ICBPS- The Islamic Judiciary official in Iran on Friday announced that 15 Iranian convicted offenders have been exchanged with six Turkish offenders between two countries. Iran And Turkey
The official did not mention the names and details of the Iranian convicted offenders and the date of their extradition.
Turkey, however, hosts a large number of Iranian immigrants, investors, and refugees since years ago, but the relations between Turkey and the Islamic Republic in recent years have made the country a relatively insecure haven for Iranians, who fled their homeland because of the persecution of tyrants.
In the past years, several Iranians, including asylum seekers who claimed that their life would be a danger if return back to Iran, were deported to Iran. Three of them were sentenced to death over anti-regime protests last year after returning to Iran, but Tehran halted the executions.
On March 9, the Islamic officials said that Turkey has handed over an influencer and popular Iranian social media figure, Milad Hatami, accused by Tehran of money-laundering and fraud in connection with online gambling.
Iranian dissident journalist Ruhollah Zam was executed on December 12, 2020, after IRGC agents kidnapped him, and took him to Iran. Iran And Turkey
On January 5, 2021, the Islamic judiciary in Iran announced that the colleagues of Ruhollah Zam are in custody. Six individuals were sentenced to two to 10 years in prison as well as Shirin Najafi has also been arrested and convicted, Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaeili said.
In an online news conference, in response to a question about the case of Ruhollah Zam, Gholamhossein Esmaili told reporters on Tuesday, January 5 stated that colleagues of Ruhollah Zam have been arrested and convicted.
Shirin Najafi, one of the admins of Amad News-Telegram Channel, is in Iranian custody, and her case under review after she appealed. Gholamhossein Esmaeili says Shirin Najafi was convicted, but the spokesman refuses to reveal more details. “The Trial is not over yet,” Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaeili added.
What happened to Zam and Amad News:
Iranian dissident journalist Ruhollah Zam was executed on December 12, 2020, Iran’s semi-official Nour news agency reported. The Islamic Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the death sentence of Ruhollah Zam, who was captured in 2019 after years in exile. The Supreme Court upheld the death penalty of Ruhollah Zam over his online work on the Telegram App.
Iran Supreme Court confirmed Ruhollah Zam’s death sentence, IRGC-run Tasnim news agency quoted judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili.
In July, the Islamic Revolutionary Court handed out an unjust death sentence to Iranian journalist Ruhollah Zam for alleged incited violence during the 2017-2018 Iran Protests.
Islamic Court has considered 13 counts of bogus charges together as instances of corruption on earth and therefore passed the capital punishment: Judiciary spokesperson Esmaili
In Iran, “Corruption on Earth” is the charge often used in cases allegedly involving espionage or attempts to overthrow the regime, which could carry the death penalty.
The convicted journalist Zam, the son of reformist cleric Mohammad Ali Zam, who had been living in exile in France, was arrested last year in mysterious circumstances.
IRGC released a statement saying it had arrested Zam three days after Zam left France on October 11, 2019.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned the illegal kidnap and arrest. Iran is the country ranks 173 of 180 in RSF’s annual world press freedom ranking, three places lower than the previous year. IRI has been one of the most repressive regimes towards journalists for the past 41 years, with at least 860 journalists and citizen reporters imprisoned or executed since the Islamists took power in 1979.
Zam ran an alleged popular anti-government forum Amadnews website, which Tehran accuses of inciting the nationwide protests of 2017-18. As a whistleblower, the news forum, which had around 1.4m followers on encrypted messaging app Telegram, shared videos of Iran protests, and secret information of Iranian officials. Iran And Turkey
World Responds To Ruhollah Zam’s Execution
The international community apparently takes a stance over the execution of Iranian dissident journalist Ruhollah Zam, called it ‘Barbaric’ Act.
UN High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet has condemned the execution of Ruhollah Zam, stressed that his death sentence and execution by hanging are emblematic of a pattern of forced confessions extracted under torture and broadcast on state media being used as a basis to convict people.
In Geneva, UN human rights experts have strictly condemned the execution of Ruhollah Zam, calling his conviction and execution “unconscionable” and a serious violation of Iran’s obligations under international law. Iran And Turkey
The London-based Amnesty International said the execution of journalist Rouhollah Zam a ‘deadly blow’ to freedom of expression.
We are horrified at Iran's execution of journalist Rouhollah Zam. The use of the death penalty against him over his media work was absolutely prohibited under international law. His execution shows the extent of Iran's brutal tactics to repress dissent. https://t.co/S6EQazCoAz
— Amnesty Iran (@AmnestyIran) December 12, 2020
In a statement, the Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Nabila MASSRALI said that the European Union condemns this act in the strongest terms and recalls once again its irrevocable opposition to the use of capital punishment under any circumstances. It is also imperative for the Iranian authorities to uphold the due process rights of accused individuals and to cease the practice of using televised confessions to establish and promote their guilt.
The Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) tweeted that it is outraged at this new crime of Iranian justice and sees the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as “the mastermind of this execution.”
#Iran: AmadNews editor #Rohollah_Zam was executed this 12/12. RSF is outraged at this new crime of Iranian justice and sees @ali_khamenei as the mastermind of this execution. RSF had warned @mbachelet and @JavaidRehman about his possible execution since the 23rd of October pic.twitter.com/sRGZRFxe95
— RSF (@RSF_inter) December 12, 2020
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists declared that “With the execution of Ruhollah Zam, Iranian authorities join the company of criminal gangs and violent extremists who silence journalists by murdering them,” said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour in Washington, D.C. “This is a monstrous and shameful act, and one which the international community must not let pass unnoticed.”
With the execution of Roohollah Zam, #Iran authorities join the company of criminal gangs and violent extremists who silence journalists by murdering them, says @sherifmnsour https://t.co/BhhdfTlkMc
— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) December 12, 2020
The New York-based PEN America expressed it was devastated to learn of the horrific execution this weekend of Iranian journalist Ruhollah Zam, whose work online helped spark nationwide Iran protests in 2017. Iranian officials used a ploy to lure the France-based journalist to Iraq, where he was abducted. PEN America said that his execution shows the extent to which Iran’s leaders will go to stanch dissent.
Iranian Writers’ Association condemned the execution of Ruhollah Zam, called on authorities to end the systematic torture and executions in Iran.
IOPHR strongly condemned the execution of Ruhollah Zam.
Journalist Ruhollah Zam who lived in #Paris was kidnapped by IRGC when visiting Iraq in 2019 was #executed this morning.
Zam used his Telegram channel to expose the deep corruption of the Iranian regime.
This crime against humanity should be strongly condemned #RuhollahZam pic.twitter.com/WLwRMV1Prb— IOPHR (@IOPHRpress) December 12, 2020
The Former U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo said the White House strongly condemns Iran’s unjust, barbaric execution of Ruhollah Zam, an Iranian journalist kidnapped abroad by the regime.
The U.S. strongly condemns Iran's unjust, barbaric execution of Ruhollah Zam, an Iranian journalist kidnapped abroad by the regime. Zam exposed the brutality and corruption of the regime, which has killed or arrested more than 860 journalists in its 41-year reign of terror.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) December 14, 2020
American politician, Jake Sullivanis condemned the execution of Ruhollah Zam, called it another horrifying human rights violation by the Iranian regime.
Iran’s execution of Ruhollah Zam, a journalist who was denied due process and sentenced for exercising his universal rights, is another horrifying human rights violation by the Iranian regime. We will join our partners in calling out and standing up to Iran’s abuses.
— Jake Sullivan (@jakejsullivan) December 13, 2020
France announced on Sunday its ambassador to Iran would not participate in the December 14 online business forum in Tehran.
Other envoys from Germany, Austria, and Italy have also canceled their involvement in the December 14 event as the French foreign ministry declared on Twitter. [the ministry ran the hashtag #NoBusinessAsUsual.]
The decision has apparently been adopted amid the growing row between The Islamic Republic of Iran and European nations over the execution of Iranian dissident journalist Zam, who was hanged on Saturday.
On December 13, the Guardian diplomatic editor, Patrick Wintour also wrote on his Twitter account “I am not chairing tomorrow’s discussion with EU envoys based in Tehran on economic relations with Iran.”
For those interested: after Iran's abhorrent execution of fellow journalist Ruhollah Zam, I am not chairing tomorrow's discussion with EU envoys based in Tehran on economic relations with Iran. I'm sure envoys will discuss how trade must be contingent on respect for human rights.
— Patrick Wintour (@patrickwintour) December 13, 2020
The so-called moderate Hassan Rouhani was among those Iranian officials who come out in support of the execution. Iran And Turkey
Institute of Capacity Building for Political Studies, (ICBPS) publishes articles, analyses, and reports online with no limit. ICBPS has been founded by Iranian-born journalist Kaveh Taheri to provide a great opportunity for those freedom fighters who are being censored by mainstream media.
