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RFL/RE – The global death toll from the coronavirus is more than 165,000 with more than 2.4 million infections confirmed, causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the new respiratory illness. Here’s a roundup of COVID-19 developments in RFE/RL’s broadcast regions. Iran Iran has further loosened coronavirus restrictions, opening intercity highways and shopping malls …

RFL/RE – The lawyer of an Iranian-French academic being tried in Tehran on security charges says he expects the court in charge of the case to issue its ruling in the coming days. Fariba Adelkhah’s lawyer told AFP by telephone that Branch 15 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court held a session in her trial on April 19 — the second since …

VOA – Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard acknowledged Sunday it had a tense encounter with U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf last week, but alleged without offering evidence that American forces sparked the incident.  The incident Wednesday saw the U.S. Navy release video of small Iranian fast boats coming close to American warships as they operated in the northern Persian Gulf …

Iran Human Rights – At least 10 prisoners were transferred to solitary confinement and are scheduled to be executed on Tuesday, April 21, or Wednesday. Iran is one of the few countries implementing executions despite the Coronavirus pandemic. According to Iran Human Rights (IHR) sources, 10-12 death row prisoners, mainly sentenced to death for murder charges, were transferred to solitary …

Iran Human Rights (IHR) – Authorities in Iran have scheduled the execution of a juvenile offender identified as Shayan Saeedpour for Tuesday, April 21. IHR calls for the international community’s urgent reactions. IHR’s director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said, ”international pressure is the only means to stop Shayan Saeidpour’s execution.“ According to IHR sources, Iranian judicial authorities notified Shayan Saeedpour’s lawyer that …