Thursday, July 2, 2009

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Friday, June 19, 2009

Nazanin’s views on current situation in Iran

Nazanin Afshin-Jam and Stop Child Executions support the movement of the the Iranian people and demands an immediate stop to the atrocities, violations of the human rights and freedom of expression by the current regime and demand full compliance with the expressed will of the Iranians. 

In solidarity with Iranians , SCE has changed the colors of its blog to green and encourage others to also show their support.

You can listen to a radio interview (AM770) with Nazanin Afshin-Jam about the recent events in Iran here: podcast page.
 
Also this is Nazanin’s open letter to the Iranian people:
 
Oh how we, living in exile, wish we could be at your side at this critical juncture in history.

Please keep the momentum going with acts of nonviolent civil disobedience. Like a snowball in motion, once underway, cannot be stopped by anyone.

The eyes of the world are watching your every step and are behind you. World leaders are closely observing the country proclaiming their desire to see the wishes of the Iranian people met. They simply need to see the sheer numbers of the population that seek change and reform. They too will be on your side.

This is our chance to regain our destiny as the freedom loving sons and daughters of Cyrus the Great. This is our chance to bring down the theocracy and rise up to establish a democracy so that our children will be able to enjoy the fruits of liberty: freedom, equality, the rule of law, separation between religion and state and a constitution based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

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Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Nazanin Afshin-Jam’s speech at Geneva Summit

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Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Voice of America News Interview on Child Executions


President and Co-Founder of Stop Child Executions, Nazanin Afshin-Jam spoke on the weekend about Stop Child Executions organization on VOA Persian News. 

Watch the interview in Persian here:



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Monday, October 27, 2008

“Beauty and the Barbarians”

Nazanin Afshin-Jam is president and co-founder of Stop Child Executions. She is shown here holding photographs of youths who could be executed.

“Beauty and the barbarians”

Daphne Bramham, Vancouver Sun, published: Saturday, October 25, 2008.

Ahmad Nourzehi is on death row in an Iranian jail. He was 12 when he was sentenced to death for carrying and supplying heroin. Soghra Najafpour spent 17 years on death row, having been convicted at 13 of murdering an eight-year-old boy — the son of the family who she had been working for as a maid since she was nine. Najafpour denied the charges, but was only released from prison a year ago after her family managed to raise $66,000 US to compensate the boy’s family for its loss. Five days after her release, she was ordered to return to jail and face execution.
These are only two of the 139 juvenile offenders scheduled for public execution in Iran. These are the children for whom Nazanin Afshin-Jam weeps, loses sleep over and has gone into debt as she tries to save them from stonings, hangings or being dropped from a crane often after coerced confessions, inconclusive or rigged trials or no trial at all. (In Iran, there’s something called the ‘divine knowledge of judges,’ which allows them to rule on a case without ever hearing the facts and arguments.)

Afshin-Jam is haunted by her conviction that there are many others, and the fact that last year Iran executed 17 juvenile offenders.

Full article  can be found here:
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=f1e336d3-5bee-4317-9af8-4eac47ce3d1d

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Friday, October 17, 2008

Message from Nazanin Afshin-Jam

On behalf of the Stop Child Executions organization I would personally like to THANK YOU for your efforts in our campaign.

We hope this latest news of Iran’s desire to end the death penalty for minors is sincere and abide by their word . We are pleased that Iran is taking the right step forward but we are being cautious as we have seen announcements before where the Islamic Republic of Iran’s officials have reneged on their statements . We at Stop Child Executions are hopeful that this is a battle that can be won. Our voices together really do make a difference and are being heard and addressed worldwide!

Thank you for being a part of the solution,

Nazanin Afshin-Jam
President and Co-Founder
Stop Child Executions
www.stopchildexecutions.com
scenews.blog.com

For a full report by Stop Child Executions please read: http://scenews.blog.com/4023595/

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Tuesday, October 7, 2008

More about the Wall of shame Rally and it’s speakers

One of the speakers at the Stop Child Executions Wall of Shame Rally in New York in front of UN was AHMAD BATEBI.

During his studies at the University of Tehran Ahmad Batebi gained international fame for his appearance on the July 17, 1999 cover of The Economist magazine, holding up a shirt splattered with the blood of a fellow protester. Human Rights activist Shirin Ebadi reports that the shirt belonged to Ezzat Ebrahim-Nejad, a student who was shot and killed reportedly by a plainclothes police or vigilante.

The photo, which has been called “an icon for Iran’s student reform movement”, was taken during the Iranian Student Protests in July 1999 in Tehran. Following its publishing, Batebi was arrested, tried in closed-door proceedings, found guilty of “creating street unrest”, and sentenced to death.

This was reduced to 15 years after domestic and international outcry.Less well-known are persistent reports of torture and ill-treatment of Batebi in prison, and his resulting poor physical and mental health. While temporarily released from prison to receive medical attention, Batebi was able to flee Iran into Iraq , then Austria and then United States where he was granted asylum.

Other speakers at the Wall of The Shame Rally were Ex-Political prisoner Kianoosh Sanjari, Dr. Ramin Ahmadi with Iran Human Rights Documentation Center,  Pastor Reza F. Safa founder of Christian Satellite network in Farsi Nejat TV, Furugh Arghavan from the International committee against Execution and stoning, and the Honourable Dr. David Kilgour ex Canadian Member of Parliament and director of Council for a Community of Democracies.

In her myspace blog Nazanin Afshin-Jam writes: It was very important for me to have true voices of Iranians share their experiences and knowledge of the brutalities and human rights abuses that take place in Iran like executions, stoning, political prisoners, persecution of ethnic and religious minorities, curtailment of the freedom of press and of course women’s rights. I also thought it was very important to gather Iranians from one side of the political spectrum to the other and everything in between, as a symbolic gesture to prove that in the face of human rights we stand united together. We all have the same dream for Iran’s future: a country that is free, democratic, equal, the rule of law, separation between religion and state, and a constitution based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  

want, one of the forefathers of Persia, Cyrus the Great, who founded the first charter of Human Rights the world has ever known, to be proud that his people have followed his legacy.

I made a disclaimer in my speech by saying that by demonizing the regime, by NO MEANS am I advocating for war or any type of conflict or military intervention on Iran.  It would only play into the hands of the mullahs and wipe out any advancement made by human rights activists thus far in Iran.  The only long term solution for peace and stability in the Middle East, and world security is by empowering Iran’s civil society, the women, the students, labour unions and the life.

I concluded the rally by reminding how much power we have as individual to make change in this world. Together, united, with enough pressure and collaboration we will be able to stop putting on band aid solutions; rather we will be able to help empower the Iranian people to gain a democratic system whereby they can chose their own leaders and their own destiny

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Monday, September 29, 2008

SCE WALL OF SHAME RALLY NEWS CLIP

SCE WALL OF SHAME RALLY IN NEW YORK:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOsozfVI2KE


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Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Wall of Shame Rally UN


“I look out at the streets of New York and see Christians, Buddhists, and Baha’is who all openly display their faith; I see women with heads uncovered and people protesting government policies. In Iran, they would already have been imprisoned, tortured, and executed”  
 Nazanin Afshin-Jam
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UN : September 23, 2008

“Today we’ve organized the Ahmadinejad wall of shame rally, and we’re trying to bring attention to the world community that Ahmadinejad does not represent the people of Iran, and we have true voices of Iranians speaking today about the human rights abuses that are taking place in the country.”   Nazanin Afshin-Jam

“This wall of shame demonstration is hoping to give a ‘voice to the voiceless’ and address the concerns of the vast majority of Iranian people who believe in a united, secular, democratic Iran based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and no military intervention on Iran,”  Nazanin Afshin-Jam

“We’re here to show Ahmadinejad does not represent all Iranians,”  Nazanin Afshin-Jam

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CNN interview with Nazanin about Wall of Shame rally

The President of Iran will have to get past the Ahmadinejad Wall of Shame - a visual display and demonstration across the United Nations Headquarters- before entering the opening of the General Assembly. Time: 12-2pm Date: September 23rd, 2008 Location: UN Headquarter New York Dag Hammarskjold Plaza (47th St. & 2nd Ave.) Groups and individuals participating in the Wall of Shame demonstration include those who have faced oppression under the current regime such as women under gender apartheid, students who have been imprisoned and tortured and ethnic and religious minorities who have been persecuted. Focus will also be given to other human rights atrocities in Iran including stoning to death, dismembering of limbs, and throwing people from heights as methods of punishment. Stop Child Executions invites all media and the general public to join this demonstration for Human Rights. SCE will release the latest list of minors facing the death penalty, and an 8 part plan of recommendations addressed to Iran’s heads of state, Parliament, Judiciary , United Nations and international community which will also be made available on the http://www.stopchildexecutions.com/ website following the rally. For more information contact info@nazanin.ca. For an interview with Nazanin Afshin-Jam please contact Leslie Taylor at Big Machine Media at 212-572-0760 or leslie@bigmachinemedia.com.
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Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Nazanin Afshin-Jam’s speach in NY - Monday

““Change in Iran will not come through war and bombs; that’s exactly what Ahmadinejad wants. Change will only come from a revolt by the Iranian people, backed by the West, which needs to cry out today on behalf of these children and against Iran’s violation of human rights.”   Nazanin Afshin-Jam

Following is a part of speech by Nazanin Afshin-Jam at a rally in front of the United Nations on September 22, 2008 :

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SCE “Wall of Shame” rally TODAY 12:00 NOON at UN

PRESS RELEASE 

President Ahmadinejad Will Face “Wall of Shame” at the UN Headquarters via Stop Child Executions

NEW YORK, NY, Sep 11, 2008  –  The President of Iran will have to get past the “Ahmadinejad Wall of Shame” — a visual display and demonstration across the United Nations Headquarters — before entering the opening of the General Assembly.

The rally will run from 12-2pm on September 23rd at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza (47th St. & 2nd Ave.) and feature Iranian/American groups each directly challenging Ahmadinejad on the surge in human rights abuses in Iran.
Organizing the event, Nazanin Afshin-Jam, an international human rights activist and former Miss World Canada, will lead off the line up of the “Wall of Shame” by asking: “Ahmadinejad why are you executing children?”
Nazanin’s actions on behalf of the children on death row in Iran began when she was told of a young girl on her namesake that was going to be executed for stabbing one of three men who attempted to rape her. Nazanin was instrumental in saving this girl and since then has been dedicated to saving more lives.
“There has been 6 children hanged this year alone in Iran and over 130 children on death row awaiting execution,” said Nazanin Afshin-Jam, President and co-founder of the Stop Child Executions (SCE) organization.
“While the UN legitimizes Ahmadinejad as the leader of Iran by having the door open to him at the General Assembly, the Iranian people feel betrayed by the false representation. In face of the west’s obsession with Iran’s nuclear development, the voices of the Iranian people have been stifled and human rights abuses have been overshadowed. This ‘Wall of Shame’ demonstration is hoping to give a ‘voice to the voiceless’ and address the concerns of the vast majority of Iranian people who believe in a united, secular, democratic Iran based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and no military intervention on Iran,” said Nazanin.
Groups and individuals participating in the “Wall of Shame” demonstration include those who have faced oppression under the current regime such as women under gender apartheid, students who have been imprisoned and tortured and ethnic and religious minorities who have been persecuted. Focus will also be given to other human rights atrocities in Iran including stoning to death, dismembering of limbs, and throwing people from heights as methods of punishment.
Nazanin states, “The government of Iran cannot on the one hand expect the international community to trust its leaders with nuclear energy while it openly disregards the most basic internationally recognized child rights conventions such as the UN’s International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Charter of the Rights of the Child (CRC) to which it is state party.”
Stop Child Executions invites all media and the general public to join this demonstration for Human Rights. SCE will release the latest list of minors facing the death penalty, and an 8 part plan of recommendations addressed to Iran’s heads of state, Parliament, Judiciary, United Nations and international community which will also be made available on the http://www.stopchildexecutions.com/ website following the rally.
For Further information or an interview with Nazanin Afshin-Jam please contact Leslie Taylor at Big Machine Media at 212-572-0760 or leslie@bigmachinemedia.com.
Stop Child Executions is the leading organization providing information and updates on the situation of minors on death row in Iran. It is a volunteer based, independent, non-political human rights group whose aim is to put a permanent end to child executions in Iran and abroad. http://www.stopchildexecutions.com/
Contact:

Leslie Taylor

Big Machine Media

212-572-0760

Email Contact
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Friday, September 19, 2008

«ديوار شرم» در انتظار احمدی نژاد

رادیو فردا

مقام های جمهوری اسلامی ایران اعلام کرده اند که محمود احمدی نژاد، رييس جمهوری، قرار است که روز دوم مهر در مجمع عمومی سازمان ملل متحد سخنرانی کند. این سومین بار خواهد که آقای احمدی نژاد در دوران ریاست جمهوری خود به مقر سازمان ملل سفر کرده و در مجمع عمومی سخنرانی خواهد کرد. در همین حال برخی از فعالان مدنی و مخالف با اعدام افرادی که زیر سن ۱۸ سالگی مرتکب جرم شده اند می گویند که در تدارک برگزاری تظاهراتی تحت عنوان «ديوار شرم» عليه محمود احمدی نژاد همزمان با سفر او به نیویورک هستند.

در همين زمینه، نازنین افشین جم، ملکه زيبايی سابق کانادا و فعال حقوق بشر، اعلام کرده است که با «ديوار شرم» در انتظار محمود احمدی نژاد است. وی با انتشار بیانیه ای گفت که «ديوار شرم» برای «دفاع از حقوق پايمال شده کودکان و تمامی ايرانيانی که صدايشان شنيده نمی شود» و در

به گفته نازنين افشار جم، در اقدام اعتراضی «ديوار شرم»، نمايندگانی از زنان ايرانی که مورد تبعيض جنسيتی قرار گرفته اند، دانشجويانی که زندانی و شکنجه شده اند، و نيز نمايندگان اقليت های قومی و مذهبی ايران که مورد سرکوبگری قرار دارند، مشارکت خواهند داشت. «وی گفت که در اين اقدام به «فجايعی که در زمينه حقوق بشر در ايران می گذرد، مانند سنگسار، قطع اعضای بدن، اعدام از طريق پرتاب از بلندی» اعتراض خواهد شد.

اين در حالی است که مجلس شورای اسلامی در روزهای اخير لايحه «مجازات اسلامی» را مورد تصويب قرار داد، که در صورت تصويب شدن از سوی شورای نگهبان، اين گونه مجازات ها را رسميت بيشتری خواهد بخشيد. وی گفت: «درحالی که توجه غرب تنها معطوف به برنامه های هسته ای جمهوری اسلامی است، اساسی ترين حقوق فردی ايرانيان پايمال می شود و صدای مردم ايران سرکوب شده است.» نازنين افشين جم گفت: «حکومت ايران نمی تواند از يک سو انتظار داشته باشد که جامعه جهانی به اهدافش در طرح های هسته ای اعتماد کند، ولی از سوی ديگر، منشور حقوق کودک را که از سوی تمامی جهانيان به رسميت شناخته شده، و ايران نيز عضو آن است، به طور گسترده پايمال کند و حقوق اساسی و آزادی های سياسی مردم ايران را مورد بی حرمتی قرار دهد.»

خانم افشين جم افزود: می کوشد که «صدای بی صدايان» باشد، و تاکيد می کند که «صدای اکثريت ايرانيانی است که به منشور حقوق بشر پايبند هستند و نظامی مردم سالار و لائيک می خواهند و در عين حال، با  مداخله نظامی در ايران مخالفند.» نازنين افشين جم در سال ۱۳۵۸ خورشيدی در ايران به دنيا آمد و هنگامی که هنوز يکساله نشده بود، خانواده اش از ايران مهاجرت کردند. او در سال ۲۰۰۳  با رسيدن به مقام ملکه زيبايی کانادا به شهرت بين المللی دست يافت و همزمان، ايرانيان درون ايران و ميليون ها ايرانی پراکنده در جهان نيز برای نخستين بار با نام او آشنا شدند. خانم افشين جم در آن سال در مسابقات ملکه زيبايی جهان به مقام دوم رسيد و نايب ملکه زيبايی دنيا شد.

تمرکز بر «نقض حقوق بشر» در ایران

او در سال های اخير با بهره گيری از شهرت و توجه بين المللی به زيبايی اش، به پيشبرد حقوق پايمال شده ايرانيان درون ايران اهتمام زيادی نشان داده و ترانه هایی را نيز در آلبوم های خود به اين امر اختصاص داده است. نازنين افشين جم در ترانه مشهور خود به زبان انگليسی به نام «يک روز» از آرزويش برای رسيدن به صلح و رعايت حرمت انسانی در ايران سخن می گويد. وی هنگامی به فعاليت های سياسی و حقوق بشری خود جنبه بين المللی بخشيد که  به او خبر دادند دختری جوان در ايران که مورد تجاوز جنسی قرار گرفته بود، در آستانه سنگسار قرار دارد.  سرانجام، فعاليت های بين المللی نازنين افشين جم توانست موجب لغو حکم مرگ نازنين فاتحی شود. خانم افشين جم با خرسندی از اين موفقيت، تلاش های حقوق بشری خود را دنبال کرد، و تمامی توجه خود را به آشنا کردن جهانيان با اعدام جوانانی در ايران معطوف کرد که به دليل ارتکاب جرايمی در سنين کودکی، اعدام می شوند. وی در اين خصوص اخيرا در اروپا رشته تظاهراتی برگزار کرد و در برابر مقر سازمان عفو بين الملل به اعتراض برخاست.

خانم افشين جم تاکيد دارد که می خواهد ازاعدام ديگر کودکانی که در ايران در آستانه اعدام هستند، جلوگيری کند. نازنين افشين جم  يادآور شده است که تنها از آغاز سال ۲۰۰۸ ميلادی بدين سو، طبق آمار رسمی مقامات ايرانی، شش جوان به اتهام قتل هايی که در سنين کودکی مرتکب شدند، پای چوبه دار رفته اند.  وی يادآوری کرده است که «بيش از ۱۳۰ نوجوان ديگر حکم اعدام گرفته اند» و «پرنده مرگ بر فراز سر آنها  پرواز می کند.»

خانم شيرين عبادی، برنده جايزه صلح نوبل، و ساير فعالان حقوق بشر در ايران نيز می گويند اين نوجوانان هنگامی که به هیجده سالگی می رسند، اعدام می شوند. اين در حالی است که مواردی از اعدام آنان در سنين زير هیجده سالگی نيز ثبت شده است که يک نمونه آن، اعدام يک نوجوان کرد در ماه های اخير بود که طبق شناسنامه اش هنوز هفده سال داشت. در عين حال، دو جوان در هفته های گذشته به اتهام قتلی که در زمان نوجوانی انجام داده بودند، به رغم قول مسئولان قوه قضاييه، بدون حضور وکيل مدافع و حتی بدون آگاهی خانواده شان اعدام شدند.

نازنين افشين جم برای نجات جان اين محکوم شدگان به اعدام در ايران، بنيادی را با نام «اعدام کودکان را متوقف کنيد» تاسيس کرده است.

خيابان اصلی مقر سازمان ملل متحد در انتظار رييس جمهوری اسلامی ايران خواهد بود. محمود احمدی نژاد برای رسيدن به ساختمان سازمان ملل متحد بايد از اين خیابان عبور کند.

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Getting to know NAZANIN :Co-founder & President of SCE

Join Nazanin Afshin-Jam at the UN headquarter in New York between 12-2pm on September 23rd at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza (47th St. & 2nd Ave.) and challenge Iran’s president Ahmadinejad on the human rights abuses in Iran. For more information about the rally visit: http://scenews.blog.com/3849157/

Get to know Nazanin :

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