by Staff writer, SF

At Zahedan Prison, in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran, Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reports that political prisoners continue to endure mistreatment by the personnel, malnutrition, medical negligence, and the temperature extremes of an overcrowded prison without climate control. As well, their families are being harassed by the authorities.

Overpopulation is another concern at the prison, where construction and repairs on two wards has dragged on since last year. Many inmates spend their nights on the floor.

by Staff writer, SF

The following is a brief overview of human rights abuses that took place in Iran between September 23 and October 22, using information gathered from activists on the ground. Unfortunately, due to the difficulties of ensuring a comprehensive assessment, the incidents included are believed to be just a fraction of the true extent of human rights abuses.

This report also talks of executions, child abuse, mass arrests, violation of freedom of expression, labour abuses, violation of prisoners’ rights, and unchecked environmental pollution, so it does not make for an easy read.

by Staff writer, SF

The Iranian Regime has arrested a journalist for allegedly insulting Imam Hussein, one of the most respected and revered figures of the Shiite faith and the Islamic republic, according to a report from a news agency linked to the mullahs’ judiciary.

On Thursday, October 25, Mizan Online reported that Pouyan Khoshhal was arrested for insulting Imam Hussein and other Imams as he tried to leave the country on Wednesday.

According to the official Shiite narrative, Imam Hussein was the grandson of Prophet Mohammed who died in the seventh century while refusing the Caliph Yazid’s right to rule the Islamic world.

by Saeed

On Wednesday, Javaid Rehman, UN Special Rapporteur for human rights in Iran, told a General Assembly Human Rights committee, "I appeal to the Iranian authorities to abolish the practice of sentencing children to death, and to commute all death sentences issued against children in line with international law.”

It violates international law to execute juvenile convicts, and also contravenes the Convention of the Rights of the Child and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

According to Rehman, during this year, five individuals who were convicted of committing murder as minors have been put to death in Iran.

by Staff writer, SF

According to the Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA), Iranian state-sponsored television broadcast footage on August 7th, of what appeared to be a confession. In the footage, two prisoners can be heard talking about their part in an armed attack on the military base of Saqqez.

One of the men, Houshmand Alipour, is the subject of a recent open letter written by his brother Hejar, who sees this footage as an excuse to execute his brother. Hejar has asked human rights organizations to address Iranian authorities’ restrictions on Alipour and his co-defendant’s visitations, extra-prison communications, and access to legal defense.

by Staff writer, SF

Since this regime’s inception in 1979, its authorities in Iran have a history of endangering the lives of political prisoners by denying them adequate medical treatment and medication as a form of punishment.

This deliberate denial of access has endangered the lives of several political prisoners, including Majid Asadi, Arash Sadeqi, Hassan Sadeqi, Mohammad Banazadeh Amirkhizi and Mohammad Habibi, who are among those whose continued existence is threatened by denial of treatment. Their medical records have been destroyed rather than being transferred to the hospital or the prison clinic.