Iranwire – The Islamic Republic’s authorities have been cracking down on members of the Iranian diaspora who participate in protest rallies outside Iran, IranWire reveals.   Since Mahsa Amini’s death numerous incidents have emerged, including arrests on espionage charges, interrogations at airports, confiscation and examination of mobile phones and laptops, passport seizures, and reports of Iranians living abroad being approached for …

Iranwire – After news broke of the killing of a park sweeper accused of disrespecting flags erected for a government ceremony, Iranian social media users called for accountability and transparency. The incident, reported by Hamshahri Online on February 18, occurred in Tehran two days before the government ceremony marking the anniversary of the 1979 Iranian Revolution.  According to the report, …

Iranwire – The Iranian Supreme Council of Cyberspace has criminalized the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) without a legal license, marking a significant escalation in restrictions on online access within the country, where internet filtering is already prevalent. The purchase and sale of VPNs were previously made illegal in Iran.  The new resolution expands the ban to encompass their …

Iranwire – An 18-year-old Iranian teenager died in November under suspicious circumstances after being transferred to Shahr Reza prison in Isfahan province, the Dadban legal group said on February 20.  Arian Ghorbanishenas was arrested on November 20, 2023, following an altercation with friends and accusations of alcohol consumption.  Ghorbanishenas appeared in court the next day “in good physical condition and …

Iranwire – Iranian authorities have taken punitive measures against three prominent political prisoners who had intensified their criticisms of the Islamic Republic ahead of parliamentary elections. Sociologist Saeed Madani, activist Hossein Razzaq and Mostafa Tajzadeh, a former deputy interior minister under reformist President Mohammad Khatami, have said they would boycott the parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections on March 1. In …

Iranwire – It has been 17 months since Mahsa Amini died in the custody of the notorious Molarity Police, sparking months of nationwide protests. However, the authorities continue to coerce women into wearing the mandatory hijab.  A video circulating on social media shows a woman on a busy street next to a van bearing the insignia of the Morality Police. …

Iranwire – Sori Babaei, a political prisoner who was granted temporary release last week to search for her missing daughter, has been threatened with rape by a judge while in custody, IranWire has learned.  Aida Moradbehrouzi, the 14-year-old daughter of Babaei and Mohammed Reza Moradbehrouzi, a former political detainee, has been missing for more than two weeks now, along with …

Iranwire – Christian rights organizations have documented a significant increase in the number of arrests of Christians in Iran last year, raising concerns about religious freedom in the country. According to Article 18’s annual report published on January 19, at least 166 Christians were arrested across the country in 2023, compared to 134 the previous year. Arrests came in waves …

RFL/RE – A rise in suicides among medical residents at Iranian schools, revealed in an interview with the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) with Vahid Shariat, has highlighted a growing crisis within Iran’s medical community. Shariat, head of the Iranian Psychiatric Association, said in the interview dated February 18 that the Iranian Medical Council recorded 16 deaths over the past year among …

RFL/RE – Iran’s so-called axis of resistance is a loose network of proxies, Tehran-backed militant groups, and an allied state actor. The network is a key element of Tehran’s strategy of deterrence against perceived threats from the United States, regional rivals, and primarily Israel. Active in the Palestinian Occupied Territories, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, the axis gives Iran the …