Students Challenge Minister’s Claim That No One in Iran is Banned From University for Political Reasons
Majid Dorri(right) and Mahdieh Golru protesting in front of the Science Ministry in ...
Free Expression
Baha’is Still Misunderstood in Iran, Says Former Leader After Serving 10 Years in Prison
Baha’i leader Behrouz Tavakkoli has spoken out about the Iranian government’s “misunderstandings” about his minority faith. Tavakkoli spoke to the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) on December 15, 2017, 11 days after his release from Rajaee Shahr Prison where he served a 10-year-prison sentence for his religious beliefs. “Those ...
Three Years Later, Conservatives Are Still Blocking “I’m Not Angry” From Screening in Iran
After finally receiving approval to screen his movie “I’m Not Angry” in Iran, director Reza Dormishian’s film was suddenly removed from theaters before its scheduled national premiere on December ...
Iran’s State TV Aired Forced Confession of Ahmadreza Djalali Because He Refused to Spy for Iran
A screenshot of a clip of Ahmadreza Djalali’s so-called “confession” on Iran’s state-run IRIB state TV. Iranian state TV aired a forced confession by Ahmadreza Djalali because ...
Tehran Prosecutor’s Office Ignores Imprisoned Iranian-Austrian’s Request for Back Operation
The Tehran prosecutor's office has ignored a request by imprisoned Iranian-Austrian dual national Kamran Ghaderi for an urgent back operation, his wife told ...
Iran’s Judiciary Should Free Labor Activist Reza Shahabi Who Suffered Stroke
Update: Reza Shahabi was released on March 19, 2018. December 19, 2017—The Iranian judiciary should immediately free ailing trade unionist Reza Shahabi, who recently suffered a stroke in Rajaee Shahr Prison, and allow him ...
Iran’s Culture Ministry Successfully Pressures Iranian Director to Cancel Film Screening in Canada
Iranian director Abdolreza Kahani cancelled a screening of one of his films in Canada after Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance threatened to ban his next film in ...
In Letter From Evin Prison, Narges Mohammadi Demands Judiciary Stop Violating Due Process Rights
Political prisoner Narges Mohammadi has criticized Iran’s judiciary and security organizations for holding detainees in solitary confinement for prolonged periods without charge while trying to build a case against them. In an open ...
Rajaee Shahr Prison Officials Refuse to Hospitalize Labor Activist Reza Shahabi After He Has a Stroke
An imprisoned trade unionist, Reza Shahabi, has been denied hospitalization despite suffering a stroke, according to a statement by the ...
Judge Demands Political Prisoner Mohammad Ali Taheri Pick Lawyer from Judiciary’s List
Judge Salavati Often Assigned to Issue Harsh Sentences in Political Cases The judge who will re-sentence imprisoned spiritual thinker Mohammad Ali Taheri for the charge of “corruption on earth” has demanded that ...
Iran’s Intelligence Ministry Has Been Pressuring Families Of “Chain Murder” Victims to Be Silent for Decades
Sohrab Mokhtari is the son of writer Mohammad Mokhtari, who was murdered by agents of Iran’s Intelligence Ministry in 1998. The families of intellectuals and dissidents murdered by agents of Iran’s Intelligence Ministry in the 1990s ...
Baluchi Imprisoned For Brother’s Alleged Terrorist Links Hunger Strikes Against Repeated Beatings
Mohammad Saber Malek-Raeisi, imprisoned in Iran for the last eight years solely because of his brother’s alleged links with a terrorist organization, has gone on hunger strike in Ardabil Central Prison ...
Security Forces Block Annual Ceremony to Commemorate “Chain Murders” Victims
Mohammad Mokhtari(left) and Mohammad Jafar Pouyandeh were murdered in the fall of 1998. Security forces ...
Iran’s Culture Minister Says He’s Trying to “Transform” Conservative Clerics’ Views on Music
Before musicians can perform concerts in Iran without the threat of the authorities suddenly canceling them, someone has to convince conservative Shia Muslim clerics that music is not un-Islamic. “Some of ...
Iran’s Student Movement Faces Roadblocks Under Rouhani Despite Election Campaign Promises
A Student Day protest at the University of Tehran. Protests were held at several Iranian universities ...
IRGC Commander Turned Musician Says He Was Banned From Producing Music by the Intelligence Ministry
Hossein Zaman, a former Revolutionary Guards commander who has been banned from producing or performing music for more than 15 years, says the ban was put in place because Iran’s Intelligence Ministry wants to intimidate him into refraining from expressing his political views ...
Opposition Leader Under House Arrest Offers to Serve Remainder of Imprisoned Mothers’ Sentences
Zahra Rahnavard, who has been under extrajudicial house arrest with her husband Mir Hossein Mousavi for nearly seven ...
Two Iranian Officials Publicly Break Rank and Discuss Discriminatory Policies Against Baha’is
Iranian officials are beginning to broach the previously taboo topic of religious discrimination in Iran. On the same day, two government officials publicly discussed discriminatory policies against Baha’is, one of Iran’s most severely persecuted minority faiths. “Today we have students being ...
Rouhani Admin’s New “Fair Usage” Internet Price Rates Violate Net Neutrality
Iran's Minister of Information and Communications Technology Mohammad-Javad Azari Jahromi. Seven months into President Hassan Rouhani’s second term, his Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Javad Azari ...
Reformist MPs Call on Science Ministry to Allow “Starred” Student Activists to Attend University
Students accused of engaging in peaceful activism continue to be banned from attending university in Iran despite President Hassan Rouhani’s ...
VIDEO: Tell UK Officials to Put People Before Politics and Demand Iran Free Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe
Iranian-British dual national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been held captive in Iran since April 2016. For 19 months, the UK government refused ...
Three Activists Sentenced to Prison in Trial “Directed” by Iran’s Intelligence Ministry
Political prisoners Majid Assadi, Payam Shakiba, and Mohammad Banazadeh were sentenced to prison and exile after the ...
Tehran Prosecutor Sentenced to Prison for Protestor’s Death Denies Responsibility
Former Tehran Prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi, the only official who has been held accountable for the death of a protestor who was tortured...
Spokesman Berates Former President Ahmadinejad After He Accuses Judiciary of Corruption
The spokesman for Iran’s judiciary has publicly spoken out against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad after the former president accused the judiciary of corruption in a public speech. At a press ...
Tehran Prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi to Serve Two-Year Prison Term for Protestor’s Death
Former Tehran Prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi has received a two-year prison sentence for being an “accomplice to murder” and the “illegal detention” of Mohsen Rouholamini, who died after being picked up by security forces in Tehran during the widespread protests of 2009 ...