Iran’s Intelligence Ministry Interferes in Case of Imprisoned Christian
Case Exposes Judiciary’s Lack of Independence Iran’s Intelligence Ministry has directly interfered in the case of imprisoned Christian convert Maryam (Nasim) Naghash Zargaran...
Unfair Trials
Cartoon 149: Worthless Versus Valuable “Likes”
At a June 23, 2016 public meeting with poets chosen and invited by his administration, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said: "I have heard that some publish their poetry on the Internet. For example, someone wrote something that is worthless, but imagine that it ...
Harassment of Teachers’ Union Leader Continues with New Summons
Rassoul Bodaghi, a senior member of the Iranian Teacher’s Association who has been repeatedly harassed by security agents since he was conditionally freed from prison a few months ago, will ...
70-Year-Old Man Sentenced to Flogging for Demanding Information on Missing Son
The wife of Hashem Zeinali, a 70-year-old man who was given a lashing and prison sentence after peacefully demanding information about his missing son while standing outside ...
Legal Expert Expresses Outrage over Charges against Renowned Iranian Artist Parviz Tanavoli
Charging the prominent Iranian artist Parviz Tanavoli, who also holds Canadian citizenship, with “disturbing public opinion and spreading falsehoods” is “shocking,” an expert on the Iranian legal system told the International Campaign ...
Imprisoned Christian Convert, Eligible for Early Release, on Hunger Strike Until Judiciary Addresses Her Case
Christian convert Maryam (Nasim) Naghash Zargaran, imprisoned since 2013, has vowed to continue the hunger strike she began on July 5, 2016 until her demand for early ...
Twitter Campaign to Free Narges Mohammadi Draws More than 100,000 Iranians
Hashtag #FreeNarges Skyrockets in Iran despite Official Ban on Twitter More than 100,000 Iranians took part in a Twitter campaign in solidarity with the imprisoned human rights defender ...
Judiciary Refuses to Review Case of Political Prisoner Who Qualifies for Early Release
Ahmad Karimi Najjar, a political prisoner currently serving the seventh year of his 16-year prison sentence in Iran’s Rajaee Shahr Prison, could be eligible for conditional release, but the Judiciary is refusing ...
Commentary: Iran’s Hard-Liners Crack Down as Their Base of Support Narrows
This commentary was originally published in the World Politics Review. Hadi Ghaemi There is a crackdown underway in Iran. But it is no longer just a crackdown on dissent. Rather it is ...
Iran Judiciary Threatens Narges Mohammadi After Her Hunger Strike Gets International Attention
A Judicial official has threatened Narges Mohammadi, a leading human rights defender who was recently sentenced to 10 years in prison for her peaceful activism, in ...
Guilt by Association: Peaceful Demonstrators Slapped with Suspended Lashing and Prison Sentences
Some of the accused were falsely declared followers of an imprisoned spiritual leader. Fourteen people have been handed suspended prison and flogging sentences for allegedly calling for the release of imprisoned spiritual leader ...
Prominent Political Prisoner Promised, Though Still Not Allowed, Phone Contact with Children
Taghi Rahmani believes his wife Narges Mohammadi is being mistreated in prison because he fled the country years ago. Iran’s judicial authorities have promised to lift a ban on phone ...
Imprisoned Journalists Granted Brief Reprieve from Prison
After eight months in detention, newspaper columnist Afarin Chitsaz was released from Evin Prison in Tehran on July 5, 2016 on 10 billion rials ($324,000 USD) bail until ...
Ailing Political Prisoner Temporarily Released and Promised Retrial Shortly After Judiciary’s Harsh Refusal
Imprisoned labor activist Jafar Azimzadeh was temporarily released on “extendable furlough” on June 30, 2016 and promised a retrial three days after judicial authorities publicly ...
Teacher’s Rights Champion Beaten and Slapped with New Charge after He Attempts to Visit Political Prisoner
A little over a week after teachers’ rights activist Rassoul Bodaghi was conditionally released from prison on April 29, 2016, he was charged with “insulting the supreme leader” and ...
Imprisoned Human Rights Defender Narges Mohammadi on Hunger Strike to Maintain Contact with her Children
In a desperate bid to gain permission to speak to her children on the phone, the prominent human rights activist Narges Mohammadi started a wet hunger strike on June ...
Labor Rights Activist in Critical Condition After 50-Day Hunger Strike
Prominent leftist scholar Noam Chomsky has called for Jafar Azimzadeh’s release Labor rights activist Jafar Azimzadeh is in critical condition in Evin Prison after enduring a wet hunger ...
Elderly Political Prisoner’s Early Release Blocked Despite Supreme Leader’s Decree
Seventy-two-year-old political prisoner Mohammad Hossein Rafiee has threatened to go on hunger strike if the authorities continue to block his pardon from prison, his daughter told the International Campaign ...
Imprisoned Journalist Who Sent Letter to Supreme Leader Saying He Was Tortured is Hospitalized
Ehsan Mazandarani, who went on hunger strike on May 17, is in intensive care following a heart attack A little over a month after he sent ...
Commentary: Iran’s Foreign Minister Toes the Supreme Leader’s Line on Human Rights
ICHRI- When Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif recently tried to side-step questions about the country’s abysmal human rights record, he yet again exposed his government’s inability—or reluctance—to face the issue even though President ...
New Report: Inside the Women’s Ward: Mistreatment of Women Political Prisoners at Iran’s Evin Prison
Political prisoners held in the Women’s Ward at Iran’s Evin Prison are routinely denied medical care and hospitalization, face restricted or denied visitation rights even with their young children, are deprived of regular telephone contact with their families, and are not provided adequate nutrition, as documented in this report. ...
Iran’s Judiciary Evades Responsibility for Lashing Sentences against Striking Miners
After a month-long silence amid widespread condemnation of the decision by Iran’s Judiciary to intervene in a local labor dispute and punish 17 protesting mine workers with lashing sentences, the Judiciary’s spokesperson has finally spoken out ...
UN Body Calls for Immediate Release of Bahareh Hedayat
Imprisonment of Prominent Women and Human Rights Defender Is Against International Law, Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Rules June 14, 2016—The United Nation’s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) has ...
No Time for Goodbyes: Political Prisoner Forced to Begin Harsh Prison Sentence Without Summons
Former student activist Arash Sadeghi unexpectedly began serving his 15-year prison sentence in Evin Prison on June 7, 2016 when he visited the jail to inquire about the official ...