Current situation Human rights in Iran

1 current situation

1.1 freedom of press
1.2 artistic freedom
1.3 arresting filmmakers
1.4 political freedom
1.5 freedom of movement
1.6 internet freedom
1.7 deaths in custody
1.8 freedom of religion

1.8.1 bahá í issues
1.8.2 muslim shia issues


1.9 ethnic issues
1.10 gender inequality

1.10.1 compulsory hijab
1.10.2 alleged banning of women universities


1.11 executions of minors in iran
1.12 significant activists
1.13 organizations

current situation

number of executions in islamic republic of iran 2003 2013 based on ahmed shaheed s report.



when iranian president mahmoud ahmadinejad spoke @ columbia university sign on campus noted rally against child executions in iran.

under administration of president mahmoud ahmadinejad, beginning in 2005, iran s human rights record has deteriorated markedly according group human rights watch. number of offenders executed increased 86 in 2005 317 in 2007. months-long arbitrary detentions of peaceful activists, journalists, students, , human rights defenders , charged “acting against national security,” has intensified under president ahmadineja in december 2008, united nations general assembly voted expressed deep concern iran s human rights record – particularly cases of torture; high incidence of executions , juvenile executions ... ; persecution of women seeking human rights; discrimination against minorities , attacks on minority groups baha in state media ... following protests on june 2009 presidential elections, dozens killed, hundreds arrested – including dozens of opposition leaders – several journalists arrested or beaten, foreign media barred leaving offices report on demonstrations, , web sites , bloggers threatened. basij or revolutionary guard reportedly responsible @ least of slain protesters.

freedom of press

in freedom house s 2013 press freedom survey, iran ranked not free , , among world’s 8 worst-rated countries (coming in 5th out of 196). according reporters without borders press freedom index 2013, iran ranked 174th out of 179 nations. according international press institute , reporters without borders, government of mahmoud ahmadinejad , supreme national security council had imprisoned 50 journalists in 2007 , had eliminated press freedom. rwb has dubbed iran middle east s biggest prison journalists. 85 newspapers, including 41 dailies, shut down 2000 end of 2002 following passing of april 2000 press law. in 2003, number 100. there 45 journalists in prison number surpassed turkey 49. red lines of press censorship in iran said questioning rule clerics (velayat-e faqih) , direct attacks on supreme leader. red lines have drawn against writing insults islam, sexually explicit, politically subversive, or allegedly confusing public opinion.

journalists warned or summoned if perceived critical of government, , topics such u.s. relations , country s nuclear program forbidden subjects reporting.

in february 2008, journalist yaghoob mirnehad sentenced death on charges of membership in terrorist jundallah group crimes against national security. mirnehad executed on 5 july 2008.

in november 2007, freelance journalist adnan hassanpour received death sentence undermining national security, spying, separatist propaganda , being mohareb (fighter against god). refused sign confessions, , theorized arrested work us-funded radio stations radio farda , voice of america. hassanpour s sentence overturned on 4 september 2008, tehran supreme court. hassanpour still faces espionage charges.

in june 2008, iranian ministry of labor stated 4,000 member journalists union, founded in 1997, fit dissolution.

human rights blogger , u.s. national press club honoree kouhyar goudarzi has twice been arrested reporting, on 31 july 2011. in detention, , whereabouts unknown. following second arrest, amnesty international named him prisoner of conscience.

artistic freedom

in 2003, iranian expatriate director babak payami s film silence between 2 thoughts seized iranian authorities, , payami smuggled digital copy out of iran subsequently screened in several film festivals.

arresting filmmakers

on 1 march 2010, jafar panahi arrested. taken home along wife tahereh saidi, daughter solmaz panahi, , 15 of friends plain-clothes officers evin prison. released 48 hours later, mohammad rasoulof , mehdi pourmoussa on 17 march 2010, panahi remained in section 209 inside evin prison. panahi s arrest confirmed government, charges not specified.on april 14, 2010, iran s ministry of culture , islamic guidance said panahi arrested because tried make documentary unrest followed disputed 2009 re-election of president mahmoud ahmadinejad. on 18 may, panahi sent message abbas baktiari, director of pouya cultural center, iranian-french cultural organization in paris, stating being mistreated in prison , family threatened , result had begun hunger strike. on 25 may, released on $200,000 bail while awaiting trial.on 20 december 2010, panahi, after being convicted assembly , colluding intention commit crimes against country’s national security , propaganda against islamic republic, islamic revolutionary court sentenced panahi 6 years imprisonment , 20-year ban on making or directing movies, writing screenplays, giving form of interview iranian or foreign media leaving country except hajj holy pilgrimage mecca or medical treatment. panahi s colleague, mohammad rasoulof received 6 years imprisonment later reduced 1 year on appeal.on october 15, 2011, court in tehran upheld panahi s sentence , ban. following courts decision, panahi placed under house arrest. has since been allowed move more freely cannot travel outside iran.

hossein rajabian, iranian independent filmmaker, after finishing first feature film, arrested iranian security forces on 5 october 2013 outside office [in sari] alongside 2 musicians, , transferred ward 2-a of evin prison 3 of them held in solitary confinement more 2 months , threatened televised confessions. released on bail (around $66,000) in mid-december, pending trial. 2 years later, case heard @ branch 28 of tehran revolutionary court presided on judge moghisseh (summer 2015). sentenced 6 years in prison , fines pursuing illegal cinematic activities, launching propaganda against establishment , hurling insults @ sanctities. on appeal, sentence changed 3 years imprisonment , 3 years of suspended jail , fines.hossein rajabian sent ward 7 of evin prison in tehran. after spending 1 third of total period of imprisonment (that 11 months), went on hunger strike protest against unjust trial, lack of medical facilities, , transfer of brother ward called section 8 of same prison. during first hunger strike period, lasted 14 days, transferred hospital because of pulmonary infection , not continue hunger strike because of interference of representative of prosecutor sent intermediary. after time, sent open letter judicial authorities of iran , went again on strike brought him supports of international artists. after 36 days of hunger strike, convince judicial authorities of iran review case , grant him medical leave treatment of left kidney suffered infections , blood arising out of hunger strike. he, after contentious struggle judicial officer of prison sent ward 8 punishment.

political freedom

blogger , political activist samiye tohidlou sentenced 50 lashes activities during protests @ 2009 presidential campaign. activist peyman aref sentenced 74 lashes writing insulting open letter president ahmadinejad, in criticized president s crackdown on politically active students. unnamed iranian journalist based in tehran commented: lashing aref insulting ahmadinejad shocking , unprecedented.

freedom of movement

on 8 may 2007, haleh esfandiari iranian-american scholar in iran visiting 93-year-old mother, detained in evin prison , kept in solitary confinement more 110 days. 1 of several visiting iranian-americans prohibited leaving iran in 2007. in december 2008, presidents of american national academy of sciences issued warning american scientists , academics against traveling iran without clear assurances personal safety guaranteed , treated dignity , respect , after glenn schweitzer, had coordinated academies’ programs in iran past decade, detained , interrogated.

internet freedom

the internet has grown faster in iran other middle eastern country (aside israel) since 2000 government has censored dozens of websites considers non-islamic , harassed , imprisoned online journalists. in 2006 , again in 2010, activist group reporters without borders labeled iran 1 of 12 or 13 countries designated enemies of internet stepped efforts censor internet , jail dissidents. ranked worst in freedom on net 2013 global scores . reporters without borders sent letter un high commissioner human rights navi pillay share deep concern , ask intervention in case of 2 netizens/free speech defenders, vahid asghari , hossein derakhshan. reporters without borders believes iranian government’s desire rid iranian internet of independent information concerning political opposition, women’s movement , human rights”. government cannot legally stop sites uses advanced blocking software prevent access them. many major sites have been blocked entirely such youtube, imdb.com, voice of america, bbc.

according amnesty annual report 2015/2016, iranian authorities continued policy in restricting freedoms of expression, association , assembly. report claimed authorities blocked many of social media websites, including twitter , facebook. in june 2015, authorities have arrested 5 people using social media in anti-revolutionary activities. in other case, 5 people arrested acts against decency in internet .

deaths in custody

in past several years many people have died in custody in islamic republic, raising fears prisoners in country being denied medical treatment, possibly punishment. 2 prisoners died, allegedly after having committed suicide while in jail in northwestern iran – families reported no signs of behavior consistent suicidal tendencies – are:

zahra bani yaghoub, (aka zahra bani-ameri), 27-year-old female physician died in october 2007, while in custody in town of hamedan.
ebrahim lotfallahi, 27, died in detention center in town of sanandaj in january 2008. on january 15, officials detention center contacted lotfallahi’s parents , informed them had buried son in local cemetery.

political prisoners died in prison under suspicious circumstances include:

akbar mohammadi, student activist, died in evin prison on 30 july 2006, after waging hunger strike. sentenced death participation in pro-democracy july 1999 student riots, sentence had been reduced 15 years in prison. several sources told human rights watch after arrest in 1999, mohammadi severely tortured , ill-treated, leading serious health problems.
valiullah faiz mahdavi, died after starting hunger strike when appeal temporary relief prison denied. cause of death officially listed suicide.
omid reza mir sayafi, blogger, died in evin prison 18 march 2009, less 6 weeks after starting 30-month sentence.
amir hossein heshmat saran, died in suspicious circumstances on 6 march 2009, after 5 years in prison establishing united national front political party.
abdolreza rajabi (1962–2008) member of people s mojahedin organization of iran (pmoi), died unexpectedly in reja shahr prison on 30 october 2008. transferred evin raja’i shahr prison before news of death announced.

freedom of religion

bahá í issues

around 2005 situation of bahá ís reported have worsened; united nations commission on human rights revealed october 2005 confidential letter command headquarters of armed forces of iran identify bahá ís , monitor activities , in november 2005 state-run , influential kayhan newspaper, managing editor appointed iran s supreme leader, ayatollah khamenei, ran 3 dozen articles defaming bahá í faith.

due these actions, special rapporteur of united nations commission on human rights stated on 20 march 2006 expresses concern information gained result of such monitoring used basis increased persecution of, , discrimination against, members of bahá í faith, in violation of international standards. … special rapporteur concerned latest development indicates situation regard religious minorities in iran is, in fact, deteriorating.

in march , in may 2008, senior members forming leadership of bahá í community in iran arrested officers ministry of intelligence , taken evin prison. have not been charged, , seem prisoners of conscience. iran human rights documentation center has stated concerned safety of bahá ís, , recent events similar disappearance of 25 bahá í leaders in 1980s.

muslim shia issues

one opponent of theocracy, ayatollah hossein kazemeyni boroujerdi , many of followers arrested in tehran on 8 october 2006. according mardaninews website, judicial authorities have reportedly released no information concerning boroujerdi s prosecution , “associates” of ayatollah boroujerdi have told international campaign human rights in iran “that heart , kidney conditions grave has had no access specialist care.”

he receives painkillers diseases inside prison. in addition physical health, psychological well-being has deteriorated due ill-treatment , lengthy solitary confinement episodes. has lost 30 kilograms in prison.

ethnic issues

according amnesty international s 2007 report, ethnic , religious minorities in islamic republic remained subject discriminatory laws , practices continued source of social , political unrest .

gender inequality

in 2003, iran elected not become member of un convention on elimination of forms of discrimination against women (cedaw) since convention contradicted islamic sharia law in clause of single article.

in report released 20 october 2008, un secretary-general ban ki-moon called discriminatory provisions against women in criminal , civil laws in iran in urgent need of reform, , said gender-based violence widespread.

compulsory hijab

in spring 2007, iranian police launched crackdown against women accused of not covering enough, arresting hundreds of women, wearing tight overcoat or letting hair peek out under veil. campaign in streets of major cities toughest such crackdown since islamic revolution. more 1 million iranians (mostly women) arrested in 12-month period (may 2007 – may 2008) violating state dress code, according may 2008 nbc today show report matt lauer.

guidance patrols (gasht-e ershâd) – referred religious police in western media – enforce islamic moral values , dress codes. reformist politicians have criticized unpopular patrols patrols ‘interminable’ according iranian judicial authorities have pointed out in islamic republic president not have control on enforcement of dress codes.

in may 2016, iranian government announced arrest of 8 women involved in online modeling without mandatory head scarf. mehdi abutorabi, blogger managed publishing tool called persian blog, detained.

alleged banning of women universities

in august 2012, following years in iranian women students have outperformed iranian male students, 36 universities announced 77 ba , bsc courses single gender , not co-ed. under policy, undergraduate women excluded wide variety of studies in leading institutions, including english literature, english translation, hotel management, archaeology, nuclear physics, computer science, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, , business management. shirin ebadi, iranian nobel laureate , human rights lawyer exiled in united kingdom, wrote united nations secretary general ban ki-moon , high commissioner human rights navi pillay on move, saying iran s true agenda lower proportion of female students 65% below 50%, weaken iran s feminist movement in campaign against discriminatory islamic laws. iranian parliamentarians have criticized new policy.

executions of minors in iran

iran leads world in executing juvenile offenders – persons under 18 @ time of crime according human rights watch. international campaign human rights in iran states of 32 executions of juvenile offenders have taken place in world since january 2005, 26 occurred in iran. in 2007, iran executed 8 juvenile offenders. in july of year, amnesty international issued comprehensive 46-page report titled iran: last executioner of children noting iran had executed more children between 1990 , 2005 other state.

iran party international covenant on civil , political rights (iccpr) , convention on rights of child (crc). article 6.5 of international covenant on civil , political rights (iccpr) declares: “sentence of death shall not imposed crimes committed persons below eighteen years of age” , article 37(a) of convention on rights of child (crc) provides that: “neither capital punishment nor life imprisonment without possibility of release shall imposed offenses committed persons below eighteen years of age”.

in january 2005, un committee on rights of child, monitors states compliance crc, urged iran stay executions of child offenders , abolish use of death penalty in such cases. in summer of 2006, iranian parliament reportedly passed bill establishing special courts children , adolescents. however, has not yet been approved council of guardians, supervises iran s legislation ensure conformity islamic principles. during past 4 years, iranian authorities have reportedly been considering legislation ban death penalty child offenders. recent comments judiciary spokesperson indicates proposed law prohibit death penalty crimes, , not crimes committed children.

in spite of these efforts, number of child offenders executed in iran has risen during past 2 years. of july 2008, stop child executions campaign has recorded on 130 minors facing executions in iran.

in late 2007, iranian authorities hanged makwan mouludzadeh in kermanshah prison crimes alleged have committed when 13 years of age. according human rights watch, despite fact accusers had recanted statements , mouladzadeh had repudiated confession being coerced police, , despite fact head of iran’s judiciary, ayatollah shahrudi, had ordered unit of judiciary investigate case , refer penal court of kermanshah, before final decision on execution.

a 2004 case, gained international attention hanging of 16-year-old schoolgirl atefah sahaaleh.

significant activists

the following individuals represent partial list of individuals currently, or have in past, attempted improve human rights situation in iran.

shirin ebadi
nasrin sotoudeh
kourosh zaim
akbar ganji
mehrangiz kar
emad baghi
abdolfattah soltani
mohammad ali dadkhah

organizations

iran has islamic human rights commission, housed in government building , headed chief of judiciary, , not considered particularly concerned human rights abuses, according nobel peace prize laureate , founder of defenders of human rights center shirin ebadi.