Human rights

Iranwire – An Iranian court has sentenced prominent sports journalist Ehsan Pirbornash to 18 years in prison, his wife says, amid an intensifying clampdown on the media in the country. “Despite having a letter from the prison’s doctor stating that he is sick and could not tolerate imprisonment, and despite my husband’s innocence, Ehsan Pirbornash was sentenced today to 18 years in …

VOA – U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk said Tuesday Iran is violating international human rights law with its execution of people involved in protests. “The weaponization of criminal procedures to punish people for exercising their basic rights — such as those participating in or organizing demonstrations — amounts to state sanctioned killing,” Türk said in a statement. Iran has …

Iranwire – An Iranian court has sentenced Mostafa Hosseini Tabatabaei, an Islamologist and scholar of Quran, and seven of his students to a total of 28 years in prison and deprivation of civil rights for their views on Shia Islam. Branch 26 of Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced Tabatabaei to eight years in prison. The other defendants in the case (Abdolhamid …

Iranwire – Iranian authorities have arrested a member of the country’s persecuted Baha’i religious minority in the northern city of Qaemshahr, IranWire has learnt, amid an intensified crackdown on the faith. The news about Matin Gorji’s arrest comes amid rising concerns over the fate of another jailed Baha’i, Pouya Sarraf, who has been in solitary confinement for more than two …

VOA – U.S. officials on Monday criticized Iran’s execution of two people in connection with anti-government protests and expressed concern that Iran could soon put more people to death after unfair trials as part of a crackdown. State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters the United States condemns the executions of Mohammad Mehdi Karami and Mohammad Hosseini “in the strongest …

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) – At least 481 people including 64 children and 35 women, have been killed by security forces in the current nationwide protests. The death toll increase relates to recently verified cases from the first two months of the protests. Furthermore, at least 109 protesters are currently at risk of execution, death penalty charges or sentences. This …

RFL/RE – Three women from Ukraine, Iran, and Turkey have won Sweden’s Olof Palme human rights prize in 2023 for championing women’s rights and freedoms. Marta Chumalo of Ukraine, Iran’s Narges Mohammadi, and Eren Keskin of Turkey were honored for “their efforts in the fight to secure women’s freedom, in an age when human rights are threatened by war, violence …

Iranwire – Hundreds of people gathered outside a prison in the northern Iranian city of Karaj overnight in an attempt to prevent the reported imminent execution of two young protesters. The opposition activist collective 1500tasvir reported that Mohammad Baroghani and Mohammad Ghobadlou were transferred to solitary confinement at Rejaei Shahr prison, which is often a preliminary step before execution. همزمان …

Iranwire – An Iranian court has sentenced to death three men allegedly involved in the killing of three members of the security forces, the judiciary says, bringing to at least 17 the number of people handed capital punishment in connection with nearly three months of nationwide protests. Four of those convicted have been executed so far. Saleh Mirhashemi, Majid Kazemi …

Iranwire – Iranian security forces have arrested 13 participants in a ceremony held in Tehran to honor a 19-year-old victim of the Islamic Republic’s ongoing brutal crackdown on nationwide protests. Family members and other mourners gathered at Hamidreza Rohi’s grave in Behesht Zahra cemetery on January 7 to mark the 40th day since his death. Special police forces and plainclothes …