Nasrin Sotoudeh: Investigate Iranian Presidential Hopeful Ebrahim Raisi for 1988 Mass Executions
Prominent Iranian human rights lawyer and former political prisoner Nasrin Sotoudeh has strongly criticized the candidacy of Ebrahim Raisi...
Unfair Trials
Ailing Former Political Activist Held Without Charge by Intelligence Ministry
Former political activist Majid Asadi has been detained without charge in Evin Prison’s Ward 209 under the control of Iran’s Intelligence Ministry ...
Crimes Against Humanity in Iran Thrust Into Limelight With Raisi’s Presidential Bid
Ebrahim Raisi Was Member of “Death Commissions” that Ordered Extrajudicial Killings of Thousands of Prisoners in 1988 April 14, 2017–The candidacy in Iran’s upcoming presidential election of Ebrahim Raisi, who played ...
Iranian Azeri Rights Activist on Trial for Advocating Mother Language
Abbas Lesani, an Azeri ethnic rights activist, is being tried for advocating state recognition of his mother tongue and making a speech at his friend’s wedding calling for an end to ...
Social Media Emerges as Major Battlefront in Iran’s May 2017 Elections
A month before Iranians head to the polls for the presidential and council elections, a heated exchange between the judiciary and the Intelligence Ministry has highlighted ...
Rights Activist Atena Daemi Hunger Strikes Against IRGC-Related Additional Sentence
Imprisoned civil rights advocate Atena Daemi has started a wet hunger strike to protest new sentences issued against her and her two sisters for allegedly insulting agents of ...
Political Prisoner Narges Mohammadi Offered Furlough in Exchange for Silence
Mohammadi: Imprisonment Makes Me More “Determined” Imprisoned human rights defender Narges Mohammadi has been offered temporary release if she promises to be silent about her unjust sentence, her husband told the Center ...
Son of Grand Ayatollah Blasts Presidential Bid of Human Rights Violator Ebrahim Raisi
The son of late Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, who publicly condemned the extrajudicial executions of thousands of political prisoners in 1988, has criticized the newly announced presidential candidacy ...
Music Producers Returned to Evin Prison After Request for Extended Medical Furlough Denied
Music producers Mehdi and Hossein Rajabian returned to Evin Prison in Tehran on April 4, 2017 after their request for an extension of their seven-day temporary leave was denied by ...
Political Prisoner Serving Seven Years Gets Additional 91 Days for IRGC Charges
An additional 91 days were added to civil rights activist Atena Daemi’s seven-year prison sentence for her peaceful activism. The sentence was issued ...
Rough Body Searches on Visiting Children Prompts Hunger Strike in Rajaee Shahr Prison
Political activist Jafar (Shahin) Eghdami shaved his head and went on a three-day hunger strike on March 30, 2017 to protest “children being bothered during body searches ...
Iranian-American Initially Sentenced to 18 Years Prison Released on Bail During Appeal
Robin (Reza) Shahini, the Iranian-American man sentenced to 18 years imprisonment in Iran on alleged security charges, has been released on bail while he awaits the results of his ...
Hunger-Striking Political Activist Detained Without Charge Writes Will in Evin Prison
After 24 days on hunger strike in Evin Prison in Tehran, reformist political activist Hengameh Shahidi, detained without charge and denied legal counsel since March 9, 2017, has written a will, her mother told ...
Five-Year Prison Sentence Upheld Against Christian Convert for Missionary Activities
The five-year prison sentence against Christian convert Ebrahim Firoozi for his alleged missionary activities has been confirmed by the Appeals Court in Tehran, the Center for Human Rights in ...
Young Iranian Death Row Inmate May Soon Receive Sentence Review
The request for a judicial review of the death sentence against 21-year-old Sina Dehghan for “insulting the prophet” of Islam is being processed, his lawyer told the Center for Human Rights ...
Political Activist and Former Reformist MP to be Tried on New and Undeclared Charges
Outspoken political activist and former reformist member of Parliament Faezeh Hashemi will face a new trial in April 2017 on undeclared charges, an informed source told ...
Baha’is Imprisoned in Iran for Religious Beliefs Singled Out for Cruel Treatment
A member of Iran’s perseacuted Baha’i faith has expressed serious concerns about two imprisoned ailing family members who are being denied early release despite being legally eligible. The Intelligence ...
Young Man Facing Death for Insulting Islam Online Tricked into Signing Confession
Sina Dehghan, sentenced to death for “insulting the prophet” of Islam when he was 19-years-old, was tricked into signing his confession, an informed source told the Center ...
MPs Demand Answers from Rouhani on Increasing Arrests Ahead of Elections
President Hassan Rouhani has yet to respond to a letter from four reformist members of Parliament demanding an explanation for the ...
Prominent Lawyers: Judiciary Ad Announcing Prison Time for 10 Iranians in Absentia Unlawful
A classified newspaper advertisement by the judiciary announcing prison sentences for 10 Iranian citizens currently outside the country has no legal merit, two prominent lawyers told the Center for Human Rights ...
Former Opposition Leader Aide Refusing Vital Medication During Hunger Strike to Protest Detainment
Reformist activist and former political prisoner Hengameh Shahidi has started a hunger strike and is refusing to take vital prescription medication in protest against ...
Amendment Could Save Thousands of Drug Traffickers on Death Row in Iran
If passed by Parliament and the Council of Guardians, an amendment to Iran’s death penalty law could save thousands of drug traffickers currently facing execution. ...
Rouhani’s Intelligence Ministry and Khamenei’s IRGC Widen Crackdown Ahead of Election
A growing rivalry between Iran’s Intelligence Ministry and Revolutionary Guards may be the result of a much deeper power struggle. ...