News

July 19, 2021

Rights Groups: Iranian Dissidents Remain at Risk Worldwide Without International Action

July 19, 2021—In a joint statement released today, 10 human rights groups, including the Center for Human Rights in Iran, urged the international ...

July 14, 2021

Foiled Kidnapping of Dissident Part of Iran’s Ramped-Up Campaign to Crush Dissent

Iranian Activists Abroad at Risk if Europe, U.S. Don’t Address Iran’s Unlawful Activities July 14, 2021 – The Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) ...

July 12, 2021

Iranian Judiciary Assumes Sweeping New Powers Over Lawyers

State Now Issues and Revokes Law Licenses, Crushing Independence of Legal Profession Due Process and Fair Trial Rights Dealt Further Blow by New Legislation July 12, ...

July 6, 2021

Mohseni-Ejei’s Appointment as Iran’s Judiciary Chief Poses Grave Threat to Rights Activists

Judicial System To Be Used To Further Suppress Dissent July 6, 2021—The appointment of Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei, a major human rights violator, ...

July 6, 2021

Raisi’s Role in 1988 Mass Executions Should be Investigated by UN Human Rights Council

Top UN Expert Ready to Share Testimonies, Evidence for Impartial Inquiry July 6, 2021 – The UN Human Rights Council should act upon ...

June 30, 2021

Iran’s Parliament Seeks Death Penalty for “Collaborating with Enemy States”

Draft Bill Criminalizes Filming of “Crime Scenes” to Prevent Spread of Images of State Violence On June 8, 2021, Iran’s Parliament ...

June 29, 2021

Oil Industry Strikes Gain Support Across Iran, Raising Prospect of Confrontation with State

Incoming President Raisi’s Record of Violence against Protesters Increases Concerns June 29, 2021—The continuation of strikes in Iran’s critical oil and petrochemical ...

June 29, 2021

Oil Industry Workers Go on National Strike in Iran

Significant Shift from Protest Rallies to Work Stoppages For the past week workers at refineries, petrochemical plants and power stations in Iran have ...

June 23, 2021

Top UN Official: Human Rights Situation in Iran is of “Serious Concern”

Secretary-General Cites Impunity for Rights Violations and Increase Risk of Future Violations *Read the full UN Secretary-General report here. In the latest report on Iran by the UN Secretary-General, the world’s top diplomat stated that the rights situation ...

June 19, 2021

Iran Election: Heightened Vigilance Needed as Major Rights Violator Takes Power

Ebrahim Raisi is Guilty of Gross Human Rights Violations June 19, 2021—As Ebrahim Raisi ascends to the presidency in Iran, after a sham ...

June 17, 2021

Prominent Activist in Iran Fears Her “Life is in Danger” After Violent Confrontations

Narges Mohammadi Attacked and Threatened Twice in Past Week by State Agents Iran Should Stop Assaulting, Threatening Peaceful Activists June 17, 2021 – ...

June 15, 2021

Family of Executed Wrestler Seeks Supreme Court Review

Ghost of Navid Afkari Haunts Judiciary Chief’s Election Bid June 15, 2021 – One week before Iranian Judiciary Chief Ebrahim Raisi ...

June 10, 2021

“Seeking Justice” Civil Rights Movement Aims to Uncover Facts and Keep Victims’ Memories Alive

A New Civil Rights Movement is Born in Iran June 10, 2021 - Ahead of Iran's June 18 presidential election, public discussions on ...

June 9, 2021

“Do You Also Sleep With a Clear Conscience?” (An Open Letter to Candidate Raisi’s Wife)

In 2017, when Iranian Judiciary Chief Ebrahim Raisi launched his first presidential campaign, Effat Mahbaz–the widow of a political prisoner killed during mass executions in the 1980s–published an open letter to Raisi’s wife highlighting Raisi’s role in what the UN says should be investigated as ...

June 8, 2021

Ailing German National Remains Detained in Iran Without Access to Counsel

Jamshid Sharmahd (center) smiles for a family photo beside his wife (left) and ...

June 7, 2021

Iran Election: Political Prisoners Dying Under Candidate Raisi’s Watch

At Least Two Political Prisoners Have Died in Past Four Months Niknafs Was Jailed Despite Health Conditions That Made Him Unfit for Prison June ...

June 3, 2021

Iran Election: Don’t Ignore Ebrahim Raisi’s Gross Rights Violations

Judiciary Chief’s Presidential Bid Reignites Calls for Accountability June 3, 2021 – Iranian presidential candidate Ebrahim Raisi should be investigated for crimes ...

June 1, 2021

More Defense Attorneys Prosecuted in Iran for Defending Human Rights

The state policy of persecuting and imprisoning independent defense lawyers under false charges for doing their jobs is continuing under Iranian ...

May 21, 2021

Iran Narrows in on Repressing Farmers’ Protests as Water Crisis Spreads

Protests by hard-hit farmers over Iran’s worsening water crisis are being repressed by state security forces as officials increasingly describe the protests ...

May 18, 2021

For Iran’s Lawyers, Defending Dissidents Is Getting Dangerous (Commentary Published in World Politics Review)

Internationally renowned human rights attorney Nasrin Sotoudeh is among at least ...

May 14, 2021

Security Forces Respond to Iranian High School Protests with Force

Teachers’ Union: “What right do the police have to treat the children of our country with such brutal violence?” As high school final ...

May 13, 2021

Iran Election: Guardian Council Flexes Muscle, Unlawfully Imposes More Qualification Requirements

A directive “ratified” by Iran’s Guardian Council, imposing new requirements for candidates to qualify to run in Iran’s June 2021 ...

May 10, 2021

Joint Letter: Biden’s Iran Policy Must Include Focus on Human Rights

The Center for Human Rights in Iran, along with eight other organizations, today sent a letter to the Biden-Harris administration calling ...

May 10, 2021

Joint Letter: Biden Admin Urged to Prioritize Iranian Human Rights Concerns

May 10, 2021 The Honorable Joseph R. Biden The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear President Biden, We, the undersigned organizations, write to urge you to prioritize human rights as you shape your administration’s foreign policy toward Iran. As ...

May 7, 2021