THE CONTENT OF THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 3:30 PM CET
Iran Sentences three dissidents to 20 years in prison
According to a knowledgeable source Zahra Safaei, her daughter Prastoo Moeini and her son Mohammad Masoud Moini were handed their sentences by the Branch 23 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court presided over by judge Mohammad Mehdi Shahmirzadi.
Zahra Safaei has been sentenced to five years for “assembly and collusion” and one year for “spreading propaganda against the state,” one year for “spreading propaganda against the state”, and 2 years for “insulting Khamenei and Khomeini,” totaling eight years behind bars.
Safaei’s daughter Parastoo Moeini, has been sentenced to five years for “assembly and collusion” and one year for “spreading propaganda against the state” totaling six years behind bars.
Safaei’s son Mohammad Masoud Moini has been sentenced to five years for “assembly and collusion” and one year for “spreading propaganda against the state.”
#Iran has imposed harsh sentences on a political prisoner and her son and daughter. #FreePoliticalPrisoners https://t.co/j0dEpUbIkU
— IRAN HRM (@IranHrm) February 8, 2021
Amnesty International – Iran
Prisoner of Conscience’s Health at Risk: Hamed Gharehoghlani
Prisoner of conscience Hamed Gharehoghlani is suffering from symptoms that precede dangerous epileptic seizures due to the authorities’ persistent refusal to provide him with specialized health care and medication. He appealed his sentence of 14 years and one month’s imprisonment to the Supreme Court on 24 January 2021. He must be released immediately and unconditionally.
Iranian prisoner of conscience Hamed Gharehoghlani, serving 14 years in Urumieh prison, needs urgent specialized medical care for a serious type of epilepsy which, if left untreated, can lead to dangerous seizures. Iranian authorities must release him NOW! https://t.co/sTqpzlPHo6 pic.twitter.com/lwOEdph7oq
— Amnesty Iran (@AmnestyIran) February 8, 2021
Police kill Kurd father of three in NW Iran
An Iranian border porter, or “kolbar” in Kurdish was killed today while driving by direct police fire in Salmas, northwestern Iran. According to the Hengaw Organization, police shot and killed 37-year-old Behzad Hashemi today. Behzad was married and father to three children.
According to an informed source, police opened fire on Behzad’s car, under the suspicion that he was carrying smuggled goods. Behzad died at the scene of the shooting.
In the past week, four others were killed by arbitrary shooting of police or security forces.
Uncontracted workers of the Mahshahr Petrochemical Special Economic Zone protest
Feb. 8 – Mahshahr, SW #Iran
Uncontracted workers of the Mahshahr Petrochemical Special Economic Zone gathered to demand fair and equal wages to that of their counterparts.
"Justice is our inalienable right!" they chanted. #IranProtests pic.twitter.com/HUjkJF1MUW— Iran News Wire (@IranNW) February 8, 2021
Iranians Continue Protests; at Least Eight Rallies and Strikes on February 6
On Saturday, February 6, Iranian citizens staged at least eight rallies and protests, blaming officials for inaction and irresponsible policies, which have spread poverty and misery in society. Workers had the lion’s share in the February 6 protests.
Iranian official: Iranians must choose between electricity and pollution
An Iranian official stated that Iranians must choose between electricity and pollution, while Iran’s Chairman of the Iran-China Chamber of Commerce admitted that Chinese, Polish and Indian companies had official bitcoin mining permits.
According to the state-run Entekhab website, Isa Kalantari, the Head of Iran’s Department of Environment said yesterday, “We have to choose between electricity and pollution.”
“5,000 megawatts of electricity are produced by burning mazut. That is why power plants, located in the outskirts of cities, still burn mazut,” Kalantari added.
UPDATE: 9:30 AM CET
Iran: Coronavirus Fatalities in 480 Cities Exceed 212,500
The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) announced on Sunday, February 7, 2021, that the Coronavirus death toll in 480 cities had exceeded 212,500. The number of victims in Tehran is 51,121, Isfahan 13,565, Khuzestan 10,590, Mazandaran 8,842, Lorestan 8,673, Qom 8,155, East Azerbaijan 8,083, Fars 6,407, Sistan and Baluchestan, 5,091, Hamedan 5,018,Kerman 4,714, Khorasan North 3,288, Ardabil 2,632, Ilam 2,191, South Khorasan 2,036, and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari 1,715.
The Iranian regime’s dithering on Covid-19 vaccination will backfire
During Saturday’s Covid-19 Task Force meeting, Iranian regime president Hassan Rouhani said, “Come this summer, domestic vaccines might be ready. But our facilities won’t allow us to have the shots delivered in one or two days. After the vaccine is ready, we will need five to six months.”
As has been the case with Rouhani in the past months, this is just another excuse to dither on vaccinating the Iranian population, which have so far suffered more than 212,000 casualties from the Covid-19 pandemic and the government’s lack of response.
42 years after Iran’s 1979 revolution
Forty-two years ago, Iranians, fed up with the oppression of the 50-year-old dictatorship of the Pahlavi dynasty, joined hands in hopes of gaining freedom in a revolution that overthrew the Shah in 1979. The revolution brought a new dictatorship to power. A theocracy that still rules today with an iron hand. But what has the clerical regime achieved after 42 years?
Iran extends political prisoner’s sentence by one year
Two Iranian dissidents imprisoned since 2017 were sentenced to prison by the Revolutionary Court of Tehran in connection with a new case against them while they were in prison.
According to the verdict issued by Branch 29 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, Mohammad Bannazadeh Amirkhizi and Majid Asadi have been each sentenced to one year in prison on the charge of “spreading propaganda against the state.”
Iranian journalist sentenced to 3 years prison, flogging and fine for “insulting” corrupt official
According to the Human Rights News Agency, Fariborz Kalantari was charged for “insulting” Mehdi Jahangiri, the brother of Iran’s First Vice-President, Ishaq Jahangiri.
Mehdi Jahangiri sued Kalantari for writing an article which cited his financial corruption. Kalantari was charged with “insulting” Jahangiri and “publishing lies” and was sentenced to three years of prison lashes. This is while before this Mehdi Jahangiri was convicted of corruption in court. But he will only spend two years in prison for “professional currency smuggling”.
Iran news in brief, February 8, 2021
Read more: Iran News in Brief – February 7, 2021