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

Iranhumanrights.org – Atena Daemi and Family Still Face Legal Persecution Three of the five new charges brought against imprisoned civil rights advocate Atena Daemi by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC) were dismissed after two policemen made official statements supporting her version of events, an informed source told the Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. Agents of the IRGC’s Sarallah …

Iranhumanrights.org – An informed source close to imprisoned civil rights activist Saeed Shirzad said Shirzad ended his hunger strike after 39 days when “Judiciary and Rajaee Shahr Prison officials met with him and gave assurances” about ending the abuse of prisoners—Shirzad’s main demand. “On Saturday (January 14, 2017), [Rajaee Shahr] Prison’s supervising judge and the prosecutor’s representative came to the …

Iranhumanrights.org – Imprisoned political commentator Issa Saharkhiz began a wet hunger strike on January 14, 2017 to protest a newly issued six-month prison sentence for allegedly “slandering the supreme leader.” Saharkhiz is also attempting to highlight the “repeated violations of the law by the Judiciary and security officials,” said his son, Mehdi Saharkhiz. “My father has announced that if the …

Amensty – Iranian prisoner of conscience and human rights defender Saeed Shirzad ended his 39-day hunger strike on 14 January after the authorities at Karaj’s Raja’i Shahr Prison made an oral promise to address his grievances about the inhumane treatment of political prisoners in the prison. He is now in need of specialized medical care. View report in English: http://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/MDE1355152017ENGLISH.pdf

Al-monitor – As Iran Air has begun receiving its first brand-new, Western-made airplanes in decades, it seems that President Hassan Rouhani’s efforts to lift sanctions have paid off. However, rejuvenating a long dilapidated industry is different from simply renewing a fleet. AUTHOR Ali Dadpay During the past decades, nothing has symbolized the impact of sanctions on Iran as much as …