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

IRAN
regardless of whether a permit was issued. During the year authorities arrested,
tried, and imprisoned individuals who participated in demonstrations since 2006.
The government continued to prohibit and forcibly disperse peaceful
demonstrations during the year. Paramilitary organizations such as Ansar-e
Hizballah also harassed, beat, and intimidated those who demonstrated publicly for
reform. They particularly targeted university students.
According to a February ICHRI release, authorities collected photographs of
expatriate citizens in protest gatherings outside the country. When those citizens
entered or left the country via Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran,
security officials temporarily detained them for questioning.
On December 7, students held peaceful demonstrations at various universities in
the country, including Qazvin Azad University, Tehran Polytechnic University,
Gilan University, and the Tehran School of Art, to protest the restrictions on
humanities studies (see section 2.a., Academic Freedom and Cultural Events), as
well as the imprisonment of students. Paramilitary Basij forces responded by
breaking up gatherings and detaining dozens of students.
In a global study released on February 5, the UN special rapporteur on torture
stated that the June 2009 election protests "were met with excessive violence by
the police and government militias." He said he received "credible allegations" of
the killing of at least 12 students participating in the protests and pointed at agents
of the Revolutionary Guards, paramilitary Basij, and State Security Force as
employing "extreme force to suppress protesters by opening fire during
demonstrations and using pepper spray and batons to disperse demonstrations."
In September an appeals court rejected the appeal of Mohammad Tavakoli,
charged with "gathering," "collusion against the regime," "propagating against the
regime," and "insulting the supreme leader and the president." At year's end he was
serving his eight and one-half-year prison term in Ward 3 of Gohardasht Prison in
Karaj. The ICHRI reported that he had no access to his lawyer during his
imprisonment or trial. In February 2009 authorities arrested approximately 20
participants in a ceremony commemorating the life of Mehdi Bazargan, the first
prime minister appointed after the 1979 revolution. The group included Tavakoli
and at least three other men from Tehran Polytechnic (Amir Kabir) University's
Islamic Students Association--Esmail Salmanpour, Hossein Torkashvand, and
Koroush Daneshyar--who reportedly were detained in Ward 209 of Evin Prison.
All the detainees except Tavakoli were believed to be free at year's end. On
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