Iran’s nuclear activities and ambitions faced rare, blunt criticism at a roundtable at Tehran University, where one of the speakers said the damage done by the nuclear program was greater than that by the 1980-88 war with Iraq, which left tens of thousands dead and caused much devastation. “The imposed war [with Iraq] did […]
Category: Sufi news
Newspaper closure, arrest may be linked to story on government critic
Yaghma Fakhshami, a political reporter for the Roozan daily, was arrested two days after Iranian authorities banned the newspaper. ILNA reports that Fakhshami was arrested on December 24 and is now in Evin Prison. The Roozan daily was shut down on Monday December 22 by the order of the Tehran prosecutor’s office. The prosecutor’s […]
The Birth of Jesus Christ (AS)
The Birth of Jesus Christ (AS)[1] Dr. Haj Nour Ali Tabandeh In many societies, it is believed that one of these very days is occasioned by the birth of Christ (AS). The birth date of His Excellency is in an atmosphere of uncertainty. It is not obvious exactly when he was born; hence […]
Female Prisoner of Conscience Transferred to Deplorable Gharchak Prison
Female prisoner of conscience Hakimeh Shokri was abruptly transferred from Evin Prison to the Gharchak Prison in Varamin on December 15, 2014, Shokri’s sister told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. Gharchak prison is known for its abysmal conditions, especially regarding those for its female prisoners. “I don’t know why they treated […]
Zahedan Friday Mass Imam receives human rights award
Iran’s Human Rights Defenders have given this year’s Human Rights Activist award to Zahedan’s Friday Mass Imam, Mowlavi Abdolhamid Esmail Zehi. The Human Rights Defenders Centre website reports that the Sunni leader was awarded the prize on Tuesday December 23 for “his relentless efforts to promote conciliatory relations among different religious and ethnic groups […]
Hunger-striking activist in poor health in prison
Political prisoner Behnam Ebrahimzadeh, who has been on a hunger strike for 20 days in Karaj’s Rejaishahr Prison, was transferred to the infirmary after losing consciousness on Monday December 22. Ebrahimzadeh began his hunger strike to protest his transfer to the non-political prisoners ward, the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reports. Reports indicate […]
Prison Sentence for Young Facebook User Increased from 15 to 20 Years
A Tehran Revolutionary Court has increased the sentence of a 21-year-old Facebook user from 15 to 20 years in prison for his postings on Facebook. The case was originally appealed in the hope that the severe 15-year sentence would be reduced. However, the appeals court remanded the case to the lower court because one […]
Holding a Series of Speeches against Dervishes by a Religious Group in Karaj
A religious group in Karaj by holding mourning ceremonies for the month of Safar, with the aim of stimulating and creating tension in the region, held a series of speeches against the Mysticism and Sufism in the neighborhood of the house of worship of Gonabadi Dervishes in the mentioned city.A group of wayward individuals […]
Without Global Outcry, Religious Crackdowns in Iran Will Continue
Arash Emadi, Farhad Noori and Daniel Owji call for justice for Iran’s persecuted religious groups ahead of the December UN General Assembly vote. Photo of Arash Emadi As members of three different Iranian religious traditions, we have personally experienced the Iranian government’s assault on religious freedom. We have been forced to leave our country and seek […]
Iran FM rejected UN human right resolution
Iran’s Foreign Ministry rejected the resolution of United Nation’s General Assembly on Iran, condemning human right abuse. Marzieh Afkham, spokeswoman of Foreign Ministry said that Iran rejects the approved resolution completely, IRNA reported Dec.19. Afkham said that it’s unfortunate that some western countries that abuse human rights themselves, are attempting to misuse the human […]