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

RFL/RE – With lyrics that criticize Iran’s Islamic establishment — condemning state repression and injustice — rapper Toomaj Salehi has gained fans among Iranians who are angry at the country’s leadership. His lyrics also have upset Iranian authorities, who ordered his arrest earlier this month. Salehi was aware that he could be targeted by the Iranian regime for his lyrics. …

Iranwire – The trial of ex-Gohardasht Prison official Hamid Nouri for his role in Iran’s 1988 prison massacre is ongoing in Sweden. Witnesses have taken to the stand one by one in recent weeks to recount their memories of the defendant sat before them in Stockholm District Court: how he walked them down the corridor to face the death panel, and escorted their cellmates …

Iranwire – Sepideh Gholian, a young journalist and civil rights activist, was recently released from Iran’s Buhshehr Prison. As ever, the 26-year-old wasted no time in speaking out about the abysmal conditions and sexual harassment of female inmates she had observed there in a series of shocking tweets on September 9. On Wednesday, September 22, Sepideh posted a picture of a new court …

Iranwire – Protests against unpaid salaries, unfair dismissal and poor working conditions continue in Khuzestan province after renewed anger erupted in early September. Laborers, telecommunications company employees and city council workers for Kut Abdollah Municipality are among those demanding their rights to be upheld. The Kut Abdollah protests erupted several days ago, with employees gathering outside the council building to express anger that their …

Iran-HRM – Numerous accounts of the horrific torture to force prisoners to confess have been published so far, including the tortures that the Afkari brothers endured and led to the execution of wrestling champion Navid Afkari. Such torture and inhumane treatment have never been portrayed on any camera, even in recent leaked videos from Evin Prison. Pouya Hossein Panahi, one of the relatives of …