Iran Human Rights

Iran's latest presidential election on June 12, 2009, took place against a backdrop of discrimination, worsening repression of dissent and violent unrest.  Amnesty International continues to document serious human rights violations including detention of human rights defenders and other prisoners of conscience, unfair trials, torture and mistreatment in detention, deaths in custody and the application of the death penalty. Iran has one of the highest number of recorded executions of any country in the world.
» Read more about Iran's post-election protests
Take action: Protect human rights in Iran

February 11th - Victory of the Revolution Day
» Find out how you can help raise the voices of those calling for freedom and justice inside Iran

HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS IN IRAN

Iranian-American Scholar Sentenced to 15 Years in a Judicial Travesty

Iranian-American Kian Tajbaksh was sentenced to 15 years in prison on October 20, following his conviction in a Revolutionary Court in Tehran in proceedings that failed to meet international standards for fair trials. Amnesty International considers him to be a prisoner of conscience and is demanding his immediate and unconditional release.
» Call for justice in the case of Kian Tajbaksh

Investigation Needed into Suspicious Death of Iranian Doctor

The body of Dr. Ramin Pourandarjani was discovered in a room at Tehran police headquarters on 10 November 2009. Help ensure a proper investigation, as it is essential that the investigation be fully transparent and that reputable independent experts be called in to insure its integrity.
» Call for an investigation into mysterious death of Iranian doctor

Take action on other human rights defenders in Iran
» Protect student leader Majid Tavokkoli from torture
» Help free Shi'a cleric from EVIN Prison in Tehran
» Help free trade unionist Mansour Ossanlu (in PDF)

CHILD EXECUTIONS

Iran is one of the only countries left in the world today that still executes children and child offenders (those accused of committing an offense when they were under 18 years of age).  At least 137 juvenile offenders face execution, but the total number could be much higher as many death penalty cases in Iran are believed to go unreported.  At least eight child offenders were executed in 2007. Iran is the only country in the world known to have executed a juvenile offender in 2008. At least eight juvenile offenders were executed in 2008. On May 1, 2009 Delara Darabi was executed by hanging. She was 17 at the time her alleged crime took place. She was the second juvenile offender known to have been executed in Iran in 2009.  Behnam Zare was executed on 26 August 2008. He was only 15 at the time the alleged crime took place.
» Read more and take action
» Read Report: Iran: the last executioner of children
» More on international death penalty trends

WOMEN IN IRAN

Women in Iran have been at the forefront of the human rights movement in that country, advocating on a broad spectrum of uses. Although their advocacy has consisted of peaceful activities, they have been met with harsh repression from Iranian authorities as part of a recent pervasive crackdown on a wide range of activism. Shirin Ebadi, the Nobel Prize winner and women's rights advocate, has been subjected to increased persecution in recent months, raising concerns for her safety. Click below for more information and to take action on behalf of Ms Ebadi and other courageous human rights defenders.
» Protect women's human rights in Iran
» Read Report: Women at the forefront of human rights activism in Iran (pdf)

HUMAN RIGHTS CONCERNS

Even before the post-June 12 elections crackdown, Amnesty International had serious concerns about massive human rights violations in Iran. For the past several years, Iranian authorities have been engaged in the brutal repression of Iranian civil society. Targets include labor activists who seek to form independent trade unions, women's rights activists, in particular those involved with the Campaign for Equality who work for equitable treatment under family law, students, journalists, bloggers, and those who advocate for cultural rights for Iran's ethnic and linguistic minorities. Hundreds of people are in detention; many of those serving prison terms have been convicted in unfair trials before Revolutionary Courts on vague charges including "propaganda against the state" or "endangering the security of the state."Iranian authorities have used these vague charges to suppress the right of its citizens to peaceful expression and association.

Amnesty International is also greatly concerned about the use of violence by Basij paramilitary and other government agents who break up peaceful demonstrations, as well as the use of torture in detention facilities. Many people have reported having been tortured in order to force them to make public confessions that can be used against them in legal proceedings. Furthermore, Iran executes more people than any other country in the world except for China. Iran executed at least 346 people in 2008. Iran is also the only country in the world that continues to execute juvenile offenders.

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