Amin Ghazaei (1979), the Iranian philosopher, ideologist and translator and a prominent, active personality of the leftist students’ and academicians’ movement, was arrested on January 14th 2008 by the intelligence service of the Islamic Republic, which, two days later, ransacked his house and investigated his private rooms.Earlier last year, during the December 4th 2007 protests held on campuses of Iranian Universities, including the especially prominent demonstrations at the University of Teheran, over 40 leftist students were arrested. Facts underscore that the second wave of arrests commenced this week. The arrests include that of Amin Ghazaei and eight other students and academicians.Amin Ghazaei, the chief editor of the electronic journal ArtCult, is exceptional because he has never delivered his works to the Islamic Republic’s censorship administration (the Ershad) for approval. His many articles were published broadly by respected Farsi internet journals, e.g. MindMotor, màjàlehye she’r dàr honàre nevisesh, and dàvat. Two of his most prominent books and theses are No Happening (hich ettefagh) and Truth (hàghighàt).Amin Ghazaei, who is also executive editor of the àndisheh (Thought) editorials of màjàlehye she’r, has recently written co-authored (with Babàk Sàlimizadeh) the book honàre mossàllah (Armed Art). Parts of the book have been already published by internet media.In addition to his own works, the ideologist, Aimn Ghazaei, has made essential contributions to literature by translating and publishing banned books in Farsi, for example: Seduction by Jean Baudrillard, Gender Trouble by Judith Butler, and Cyborg-Manifest by Donna Haraway. The first two books are now under print by nàshre she’re paris and nàshre ketabhaye jibiye iran (an Iran Open Publishing Group Editorial).Amin Ghazaei’s general health is poor. His present location and medical condition following the arrest by the intelligence service of the Islamic Republic is still completely unknown. From similar cases we suspect that he is currently subjected to physical and mental torture, with possibly irreversible traumatic consequences.Short list of most recent articles by Amin Ghazaei-The Family Machine-A Ghost Over The Bed-Sadistic Writing-Interior Of The Mirror-The Words On The Gravestone-The Libidinal Holocaust-Postmodernism: Rewriting Of Hegemony-The Knees Of The Mass-What Is Armed Art, Armed With?-The Children Societylink: http://web.mac.com/renkat/BABEL_FRUIT/Blog/Entries/2008/1/17_Amin_Ghazaei_.html
January 24, 2008
December 24, 2007
we will make 28th december a protest day against the arrest of students in iran!
We Will Make 28th December a Protest day against the Arrest of Students in Iran!
A call to an international protest to free students in Iran!
A call to freedom – loving Iranian abroad!
A call to international organisations around the world!
Freedom – loving people!
More than two weeks ago 43 students and political activists across the cities of Iran were either abducted or were arrested before, during and after the national student day on 7th December in Iran and all of them were imprisoned.
The arrested students who have not committed any crime but defending freedom and equality; those students who have expressed their opposition to the militarised atmosphere in the universities created by security forces; our comrades who have not committed any crime and only defended humanity and justice; the students who organised the national students day with slogans such as “No War”, “University is Not a Militaries Camps”, “No Sexual Apartheid”, “Long Live Freedom & Equality”, “Workers Unity”, have been accused of actions against country’s security including conspiracy and bombings.
It is a fact that political prisoners in horrible wards 209 and 325 of Evin prison live under difficult conditions. Every day we here news about bad health and worsening of the physical condition of our comrades. According to news we have received our friends are under torture and all physical and psychological pressure. We are gravely concerned about our comrades as their families are banned to visit them. Students’ lawyers are not permitted to meet them and they are deprived of their basic human rights.
This treatment of students by the Islamic Republic has been faced with a fierce international protest. The amnesty international has organised a campaign to free students. The head of the EU Parliament has asked for their immediate release. During the last two weeks we have received hundreds of protest letters from across the world and numerous protest actions and demonstrations against the Islamic Republic and for immediate release of the imprisoned students have been organised.
On behalf of all students, we the Freedom and Equality – seeking Students are very proud of these waves of solidarity and thank all who were with and for us in these difficult days. But the fact of the matter is that despite all these efforts, our friends are still in prison.
To release the arrested students an international action is urgently required!
We call all the international organisations and campaigns to join us on 28th December to protest against the Islamic Republic and raise your voice to free the students in Iran. Your solidarity and joint actions all around the world will strengthen our efforts and make the release of our friends and comrades possible.
The movement for freedom and equality urgently needs your support and solidarity and united action.
A call to an international protest to free students in Iran!
A call to freedom – loving Iranian abroad!
A call to international organisations around the world!
Freedom – loving people!
More than two weeks ago 43 students and political activists across the cities of Iran were either abducted or were arrested before, during and after the national student day on 7th December in Iran and all of them were imprisoned.
The arrested students who have not committed any crime but defending freedom and equality; those students who have expressed their opposition to the militarised atmosphere in the universities created by security forces; our comrades who have not committed any crime and only defended humanity and justice; the students who organised the national students day with slogans such as “No War”, “University is Not a Militaries Camps”, “No Sexual Apartheid”, “Long Live Freedom & Equality”, “Workers Unity”, have been accused of actions against country’s security including conspiracy and bombings.
It is a fact that political prisoners in horrible wards 209 and 325 of Evin prison live under difficult conditions. Every day we here news about bad health and worsening of the physical condition of our comrades. According to news we have received our friends are under torture and all physical and psychological pressure. We are gravely concerned about our comrades as their families are banned to visit them. Students’ lawyers are not permitted to meet them and they are deprived of their basic human rights.
This treatment of students by the Islamic Republic has been faced with a fierce international protest. The amnesty international has organised a campaign to free students. The head of the EU Parliament has asked for their immediate release. During the last two weeks we have received hundreds of protest letters from across the world and numerous protest actions and demonstrations against the Islamic Republic and for immediate release of the imprisoned students have been organised.
On behalf of all students, we the Freedom and Equality – seeking Students are very proud of these waves of solidarity and thank all who were with and for us in these difficult days. But the fact of the matter is that despite all these efforts, our friends are still in prison.
To release the arrested students an international action is urgently required!
We call all the international organisations and campaigns to join us on 28th December to protest against the Islamic Republic and raise your voice to free the students in Iran. Your solidarity and joint actions all around the world will strengthen our efforts and make the release of our friends and comrades possible.
The movement for freedom and equality urgently needs your support and solidarity and united action.
Long Live Freedom!
Long Live Equality!
Freedom and Equality – seeking Students of Universities in Iran
19 December 2007 / 28th Azar 1386
short report
A Short Report
On the threshold of the University Students’ Day the “Equality and Freedom Seeking University Students” were preparing themselves to celebrate this day independently on Azar 13. Their protest against military attack, economic sanctions and internal despotism (increasing militarization of the society in general and universities in particular); the defense of the civil rights; solidarity of the social movements(Students, Workers and Women); the freedom of political prisoners and demarcation with the two wings(reformists and hard-liners) in the authority were among their pivotal demands. Their way to achieve these goals was the formation of an independent organization for further solidarity among the students.
But these were not tolerable for persons in power.
The arrests began with Milad Moini, Behrang Zandi and Hamed Mohammadi on Wednesday Azar 7. As the first two ones were released on Azar 8, a hope was developed reinforcing the possibility that these arrests were not chain ones. However, this hope was shattered before long as a new wave of arrests of the “Equality and Freedom Seeking University Students” continued 3 days later. Mehdi Grailoo(a student of the University of Tehran) was arrested by the Intelligence Forces as he was coming out of his house on Sunday morning. In the afternoon, two other “Equality and Freedom Seeking” students were detained as one of them Ilnaz Jamshidi (a Student of Azad University Tehran Central Branch) was her friend’s -Anoosheh Azadbar (a Student of University of Tehran)-guest. The security forces stormed the house and confiscated Anoosheh’s computer case, her brother’s Laptop and the documents related to Armane No(New Ideal) – a university monthly. The wave of the arrests continued as Saeed Habibi (A university activist and the ex-secretary of Tahkime Vahdat) and Behrooz Karimizade (the expelled student of the University of Tehran) were arrested on the same day. The arrests went on as Keyvan Amiri Elyasi ( a student of Sharif University of Technology) and Nasim Soltan Beygi (a student of Allameh University) along with a few cases of imprisonment in other cities on Sunday.
Although the determined students were receiving short mobile messages from unknown and suspicious phone calls which threatened them so that they would not hold their demonstration and about 30 of their comrades were arrested by the time of the demonstration Azar 13 (December 4) they commemorated this day with the participation of more than 700 students.
On that day, the University of Tehran witnessed one of the most unprecedented presences of the security and intelligence forces both at the University and on the streets around it. The declaration of the “Equality and Freedom Seeking University Students” was read by one of the students. Its central issues were: “A University is not A Garrison” and “No War”. A few of the students announced their viewpoints, namely, their protest against war, their protest against despotism and repression, the necessity of the unity of the different social movements: Women, Workers and University Students. They also called on the immediate and unconditional freedom of all political prisoners. During the ceremony and right after that we witnessed more arrests, the number of which is now more than 40. In all the cases the security forces hardly felt themselves responsible to let the families of the imprisoned students know about their situation for a few days after their arrest.
The lengthy and stressful follow-up of their situation by the families showed the families in Tehran the way of notorious Evin Prison, where more than 3o students are detained. Most of the students are kept in ward no 209(related to the ministry of Information) where as a few are in the ward no (325 related to Sepah - the guardians of the Islamic revolution. One of the students is said to have committed suicide, an attempt which has been neither confirmed nor rejected by the authorities. The situation of the students in other cities are said to be even worse.
In a declaration, the ministry of information has condemned the students for many diversified and somehow ridiculous issues: from carrying catapults, having so-called misleading books, having alcoholic drinks and even drugs and sound grenades.
It has been more than 3 weeks since the beginning of these arrests and during this period neither the family members nor the students’ lawyers have been permitted to meet them. In a few cases the inspectors have threatened the families so that they may not ask for a lawyer. Since new arrests are going on every day, nobody knows about the future of the imprisoned students.
In the following you may find a partial list of the students arrested. We can never claim to have a full list of the students as the authorities have never issued a complete list of the detainees.
On the threshold of the University Students’ Day the “Equality and Freedom Seeking University Students” were preparing themselves to celebrate this day independently on Azar 13. Their protest against military attack, economic sanctions and internal despotism (increasing militarization of the society in general and universities in particular); the defense of the civil rights; solidarity of the social movements(Students, Workers and Women); the freedom of political prisoners and demarcation with the two wings(reformists and hard-liners) in the authority were among their pivotal demands. Their way to achieve these goals was the formation of an independent organization for further solidarity among the students.
But these were not tolerable for persons in power.
The arrests began with Milad Moini, Behrang Zandi and Hamed Mohammadi on Wednesday Azar 7. As the first two ones were released on Azar 8, a hope was developed reinforcing the possibility that these arrests were not chain ones. However, this hope was shattered before long as a new wave of arrests of the “Equality and Freedom Seeking University Students” continued 3 days later. Mehdi Grailoo(a student of the University of Tehran) was arrested by the Intelligence Forces as he was coming out of his house on Sunday morning. In the afternoon, two other “Equality and Freedom Seeking” students were detained as one of them Ilnaz Jamshidi (a Student of Azad University Tehran Central Branch) was her friend’s -Anoosheh Azadbar (a Student of University of Tehran)-guest. The security forces stormed the house and confiscated Anoosheh’s computer case, her brother’s Laptop and the documents related to Armane No(New Ideal) – a university monthly. The wave of the arrests continued as Saeed Habibi (A university activist and the ex-secretary of Tahkime Vahdat) and Behrooz Karimizade (the expelled student of the University of Tehran) were arrested on the same day. The arrests went on as Keyvan Amiri Elyasi ( a student of Sharif University of Technology) and Nasim Soltan Beygi (a student of Allameh University) along with a few cases of imprisonment in other cities on Sunday.
Although the determined students were receiving short mobile messages from unknown and suspicious phone calls which threatened them so that they would not hold their demonstration and about 30 of their comrades were arrested by the time of the demonstration Azar 13 (December 4) they commemorated this day with the participation of more than 700 students.
On that day, the University of Tehran witnessed one of the most unprecedented presences of the security and intelligence forces both at the University and on the streets around it. The declaration of the “Equality and Freedom Seeking University Students” was read by one of the students. Its central issues were: “A University is not A Garrison” and “No War”. A few of the students announced their viewpoints, namely, their protest against war, their protest against despotism and repression, the necessity of the unity of the different social movements: Women, Workers and University Students. They also called on the immediate and unconditional freedom of all political prisoners. During the ceremony and right after that we witnessed more arrests, the number of which is now more than 40. In all the cases the security forces hardly felt themselves responsible to let the families of the imprisoned students know about their situation for a few days after their arrest.
The lengthy and stressful follow-up of their situation by the families showed the families in Tehran the way of notorious Evin Prison, where more than 3o students are detained. Most of the students are kept in ward no 209(related to the ministry of Information) where as a few are in the ward no (325 related to Sepah - the guardians of the Islamic revolution. One of the students is said to have committed suicide, an attempt which has been neither confirmed nor rejected by the authorities. The situation of the students in other cities are said to be even worse.
In a declaration, the ministry of information has condemned the students for many diversified and somehow ridiculous issues: from carrying catapults, having so-called misleading books, having alcoholic drinks and even drugs and sound grenades.
It has been more than 3 weeks since the beginning of these arrests and during this period neither the family members nor the students’ lawyers have been permitted to meet them. In a few cases the inspectors have threatened the families so that they may not ask for a lawyer. Since new arrests are going on every day, nobody knows about the future of the imprisoned students.
In the following you may find a partial list of the students arrested. We can never claim to have a full list of the students as the authorities have never issued a complete list of the detainees.
Mehdi Gerailoo- University of Tehran
Nader Ahsani - Ex-student of the University of Mazandaran
Anoosheh Azadbar - University of Tehran
Ilnaz Jamshidi - Azad University of Tehran(south branch
Behrooz Karimizadeh - Expelled student of the University of Tehran
Saeed Habibi - Ex-student of the Sharif University of Technology
Ali Salem - Amirkabir University of Technology
Milad Omrani - Shahid Rajayi Teacher Training University
Abed Tavancheh - Expelled student of Amirkabir University of Technology -Released
Yaser Pirhayati - Shahed University
Roozbeh Safshekan - University of Tehran
Saeed Aghamali - Art University of Yazd
Roozbehan Amiri - University of Tehran
Nasim Soltanbeigi - Allame Tabataba'ee University
Mahsa Mohebbi
Keyvan Amiri - Sharif University of Technology
Hadi Salari - Shahid Rajayi Teacher Training University
Amir Aghayi - Shahid Rajayi Teacher Training University
Farshid Farhadi Ahangaran - Shahid Rajayi Teacher Training University
Mohsen Ghamin - Amirkabir University of Technology
Soroosh Hashempoor - Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz
Hamed Mohammadi - University of Mazandaran - Released
Arash Pakzad - University of Mazandaran
Hassan Maarefi - University of Mazandaran - Released
Behrang Zandi - University of Mazandaran - Released
Peyman Piran
Majid Ashrafnejad - Shahid Rajayi Teacher Training University
Ali Kalayi - Azad University
Amir Mehrzad
Shoan merikhi- University of Mazandaran
Sara Khademi- University of Mazandaran - Released
Nima Nahvi-Technical University of Babol
Mohammad Saleh Ayuman- Graduate student of Political Science
Sohrab Karimi- Graduate student of Political ScienceFarshad Dustipour- Mechanical Engineering
Javad Alizadeh- Graduate Student of Political Science
Parsa kormanjiyan- Azad University of Kermanshah - Released
Alireza Heidari- Azad University of Kermanshah - Released
Bahram Shojaii- Azad University of Tehran
Younes MirHoseini- Bahonar University of Shiraz -Released
Milad Moini – University of Mazandaran - Released
javad tavaloli-chamran university of ahwaz
proclamation of the arrests on the university students' day
Proclamation of the arrests on the University Students’ Day
On the threshold of the 16th of Azar (December 7) the University Students’ Day in Iran, more than 30 “Equality and Freedom-seeking Students” have been arrested. Surprisingly, 16th of Azar – the symbol of the struggle against dictatorship of the ex-imperial regime – is not tolerated by the Islamic Government either.What has happened during this ceremony – the main pivot of which was the opposition to war and sanction – is the repetition of the same scenes of the previous government.The commemoration of the University Students’ Day is the tradition of more than 50 years and the ones who have been arrested this year are the most honest children of our country. We want the unconditional and immediate release of our captivated students.
Seeking Committee for the Freedom of the University Students
Seeking Committee for the Freedom of the University Students
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