Social and Political

Amnesty – The UN Human Rights Council adopted the outcome of the Universal Periodic Review on the Islamic Republic of Iran on 12 March 2020 during its 43rd session. This is Amnesty International’s statement on the outcome prior to the adoption of the report of the review. View report in English DOWNLOAD PDF

CHRI – In addition to renowned filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof, three members of the Iranian Writers Association (IWA)—Baktash Abtin, Reza Khandan Mahabadi and Keyvan Bajan—have been summoned to prison as other inmates are being reportedly released to prevent more COVID-19 outbreaks, the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) has learned. “I’m sure it upsets them very much that I made a new film …

Al-Monitor – As of March 12, Pakistan had reported just 21 coronavirus cases of the new coronavirus, but the country’s shared border and trade activity with Iran has officials concerned as a number of the Pakistanis who have been infected had traveled to Iran. Iran reported March 12 that its official number of COVID-19 cases had jumped by 1,075 over 24 hours to reach 10,075, …

Radiofarda – Iran’s Revolutionary Guard affiliated Fars News Agency on March 21 published a list of senior officials and politicians who have tested positive or died from coronavirus (COVID-19). First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri is included among those who have tested positive and in isolation. Es’haq Jahangiri, Iran’s First Vice-President Jahangiri had not been seen in public for several days …

Shabtabnews – On March 11th, IOPHR wrote and open letter to Mr. Josep Borrell Fontelles, (Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy & Vice-President of the European Commission), regarding the Iranian Government’s struggles dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak in Iran. In the letter IOPHR warns the EU that the Iranian ruling government does not seem to pay …

Radiofarda – For the first time since 1962 Iran has asked the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for emergency funding to help it fight the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, which has infected more than 10,000 people and claimed hundreds of lives so far. In a tweet on Thursday Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Iran’s Central Bank has requested immediate access to funding …

Radiofarda – Speaking in Washington at House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday the U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Iran sanctions do not prohibit humanitarian contributions to ease coronavirus pressure on Iran. Britain, France and Germany offered Iran a package of material and financial support to combat the rapid spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) on March 3 and pledged 5 million euros …

Radiofarda – Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has included Iran’s Cyberspace Supreme Council among the twenty worst digital predators in 2020 in a list published to mark this year’s World Day Against Cyber-Censorship, celebrated on 12 March. RSF asserts that the Iranian Cyberspace Supreme Council uses digital technology to “spy on and harass” journalists and thereby “jeopardize people’s ability to get …

RFL/RE – The Iranian Civil Aviation Organization has agreed to send the flight recorders from a downed Ukrainian passenger plane to Kyiv for analysis, an Iranian diplomat said. Tehran has also invited other interested countries to participate in reading the data from the black boxes, Farhard Parvaresh, who heads Iran’s delegation at the UN’s Montreal-based International Civil Aviation Organization, told …

RFL/RE – Air strikes in eastern Syria have killed 26 fighters from an Iran-backed Iraqi paramilitary group following a deadly attack on U.S.-led coalition forces in neighboring Iraq. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the March 12 strikes near the border town of Albu Kamal were probably carried out by the coalition, which did not immediately comment. Syrian …