Human rights

Radiofarda – The Security Chief of Iran’s oil-rich Khuzestan Province on Sunday said all of the individuals that he called “instigators of the protest rally in Behbahan on July 16” have been arrested. Speaking to the government news agency IRNA, Heydar Abbaszadeh said the protest rally was “a transgression”. He claimed that “a handful” of people in Behbahan had rallied …

Radiofarda – In what has been perceived as a victory for the social media campaign against capital punishment in Iran, the country’s Supreme Court has ruled to reconsider the death sentences issued for three young political activists. The trio who are in their twenties are Saeed Tamjidi, Mohammad Rajabi and Amirhossein Moradi, who were arrested for taking part in the …

Iran Human Rights (IHR) – Mahmoud Mousavi-Majd,  a man on death row for alleged charges of espionage, has been executed. He was arrested in 2018 and wrongly described by some officials and domestic media as the man who “disclosed Qasem Soleimani’s location”. According to state media, Mahmoud Mousavi-Majd’s death sentence was carried out this morning, July 20. He was sentenced …

Iran Human Rights (IHR) – There is a growing concern for the imprisoned human rights activist Narges Mohammadi’s health, who her brother says was tested for COVID-19 but the test results have not been revealed. According to Iran Human Rights (IHR), over the past week, there has been worrying news regarding Narges Mohammadi contracting COVID-19. This is while the acute lung condition …

Iran Human Rights (IHR) – Journalist and civil activist in-exile Masih Alinejad’s brother, Alireza Alinejad, has been sentenced to eight years in prison by Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court. As well as condemning the conviction, Iran Human Rights (IHR) calls for an end to the harassment of the families of activists living abroad. Iran Human Rights Director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam …

Radiofarda – Manouchehr Bakhtiari, the father of a slain protester, who had gone to Kish Island in the Persian Gulf to campaign against a 25-year pact with China was arrested and transferred to Bandar Abbas prison from Kish, his brother said on Saturday. In a video message on social media Mehrdad Bakhtiari said the Intelligence Ministry told him Mr. Bakhtiari …

RFL/RE – Iran has suspended the execution of three men linked to anti-government protests in November 2019, one of their lawyers says. Babak Paknia said in a Twitter post on July 19 that the Iranian judiciary had ordered a retrial for the three. The lawyer’s announcement comes after a massive social-media campaign calling for Iran to halt state executions. The …

Radiozamaneh – In Feb 2020, the Iranian judiciary announced that it has sentenced three individuals to death in connection with the nation-wide November 2019 protests that erupted over gasoline price. The protests soon took a more radical turn and became about economic and political conditions of the country. In the protests that took place between 15 and 19 November, security …

Shabtabnews – USCIRF Releases Report on the Anti-cult Movement and Religious Regulation in Russia and Central AsiaWashington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following report:Religious Regulation Issue Update – This issue update explains the legacy of Soviet-era legislation as well as the substantial influence of the western anti-cult movement on contemporary religious regulation in …

Radiofarda – In an unprecedented move, the Islamic Republic intelligence agents have interrogated two detained university students in a public meeting, says Aida Younessi, the sister of one of the detainees. Ms. Younesi’s brother, Ali, and Amir Hossein Moradi were interrogated in a general meeting of prosecutors, intelligence officials and others on July 14, without having access to their attorneys. …