IRAN* The Islamic Republic of Iran, with a population of ...

IRAN
At year's end, authorities released on bail of 500 million toman ($500,000) one of
the U.S. citizens arrested by border guards in July 2009 on the Iran-Iraq border and
permitted her to leave the country; the other two remained in Evin Prison.
Authorities held the Americans in solitary confinement for extended periods of
time during the first months of their detention. Their trial for espionage and illegal
entry into the country was scheduled for February 6, 2011.
In November 2009, according to the ICHRI, security forces arbitrarily arrested
scores of students throughout the country in an attempt to stifle protests expected
on Students' Day, December 7. For instance, on November 3, media reported that
authorities had arrested civil activists and student leaders Hasan Asadi Zaidabadi
and Mohammad Sadeghi. Zaidabadi was released in December 2009, and Sadeghi
was released after 40 days of detention. There was no information as to whether
the two were ever tried.
During protests in December 2009 after the death of Grand Ayatollah Hussein-Ali
Montazeri and during Ashura celebrations, the ICHRI and IHRV reported that
authorities detained between 200 and 1,000 persons, many of whom remained in
prison at year's end, some facing death sentences. Death sentences were given to
individuals who were accused of moharebeh (see section 1.a.) for participation in
Ashura Day protests. On March 17, the ICHRI reported that Revolutionary Court
judge Abolqasem Salavati sentenced teacher Abdolreza Ghanbari to death for
moharebeh based on his participation in Ashura protests. According to the ICHRI,
Ghanbari did not have access to a fair trial nor permission to select a lawyer for his
defense. The Prosecutor's Office requested death sentences for at least 11 other
individuals arrested during 2009 Ashura celebrations.
There were no reports of Iranian-American journalists arrested during the year;
however, in 2009 and previous years, security forces arrested several Iranian-
American journalists and academics on charges of espionage and "acting against
national security." Prison authorities subjected the activists to harsh interrogation
techniques and solitary confinement and in most cases kept them in prison for
several months. At year's end one academic was free on bail but not permitted to
depart the country.
There were no updates in the 2008 cases of Ebrahim Mirnehad or Dr. Arash Alaei,
both whom remained in prison at year's end. Authorities sentenced Mirnahad to
five years' imprisonment on charges of "acting against national security" and
"spreading propaganda," charges that, according to AI, stemmed from his public
condemnation of his brother's execution earlier in the year. Dr Alaei and his
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