For more than 560 days of eight Iranian environmental activists sit in detention; they must expect the most severe penalties. The charge: high treason and espionage. Now you are entered in the hunger strike.
You’re waiting for your process – for more than 560 days. Eight Iranian environmental activists are accused of the charge of espionage and high treason. Two of them, niloufar Bayani, and Sepideh Kashani, are already since the beginning of August in the hunger strike, reported the Human rights organization Human Rights Watch. The members of the group were arrested by the secret service of the Iranian revolutionary guards in January 2018. Since then, they have to sit in the notorious high-security prison, Evin in the North of the capital Tehran.
According to information from Human Rights Watch and three other members of the group, Human Jokar, Amir Hossein Khaleghi and Taher Ghadiri are now on hunger strike. The Detainees demand fair trial and, above all, their release on bail.
Sam Rajabi: for 560 days in custody
A highly political topic
Mysterious arrests and processes with severe consequences for those Affected are not uncommon in Iran. However, in the case of the environmental activists is particularly opaque. The fight against environmental pollution in Iran is a highly political and at the same time sensitive subject. Iran suffers from huge shortage of water. The destruction of nature and forests and, above all, the water reservoirs from industry interests have left their mark. Many businesses that do not care about sustainability, the involvement of the revolutionary guards or other state institutions financially.
“The biggest concern for us is that we know nothing about the process,” said Katayoun Radjabi, the sister of the imprisoned activists Sam Radjabi, in the DW-Interview. “My brother was 25. January 2018 with a further eight nature protection activists in Iran arrested and has since been held illegally in pretrial detention. The charge is one of espionage and cooperation with hostile States.” With countries such as Israel and the US to cooperate, is one of the most serious crimes in the Mullah state.
An unexplained death
Dead in the cell found: Kavous Seyed Emami
In January of 2018, arrested the well-known environmentalist Kavous Seyed Emami, founder and chief of the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation (PWHF) was. He was found a month after the arrest found dead in his cell. According to information from the authorities, he should have taken the life of, a claim that has not been investigated yet been proven – especially because this “suicide” happened in a prison in which the prisoners around the clock are observed.
The operations behind prison walls are completely cleared, as well as the process guide. So far, the activists were released a few times in non-public meetings before the court. “In October of 2018, our lawyer, Mohammad Hossein Aghasi got the opportunity to represent my brother in front of the investigating judge,” said Katayoun Radjabi, who lives in Germany. “The charge of espionage can be punished in Iran with the death penalty, was dropped. However, he was accused of collaboration with the nature conservation authority in the United States seven years ago, and the threats to internal security.”
Hot topic: water pollution in Iran
Meanwhile, attorney Aghasi not allowed to defend the accused. As the indictment was read at the end of January in 2019, officially informed the judge Sam Radjabi, that the participation of the defender is undesirable. A reason was not called.
Not a fair process
“In Iran, a Criminal is made within the shortest period of time of the process. Environmental activists, however, for more than 18 months in custody, although the government have made Rouhani and the head of Iran’s environmental protection authority, that the Espionage charges against the environmentalists are wrong,” says Dr. Adolkarim Lahiji, a lawyer and President of the International Federation for human rights, followed the case.
Also, the National security Council of the country, and several members have noted that there is no evidence for the spying allegations against the environment had a protector. In the DW-Interview with Abdolkarim Lahiji says that this is the case, “adversity from the beginning, full of right” and “far” from a fair process.
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Iran: If nature determines a country to a standstillCloud of dust with toxic particles
In Ahwaz, the fine dust measurement does not have to work for days. “Within two hours, the dust was everywhere. I had red spots all over his body. My skin was burning and I was admitted to the hospital,” says the teacher, Rosita from the capital of the oil-rich Khuzestan province in an interview with DW.
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Iran: If nature determines a country to a standstillBurnt The Neighbouring Country
Sand storms are now the nightmare of the people in southern Iran for the last eight years, they are every Time more fierce. Iranian politicians claim that the toxic, with dust mixed particles come from the neighboring country of Iraq. There’s a war on for 35 years. The date palm forests are burned, the agriculture is ruined, and the air full of chemicals.
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Iran: If nature determines a country to a standstillBad Water Management
Iranian politicians call the country as “an island of stability and security in the Middle East”. However, it is precisely in the environmental area, the situation is not good: climate change and poor water management have led to 80 percent of the 40 most important lakes are dried up. This area is considered to be the main sources of fine dust. The Karun river in Ahwaz dries out.
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Iran: If nature determines a country to a standstillTracts of land could be uninhabitable
However, in Iran there is no Plan to protect the environment. At the end of January, the Heinrich Böll Foundation published a report on the shortage of water in Iran. On 160 pages of the massive environmental problems in the country. “The acute shortage of water threatens vast areas of land to make in the future uninhabitable,” warns the report.
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Iran: If nature determines a country to a standstillPower failure is detrimental to the Oil industry
The sand storm in Khuzestan has caused massive disruptions in the power supply. With far-reaching consequences: The Oil industry in Khuzestan was temporarily paralyzed. There of 750,000 barrels of Oil are daily encouraged. The revenue from the Oil industry contribute to a large part of the Iranian state budget. Therefore, a Deputy from Khuzestan warned of a national crisis.
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Iran: If nature determines a country to a standstillRouhani is under pressure
Conservative politicians accuse the government of Hassan Rouhani, to have the situation under control. Rouhani, in turn, makes his predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, for the threat of an environmental disaster responsible. As President, he had accused the West to be the cause of the “drought in Iran” – as part of a sinister Plan, “the Islamic Republic of undermining”.
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Iran: If nature determines a country to a standstillMakes Lots Of Environmental Authority
The revolutionary guards not only have separate quotas for the army, air force, Navy, special forces for missions abroad, or the voluntary militia of the Basij. They are also an economic Power in Iran. Your economic wing, Khatam al-Anbiya builds roads, tunnels, Pipelines, and dams. Many dams are only filled up with earth, without consultation with the environment Agency.
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Iran: If nature determines a country to a standstillDam break? Fake News!
In February, a dam breaks in the southern Iranian province of Dschahrom. 700 houses are destroyed, and more than 2000 other buildings were damaged. The Director-General for crisis management in the province denied the reports first on the dam break. The photos in the social media are referred to as fakes.
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Iran: If nature determines a country to a standstillOrganized Irresponsibility
No one takes responsibility for the mismanagement and the delayed rescue actions in the province of Dschahrom.
In the past few weeks, more than 100 academics in Iran have demanded in an Open letter to justice Minister, Ebrahim Raisi, who is a Hardliner known, the release of the environmental activists. 90 environmental initiatives in Iran are calling for a fair trial and the right to a lawyer for the detained activists. The authorities have not yet responded. According to Human Rights Watch, the families of the Detainees were under pressure, not to mention the operations.