Iran Press News Flash - News & information translated from our Persian section

Blogger goes on trial

Blogger, Omid Sheikhaan's trial began on Saturday, Oct. 8th in Tehran's public court, located in the Ershaad Judiciary complex. Defense attorney, Mohammad Sayfzadeh told ILNA: "Though my client was originally charged with blogging and internet related activities, the sentence is being passed on charges completely unrelated to those issues. During the hearing we handed in the defense bill that was pertinent to the filed documents and we announced that since my client has not exactly committed a crime, that he must be unconditionally released."

Commission on fighting smuggled goods and currency dissolved

According to reports from regime-run new agency, MEHR, the Deputy on Coordination and Investigation of the Central Army Staff for fighting smuggled of goods and currency, reported that the commission had dissolved due to "certain problems", as of a month ago.

One of the main problems is said to be that Revolutionary Guard Qaalibaaf who headed that commission is now the new mayor of Tehran and no one has been assigned to replace him.

The news agency's report explains that ever since the dissolution of the commission the rate of smuggling, in the southern parts of Iran, has once again skyrocketed.

Protesting workers block Qazveen-Shahreh Sanaati road

ISNA, a regime-run news agency reports that hundreds of protesting workers of the FARNAKH and MEHNAKH thread factory once again gathered in protest for continued non-receipt of their wages and on-going dereliction of management. The protest took place on Saturday, Oct. 8th and blocked the road between the towns of Qazveen and Shahreh San'ati. This is one of many protests coordinated by the workers of this factory.

The Special Disciplinary Forces for the Province of Qazveen abruptly and forcefully brought the protest to an end.

Activist Farzad Hamidi's trial reopens

The trial of Dr. Farzad Hamidi, who had been arrested once again, after joining a protest of families of political prisoners in front of the Tehran branch of the U.N., reopened on Saturday, Oct. 8th at branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran.

Hamidi's defense attorney, Khalil Bahramian, in an interview with a reporter from regime-run news agency, ILNA, said: "I had requested for a hearing for today; we have no date for the next session however." He said that his client had been charged with "Action Against National Security", though Hamidi is free on bail for now.

Trial of Tehran University Student begins

The hearing for charges against Davoud Jafarpour, Tehran University Student will begin on December 14th, 2005 at the Revolutionary Court branch 13 in Tehran. Defense attorney, Mohammad-Ali Daadkhaah told the regime-run news agency, ILNA that his client had been charged with "Action Against National Security."

Daadkhaah who is also a founding member of the Society of the Defense of Human Rights, has been summoned to the Public Prosecutor's office for investigation.

91 days in prison for selling Pork

The Supervisor of the public relations of the Province of Mazandaran's Veterinary who regularly inspects sales outlets for meats and meat products, told the regime-run news agency, FARS, that the province's Superintendence agents of the Township of Savaadkooh had identified and arrested 3 people working at a slaughterhouse for manufacturing and distribution Pork meat and products. The defendants were questioned by judiciary authorities and confessed to preserving Pork in the refrigerators of the slaughterhouse; they were then sentenced to 91 days in prison and $11,200 fine, each.

Hospital employees of a Kermanshah Hospital (Kurdistan Province) travel to proest in Tehran

According to a report from the regime-run news agency, ILNA, a group of hospital employees from Mahdee'yeh Hospital, in the city of Kermanshah traveled to Tehran to gather in front of the Islamic Parliament's Assembly to protest non-receipt of 10 months worth of their wages. The protestors carried placards and demanded that their case be promptly audited.