Country of origin information report Iran January 2010

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Presidential election – 12 June 2009
4.04 The Congressional Research Service’s (CRS) Report Iran’s 2009 Presidential Elections, dated 6 July 2009 noted that “In 2009, nearly 500 candidates for Iran’s presidency filed their candidacy with the Guardian Council. On May 20, 2009, the council announced that four candidates had been approved: incumbent president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, conservative Mohsen Reza’i, reformist Mir Hussein Musavi, and reformist Mehdi Karrubi.” [78d] (p3)
4.05 Amnesty International, in a news report dated 5 June 2009 noted that:
“In the run-up to its tenth presidential election from which women candidates have been barred, the country has witnessed the arbitrary arrest and harassment of activists and members of minority communities, censorship, armed attacks and suicide bombings. … The organization has expressed its concern about Iran’s discriminatory selection process for electoral candidates, which involves the Council of Guardians screening all candidates for election to ‘ensure their suitability for the Presidency’.
“In a public statement on 15 May [2009], Amnesty International urged the Council of Guardians to ensure that no one was excluded from standing as a candidate solely on the grounds of their race, colour, sex, language, religion, social origin or political or other opinion and that none of the 42 women who registered to stand were barred solely on account of their gender. However, all but four candidates were excluded, including all the women candidates.” [9g]
4.06 The CRS report of 6 July observed that:
“Social and political restrictions are often eased in Tehran during campaign season, but observers remarked that public activity this year was notably more energetic than would be expected. Some attribute this shift to the four years of crackdowns on social freedoms that have characterized President Ahmadinejad’s term in office. Others attribute the pre-election atmosphere to

increased public tension between the candidates in the days leading up to the election, when the campaign became increasingly acrimonious.

“During the week of June 3, 2009, the candidates participated in six live debates. The debate between incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and reformist candidate Mir Hussein Musavi was particularly heated, most notably because of Ahmadinejad’s open criticism of Musavi’s wife, Zahra Rahnavard. The debates offered the public an opportunity to observe fierce exchanges between the candidates for the first time in a presidential election and reportedly were watched by 40 to 50 million viewers, according to Iranian media reports.” [78d] (p3-4)
4.07 The CRS report continued:
“On June 12, following the heated campaign between Musavi and Ahmadinejad, Iranians went to the polls. Record voter turnout was reported throughout the day and the Interior Ministry ordered that voting centers stay open to accommodate those waiting to vote.20 Many observers were optimistic that pro-reform segments of the population, who had boycotted elections in the past, had gone to the polls in favor of Musavi. Large campaign rallies prior to the election had even sparked discussion of a possible “Green Revolution.” As the polls closed, however, the prospects began to dim for a Musavi victory, and for a popularly-accepted election outcome. As the polls closed, police and Basij paramilitary forces reportedly were deployed throughout Tehran, locking down the Interior Ministry where votes were being counted. Internet sites and mobile phones were also reportedly disabled. Less than three hours after the polls closed, the Interior Ministry announced that the election results were in and that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had won, capturing 62% of the vote. The Interior Ministry also reported that 39 million votes were cast (about 85% of Iran’s eligible voters), an unprecedented turnout.
”Following the announcement by the Interior Ministry, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a statement congratulating President Ahmadinejad, which most observers interpreted as a certification of the election results. Khamenei said the ‘miraculous hand of God’ was evident in the ‘great epic’ of the election. Both Ahmadinejad and Musavi claimed victory as the announcement was made, even before the Guardian Council certified the results.” [78d] (p6-7)
4.08 The CRS report noted that the announcement of President Ahmadinejad’s victory “…was followed by allegations of vote rigging and election fraud and prompted supporters of leading reformist candidate Mir Hussein Musavi and others to hold public demonstrations in several major cities of a size and intensity unprecedented since the Iranian Revolution of 1979.” [78d] (summary)
4.09 President Ahmadinejad was sworn in on 5 August 2009 for a second five year term “…but the inauguration ceremony was boycotted by a number of senior leaders, highlighting the mounting divisions within the country’s political and clerical elite…” Of the 21 people nominated, 18 of the President’s cabinet nominees were approved by the “conservative-dominated” Majlis. (Keesing’s News Digest for September 2009) [12a]
4.10 Keesing’s also stated that:
“One of Ahmadi-Nejad’s most controversial appointments was that of Gen. Ahmad Vahidi as minister of defence and armed forces logistics. Vahidi, a former Revolutionary Guard commander, was alleged to have planned the bombing of a Jewish centre in Buenos Aires (the capital of Argentina) in 1994 in which 85 people died…Vahidi was one of five Iranians sought by Interpol over accusations of involvement in the attack. Iran denied that it was involved in the bombing. In the Majlis vote, Vahidi won 227 out of 286 votes, more than anyother nominee…Marzieh Vahid-Dastjerdi also won approval as health minister, making her Iran’s first woman minister since the Islamic Revolution of 1979… Vahid-Dastjerdi, a gynaecologist, had twice been elected as a member of the Majlis. She was regarded as a conservative and had once backed segregated healthcare facilities for men and women…The Majlis rejected the appointment of two other women – Fatemeh Ajorlu and Susan Keshavarz – as minister for welfare and minister for education, respectively - and the appointment of Mohammad Ali-Abadi as minister of energy.” [12a]
For more recent developments see Latest News, also see Fair Trial, Freedom of political affiliation and Freedom of speech and media.
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Demonstrations and aftermath of the election
4.11 The CRS report, Iran’s 2009 Presidential elections, dated 6 July 2009 observed that:
“The reported outcome of the June 12, 2009 presidential election in Iran prompted public demonstrations in several major cities of a size and intensity unprecedented since the Iranian Revolution of 1979. The announcement that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was reelected by a

62% margin was followed by allegations of vote rigging and election fraud. Supporters of leading reformist candidate Mir Hussein Musavi and others staged large protests in the streets of Tehran and other major cities that have drawn international attention.” [78d] (p2)

4.12 The CRS report continued:
“Shortly after the election results were announced, Iran’s interior ministry issued a ban on unauthorized public gatherings. Despite the warning, protests reportedly continued every day in Tehran and other major cities—including Mashhad, Tabriz, Shiraz, and Isfahan, until the Basij crackdown on June 20. Restrictions on journalists and government efforts to restrict

telecommunications made it difficult to know the scope of the public protests, but most accounts indicate numbers in the hundreds of thousands or more in Tehran. A counter demonstration in support of President Ahmadinejad also was reported, but most estimates indicate that it was

significantly smaller than those in protest of the results—less than 10,000 people. Some media outlets alleged that the images of the Ahmadinejad rally were doctored to inflate the apparent size of the crowd. Smaller protests have reportedly continued since June 20, with estimates ranging from hundreds to thousands of people.
“In his speech on Friday, June 19, Supreme Leader Khamenei demanded an end to the protests, reiterated his support for President Ahmadinejad, and accused foreign ‘enemies’ of interfering in Iran’s domestic affairs. Protests continued in Tehran and in other cities, however, and on

Saturday, June 20, Iranian Basij and Revolutionary Guard forces reportedly used tear gas and live ammunition to disperse crowds. Ten deaths were reported, bringing the unofficial toll to at least 17, although many speculate that violence between police and military forces and the protestors may be more widespread and lethal than media reports indicate. On June 22, reports indicated that the Basij and Revolutionary Guard have been deployed throughout Tehran as the government crackdown on demonstrations continues to intensify. In addition, the Iranian government also appears to be continuing its arrests of reformist leaders. On June 21, members of former President Rafsanjani’s family were reportedly arrested, causing speculation that rifts in Iran’s religious leadership could be widening.

“Smaller protests have reportedly continued since June 20 [to the time of writing on 6 July], with estimates ranging from hundreds to thousands of people. Reports of arrests, injuries, and deaths are difficult to substantiate, but have gained international attention and raised concerns about human rights and freedom of expression.” [78d] (p7-8)
4.13 Euronews, in an article dated 23 June 2009 reported that:
“There was a relative calm on the streets of Tehran on Tuesday [23 June] after days of protests against a presidential election the opposition claim was rigged. However, the dispute escalated on the diplomatic front with Britain expelling two Iranian embassy officials in response to the same action by Tehran. … The propaganda war has also intensified. The Iranian leadership has accused the West of inciting unrest in the country through its media coverage of the election. State TV has taken up the theme, airing interviews with people it claims are rioters who admit being influenced by Western reporting.” [18a]
4.14 An article in the Economist dated 2 July 2009 observed:
“…After weeks of unrest, the state has reasserted its power. Heavy policing has blunted public protests, while a more targeted campaign of arrests, intimidation and controls on communications has hamstrung attempts to organise and sustain opposition. But with accusations of foul play still being voiced, even within the religious establishment that supports the Islamic Republic, Iran’s hardliners will struggle to re-establish legitimacy.
“The Guardian Council, an appointed body dominated by clerics allied to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was in charge of investigating allegations of electoral fraud… the council announced on June 29th that its researches, including a partial recount, had produced no sign of wrongdoing, so closing the last legal channel to contest the outcome. Pro-regime news outlets even suggested that the revised tally showed gains for Mr Ahmadinejad. The president declared not just a personal triumph but the defeat of an enemy plot to overthrow the regime.” [22a]
4.15 The article further noted:
“…A statement from an influential group of reformist clerics hinted at the change in mood. While reserving the right to protest, it said that Iranians had already paid a high price for speaking out and gave warning that escalating tensions and street protests ‘are not the solution’. Powerful reformist allies, including the former presidents Muhammad Khatami and Hashemi Rafsanjani, have taken to reasserting their loyalty to the Islamic Republic while working behind the scenes to negotiate a compromise…The widest sweep of suspected regime opponents since the 1980s has seen hundreds of ordinary citizens hauled off to jail, along with prominent journalists, human rights advocates and dozens of reformist party leaders, many of whom served as senior officials in previous administrations. In what appears to be the beginning of a full-scale purge, reformist sympathisers in Iran’s oil ministry have been replaced by hardliners. Even those with no apparent involvement in politics, such as Bijan Khajehpour, a well-known business consultant, have been detained… the state-controlled media have taken to airing purported confessions from some of these prisoners. The interior minister also claims to have uncovered a conspiracy whereby armed saboteurs pretended to be members of the baseej, a vigilante force of zealots which has been widely accused of brutality.” [22a]
4.16 Reuters reported on 10 September 2009 that, according to an Iranian commander of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards, Abdollah Araghi, 36 people died in the unrest following the disputed June 2009 election. This figure included three who had died in Kahrizak prison in south Tehran, where many of those arrested during the protests had been taken:
“Araghi's figure compares to previous official estimates of around 26 people killed in post-election violence. The opposition has put the death toll at more than 70 people… Rights groups say thousands of people, including senior pro-reform figures, were arrested after the presidential poll almost three months ago. Most of them have been freed but more than 200 remain in jail, according to the opposition.” [5a]
4.17 The report of the Secretary-General entitled The situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran of 23 September 2009 observed:
“On 1 August [2009], the trial of about 100 defendants commenced on a variety of charges ranging from participation in the unrest, leading the riots, acting against national security, disturbing public order, damaging public and Government property and relations with anti-revolutionary groups.
“The head of the judiciary issued a directive stating that all remaining cases

should be finalized in August 2009; however, that directive has not been complied with, as the trials have continued into September 2009.” [10g] (p8-9)

4.18 On 26 October 2009, Human Rights Watch reported that:
“…on September 30, Alireza Avaie, head of the Tehran Justice Department, told reporters that the Revolutionary Court had issued preliminary verdicts against 20 political prisoners arrested after the presidential elections. He did not give names or the length of the sentences. Since then, authorities have announced more than 10 additional sentences - four death sentences and others ranging from five to 12 years.” [8b]
4.19 On 4 November 2009 the Guardian reported that, on that day:
“Iran's opposition has come out in force to mount some of the biggest street protests since June's disputed elections in an attempt to overshadow official rallies marking the 30th anniversary of the storming of the US embassy in Tehran.
“Thousands of demonstrators poured into the capital to defy riot police, revolutionary guards and Basij militiamen wielding clubs and kicking protesters, as well as firing teargas and – according to some unconfirmed reports – bullets…Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi, another defeated reformist candidate for the presidency, had urged their supporters to take to the streets to protest against Ahmadinejad and maintain pressure on the regime. Mousavi was barred from leaving his home. Karroubi briefly joined protesters in Haft-e Tir Square, according to the Mowjcamp reformist website.” [16g]
4.20 The Guardian article also stated that “The last big demonstrations in Iran were in mid-September [2009] when the opposition also tried to hijack an official event – the annual al-Quds day celebration expressing solidarity with the Palestinians – safe in the knowledge that the authorities would not want to cancel it for fear of trouble.” [16g]
4.21 BBC News reported on 7 November 2009 that, according to officials, 109 people had been detained for public order offences following the protests on 4 November. “The 109 people were on the fringes of an opposition-organised demonstration when they were detained. Security spokesman Azizollah Rajabzadeh said 62 are due to face trial while the others were released after questioning.” [21n] Reuters reported on 8 November 2009 that, according to the official agency IRNA, 47 of the 109 people detained had been released. [5d]
4.22 On 2 December 2009 BBC News reported that a prominent Iranian economist had received a prison sentence of nine years for protesting over the re-election of President Ahmadinejad in June 2009:
“Saeed Laylaz was convicted of attending illegal gatherings and possessing classified documents by a court, Iranian media reported. Mr Laylaz, a prominent reformist, had been critical of President Ahmadinejad's policies. Reports say 81 people have been jailed since the protests over the polls…
“Sentences handed out by the courts for journalists and activists arrested during the protests have been up to 15 years. As many as five people have been sentenced to death, prosecutors say.” [21s]
4.23 On 7 December 2009, the Telegraph reported that:
“There were bloody clashes as young people launched a fresh wave of anti-government protests on the country's official Students Day. Police used warning shots, baton charges and gas but failed to stop rallies, sit-ins and campus marches across the capital. Universities in several cities, including Tehran's top seats of learning, were sealed off as guards checked identity cards of people trying to join the student demonstrations.
“Earlier in the day, the authorities detained 23 members of a protest group of grieving mothers. They included the mother of Neda Agha-Soltan, known as the ‘Angel of Freedom’, who was shot by pro-government militia at the height of demonstrations against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election in June [2009].” [134c]

For more recent developments see Latest News, also see Fair Trial, , Freedom of political affiliation and Freedom of speech and media for more information on the aftermath of the demonstrations.

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Detention of British Embassy staff
4.24 Aljazeera.Net, in an article dated 28 June 2009 reported that:
“Iranian authorities have detained eight employees of the British embassy in Tehran, accusing them of involvement in post-election unrest in the Islamic Republic, the semi-official Fars news agency has reported. ‘Eight local employees at the British embassy who had a considerable role in recent unrest were taken into custody,’ Fars said on Sunday, without giving a source. ‘This group played an active role in provoking recent unrest.’
“Iran has accused Western powers - mainly Britain and the US - of inciting street protests and violence that rocked the country after its disputed June 12 presidential election. Britain has denied the accusations. David Miliband, the British foreign minister, condemned the arrests.” [13a]
4.25 The Guardian reported on 9 August 2009 that one of those arrested, Hossein Rassam, an Iranian citizen, had gone on trial the day before charged with “damaging the country’s national security.” Of the British Embassy employees arrested, he was the only one to be charged. [16a]
4.26 On 29 October 2009, the Times reported that Hossein Rassam, a senior Iranian employee at the British Embassy, had received a four year prison sentence for “fomenting violence at the behest of the British Government.” It was reported that:
“Hossein Rassam, 44, the embassy’s political counsellor, was sentenced in a closed courtroom this week, although the outcome is yet to be publicly announced. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office learnt of his sentence on Tuesday and summoned the Iranian ambassador in protest. The British ambassador in Tehran has also lodged an official complaint.
“Mr Rassam was one of eight Iranian staff at the British Embassy arrested after mass street protests that erupted in cities across Iran following the disputed re-election of President Ahmadinejad on June 12.” [15b]
For more information about recent events see Latest news.
Further, updated news can be found on the following websites: BBC News, The Economist, RFE/RL Iran and The Guardian.

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Constitution
5.01 Europa Worldonline, accessed 3 November 2009, recorded that “A draft constitution for the Islamic Republic of Iran was published on 18 June 1979. It was submitted to an Assembly of Experts, elected by popular vote on 3 August, to debate the various clauses and to propose amendments. The amended Constitution was approved by a referendum on 2-3 December 1979.” [1c] (Constitution) A referendum on 28 July 1989 approved a further 45 amendments which increased the powers of the Presidency by abolishing the post of Prime Minister, formerly the Chief Executive of the Government. [1c] (Constitution)
5.02 Europa Worldonline also noted: “The Constitution states that the form of government of Iran is that of an Islamic Republic, and that the spirituality and ethics of Islam are to be the basis for political, social and economic relations. Persians, Turks, Kurds, Arabs, Balochis, Turkomans and others will enjoy completely equal rights.” [1c] (Constitution)
5.03 The Constitution, as revised to 1992, accessed via the University of Richmond, also states that:
“After the office of Leadership, the President is the highest official in the country. His is the responsibility for implementing the Constitution and acting as the head of the executive, except in matters directly concerned with the office of the Leadership… (Article 113) The President is elected for a four-year term by the direct vote of the people. His re-election for a successive term is permissible only once.” [121] (Article 114)
5.04 The 2009 Annual Report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, released May 2009, stated that: “The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran proclaims Islam, specifically the doctrine of the Twelver (Shi‘a) Jaafari School, to be the official religion of the country. It stipulates that all laws and regulations, including the Constitution itself, be based on Islamic criteria.” [88b]
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Political system
6.01 The US State Department Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2008, Iran, released on 25 February 2009 (USSD Report 2008), stated that:
“The Islamic Republic of Iran, with a population of approximately 70 million, is a constitutional, theocratic republic in which Shia Muslim clergy dominate the key power structures. Government legitimacy is based on the twin pillars of popular sovereignty-–albeit restricted--and the rule of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution. The current supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was not directly elected but chosen by a directly elected body of religious leaders, the Assembly of Experts, in 1989. Khamenei's writ dominated the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. He directly controlled the armed forces and indirectly controlled the internal security forces, the judiciary, and other key institutions. The legislative branch is the popularly elected 290-seat Islamic Consultative Assembly, or Majles. An unelected 12-member Guardian Council reviewed all legislation passed by the Majles for adherence to Islamic and constitutional principles and also screened presidential and Majles candidates for eligibility.” [4a] (Introduction)
6.02 The USSD Report 2008 further stated that:
“The constitution provides citizens the right to change peacefully the president and the parliament through free and fair elections; however, the authority of unelected representatives over the election process severely abridges this right in practice. The Assembly of Experts elects the supreme leader, the recognized head of state, who can be removed only by a vote of the assembly. The assembly was composed of 86 members and was restricted to clerics, who served eight-year terms and were chosen by popular vote from a list approved by the Guardian Council (a 12-member body composed of government-appointed clerics and religious jurists). There was no separation of state and religion, and clerical influence pervaded the government. The supreme leader also approved the candidacy of presidential candidates, with the exception of an incumbent president.” [4a] (Section 3)
6.03 The USSD Background Note of September 2009 stated that suffrage is universal at 18. [4u] (Government) The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada concurs: “Iran has universal suffrage and persons 18 years of age or over are eligible to vote.” [2af] Europa, accessed on 3 November 2009, recorded that “provision is made for the representation of Zoroastrians, Jews and Christians.” [1c] (Constitution)