Iranwire – As temperature rises, you feel a tug of apprehension before stepping out onto the street. You drape a scarf over your head, but as you catch a glimpse of your reflection in the mirror, self-disgust fills you. You summon the courage to toss the scarf around your neck and tell yourself, “Don’t be afraid!” You tuck it into …

Iranwire – The trial of Iranian civil rights activist Sepideh Qoliyan could not take place because she refused to wear the mandatory hijab during the hearing, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported on July 19.  Government media said that the trial could be watched online. Qoliyan is serving a two-year prison sentence in Tehran’s Evin prison for “insulting” the Islamic …

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) – State media have reported the execution of an unnamed man for rape during the course of a robbery in Dezful Prison. According to ISNA, a man was executed in Dezful Prison in Khuzestan province. His identity and the exact date of the execution has not been specified. Mehdi Amadeh, the Dezful Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor …

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) – Faramarz Nezami and Asghar Rahimian were executed for drug-related charges in Zanjan Central Prison. According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Zanjan Central Prison in on 17 July. Their identities have been established as 40-year-old Faramarz Nezami and Asghar Rahimian. They were sentenced to death for drug-related charges by …

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) – Habibollah Ilkhani who was sentenced to qisas(retribution-in-kind) for murder, has been executed in Kermanshah Central Prison. According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Kermanshah Central Prison on 18 July. His identity has been established as 50-year-old Habibollah Ilkhani who was sentenced to qisas for murder. Hengaw which broke news of his execution …

Al-Arabia – Saudi Arabia and Iran have agreed to bolster economic ties despite lingering political disagreements, Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said. “The agreement with my Saudi counterpart [Prince Faisal bin Farhan] is that at this stage, we should strengthen the commercial, economic and investment cooperation between the two countries despite having different political views in some areas,” Amir-Abdollahian said in …

RFL/RE – Iran has removed gender justice from the country’s latest development program, sparking an outcry among activists who say the Islamic regime continues to marginalize women’s rights even as widespread unrest over their suppression rocks the country. The vice president for women and family affairs, Ensieh Khazali, said in an interview with the Tehran-based ISNA state news agency on July 18 …

Iranwire – Retirees, teachers and other workers staged protests in at least nine Iranian cities on July 18 to demand union rights and better living conditions amid growing anger over soaring prices. Videos shared on social media show rallies in Ahvaz Shiraz, Hamedan, Alborz, Kermanshah, Yazd, Shiraz, Sanandaj, Ardabil, Karaj and other cities across Iran. Most protesting retirees gathered outside …

Iranwire – Security agents descended upon the Tehran residence of Keyvan Rahimian, a Baha’i citizen, and took him into custody on Tuesday. The motive behind his arrest and the specific charges against him remain undisclosed. Shortly after being apprehended, Rahimian managed to make contact with his family, informing them that he had been transferred to Evin Prison, a notorious facility …

Iranwire – The Czech Republic will extradite a Georgian national wanted in the United States over a plot to kill Iranian-American journalist and activist Masih Alinejad. “I consider the extradition of Polad Omarov to the United States…the correct decision after considering all circumstances,” Czech Justice Minister Pavel Blazek said in a tweet on July 18. Alinejad also took to Twitter to …