Iran: Update to IRN29283.E of 5 May 1998 on whether members of the Nation of Iran Party distribute leaflets/pamphlets; treatment of members and followers of the party by authorities (1999 - September 2000)

Beyond the 17 July 1999 reference from The Washington Post, in IRN33708.E of 1 February 2000, the only mention of members of the Nation of Iran Party distributing leaflets/pamphlets is a 2 August 1999 report from Human Rights Watch on the arrest of four members of the party: Bahram Namazi, Khosro Seif, Farzin Mokhber, and Mehran Abdolbaghi. Human Rights Watch wrote that their colleagues claimed they "were picked up after they had been seen distributing leaflets at Tehran University" (ibid.). The party was also reported to have published a newsletter that was critical of the Iranian government (Political Handbook of the World 1999 1999, 459; The Middle East and North Africa 2000 1999, 488).

What follows will provide some information since 1999 of the activities of members and followers of the Nation of Iran Party and their treatment by Iranian authorities. In March 1999, the daughter and son of the murdered Foruhars invited Iranians to light candles in their windows "in remembrance of the birthday of their assassinated mother as well as the nationalisation of oil industries in Iran by the late Dr. Mohammad Mosadeq, Iran's nationalist Prime Minister and a close friend of the family" (Iran Press Service 20 Mar. 1999). The two were also reported as conducting a campaign to have Iranian authorities agree to an international investigation of the murders of their parents and other dissidents (ibid.). The Research Directorate was unable to find additional information on this campaign within the time constraints of this Response.

In May 1999 after a rally in support of President Khatami was disrupted by "a group chanting hostile slogans [which] then threw punches" (RFE/RL Iran Report 31 May 1999).

The conservative Jomhuri-yi Islami newspaper, on 25 May, felt obliged to explain this incident because "foreign radio stations have given extensive coverage to the reports on the rally." It explained that supporters of the Freedom Movement (Nehat-I Azadi) and the National Front (Jebhe-yi Melli) "were chanting seditious slogans [which] created tension and resulted in clashes" (ibid.).

A 19 July 1999 RFE/RL Iran Report corroborated the names of the party members reported by the Associated Press, and cited in IRN33708.E of 1 February 2000, who were arrested after the July 1999 student demonstrations. Referring to an 18 July 1999 IRNA report, RFE/RL Iran Report added that "the Ministry of Intelligence and Security [MOIS] said that some of those arrested had received money and guidance from abroad" (ibid.). Other sources corroborated the information on the arrests of these persons but added a fourth person named Farzin Mokhber (HRW 2 Aug. 1999; AI 13 Sept. 1999). Amnesty International reported that the four were believed to be still in detention in September 1999 (ibid.). In reporting on its investigation of the student demonstrations, the MOIS

affixed particular blame for the violence on the jailed Heshmatollah Tabarzadi and the Islamic Union of Students and Graduates he leads. In a twist of logic that is hard to follow, the MOIS said the Norwegian Solidarty Committee, RFE/RL, VOA, and the Belgian branch of the Nation of Iran party "compelled" Sweden's foreign minister to "adopt a position against the Islamic Republic." The communique also stated that "a large group of hooligans, thugs, and riffraff" have been arrested already, and "additional groups of thugs and riffraff" have been identified on pictures and films and are being arrested" (RFE/RL Iran Report 2 Aug. 1999).

In March 2000 sources reported that three of those arrested had been sentenced by a revolutionary court (AFP 2 Mar. 2000; Iran Daneshjoo 2 Mar. 2000). AFP identified the three as Bahram Namazi, 65, Khosro Seyf, 68, and Farzine Mokhber, 58 and said they had been sentenced "to prison for between 13 and 15 years for 'illegal political activities and anti-government propaganda'" (ibid.). Iran Daneshjoo reported the sentencing – on charges of "forming illegal political party, anti-government propaganda and rebellion against the Islamic Republic" – of three members of the party, but named four persons: Bahram Namazi, who received 15 years, Khosro Seyf and Farzine Mokhber who received 13 years, and Mehran Abdolbaqi who received 5 years (2 Mar. 2000). The article reported that Namazi had received a longer sentence "as he was also accused of insulting the leader of the Islamic regime, Ayatollah Ali Khamaneh'i" (ibid.). According to this report:

The small but outspoken organisation is one of Iran's oldest political formation that calls for the separation of the State from Religion and the replacement of the present theocracy by a secular system.

Though considered as "illegal", yet the IPP, like the Iran Freedom Movement is tolerated by the Islamic regime.

In a statement released from Paris where it is based, the League for the Defence of Human Rights in Iran (LDHRI) said it was "extremely concerned" about the conditions in which the (sentences) were handed down and demands the immediate and unconditional release of the three men, whom the League considers as "prisoners of conscience".

Noting the bitter defeat suffered by the conservatives and their leader, ayatollah Khameneh'i at the recent Legislative elections, observers both in Iran and outside generally regard the recent sentences as the conservatives last shots against the reformists who won the absolute majority if the next 290 seats Majles (parliament) (ibid.).

A July 2000 report from The Iranian claims:

In the aftermath of these events [July 1999 student protests], the IRI has begun a two-pronged strategy of using carrot and stick intermittently. On one hand, the security and intelligence forces have been interrogating, intimidating, and arresting students, as well as leaders of splinter groups such as Manouchehr Mohammadi and Heshmatollah Tabarzadi's organizations.

They also have used the occasion to crackdown on the activities of nationalist opposition groups like Hezb-e Mellat-e Iran (Nation of Iran Party), Nehzat-e Azaadi-ye Iran (Freedom Movement of Iran), Jebh-e Melli Iran (National Front of Iran), and the Pan Iranist Party.

The Ministry of Intelligence continues to charge these groups with ties to the United States, Israel, and other foreign enemies. The government has also been calling members of Daftar-e Tahkim-e Vahdat (DTV - Solidarity Consolidation Office) student organization for interrogation, forcing them to sign statements of non-participation in any future protest. These arrests, call-ins, and intimidation are often done without public announcement and exposure, though reports are often leaked to reformist papers supporting President Khatami.

A 19 August 2000 report from the news service of the Student Movement Coordinating Committee for Democracy in Iran claims that the government was using "some of its corrupted collaborators such as ... Dr. Parviz Varjavand (former member of the National Front" to encourage persons not to attend rallies in Tehran, after "thousands" of persons were reported as present in "Baharestan Square." The Research Directorate was unable to corroborate the two previous reports within the time constraints of this Response.

For further information on the Nation of Iran Party please consult IRN33350.E of 23 December 1999.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Agence France Presse (AFP). 2 March 2000. "Three Opposition Figures Jailed – Human Rights Group." [Accessed 11 Sept. 2000]

Amnesty International (AI). 13 September 1999. "Urgent Action: Update; Iran: Student Demonstrators." (AI Index: MDE 13/24/99)

Human Rights Watch (HRW). 2 August 1999. "Iran Threatens Revolutionary Court Trials for 'Incitement'."

The Iranian [Berkeley, CA]. July 2000. Ali Akbar Mahdi. "The Student Protests of July 1999." [Accessed 5 July 2000]

Iran Daneshjoo Organization News Service (Iran Daneshjoo). 2 March 2000. "Atrocity in Iranian Prisons Continue Unabated." [Accessed 3 Mar. 2000]

Iran Press Service (IPS). 20 March 1999. "Lets Have Candlelights Take us to Dawn: Parastou and Arash Foruhar." [Accessed 11 Sept. 2000]

The Middle East and North Africa 2000. 1999. 46th ed. London: Europa Publications.

Political Handbook of the World 1999. 1999. Edited by Arthur S. Banks. Binghamton, NY: CSA Publications.

RFE/RL Iran Report [Prague]. 2 August 1999. Vol.2, No. 31. "Arrests Confession, and Press Repression." [Accessed 3 Aug. 1999]

_____. 19 July 1999. Bill Samii. Vol. 2, No. 29. "The Usual Suspects." [Accessed 20 July 1999]

_____. 31 May 1999. Bill Samii. Vol. 2, No. 22. "Support for Khatami not Reciprocated." [Accessed 1 June 1999]

Student Movement Coordinating Committee for Democracy in Iran (SMCDDI), News Service. 19 August 2000. "People Defy the Regime at Baharestan." [Accessed 20 August 2000]

Additional Sources Consulted

Iran Daneshjoo Organization News Service, Student Movement Coordination Committee for Democracy in Iran (SMCCDI), Mar.- Sept. 2000.

IRB databases

LEXIS-NEXIS

REFWORLD

Resource Centre. Iran country file. November 1997 - September 2000.

_____. Iran: Amnesty International country file. October 1998 - September 2000.

RFE/RL Iran Report [Prague]. November 1998 - August 2000.

World News Connection (WNC)

Internet sites including:

NetIran Website. Encompassing IRNA 1993-98, Iran News 1993-99, Tehran Times 1995-98.

Search engines including:

HotBot