Iran news in brief, 7 March 2015

IRAN: Christians barred from holding Easter celebration in churches in northwestern city

NCRI - In the latest repressive measures taken against religious minorities in Iran, Iranian Christians in a northwestern city have been barred from holding Easter celebrations in churches.

On Saturday, the Iranian regime’s State Security Forces (police) sent threatening letters to churches in the city of Urumiyeh warning them against holding gatherings for Easter celebrations.

According to the directive sent by the force's Office of Public Building, Christians have only been allowed to hold Easter celebrations in their homes.

Barring Iranian Christians from holding Easter celebrations is considered unprecedented in Iran - even under the mullahs’ rule which has been ranked one of the world’s worst nations for the persecution of Christians.

Iranian Christians, like the followers of other religions, are being deprived from their most fundamental rights under the dark rule of this regime and have suffered from discrimination.

The persecution of Christians in Iran is getting worse under Hassan Rouhani and many now face ‘severe physical and psychological torture’. However their suffering and oppression will only end with the overthrow of the religious dictatorship in the country.

IRAN: Political prisoners violently attacked during Easter

NCRI - On Monday, Special Guards in Gohardasht Prison in the city of Karaj in Iran violently raided the section of the prison where political prisoners are being held and transferred a number of political prisoners to solitary confinement.

The guards attacked Hall 12 in Section 4 of Gohardasht Prison and transferred Pastor Saeed Abedini, Mr. Khaled Hardani and Mr. Mostafa Eskandari to solitary confinement. The repressive agents mistreated and harassed Pastor Saeed Abedini.

Protesting against the repressive measures and transfer of political prisoners to solitary confinement Pastor Abedini and Mr. Hardani went on hunger strike.

The attack took place in the presence of Geramiyan, the head of Section 4 and was commanded by Amirian, commander of the Special Guards.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, April 4, this section’s political prisoners protested against the broadcast of high-powered jamming signals that caused two political prisoners to become dizzy and faint.

The repressive prison authorities have recently installed very powerful jamming devices in a hall called Hosseiniyeh to block prisoners’ communications.

The Iranian regime has intensified repressive measures in prisons to raise fear and intimidation in society and among the political prisoners to prevent any public expression of dissent against the regime following the clerical regime’s Supreme Leader retreating backwards in the nuclear talks by agreeing with a ‘framework’.

The Iranian Resistance calls on all human rights organizations to dispatch a fact-finding mission to investigate the dire situation of political prisoners in Iran.

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
April 6, 2015

Germany to Reinforce Security in Its Embassies for Fear of Attacks

BERLIN – The German government intends to strengthen security procedures in its diplomatic headquarters in several high-conflict countries, such as Iraq, to prevent possible terrorist attacks, according to an internal document of the German government that was accessed by German weekly Der Spiegel news magazine.

The digital edition of Der Spiegel reported on Monday that German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier plans to allocate around 200 million euros ($219 million) to strengthen the security of some German embassies and consulates throughout the world.

According to the document, classified as confidential, the first step of the strategy will be to send a team of experts to analyze the security of German embassies and consulates, which will also serve to raise awareness among German diplomats abroad.

Additionally, the German Foreign Ministry plans to provide new armored vehicles and to improve the encryption systems of electronic communications in German missions abroad

Plague found in Flagstaff, officials urge precautions

Two Arrested in Connection with Murder of Mexican University Student

MEXICO CITY – Federal Police officers arrested two purported members of a Mexican kidnapping gang who are suspected of involvement in the abduction and murder of a university student, officials said.

The two were detained while riding a motorcycle on Mexico City’s south side, thanks to field work stemming from the investigation into a kidnapping in the capital, the National Security Commission said Friday.

Felix Fernando Gonzalez, 33, and Citlalli Guzman, 26, were arrested without a shot fired.

The two are alleged members of a gang that operated in southern Mexico City and are suspected of involvement in the kidnap-murder of a female student at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, or UNAM.

In the operation, the police seized a 9mm handgun, ammunition, a penknife, cellular equipment, a motorcycle, and three plastic bags containing marijuana.

The arrest stems from an investigation launched in December that identified the modus operandi and area of operation of the gang allegedly behind the kidnap-murder of the university student.

The detainees also are suspected of involvement in three other kidnappings in 2007, including the abduction of another university stude

Mexico - Caballero is suspect in 100 kidnappings

A 24-year-old crime gang boss suspected of being responsible for at least 100 kidnappings has been arrested in Hidalgo.

Nicolás “El Nico” Trujillo Urieta, a presumed chief of a cell of the Caballeros Templarios, was on his way to enjoy a water park with his family in Atotonilco de Grande when he was arrested by Federal Police

 Originally from Apaxtla de Castrejón in Guerrero, El Nico has been linked to kidnappings in which his victims were held captive in improvised camps in various parts of Michoacán.

He was originally part of the Familia Michoacana but left to join up with Servando Gómez Martínez, leader of the Caballeros, who was arrested February 27 after an extended manhunt

 Evidence from some of El Nico’s victims led to the identification of his whereabouts and subsequent arrest.

He is the second Caballero arrested this week. Municipal police apprehended Jesús Sosa Madrigal, a suspected hitman, in San Pedro Cholula, Puebla, after an anonymous call advised that an armed man had been seen in a local shopping center.