Source:

Frankfurter Rundschau: [ID 9318]

Source:

Neue Zürcher Zeitung: [ID 9326]

Source:

Frankfurter Rundschau: [ID 9328]

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

The dissolution of the Freedom Movement reaching back to 2002 remains in effect in 2007 ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 23029]

"The constitution provides for the establishment of political parties, professional associations, Islamic religious groups, and organizations for recognized religious minorities, provided that such groups do not violate the principles of "freedom, sovereignty, and national unity," or question Islam as the basis of the Islamic Republic; however, the government limited freedom of association in practice.[...]

[...] The government's 2002 dissolution of the Freedom Movement, the country's oldest opposition party, remained in effect."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

In 2002 the government dissolved the Freedom Movement and sentenced over 30 of its members to jail terms ranging from four months to 10 years on charges of trying to overthrow the Islamic system ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20931]

"In 2002 the government permanently dissolved the Freedom Movement, the country's oldest opposition party, and sentenced over 30 of its members to jail terms ranging from four months to 10 years on charges of trying to overthrow the Islamic system. Other members were barred from political activity for up to 10 years and fined (see section 2.b.). Its leader, Ebrahim Yazdi, was no longer in prison; however, there was no information regarding the circumstances of other Freedom Movement members.


"

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Ebrahim Yazdi, leader of the banned Freedom Movement party sentenced to a long imprisonment; his court case remains pending ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46058],  [ID 18665]

"In November 2004 local press reported that after an early October trial, a Tehran revolutionary court sentenced former foreign minister Ebrahim Yazdi, leader of the banned Freedom Movement opposition party, to an unspecified but long imprisonment, based on charges of actions against national security, insulting the supreme leader, and other charges. At year's end he was not in prison, but his court case remained pending. He registered as a presidential candidate in the elections this year but was rejected by the guardians council."

Document(s): Open document

28.02.2005 - Source: US Department of State

Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2004 ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2004") [#29525],  [ID 9316]

"[...]In July 2002, the Government permanently dissolved the Freedom Movement, the country's oldest opposition party, and sentenced over 30 of its members to jail terms ranging from 4 months to 10 years on charges of trying to overthrow the Islamic system. Other members were barred from political activity for up to 10 years and ordered to pay fines up to more than approximately $6,000 (currently 48 million tomans)(see Sections 2.b. and 3). [...]"

Document(s): Open document

04.08.2002 - Source: BBC News

Revolutionary Court banned the government opposition party - Iran Freedom Movement last month, and imposed prison sentences on more than 30 of its members for attempting to overthrow the government ("Iranian opposition plea to president") [#8195],  [ID 9317]

Document(s): Open document

27.07.2002 - Source: BBC News

BBC: ("Iran jails opposition members") [#8008],  [ID 9319]

Document(s): Open document

15.03.2002 - Source: BBC News

BBC: ("Iranian journalist freed on bail") [#6087],  [ID 9320]

Document(s): Open document

07.03.2002 - Source: BBC News

BBC: ("Iranian activists freed on bail") [#5871],  [ID 9321]

Document(s): Open document

16.01.2002 - Source: UN Human Rights Council (formerly UN Commission on Human Rights)

Some 60 religious-nationalist and Freedom Movement activists detained in March and April 2001 ("Report on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, prepared by the Special Representative of the Commission on Human Rights, Mr. Maurice Danby Copithorne, pursuant to Commission resolution 2001/17 (E/CN.4/2002/42)") [#5732],  [ID 9322]

"54. In his interim report to the General Assembly (A/56/278, paras. 58-64), the Special
Representative reported on this matter in some detail. In summary, some 60 members of
two groups, generally described as the religious-nationalist and Freedom Movement activists,
were detained in March and April 2001. Some were immediately released, some were
gradually released on bail and some were denied bail, and of those, some were kept in solitary
confinement. The Special Representative has made a number of representations with regard to
this group, in particular that some were elderly, that some required urgent medical treatment
and that those in solitary confinement should be returned to ordinary cells. The Special
Representative received a commitment in early July that all those still in prison would be
released on bail within several weeks. In fact, as of the preparation of this report in early
December 2001, some are still in jail and in solitary confinement.
55. The Special Representative has already made clear his view that the treatment of these
individuals has been scandalous and a violation both of the Head of the Judiciary’s instruction to
judges concerning the treatment of persons in pre-trial detention and of the United Nations
guidelines for the treatment of such persons. The Special Representative renews this
condemnation, particularly as it applies to detaining persons without bail for more than 30 days,
holding these persons in solitary confinement for some eight months, failing to allow ailing
detainees to have medical attention and, in some cases, to denying them the prescribed medicines
for pre-existing medical regimes, refusing regular access from the date of detention to the
detainees by family members and lawyers, and for refusing to allow the presence of lawyers
during interrogation. The Special Representative deeply deplores the unwillingness or inability
of Iranian leaders to ameliorate the circumstances under which these persons were and in some
cases are still being held.
56. Three other persons were arrested in August and September 2001 apparently because of
their connections with the Freedom Movement and some of its members. Another individual, a
journalist, was sentenced to six months in jail and 50 lashes, seemingly for publishing an account
of an interview she had had with the head of the Freedom Movement.
57. On 12 November 2001 the trial began in the Revolutionary Court of some 30 of these
persons, primarily it would seem members of the Freedom Movement. The trial is being held
behind closed doors with even family members being barred. The ostensible reasons are that:
The charges concern national security;
Publicizing the hearings would “disrupt security and public order”;
Remarks concerning senior leaders “would hurt religious feelings”.
58. The Special Representative has made representations about the fairness of the procedure,
focusing in particular on the closed nature of the trial and the lack of access of lawyers to those
not on bail and to the files of all those on trial.
59. In early December 2001, the Majilis condemned the trial, particularly targeting the
conditions of detention, the fact that the trial was being held behind closed doors and what were
described as “the unjust and unconventional conditions surrounding the hearings”. Neither
specificities of the acts complained of nor the offences alleged on the basis of those acts have
been made public as of early December, eight months after the arrest of the defendants.
60. The Special Representative considers himself obliged to note the embarrassment faced by
the President, who has openly denounced these trials, as well as, hopefully, by the Head of
Judiciary who, in the view of the Special Representative, must take responsibility for the
integrity of the judicial system."

Document(s): sr-irn-0102.pdf
Open document

11.2001 - Source: Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation

00.11.2001 – ACCORD: 26 members of Freedom Movement of Iran face charges of "acts against national security" and planning to "overthrow the system" ("7th European Country of Origin Information Seminar Berlin, 11 - 12 June 2001: Final Report - Iran") [#7661],  [ID 9323]

"The only existing opposition party currently in Iran is the Freedom Movement of Iran (FMI, Nehzat-e Azadi). This party, founded in 1961 by former Prime Minister Mehdi Bazargan, had been tolerated in Iran but never formally accepted. The party had been openly criticizing Iranian domestic and foreign policies. After Bazargan’s death in 1995 the party was not permitted to carry out its activities any longer. In February 1998 the then Minister of the Interior Abdullah Nouri, announced that the party was illegal while at the same time hinting that the application would be considered if the party were to register under another name.

The members of the Freedom Movement were the latest victims of the clampdown on freedom of expression and association. Currently, twenty-six members of the Iran Freedom Movement face charges of "acts against national security" and planning to "overthrow the system." The trial is to be held in Tehran's Revolutionary Court."

Document(s): cois2001-irn.pdf

17.07.2001 - Source: Washington Post

Washington Post: ("Iran Issues Warrant for Dissident") [#2843],  [ID 9324]

Document(s): 01522iran.htm
Open document

22.06.2001 - Source: Amnesty International

Amnesty International: ("Iran: UA 236/00") [#2240],  [ID 9325]

Document(s): Open document

11.04.2001 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Watch: ("Creeping Coup" in Iran") [#1444],  [ID 9327]

Document(s): Open document