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

RFL/RE – Iranian judicial officials say security forces have arrested 21 alleged Islamic State (IS) extremists in the northeastern city of Mashhad. Mashhad’s Deputy Prosecutor-General Hassan Heidari says some of those arrested are Iranians and others are Afghans who entered Iran with “fake documents.” Heidari was quoted by Iranian media on July 7 as saying that some detainees participated in “terrorist …

Iran Human Rights  –  On the morning of Wednesday July 5, eight prisoners were reportedly hanged at Rajai Shahr Prison. According to close sources, the prisoners were likely executed on murder charges. Iran Human Rights has obtained the names of four of these prisoners: Ghahreman Abbaspour, Abbas Yousefi, Nasser Avangah and Omid Rostami. The eight individuals were among a group of …

Amnesty – Iranian spiritual teacher Mohammad Ali Taheri is awaiting his second hearing due to take place in July. The authorities are prosecuting him for “spreading corruption on earth”. He has been held in solitary confinement for over six years in Tehran’s Evin prison. If convicted, he can be sentenced to death. To view report: http://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/MDE1366432017ENGLISH.pdf

CHRI – Iranian police units arrested several ethnic Azerbaijani rights activists at a peaceful protest gathering in Ghaleh Babak in East Azerbaijan Province on June 30, 2017, the Center for Human Rights (CHRI) in Iran has learned. An eyewitness, who asked not to be identified, told CHRI on July 5 that six detainees were released the same day, while six others …

CHRI – Three Azeri men and one Iranian man, all Protestant Christian converts, have been sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Revolutionary Court in Iran, according to Mansour Borji, the advocacy director of Article 18, an organization that defends Christians in Iran. No evidence was presented by the prosecution during the trial to show the defendants had acted against …