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gatestoneinstitute.org – A Belgian court has temporarily prohibited the Belgian government from exchanging an Iranian diplomat convicted of terrorism for a Belgian citizen being held in Iran on dubious charges of espionage. The court’s ruling represents a potential blow to a controversial new prisoner exchange treaty, which critics say will embolden the Iranian government to step up its practice of …

gatestoneinstitute.org – Samin Ehsani had been running educational courses for Afghan children living in Iran, but who did not have access to education in the country. During the trial, her activities were presented as an example of the charges against her. In Iran, an estimated 300,000 followers of the Baha’i faith are being denied many fundamental rights such as access …

Some weeks ago Iran arrested some high level officials and senior members of the political and defense establishments on charges of spying for Israel according to the New York Times. Brig. Gen. Ali Nasiri of the information unit in the IRGC and Hossein Taeb IRGC’s intelligence chief of 12 years, were among the senior officials sacked, which sparked an outrage …

Shabtabnews – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today condemned the Iranian government’s increased crackdown on religious minorities in the country. In recent weeks, Iran has arrested scores of Baha’is and raided their homes and destroyed Baha’i houses in Mazandaran province. In addition, Iranian authorities have escalated their targeting of women who do not conform to the government’s endorsed version of …

Shabtabnews – IOPHR in a open letter, to the Deputy Commissioner of the European Commission and High Representative of the European Union in Foreign Policy and Security Affairs, requested that any agreement with the ruling regime of Iran be firmly conditional on the regime’s strict compliance with international human rights standards. The letter stated that such conditionality is a necessity …

gatestoneinstitute.org – Worse still, [Putin] may already be plotting to open diversionary fronts to confuse his adversaries and stretch their resources. One such front is already taking shape as Serbia, under a pro-Putin team, prepares to invade Kosovo, which is likely to drag in Albania as well. Another front is also looming in Moldova, where Putin has been shipping vast …

Shabtabnews – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report: Pakistan Country Update – This report examines religious freedom conditions and the growing intolerance for religious diversity fueled by extremism and existing problematic Pakistani legislation, citing recent attacks against religious minorities in the country. Religious minorities or anyone who interprets or practices their faith …

Shabtabnews – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today condemned the Iranian government’s increased crackdown on religious minorities in the country. In recent weeks, Iran has arrested scores of Baha’is and raided their homes and destroyed Baha’i houses in Mazandaran province. In addition, Iranian authorities have escalated their targeting of women who do not conform to the government’s endorsed version of …

Shabtabnews – IOPHR has initiated a petition for the unjustly imprisoned human rights activist Maryam Akbari Monfared. See below: Maryam’s Story Iranian Human Rights Activist Maryam Akbari Monfared was arrested on 31 December 2009 and was forcibly disappeared for five months. She was detained in solitary confinement for the first 43 days of her imprisonment and interviewed without access to …

Shabtabnews – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today joined communities around the world in commemorating the eighth anniversary of the Yazidi Genocide perpetrated in Iraq by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).   “Today, USCIRF remembers the thousands of Yazidi people who perished in the campaign of ethnic and religious cleansing by ISIS,” USCIRF Commissioner Stephen Schneck said. …