Shabtabnews In this dark night, I have lost my way – Arise from a corner, oh you the star of guidance.

CHRI – A political prisoner held in Evin Prison since 2009 has harshly criticized a state-organized “dolled-up” tour of the facility by a group of foreign diplomats in July 2017 that was used by state officials and media to gloss over the prison’s well–documented history of ongoing human rights violations. “When I saw your photos in the newspaper sitting under the trees [in the Evin Prison lawn], I wished those …

Al-monitor — Former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his inner circle have been at the center of a storm on the Iranian political stage in recent weeks, with senior aide Hamid Baghaei hurling brazen accusations of rights abuses at the judiciary. AUTHOR Fereshteh Sadeghi Baghaei, a former vice president for executive affairs, made the accusations on July 26 after being released from 18 days in …

Al-monitor  – Imagery of the decapitated body of Mohsen Hojjaji, a fighter from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) who was dispatched to Syria, surfaced on Iranian social media Aug. 9. Earlier, the Islamic State (IS) had shared video of Hojjaji’s capture on the Syrian-Iraqi border during a surprise attack that left a number of people dead. Iranian officials and social media users immediately sent their condolences …

RFL/RE – An Iraqi leader has said his country will take the role as mediator between rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran, media in Iraq and Iran are reporting. Iraqi Interior Minister Qasim al-Arraji on August 13 said Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman had requested Iraq get involved to help ease tensions between Riyadh and Tehran, according to Iran’s semiofficial ISNA …

RFL/RE – Iran’s parliament has ended the death penalty for certain drug violations, raising the thresholds that can trigger capital punishment in a move that could prevent thousands from being executed. The long-awaited amendment to drug trafficking laws was approved on August 13 after months of debate and must still be ratified by the powerful clerical body, the Guardians Council, and …