Execution Sentence for Protester as Iranian Parliament Pushes Capital Punishment
In a deeply concerning development, Iranian lawmakers are pushing for the Judiciary to enact severe sentences—including executions—against those imprisoned amid recent protests following the killing of 22-year-old Jina Mahsa Amini by the nation’s so-called morality police. Falsely labeling the protests as foreign-backed “riots,” 227 of 290 lawmakers in the hardline-dominated Iranian Parliament (Majles) called on […]
Iranian Protesters are Beaten, Imprisoned, and Murdered by Security Forces while Detainees Face Severe Punishment
As widespread protests in Iran continue into the eighth week, the Iranian people are bravely voicing their deeply-held grievances towards the Islamic Republic despite constant efforts by authorities to silence all critics in a brutal and bloody crackdown. On Sunday, new protests erupted after Nasrin Ghadri—a Kurdish student from the town of Marivan—was killed in […]
Iran’s Judiciary Indicts 1000 Individuals for Protesting as Nationwide Unrest Continues
Since widespread protests erupted in Iran six weeks ago, Iranian security forces have reportedly arrested more than 14,000 people. These include students, lawyers, human rights defenders, civil society activists, journalists and people from other sectors of Iranian society. Iran’s judiciary intends to hold public trials for a large number of individuals who were arrested for […]
NIAC Welcomes Biden Administration Commitment for UN Pressure on Iran over Brutal Crackdown
Washington, DC – NIAC welcomes today’s announcement from U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield in support of establishing an independent UN investigative mechanism to hold Iran accountable for its international rights violations, as called for by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, and by Vice President Kamala Harris announcing U.S. support […]
Iran Imprisons Two Female Journalists on Bogus Charges of Working with CIA
Iranian women Niloofar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi were among the first journalists to report the story that 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was killed by the so-called morality police last month. News of Amini’s death and the brutal repression that followed sparked intense nationwide protests across Iran and today the country remains embroiled in unrest as thousands […]
Iranian Authorities Target Protesters on 40th Day of Mourning for Mahsa Amini
Forty days after Jina Mahsa Amini was killed by Iran’s so-called morality police for not abiding by the Islamic Republic’s strict public dress code, Iranians across the country mourned the killing of the innocent 22-year-old woman and vociferously condemned the state’s brutality and repression. On Wednesday, thousands of people traveled to Saqqez in Kurdistan province […]
Climber Elnaz Rekabi Reportedly Under House Arrest after Competing without her Hijab
Thirty-three year old Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi made headlines when she competed without a hijab during the International Federation of Sport Climbing’s Asia Championship in Seoul last week. In what was widely interpreted as an act of civil disobedience, Rekabi defied the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code requiring female Iranian athletes to wear the hijab […]
Calls Grow to Investigate Deadly Attack on Evin Prison Detainees During Fire
A deadly fire caused significant damage to Iran’s Evin prison and resulted in at least eight deaths and 61 injuries on October 15th. The Islamic Republic’s official state media outlet, IRNA, claimed that the fire was started by a group of “thugs” who set the prison’s warehouse of clothing on fire. However, the actual cause […]
As the Islamic Republic Continues to Commit Atrocities, a Strong International Response is Needed
The death toll is rising in Iran where security forces have continued to use lethal force against innocent protesters who are participating in a nationwide movement against the Islamic Republic. More than 200 people—including 23 children—have been killed by security forces since demonstrations began more than a month ago—though the number is likely higher. Disturbingly, […]
Islamic Republic Tries to Avoid Accountability for Murdering Children
In the fifth week of nationwide protests, authorities continue to use lethal force against innocent Iranians—including teenagers and children—who are bravely asserting their rights and resisting the repression of the Islamic Republic. The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRNA) has reported that authorities have killed 233 people—though that number is likely higher—since protests erupted on […]
NIAC Policy Recommendations in Response to Nationwide Protests
The National Iranian American Council sent the following letter to the Biden Administration detailing several important steps to show solidarity with the people of Iran as they challenge their nation’s mandatory hijab laws and the state’s brutal repression.
Oil Workers Show Solidarity with Protesters in Strikes
Iran’s current youth-lead protests have brought the Islamic Republic’s abuses of women to the forefront of public attention. However, it should be noted that the protests have expanded into a broad-based movement that spotlights a range of political and economic grievances in the country. One of the issues that has been underscored in recent days […]