by Staff writer, SF

Article 19 is a British human rights organization with a specific mandate and focus on the defense and promotion of freedom of expression and freedom of information worldwide founded in 1987. The statement reproduced below was originally published on article19.org on May 11, 2018, and its signatories include: Access Now, ARTICLE 19, Benetech, Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI), Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Tor Project, and United for Iran:

by Staff writer, SF
Iranian Canadian academic and Environmentalist Kavous Seyed-Emami died in Iran’s Evin Prison two months ago, yet officials have still not released a final autopsy report.
According to attorney Payam Derafshan, who represents the Seyed-Emami family, when he spoke to CHRI on April 19, 2018, the preliminary report mentions “bruises on different parts of the body.” He claimed that the medical examiner noted an injection on the skin, and bruises on the body.

 by Staff writer, SF
Iran’s justice minister, Alireza Avayi, is accused of being among those who have been involved in imprisoning, torturing, and executing Iranians over the past 39 years.
Yet, regime’s President Hassan Rouhani, said to be a “moderate reformist”, appointed Avayi to replace Mostafa Pourmohammadi and continue this discredited official’s policies.
Numerous protests followed Avayi’s speech that caused many diplomats to walk out at the United Nations Human Rights Council.

by Atousa Pilger
On April 19th, deputy prosecutor Hassan Heydari told the judiciary’s Mizan Online news agency that the head of the department of Islamic guidance in the holy city of Mashhad had been arrested for “undermining public decency and disrespecting the laws.”
The official was arrested on Thursday after a video showing young boys and girls dancing in public was posted online. The event took place on Tuesday. The boys and girls were innocently dancing in a shopping mall, where a singer was performing for a huge crowd.

by Staff writer, SF
On Wednesday, April 18, Kamran Hamzeh, Iranian regime’s prosecutor in the city of Hamadan announced the execution of Behnam Varmazyar in the city's main prison.
The state-run ISNA news agency quoting him wrote: “After resolving legal issues of the case, the death sentence was carried out.”

by Saeed
Iranian Kurdish prisoner Ramin Hossein Panahi, who was arrested last June for alleged membership of the Kurdish nationalist group Komala, was repeatedly beaten in detention, denied medical care and access to a lawyer, and held in solitary confinement until January, UN rights experts said in a news release on Wednesday.