For Immediate Release

Iran: Unrelenting Repression 
Protestors Prosecuted, Activists Arrested 

(Beirut, January 17, 2019) – Iranian authorities carried out arbitrary mass arrests and serious due process violations during 2018 in response to protests across the country over deteriorating economic conditions, perceptions of corruption, and the lack of political and social freedoms, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2019. Authorities tightened their grip on peaceful activism, detaining lawyers, human rights defenders, and women’s rights activists. 

Since January 24, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Intelligence Organization has detained eight environment activists – Taher Ghadirian, Niloufar Bayani, Amirhossein Khaleghi, Houman Jokar, Sam Rajabi, Sepideh Kashani, Morad Tahbaz, and Abdolreza Kouhpayeh – accusing them – but providing no evidence – of using environmental projects as a cover to collect classified strategic information. Four are reportedly facing a capital charge. On February 10, the family of Kavous Seyed Emami, a well-known Iranian-Canadian environmentalist and professor reported that he had died in detention. Authorities claimed he committed suicide, but they have not conducted an impartial investigation. 

“Iranian leaders blame the world for their problems, but don’t look in the mirror to reflect on how their own systematic repression contributes to Iranians’ frustration,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “Iran’s security apparatus and its repressive, unaccountable judiciary are serious obstacles to respect for and protection of human rights.” 

In the 674-page World Report 2019, its 29th edition, Human Rights Watch reviewed human rights practices in more than 100 countries. In his introductory essay, Executive Director Kenneth Roth says that the populists spreading hatred and intolerance in many countries are spawning a resistance. New alliances of rights-respecting governments, often prompted and joined by civic groups and the public, are raising the cost of autocratic excess. Their successes illustrate the possibility of defending human rights – indeed, the responsibility to do so – even in darker times.

Human Rights Watch has documented that since 2014, the Revolutionary Guard Intelligence Organization has arrested at least 14 dual and foreign nationals perceived to have links with Western academic, economic, and cultural institutions. They remain behind bars on vague charges such as “cooperating with a hostile state,” deprived of due process, and routinely smeared in pro-government media. Authorities have not publicly presented any specific action or document linked to them that raises the possibility of wrongdoing.

The authorities arrested thousands of people in protests, and in unfair trials marred by due process violations handed down harsh sentences, including for the legitimate exercise of people’s freedoms. To further restrict detainees’ access to legal counsel, particularly during the investigation period, the judiciary has limited the list of lawyers who could represent people charged with national security crimes. 

While at least 30 people, including security forces, had been killed during protests as of November, Iranian officials have not credibly investigated the deaths, including those in custody, or the use of excessive force to repress protests. 

However, in a positive development, since November 2017, the judiciary has halted most executions of people convicted of drug offenses to review their cases in accordance with a parliamentary amendment to Iran’s drug law that raised the bar for mandatory death sentences. But during 2018, the authorities, executed at least five people for crimes they allegedly committed as children. 

In December 2017 and January 2018, several women took their headscarves off while standing on electric utility boxes across the country to protest Iran’s compulsory hijab law. Courts have sentenced several of them to prison. Intelligence agents have also cracked down on peaceful protests against the abusive hijab laws. They arrested Nasrin Sotoudeh, a prominent human rights lawyer, her husband, Reza Khandan, and Farhard Meysami, another human rights defender.

The government discriminates against Baha’is and other religious minorities, including Sunni Muslims, and restricts cultural and political activities among the country’s Azeri, Kurdish, Arab, and Baluch ethnic minorities.

People with disabilities face stigma, discrimination, and lack of accessibility to social services, health care, and public transportation. In March, the parliament passed a law that increases disability pensions and insurance coverage of disability-related health services. But media reports said that the 2019-2020 budget does not allocate sufficient funding to provide the new benefits. 

To read Human Rights Watch’s World Report 2019 chapter on Iran, please visit:
https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/
country-chapters/iran 

For more Human Rights Watch reporting on Iran, please visit:
https://www.hrw.org/middle-east
/n-africa/iran 

For more information, please contact: 
In Beirut, Tara Sepehri Far (English, Farsi): +1-617-893-0375 (mobile);
 or sepehrt@hrw.org. Twitter: @sepehrifar
In New York, Michael Page (English): +1-929-354-6036 (mobile); 
or pagem@hrw.org. Twitter: @MichaelARPage
In New York, Ahmed Benchemsi (English, French, Arabic): +1-929-343-7973 (mobile); or benchea@hrw.org. Twitter: @AhmedBenchemsi

Video Showing Nazanin Zaghary Is Arrested In Imam Khomeini Airport When Leaving Iran . The Agent said , he is the representative From The Prosecutor's Office , He told her , Are you leaving with Bita ? She says : yes....then Agent asks , Hopefully ,going to London ? And then the agent says : She Is Not Authorized From Leaving Iran , .... then both talk about calling and letting her husband know about the arrest ....

Two Young Men Accused Of Homosexual Relationship Are Arrested By Security Forces In Iran.......

According to news two young men , who's name are Ehsan and Sajad are arrested in the city of Jahrom in the province of Fars , they are accused of homosexual relationship.

The website known as , the "Campaign For The Defence Of political prisoners" Announced , these two young men are from the city of Jahrom and had homosexual relationship. They are arrested by the security agents and were transferred to the Shiraz city prison.

The website added : They are from one of the northern province of Iran and on their first wedding anniversary , they have prepared a video and the person who added music on the video , released it to the public and as a result , they were identified by the security forces and were arrested.

They are accused of dishonouring the public moral and are facing severe punishment according to the Islamic law.

Ismail Bakhshi The " Haft Tapeh " Workers Leader Claimed He Is Been Tortured While In Prison .....

News From Iran ......

After release from prison , Ismail Bakhshi the leader of the workers of " Haft Tapeh " Sugar Company in the city of Shoosh claimed he was tortured while in prison.

The " Haft Tapeh " workers went on strike for about 30 days . Their protest was against the privatization and corruption in the company and for their unpaid salaries .

During the protest , Ismail Bakhshi and other workers were arrested and detained . Ismail Bakhshi spent 35 days in prison and was released due to pressure from workers and international solidarities.

After release from prison Ismail Bakhshi claimed he is been torture . Regime thought by arresting and detaining and torturing Esmail Bakhshi , they could silence him .

Now , this news is all over the papers and Regime officials including judiciary power denies of any wrong doings . On this note Esmail Bakhshi has called the minister of Intelligence for a live  debate.

Regime has put pressure on Bakhshi and his family to deny the torture .

After all the killing and torturing of the dissidents inside regime prison, this case has opened new chapter .

Narges Mohammadi An Iranian Leading Human Rights Advocates On Hunger Strike In Islamic Regime Prison....

According to news Narges Mohammadi an Iranian leading human rights advocate together with Nazanin Zaghary are on hunger strike .

In a statement from prison they have said in protest against the way the regime's prison official are dealing with their need for medical attention and treatment , they will start their first round of hunger strike for three days .

In their statement which is signed by Narges and Nazani , they have wrote, despite of repeated request from the officials to start paying attention of political prisoners medical treatment , still there are no signs of this request being met .

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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL 

QUOTE 

02 January 2019

Saudi Arabia: Censorship of Netflix is latest proof of crackdown on freedom of expression

Responding to news that Netflix have removed an episode from a comedy show in Saudi Arabia, after officials from the Kingdom complained that it violated cyber-crime laws, Samah Hadid, Middle East Director of Campaigns at Amnesty International, said:

“Saudi Arabia’s censorship of Netflix using a cyber-crime law comes as no surprise, and is further proof of a relentless crackdown on freedom of expression in the Kingdom.

“Since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman came to power in June 2017, many outspoken human rights defenders, activists and critics have been arbitrarily detained, or unjustly sentenced to lengthy prison terms simply for exercising their right to freedom of expression. 

“The authorities have previously used anti cyber-crime laws to silence dissidents, creating an environment of fear for those who dare to speak up in Saudi Arabia.

“By bowing to the Saudi Arabian authorities’ demands, Netflix is in danger of facilitating the Kingdom’s zero-tolerance policy on freedom of expression and assisting the authorities in denying people’s right to freely access information.”

Background

In Saudi Arabia, Netflix removed an episode of satirical comedy show Patriot Act that was critical of the country’s authorities after officials from the Kingdom complained.

American comedian Hasan Minhaj was critical of the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a monologue that discussed the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the Kingdom’s account of what happened inside the country’s consulate in Istanbul in October 2018, when the journalist was forcibly disappeared and killed. 

The Saudi telecoms regulator had cited a cyber-crime law that states that “production, preparation, transmission, or storage of material impinging on public order, religious values, public morals, and privacy, through the information network or computers” is a crime punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine.

In a statement, Netflix said: “We strongly support artistic freedom worldwide and only removed this episode in Saudi Arabia after we had received a valid legal request – and to comply with local law.”

ENDS

Public Document 
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