Iranian Human Rights Groups Condemn Execution of Four Ahwazi Arabs

Iranian Human Rights Groups Condemn Execution of Four Ahwazi Arabs

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).

United for Iran Highlights Violations of Right to Education in Iran at 20th Session of Human Rights Council

United for Iran Highlights Violations of Right to Education in Iran at 20th Session of Human Rights Council

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…

17 NGOs Call on Iran to Uphold the Right to Education

17 NGOs Call on Iran to Uphold the Right to Education

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…

UN Special Rapporteur calls for the Iranian government to make dramatic changes in its laws and practices

UN Special Rapporteur calls for the Iranian government to make dramatic changes in its laws and practices

In his first full report to the Human Rights Council, UN Special Rapporteur Ahmed Shaheed calls upon the Iranian government to comply with its international human rights obligations by bringing its laws into conformity with international human rights standards. In a 36-page report Shaheed repeats his request for the immediate release of all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience.

Female Kurdish Prisoner’s Death Sentence Overturned

Female Kurdish Prisoner’s Death Sentence Overturned

The Supreme Court has reduced the death sentence of Zeinab Jalalian, a Kurdish prisoner of conscience, to life in prison. In an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran Jalalian’s lawyer Mohammad Sharif said that prison authorities had previously informed Jalalian of the change. “Two weeks ago, when Zeinab called me, she said that she had been summoned…

Take Action! Urge Iranian authorities to halt the execution of Iranian-Kurdish citizens

Take Action! Urge Iranian authorities to halt the execution of Iranian-Kurdish citizens

Write to Iranian authorities and embassies worldwide expressing concern over the execution sentences of two Kurdish citizens, Zanyar Moradi and Loghman Moradi. Both were sentenced to death by public hanging on December 22, 2010. The verdict was passed down by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, presided over by Judge Salavati, after a trial which reportedly lasted only 20-mintues. Both men faced dubious charges of moharebeh (enmity against god), for alleged involvement with the murder of the son of the Friday Prayer Imam in Marivan, and for membership in the Komala Party. On October 12, 2011 it was reported that the Supreme Court ruled to uphold the execution sentences.

Weekly Rights Podcast 36

Weekly Rights Podcast 36

In this week’s Weekly Rights Podcast: protesters clash with security forces in the Azerbaijan region of Iran; jailed student activist Ashkan...