IRAN COUNTRY REPORT October 2004 Country Information & Policy Unit IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY DIRECTORATE HOME OFFICE, UNITED KINGDOM Iran Country Report October 2004 CONTENTS 1 Scope of Document 1.1 - 1.10 2 Geography 2.1 - 2.2 3 Economy 3.1 - 3.10 4 History 4.1 Pre - 1979 4.2 - 4.3 1979 - 1989 4.4 - 4.6 1990 - 1996 4.7 - 4.9 1997 - 1999 4.10 - 4.14 2000 4.15 - 4.17 2001 onwards 4.18 - 4.23 Student Unrest - June 2003 4.24 - 4.29 Parliamentary Elections - February 2004 4.30 - 4.33 5 State Structures The Constitution 5.1 Citizenship and Nationality 5.2 - 5.4 Political System 5.5 - 5.7 Political Parties 5.8 - 5.13 Judiciary 5.14 - 5.31 Court Documentation 5.32 - 5.34 Legal Rights and Detention 5.35 - 5.41 Death Penalty 5.42 - 5.45 Internal Security 5.46 - 5.52 Prisons and Prison Conditions 5.53 - 5.59 Military Service 5.60 - 5.62 Medical Services 5.63 Drugs 5.64 Drug Addiction 5.65 - 5.66 Psychiatric Treatment 5.67 - 5.69 HIV/AIDS 5.70 - 5.72 People with Disabilities 5.73 Educational System 5.74 - 5.77 6 Human Rights 6.A Human Rights issues General 6.1 - 6.14 Freedom of Speech and the Media 6.15 - 6.25 Press Law 6.26 - 6.40 Internet and Satellite 6.41 - 6.45 Freedom of Religion 6.46 - 6.52 Legal Framework 6.53 - 6.54 Sunni Muslims 6.55 Christians 6.56 - 6.58 Apostasy/Conversions 6.59 - 6.62 Jews 6.63 - 6.65 Zoroastrians 6.66 - 6.67 Sabeans (Mandeans) 6.68 Baha'is 6.69 - 6.82 Freedom of Assembly and Association 6.83 - 6.90 Employment Rights 6.91 - 6.95 People Trafficking 6.96 Freedom of Movement 6.97 - 6.106 Refugees in Iran 6.107 - 6.112
    [Show full text]