Iran Focus:
Drug addiction an ever-growing problem
Clampdown in Shiraz enters second week
Oil exported to Iraq on black-market
Students complain over lack of books
New national costume on display
Aeronautics students demonstrate for rights
Flogging in public Iran Focus
Drug addiction an ever-growing problem
The head of the Iranian regimes anti-narcotics network announced that 44 people are charged in Iran every hour on drug-related charges, with more than a million people arrested over the past year. Mr. Hashemi admitted that the rising number of arrests have not diminished the number of addicts in Iran. Once out of prison, most addicts are able to obtain their next dose of drugs within 20 minutes, he said.
Clampdown in Shiraz enters second week
A clampdown on motorcyclists by State Security forces in the town of Shiraz has entered its second week. Hundreds of arrests have so far been made with officials of the regime publicly announcing that the crackdown on youths with motorcycles has spread to distant suburbs and nearby villages.
Oil exported to Iraq on black-market
With minimal security present on the Iran-Iraq border, fuel is being illegally exported to Iraq on the black-market. Iran has an 820-mile western border with Iraq and a large number of people illegally cross the border every day. Local witnesses have reported that businesses have been set up illegally to export oil to Iraq.
Students complain over lack of books
Over a month after the start of the Iranian academic year students still do not have basic books to study from. Students have complained to Irans Ministry of Education accusing the government of mismanagement. It has been reported that many teachers in Irans primary and secondary schools are unaware of what to teach students as classes do not have books.
New national costume on display
New designs for a national costume were put out on display in the town of Hamedan, western Iran. The introduction of the latest design of traditional Iranian clothes follows announcement in the regimes Majlis that a new national costume should be introduced to combat new western trends and fashions which the regime considers to be anti-Islamic and illegal.
Aeronautics students demonstrate for rights
Students at Tehrans Aeronautics College who started a hunger strike last Wednesday in protest to their demands not being met staged a demonstration outside the main university campus. Last Thursday the students attempted to gather in the campus and then start a street rally but were prevented from leaving the vicinity of the university by State Security Forces. The students have also threatened to continue their hunger strike unless the authorities concede to their demands.
Flogging in public
Two people were flogged in public in the city of Nayshabour, northeastern Iran. The two individuals received 120 lashes together for disrupting public order, on Friday. One of the individuals was sentenced to three years imprisonment, 70 lashes and a fine, and the other received 50 lashes.
