Human rights

Shabtabnews – Yesterday USCIRF published its annual report on religious freedom. The report highlighted the sharp decline in religious freedom conditions witnessed in Afghanistan and many other countries like Iran. For full USCIRF report see below document: 2022-USCIRF-Annual-Report_1Download

Iranwire – A man has been arrested in Iran for posting a video of himself online in clerical garb and claiming to be the twelfth Shiite Imam. The man published the video on Sunday, announcing that he was “the Lord of the Ages, the Promised Mahdi, and the one who endures with Allah”: all names for the mythical “hidden” Imam …

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) – Elite students Ali Younesi and Amirhossein Moradi who were held in pretrial detention for two years, have been sentenced to 16 years imprisonment by the court of first instance. Condemning the unjust sentences, Iran Human Rights calls for the acquittal and release of the students. Iran Human Rights Director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said: “This unjust conviction …

VOA -U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Iran on Saturday to release an American citizen he said has been held for years as a “political pawn,” as the nations inch toward restoration of a nuclear deal. Emad Sharghi was sentenced to 10 years in prison on spying charges, Iranian media reported in January 2021, saying he was detained trying …

RFL/RE – When Iranian women recently tried to enter a soccer match between Iran and Lebanon in Mashhad on March 29, they were violently beaten by guards at the stadium, despite holding tickets. The decision to again exclude female fans has caused widespread anger in Iran. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-female-soccer-mashhad-violence-human-rights/31814616.html

amnesty – This briefing documents how Iranian officials are committing shocking violations of the right to life by deliberately denying ailing prisoners lifesaving healthcare and refusing to investigate and ensure accountability for unlawful deaths in custody. The briefing details the circumstances surrounding the deaths in custody of 92 men and four women in 30 prisons in 18 provinces across Iran …

RFL/RE – Teachers have taken to the streets of several cities in Iran, including the capital, Tehran, to demand fair wages, better working conditions, and the release of their jailed colleagues.Reports suggest that the protests on April 21 were held under tight security. Amateur video posted online showed protesters in Shiraz chanting: “Imprisoned teachers must be released.” هم اکنون تجمع معلمان در …

Iranwire – The Iranian children’s rights advocate Atena Daemi was released from prison on January 24, 2022, after five years of arbitrary detention. The 34-year-old has spoken to IranWire about her ordeal and that of others in Qarchak Women’s Prison, where inmates are stripped of their humanity and dignity, seemingly by design. In this Varamin jail, she said, even the clothes the women arrive …

Iranwire – “The confiscation of Baha’i properties has been one of the main features of the persecution of the Baha’is in Iran,” said Simin Fahandej, Representative of the Baha’i International Community (BIC) to the United Nations in Geneva, during IranWire’s April 20 online international event on religious minorities, adding that such confiscations have “not stopped” in the past couple of …

Iranwire – The International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance – a network of 35 like-minded countries created to promote Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that all peoples have freedom to believe or not believe, to change faith, to meet alone for prayer or together for worship – issued a new statement today noting “with …