Human rights

christiandaily – Three Christian converts in Iran are now facing flogging as punishment for taking “illegal” Holy Communion wine. (Reuters/Ulises Rodriguez)A member of the Mara Salvatrucha gang receives communion from a priest at the prison of Ciudad Barrios, March 26, 2012. On May 13, Iranian police took three Christians along with Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani and his wife for taking “illegal” Holy …

IOPHRI –

Amnesty – The trial of Nizar Zakka, a Lebanese national and permanent US resident held in detention in Tehran’s Evin Prison since September 2015, has concluded after two brief sessions before Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran. His health is deteriorating but the authorities are denying him access to medical care. View report in English https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/MDE1348472016ENGLISH.pdf

PayvandNews – In a Friday statement, the Iranian Judiciary’s Human Rights Council said the September 13 statement by Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, is “surprising” and “regrettable” as he is already aware of Tehran’s cooperative measures over the past few years At the 33rd session of the Human Rights Council on September 13, Ra’ad Hussein …

Iran Human Rights – Three prisoners were reportedly hanged at Shiraz’s Adel Abad Prison on the morning of Tuesday September 13.  Two prisoners sentenced to death for armed robbery and one prisoner sentenced to death for rape were reportedly executed at Shiraz’s Adel Abad Prison (Fars province, southern Iran). According to the press departments of the Prosecutor General and the …

Iranhumanrights.org – Translator Marjan Davari has been held in Evin Prison’s Women’s Ward for almost a year without knowing the formal charges against her and while being denied proper legal counsel and medical treatment, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran has learned. “September 23 [2016] will be a year since Ms. Davari was detained,” a source told the …

Iranhumanrights.org – Imprisoned Christian convert Maryam (Nasim) Naghash Zargaran, who has been hospitalized since August 28, 2016 for heart problems, has been denied an extension of her medical furlough (temporary leave), a source told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. “After going through two hunger strikes in Evin Prison, prison officials and the prosecutor allowed her to go on furlough …

Radiozamaneh – Former Tehran Prosecutor, Saeed Mortazavi, accused of orchestrating the abuse and death of political detainees during the election protests of 2009 in Iran, has issued a public letter addressed to the judge apologizing to the survivors and families of the victims.   Mortazavi who stands trial has expressed hopes that such events would never be repeated; the matter …

Radiozamaneh – Canadian and Irish academic communities have taken further initiatives to speak out against the arrest of Homa Hoodfar, Iranian-Canadian professor who is currently held prisoner in Iran.   Early September a group of academics gathered in front of the Iranian embassy in Ireland to protest the detention of Homa Hoodfar and call for her release. Hoodfar also holds …

Radiozamaneh – Iranian authorities reacted to UN condemnation of executions of prisoners convicted of trafficking drugs. The report from Ahmad Shaheed, the UN Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran referencing the execution of drug related convicts drew fire from International Affairs Deputy of Human Rights Headquarters of Iran’s Judiciary who described the report as politically biased and in service of …