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

Iran-HRM – On Tuesday, May 4, a young ethnic Arab man in Ahvaz was murdered because of his sexual orientation. Shortly afterwards, the Iranian lesbian and transgender network 6Rang (Six Colours) named the victim as 20-year-old Ali Fazeli Monfared, known as Alireza. The young native of Khuzestan’s provincial capital was reportedly taken by members of his own family to the …

Iran-HRM – Dangerous inmates in the political prisoners’ ward in the Central Prison of Urmia beat up and brutalized political prisoners Ebrahim Khalil Sedighi Hamedi and his son, Salar, on May 5, 2021, reports from this prison say. Prison authorities in the Central Prison of Urmia forcibly transferred this father and son to the political prisoners’ ward where, six months …

Reuters – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday he was optimistic over talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and suggested a deal had been reached to lift the main sanctions on Tehran, state media reported. Only the details remained to be agreed, Rouhani said, though there was no immediate confirmation from U.S. officials or from …

Shabtabnews – Since 1979 Iran’s government has shown a consistent disregard for the rights of religious minority communities who  run afoul of the government’s narrow interpretation of Shi’a Islam. Even the majority Shi’a Muslim population must adhere to the government’s religious doctrine of Leadership of the Jurist (vilayt e-faqih). Those with alternative or differing opinions have suffered harassment, surveillance, arrest, …

RFL/RE – Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is urging Iranian authorities to release from prison three journalists who it said are being denied appropriate medical care after “almost certainly” catching COVID-19 while in detention. Baktash Abtin, Reza Khandan Mahabadi, and Kayvan Samimi Behbahani “must be freed at once,” the Paris-based media freedom watchdog said on May 7. Abtin and Mahabadi are members of the …