A/HRC/22/48 Hafezi, was charged with spreading lies and propaganda against the system 25 and the wire agency’s operations suspended, after a story mistakenly entitled “Thousands of female Ninjas train as Iran’s assassins” was published in February 2012, despite the agency’s apologies (see A/67/327). 34. On 22 August 2012, security forces arrested over 30 earthquake relief workers and volunteers, who were offering supplies to earthquake victims in Eastern Azerbaijan that had been struck by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake on 11 August. The earthquake left at least 306 people dead, over 3,037 wounded and thousands homeless.26 Those arrested included Hossein Rohaghi Maleki, blogger, and Navid Khanjani, human rights activist. Both were reportedly charged with distributing unclean and non-hygienic goods, and reportedly subjected to torture and other physical assault in a facility run by the Ministry of Intelligence in Tabriz. 2. Situation of political activists 35. In his remarks at the School of International Relations in Tehran, on 30 August 2012, the Secretary-General stressed the importance of opening up space for free expression and debate, and noted that restricting freedom of expression and suppressing social activism will only “set back” development and plant the seeds of instability. The Secretary-General noted it was critical for the voices of the Iranian people to be heard during the presidential elections and urged the authorities to release opposition leaders, human rights defenders, journalists and social activists to create the conditions for free expression and open debate. The Secretary-General regrets that the Iranian authorities have taken few steps to ease sanctions against lawyers, human rights defenders, women rights activists and political activists, and remain concerned that independent voices have been further stifled ahead of Presidential election in June 2013. 36. However, in a welcome development, 130 prisoners held on political and security related charges were pardoned or had their prison terms commuted under a clemency order issued by the Supreme Leader on the eve of Eid al-Fitr in August 2012. Those released include Nazaneen Khosravani, journalist, who had been sentenced to six years imprisonment on charges of propaganda against the system and colluding against national security. At the same time, hundreds of political prisoners remain imprisoned and the two opposition leaders, Hossein Mossavi and Mehdi Karoubi, remain under house arrest. The ongoing house arrest of opposition leaders and imprisonment of political activists could limit the potential for credible, inclusive and participatory presidential elections scheduled for 14 June 2013. 37. Faezeh Hashemi and Mehdi Hashemi Rafsanjani, the daughter and son of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Chief of the Expediency Council and former President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, were both arrested by the authorities. Faezeh Hashemi was arrested on 22 September to serve a six-month jail sentence, apparently linked to her participation in an opposition rally in February 2011. On 30 December, she was placed in solitary confinement. Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani was taken into custody at Tehran airport on 24 September after returning from 36 months of exile abroad. He was held at Evin prison on charges related to his role in the 2009 post-election unrest, transmitting sensitive information to foreigners and espionage. On 17 December, he was released on bail equivalent of 8 million US dollars.27 Ebrahim Yazdi, Chairman of the Freedom Movement 25 26 27 Tehran Times, “Jury finds Reuters bureau chief in Iran guilty”. Available from www.tehrantimes.com/politics/101932-jury-finds-reuters-bureau-chief-in-iran-guilty. See www.odvv.org/news-target-print-145. See www.tehrantimes.com/politics/104772-indictment-issued-for-mehdi-hashemi. 11