Human Rights Violations Report

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Journalist Reyhaneh Tabatabei Arrested

Security forces raided the house of reporter and journalist Reyhaneh Tabatabaei and arrested her. Tabatabaei has worked for the Sina News Agency, Chelcheragh magazine and Shargh newspaper. During the disputed presidential elections in 2009, she was out of the country pursuing her education. Keyvan Mehregan, Ahmad Gholami, Farzaneh Roustaei, Ali Khodabaskh and Amir Hadi Anvari are several other journalists who worked for the Shargh newspaper and have been arrested in the past week.

Journalist Mehran Faraji Arrested

Mehran Faraji has been a social issues reporter for Hamshahri, Etemadeh Melli and Kargozaran newspapers. He has been a member of the youth section of the National Trust Party. He is the 7th journalist arrested this week. Reyhaneh Tabatabei, , Keyvan Mehregan, Ahmad Gholami, Farzaneh Roustaei, Ali Khodabaskh and Amir Hadi Anvari are several other journalists who worked for the Shargh Newspaper and have been arrested in the past week.

Another Shargh Newspaper Reporter Amir Hadi Anvari Detained

Amir Hadi Anvari is a reporter for the economics section who has previously worked for Etemad and other several reformist newspapers. On December 7th, security forces arrested Anvari along with a number of other Shargh reporters. Farzaneh Roustaei, Keyvan Mehregan, Ahmad Gholami and Ali Khodabakhsh were detained after raiding the raid on the newspaper’s office. There has been no information as to the reason for his arrest but the prosecutor has stated that security reasons were why the newspaper has been banned. The newspaper had previously been banned several times.

Iranian Civil Society Member Javad Vafaei Detained

Javad Vafaei who is in charge of the Youth branch of the Iranian Civil Society, was detained on Wednesday December 8th, by the Hamadan Intelligence Ministry authorities at his workplace. The agents searched Javad Vafaei’s house and took his books, computer and personal belongings. He is suffering from Rheumatism. In the recent years, he has been summoned and interrogated several times. He was sentenced to 6 years of suspended imprisonment with 3 other members of the group including Hossein Mojahed following the disputed presidential election. There has been no information as to his condition or whereabouts.