Human rights

Iran-HRM – The number of women and youth working as porters (or back carriers) has increased dramatically in the Iranian border provinces of Kurdistan, West Azerbaijan, and Kermanshah. This was reported by the state-run Hamshahri daily on January 22. Unemployment crisis in Iran is one of the reasons why women have been dragged into this job. Women have to carry …

Iran-HRM – A teenage protester attempted suicide in the Greater Tehran Penitentiary at noon on Saturday, January 25.Siamak Momeni, less than 18 years old, was arrested in Parand during the protests in Iran in November 2019.He committed suicide by cutting his wrist after he learned of his 10-year sentence issued by the Revolutionary Court of Tehran for “association and collusion and propaganda …

CHRI – In a new rule that severely discriminates against all unrecognized minority religions in Iran, the state-issued National Identity Card—which is required for almost all government and other transactions—will only allow citizens to register as one of the country’s recognized religions. This means anyone applying for the card who is not of the official Muslim faith or one of …

Radiofarda – Recent reports on social media say the Islamic Republic of Iran has removed the option for “other religions” from the new application forms for the Smart National ID cards. Therefore, in the past several months, Baha’i citizens have been denied obtaining the ID cards. Article 13 of the Islamic Republic Constitution stipulates that “Zoroastrian, Jewish, and Christian Iranians …

RFL/RE – The husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian woman who has been detained in Iran for almost four years, says she is being used as a “chess piece” in foreign policy.Speaking on January 23 following talks with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Richard Ratcliffe said there has been “no breakthrough” in efforts to secure his wife’s release and urged …

Amnesty – Chilling eyewitness testimonies and verified video analysis by Amnesty International confirm that security forces have resumed their campaign of deadly violence against largely peaceful protesters in Baghdad and cities in southern Iraq, the organization warned today.The crackdown on renewed protests from 20-22 January saw at least 10 people killed in Baghdad, Basra, Karbala and Diyala, according to the …

Amnesty – Houshmand Alipour, from Iran’s Kurdish minority, is at risk of execution after he was sentenced to death on 29 December 2019 following an unfair trial. Mohammad Ostadghader, also an Iranian Kurd, was sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment in the same trial. Both were denied access to lawyers of their own choosing and say they were forced to give …

Iran-HRM – Jailed social media activist Mehrdad Mohammadnejad, was transferred today from Evin prison to the notorious Fashafuye prison. The 23 year old economy student has been serving a three-year sentence on the charges of “insulting officials and agents” and “spreading propaganda against the regime.” Mehrdad Mohammadnejad was detained due to his activities on social media. According to an informed source, …

Iran-HRM – One month after the arrest of a teachers’ rights activist, Iranian authorities have extended a temporary detention order against him. A member of the teachers association of Tehran, Jafar Ebrahimi was arrested on December 26 while attending a ceremony for the victims of the November protests. He has been held in a solitary confinement in ward 8 of Rajaei Shahr …

Iran-HRM – There is no information on the whereabouts of Fatemeh (Mary) Mohammadi, an Iranian Christian who was arrested during the recent protests in Tehran. Iranian authorities have not provided any information regarding her whereabouts and well-being since January 12, when she was arrested in Tehran’s Azadi Square. Mohammadi published a series of tweets on the day she was arrested, …