Iran: Mohammad Ali Taheri on hunger strike for 14th times!

Mohammad Ali Taheri, the founder of a new spiritual group Erfan-e Halgheh, has been on hunger strike for a few days. He is protesting the limbo his case is in. His five-year prison sentence is about to terminate soon, however, the court that had previously sentenced him to death has resumed its investigation into his case.

Mohammad Ali Taheri has been held in solitary confinement for the past nearly five years in Tehran’s Evin Prison. His contact with his inmates and the outside world has been very limited. The only connections that have given him hope and energy are the weekly meetings with his wife and the irregular calls the prison authorities allow him to have with his family. Mohammad Ali Taheri always looks forward to these events, as he doesn’t have anything else to occupy himself with: he hasn’t even had access to books, a piece of paper or a pen for a very long time.

Imprisoned for his teachings and belief

Mohammad Ali Taheri established the Erfan-e Halgheh Institute in Tehran, using healing concepts and treating patients with psychological and medical conditions. The Iranian regime doesn’t recognise Taheri’s group, as in case of other groups that promote alternative spiritual beliefs. As the authorities see them as national security threats, religious minorities are harshly persecuted.

For that reason, the offices of Taheri’s institute were shut down back in August 2010. In October 2011 he was charged with several offences and sentenced to imprisonment, 74 lashes and a heavy fine.

In August 2015, the court also imposed the death penalty on Mohammad Ali Taheri. Amnesty International understands the death sentence was based on the same religious teachings that lead to his convictions in October 2011.

Death sentence quashed

Just before the winter holiday, the family and his lawyer learnt that the Supreme Court quashed Mohammad Ali Taheri’s death sentence and sent the case back to the same court for further investigations into his case.

Now, that Mohammad Ali Taheri’s sentence is nearing its end, Amnesty International urges the Iranian authorities to drop all the charges against him and release him immediately and unconditionally.

>>TAKE ACTION! Support the campaign and join our Twitter Storm tomorrow for Mohammad Ali Taheri.

Hidden from critical view: the disappeared of Cameroon

As the number of military personnel deployed to fight Boko Haram in the Far North Region of Cameroon has increased, the number of people detained without trial on suspicion of supporting the armed group has gone up, as well. Families and communities torn apart Since 2014, Cameroon’s security forces have arrested hundreds of people without charge during security operations. One man from the village of Double told us how security forces raided the village in search of suspected Boko Haram fighters: “Early in the morning, we heard gunshots and thought it was Boko Haram. We were scared and fled to the bush; then people called us to say it wasn’t Boko Haram, but the security forces, so we came back thinking we were safe. However, to our great surprise, those forces made us suffer even more than Boko Haram.” During this operation carried out in Double and in the neighbouring community, Magdeme, nine people were killed and more than 200 boys and men arbitrar...

Educating the Western youth

In a rare occasion to reach out to the West without pure condemnation, Iran’s Supreme Leader sent an important message to the American and European youth . The aim of the letter was to stress that the Islam they know is based on a forged concept and doesn’t reflect the reality. Therefore, Ayatollah Khamenei encouraged the younger generation in the West to do research and get firsthand information on the religion. www.wsj.com In his letter, Mr Khamenei asks youngsters whether they “ have directly read the Qur’an of the Muslims .” He goes on by questioning: “Have you ever received the message of Islam from any sources other than the media?” Moreover, the Iranian leader calls on the youth to ask themselves “why the old policy of spreading ‘phobia’ and hatred has targeted Islam and Muslims with an unprecedented intensity. [..] What concepts and values in Islam disturb the programs of the super powers and what interests are safeguarded in the shadow of distorting the image of Islam...

Is sharing a joke enough reason to jail someone?

Fomusoh Ivo Feh, a 29-year old Cameroonian student was about to start university when he was arrested by six plain-clothes men in the South-West region of Cameroon on 13 December 2014. His arrest followed a sarcastic SMS message that he sent to a friend , Azah Levis Gob who also shared it with his friend, Afuh Nivelle Nfor, a secondary-school student. The SMS was sent as a joke about how difficult it is getting into university or finding a good job without being highly qualified in Cameroon – suggesting it was easier to get into Boko Haram. The message read: ‘Boko Haram recruits young people from 14 years-old and above. Conditions for recruitment: 4 subjects at GCE, plus religion.’ After a teacher saw the message on Afuh Nivelle Nfor’s phone and showed it to the police, Ivo and his friends were arrested in late 2014. Subsequently, all three were charged with several offences, including attempting to organise a rebellion. A military court in Yaoundé sentenced Ivo and his ...

Crumbs of human rights

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