As of November 22, both students remained in Evin Prisons Ward 209. In June the BBC reported their legal representatives had urged the UN Human Rights Council to act on this issue. Many expected bribes for providing routine services or received bonuses outside their regular work, and individuals routinely bribed officials to obtain permits for otherwise illegal construction. Antiunion discrimination occurred, and the government harassed trade union leaders, labor rights activists, and journalists during crackdowns on widespread protests. On July 11, Miller would only confirm for reporters that on June 29th, Rob stopped performing the duties of the special envoy for Iran. There was no information regarding the status of a joint investigation into the incident by the Iranian and Afghan governments. The constitution provides that the judiciary be an independent power that is free from every kind of unhealthy relation and connection. The court system, however, was subjected to political influence, and judges were appointed in accordance with religious criteria.. Hossein Sepantas request for parole was repeatedly denied, despite deteriorating health conditions and denial of medical care. As POLITICO has reported, he was put on partial leave this spring amid an investigation into whether he should have access to classified information. Previously, he had served in Embassy Tehran, 1972-76, as political-military officer. Government buildings that predated existing accessibility standards remained largely inaccessible, and general building accessibility, including access to toilets for persons with disabilities, remained a problem. The law reportedly allows officials to relocate children in situations that seriously threaten their safety. In February authorities killed 10 fuel carriers (sookhtbars) in Sistan va Baluchestan Province at the border with Pakistan, who were protesting government blockades of cross-border shipments. The law permits a man to have as many as four wives and an unlimited number of temporary wives (sigheh), based on a Shia custom under which couples may enter a limited-time civil and religious contract that outlines the unions conditions. An appeals court confirmed the sentence in March. According to IranWire, in October the head of Paveh citys intelligence office ordered officers to detain and interrogate harshly two journalists for reporting on the rape of a seven-year-old girl by a 43-year-old man on September 20. In a February letter to the UN secretary-general, imprisoned human rights attorney Nasrin Sotoudeh asked the international community to pay attention to the issue of executions in Iranian society, especially that of religious, ethnic minorities, and women, and take necessary measures to prevent such extensive executions. Sotoudeh cited the case of Zahra Esmaili, who was executed on February 17 with eight other prisoners. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings, c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees, Politically Motivated Reprisal against Individuals Located Outside of the Country, f. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence, a. Amayesh cardholders must obtain permission for any travel outside their province of registration. In workplaces where workers established an Islamic labor council, authorities did not permit any other form of worker representation. According to CHRI and IHR, in March authorities transferred activist Atena Daemi from Evin Prison to Rasht Central Prison, far from her family. On August 10, a Swedish court, drawing on the principle of universal jurisdiction, opened the trial of a former Iranian prosecutor, Hamid Nouri, for his alleged role in the executions of thousands of political prisoners in Iran in the 1980s. Christopher Stevens - NNDB Also see the Department of States Trafficking in Persons Report at https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/. The State Welfare Organization sent a public text message the same day highlighting the existence of the hotlines. Authorities did not issue formal government support or travel documents to stateless persons. Syria: There continued to be reports the government, primarily through the IRGC, directly supported the Assad regime in Syria and recruited Iraqi, Afghan, and Pakistani Shia fighters, as well as Syrians, which contributed to prolonging the civil war and the deaths of thousands of Syrian civilians during the year (see the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for Syria). Health-care workers continued to protest during the year in several cities after hospitals failed to pay government-approved wages. The courts, however, became institutionalized and continue to operate in parallel to the criminal justice system. In April 2020 media reported that following failed meetings, workers, employers, and the government agreed to increase the minimum wage from the previous year by 21 percent. Three other students were expelled from universities midsemester under similar circumstances. It applies to some drug offenses involving smaller quantities of narcotics if the crime is carried out using weapons, employing minors, or involving someone in a leadership role in a trafficking ring or who was previously convicted of drug crimes and sentenced to more than 15 years imprisonment. On July 13, reformist newspaper Etemad fired three of its political correspondents. This article examines US covert operations toward Iran from February until November 1979. . On January 30, according to Amnesty International and other NGOs, authorities executed Javid Dehghan in Zahedan Central Prison after sentencing him to death for enmity against God based on a confession extracted through torture. In cases of inheritance, male heirs receive twice the inheritance of their female counterparts. Authorities often denied detainees access to legal counsel during this period. The government applied the law throughout the year, often citing statements made in various media outlets or on internet platforms that criticized the government in the arrest, prosecution, and sentencing of individuals for crimes against national security. There were efforts to increase access for persons with disabilities to historic sites. 03 / Select Countries You can add more than one country or area. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, 2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, Section 1. The head of the State Welfare Organization in Mashhad noted an eightfold increase in child abuse cases reported in Mashhad in 2020, compared with the same period in 2019. 13 Shervin Hadjilou, a State Department civil servant for the past ten years, has acted as a liaison and a bridge between the Iran desk at the State Department with the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), one of the most influential Iranian lobby groups in the US, with direct ties to the Islamic Republic of Iran. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has held the position since 1989. Male juvenile detainees were held in separate rehabilitation centers in most urban areas, but female juvenile detainees and male juvenile detainees in rural areas were held alongside adults in segregated detention facilities, according to NGO reports. A husband is not required to cite a reason for divorcing his wife. Sayed Emami died only 18 days after his arrest, supporting the claim that he died as a result of torture. The United Nations or Other International Bodies: During the year the government continued to deny repeated requests by the UNSR on the situation of human rights in Iran to visit the country. The following transcript of Arams interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. Is this the kind of response that you got from them? During the year human rights groups and international media noted the absence of procedural safeguards in criminal trials, and courts routinely admitted as evidence confessions made under duress or torture. They continued to block online messaging tools, such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, although the government operated Twitter accounts under the names of Supreme Leader Khamenei, President Raisi, Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian, and other government-associated officials and entities, including after shutting down most of the countrys internet access during both the November 2019 protests and the July water shortage demonstrations. Office of the Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology, Office of the U.S. According to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Guardian Council disqualified 7,296 candidates in the period preceding the election. Discrimination and Societal Abuses, Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination, Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, a. As economic conditions deteriorated, strikes and worker protests continued across the country throughout the year, often prompting a heavy police response. A 2020 statement by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed serious concern regarding a consistent government pattern of denying medical treatment to detainees, including political prisoners, which was heightened during the year due to the spread of COVID-19 throughout prisons. Commonly reported methods of torture and abuse in prisons included threats of execution or rape, forced vaginal and anal examinations, sleep deprivation, waterboarding, suspension, forced ingestion of chemical substances, deliberate deprivation of medical care, electroshock including the shocking of genitals, burnings, the use of pressure positions, and severe and repeated beatings. Discrimination: The constitution provides for equal protection for women under the law in conformity with its interpretation of Islam. Subsequently, many persons with disabilities remained unable to participate in society on an equal basis. Naeiji stated the three main reasons for work-related deaths were falls, being struck by hard objects, and electrocution. Given that his portfolio involved one of the United States most dangerous enemies, the Congress needs to start asking hard questions about how Americas national security may have been placed at risk, said Coates, vice president of foreign policy at the Heritage Foundation. (JNS) Details remain sketchy, but Robert Malleyconfirmedat the beginning of the month that the U.S. State Department had suspended him from his role as special envoy for Iran. Islamic law allows for the execution of juvenile offenders starting at age nine for girls and age 13 for boys, the legal age of maturity. Child Abuse: There was little information available on how the government dealt with child abuse. The government continued to execute individuals sentenced for crimes committed before age 18. Authorities restricted access to tens of thousands of websites, particularly those of international news and information services, the political opposition, ethnic and religious minority groups, and human rights organizations. Registered political organizations that adhered to the system generally operated without restriction, but most were small, focused around an individual, and without nationwide membership. The law considers sex within marriage consensual by definition and, therefore, does not address spousal rape, including in cases of forced marriage. Authorities detained Namazi in 2015, followed by his father, Baquer, in 2016. On August 29, Ebrahim Yousefi, one of death row prisoner Heydar (Heidar) Ghorbanis former cellmates, published an audio file describing the marks of torture he had seen on Ghorbanis body following his interrogation by authorities in the Ministry of Intelligences detention center in Sanandaj in 2017. The government continued to arrest and harass teachers rights activists from the Teachers Association of Iran and related unions. Sign up for Lisas Top Ten and get the top-ten trending stories in foreign affairs. Women in many fields were restricted from working after 9 p.m. Kurds, Ahwazis, Azeris, Bahais, and Baluchis reported political and socioeconomic discrimination regarding their access to economic aid, business licenses, and job opportunities. Recent Elections: Presidential elections held on June 18 fell short of international standards for free and fair elections, primarily because of the Guardian Councils controlling role in the political process, including determining which individuals could run for office and, in certain instances, arbitrarily removing winning candidates. According to international media reports, security forces continued to respond to workers attempts to organize or conduct strikes with arbitrary arrests and violence. State Department Walks Back Imminent Status of Iran Nuclear Deal The revelation is fueling critics who say the White House paid ransom to. During the year the government banned, blocked, closed, or censored publications deemed critical of officials. According to labor activists, the companys executives had not paid workers salaries since March, and authorities reduced the companys water rights by half. The State Department will brief the House Foreign Affairs Committees leadership in the wake of the Biden administrations decision to bench Iran envoy Rob Malley after the panels top lawmaker threatened to subpoena administration officials. The government also harassed many journalists families (see section 1.e., Threats, Harassment, Surveillance, and Coercion). The ministries threatened journalists with criminal prosecution if they strayed from official guidance, which instructed that the protests not be made into headline news and should instead be portrayed as civil protests while minimizing the extent of violence. Under the new law, the children of Iranian women and foreign men qualify for citizenship, although it is not automatic; the mother must apply for them. According to the IHRDC, the nine-member film review council of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, consisting of clerics, former directors, former parliamentarians, and academics, must approve the content of every film before production and again before screening. Starting on September 20, 2020, Iran is also prohibited by the UN from testing and developing ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. According to Amnesty International, these arrests sometimes included children and bystanders at protests and were often conducted in a violent manner, to include beating detainees. The Guardian Council vets candidates for the presidential and Islamic Consultative Assembly (parliament or majles) elections, routinely disqualifying some based on political or other considerations, and controls the election process.
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