UK May Deport Iranian Lesbian to Death Sentence in Tehran on August 23

From Petrelis's blog:

I've been asked by Iranians, gay and straight, human rights activists, and friends in San Francisco to get the word out about Pegah's case, especially on political blogs.

Feel free to cut and paste the text here, along with the photos, and share the words and images through your social and web networks.

This story appeared on August 17 in The Star UK:

AN IRANIAN lesbian who faces imprisonment and almost certain death because of her sexuality if sent home back home has been given an 11th hour reprieve [...]

Her supporters from Sheffield ASSIST - the Asylum Seeker Support Initiative - said they were relieved at the news, because for Pegah to be returned to Iran was "tantamount to a death sentence".

Ann Campbell, from ASSIST, said last night: "We are all either on a high or exhausted!

"The plane was taking off at 9.30pm last night and this only started on Monday so it's been a mad four days. Although all we have effectively done is buy some time - we don't know what will happen next - we now have time to get our forces together."

Pegah, who is suffering with mental health problems and suicidal thoughts as a result of the stress, has now been returned to Yarlswood detention centre in Bedford where she was taken after being arrested in Sheffield on Monday [...]

The 40-year-old Iranian - described by those who know her as "charming, incredibly kind, honest and intelligent" - sought asylum in the UK in 2005. She had escaped from her home country after her partner was arrested, tortured, and subsequently sentenced to death by stoning.

Her father was also arrested, interrogated and tortured for information on her whereabouts [...]

She said: "She endured an unhappy arranged marriage, she is filled with guilt about what has happened to her father, and she is not able to see her two sons [...]

More info here

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Oxford's Despicable Proposition!

Oxford Union: “This House regrets the founding of The United States of America.”

Such is the extent of anti-Americanism out there that this was considered to be a reasonable debate topic by Britain’s best and brightest...read the rest here.

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Iranian Basiji: 15 British Aggressors Must be Executed

The Sign above reads: " Don't Release the Scarecrows"; and "This is how defeat looks like ".



photo by CNN


Who are the Basiji? Basij (also Bassij or Baseej, Persian: بسيج‎), is an Islamic Republic paramilitary force that was founded by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in November of 1979 to provide volunteers for "human wave" defensive attacks in the Iran-Iraq War. The Basij are currently a branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Basij commander Brigadier General Mohammad Hejazi estimated the number of Basij personnel at 10.3 million in March 2004 and 11 million in March 2005. On 14 September 2005 he said that the Basij has more than 11 million members across the country. Russian news sources have claimed Iran has plans to make a third ground force consisting of one million basij members. However these plans have not been confirmed by Iran.[1]
Basij forces often undertake general security checks in urban areas such as setting up street inspection posts to intercept drug smuggling and potential terrorism, although the number of Basij check points dramatically decreased after the Iran-Iraq war and following the disarmament of MKO in Iraq. According to the Jordan Institute of Diplomacy and GlobalSecurity.org Basij forces also enforce Iran's Islamic codes together with other law enforcement entities. The Basij has a quasi-decentralised network with branches in almost every Iranian mosque.[1][2]

Human rights issues

The Basij have been criticised as belonging to the paramilitary forces using child soldiers because of their underage recruitment practices and for having relied extensively on "human wave" defensive attacks during the Iran-Iraq War, particularly around Basra.[1][2][3] Many were used as cannon fodder and for mine-clearing martyrdom. [2]
Following the UNHCR "tens of thousands of Basijis had been ordered to prowl about every factory, office and school to ensure that everyone adhered to the Islamic code. [...] After the summer 1992 riots Basij units were revived, rearmed and sent out into the streets to help enforce Islamic law. The Basijis are reportedly under the control of local mosques. It was further said that the Basijis set up checkpoints around the cities and stopped cars to sniff their occupant's breath for alcohol and check for women wearing make-up or travelling with a man not their close relative or husband. It was reported that the Law of Judicial Support for the Basijis, published in the Official Gazette No. 13946 of 8.10.1371 (December 1992), provided no redress against arbitrary detention by the Basijis." Iran's permanent representative to the U.N. denied these charges.[4]
Amnesty International tells that "investigations by Parliament and the National Security Council indicated that actions by Revolutionary Guard officials and Basij (Mobilization) forces, among others, precipitated the unrest and injuries following the July 1999 students demonstrations".[5]

In July 1999, Ezzat Ebrahim-Nejad was shot dead in Tehran University dormitory by a member of Basij military force. The event initiated a huge demonstration.

Source: Wikipedia

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