Concurrent with the execution of four Iranians in Saudi Arabia, and despite warnings by human rights activists and institutions, four Ahwazi Arab prisoners—Taha Heidarian, Abdolrahman Heidarian, Abbas Heidarian, and Ali Sharifi—were secretly executed by the Iranian authorities. The prisoners—three of them brothers—were arrested following civil unrest and protests in April 2011 in Ahwaz (capital of the southwestern Iranian province of Khuzestan).
I am speaking on behalf of the Democracy Coalition Project in coordination with United for Iran. My name is Puyan Mahmudian. I was jailed in Iran in May 2007 for serving as an editor for a pro-democracy student publication. The government forged false documents to arrest me and other student activists. I spent three months in solitary confinement and endured torture by my interrogators. I was barred from graduate education despite being ranked 6th out of more than one thousand candidates in the national entrance…
While American and European companies provide unmatched platforms for free expression and citizen journalism, misapplications of export regulations have created a chilling effect on the free flow of information to those living under repressive regimes. We are writing to urge you to take necessary steps to ensure important Internet communication services provided by your companies are not unnecessarily blocked for individuals in sanctioned countries.
In places such as Iran, Cuba, Sudan and Syria, online media has emerged as a sanctuary to debate ideas, report human rights…
The above signatories representing 17 human rights and student organizations express deep concern about the alarming state of academic freedom in the Islamic Republic of Iran, in particular violations of the rights to freedom of expression, association, and assembly on campuses; and institutionalized procedures that allow authorities arbitrarily to expel and suspend students…
United for Iran condemns the issuing of a death ruling for rapper Shahin Najafi by grand ayatollahs Safi Golpaygani and Naser Makarem Shirazi in response to Najafi’s song “Naghi” – the name of Shi’ite Islam’s 10th imam. United for Iran calls on the Iranian government to condemn the cleric-issued fatwa, reform its penal code to remove the death penalty for those labeled “apostates,”…
March 22, 2012 – The United Nations Human Rights Council and UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon increased pressure this week on Iran’s government to begin meaningful cooperation with the appointed UN expert assigned to help improve the human rights situation in the country. United for Iran applauds the overwhelming decision today by the 19th Human Rights Council (UNHRC)…
شورای حقوق بشر سازمان ملل متحد و دبیر کل این سازمان ، آقای بان کی مون، هفته گذشته بر فشارهای خود بر دولت ایران افزودند تا این کشور با نماینده ی ویژه منصوب سازمان ملل، جهت بهبود وضعیت حقوق بشر در ایران، همکاری خود را آغاز کند. اتحاد برای ایران از تعداد بالای آرای موافق داده شده در تمدید حکم ماموریت گزارشگر ویژه حقوق بشر سازمان ملل در امور ایران قدردانی می کند. در نوزدهمین نشست شورای حقوق بشر سازمان ملل متحد، 22 کشور به تمدید حکم ماموریت گزارشگر ویژه رای مثبت دادند، 5 کشور رای منفی، و 20 کشور رای ممتنع دادند. برای دیدن لیست این کشورها اینجا را کلیک کنید.
On March 12, 2012, at the 31st meeting of the 19th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Ms. Dokhi Fassihian, Senior Advisor to United for Iran, spoke at the Council after Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, presented his first report to the body. Ms. Fassihian welcomed the report of the Special Rapporteur and expressed regret that…
To the member states of the United Nations Human Rights Council: As you know, the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Iran is currently up for renewal and will be put to a vote before the Human Rights Council on March 21st or 22nd. At a time when the human rights situation in Iran has deteriorated significantly and Iran continues to refuse to cooperate with UN bodies, it is critical for…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 22, 2012 Media contact: Dokhi Fassihian, United4Iran Senior Advisor, dokhi@united4iran.org, (703) 261-9479 ...
United for Iran is deeply concerned about the escalating crackdown by the Iranian government on expression and assembly ahead of the March 2 parliamentary elections. Since the start of 2012, more than 100 Iranian citizens have been detained for non-violent political activism surrounding the elections and two have reportedly died in custody. Opposition parties, high profile political…