Asma Jahangir, UN Rights Rapporteur Condemns Harassment of Journalists in Iran

UN: A UN special rapporteur on human rights said on Thursday there had been little change in the situation in Iran over the past year, voicing deep outrage over the harassment of journalists and adding that progress on women’s rights was extremely slow.

A day after submitting her report to the world body, Asma Jahangir, the UN special rapporteur on the Iran rights situation, told reporters that torture was widespread in Iran and that some people were imprisoned for seeking justice.

Jahangir said she did not attempt to assess the impact of sanctions on human rights in Iran in her report because she had not been allowed to visit the country, which does not recognise her mandate.

U.S. Policy in Lebanon Is Now Helping Hezbollah and Iran+video

The Weekly Standard, AUG 16, 2017 -- The U.S. is deploying special forces on the ground in Lebanon to provide training for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) for missions that partner with Hezbollah—Iran’s most valuable terrorist ally—against ISIS. Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon told the U.S.-based Al-Hurra Arabic TV network that American troops are there to provide assistance for the upcoming offensive against ISIS in the northeast border region in which the LAF will attack from from inside Lebanon while Hezbollah advances from Syria to the east.

THE EU DISREGARDS HUMAN RIGHTS IN IRAN

By Hamid Bahrami       

The formal inauguration ceremony of Rouhani’s second presidential term was held earlier this month. The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, attended the event as a special guest.The Italian Commissioner is known to be one of the EU officials who supports a policy of appeasing the Iranian regime.

Iran: Child marriages and girl children who become widows

“At least 2,000 girl children in #Iran have undergone repeated miscarriages and will soon become young widows.”

This was announced by Tayyebeh Siavoshi, a member of the mullahs’ parliament (Majlis).

“With the passage of time and problems, these girl children go through child marriages and turn into young widows. Children who are between 13 and 14 years of age become both widows and heads of household,” Siavoshi asserted.

Yes, watch North Korea, but don’t take your eyes off Iran

Dr. Majid Rafizadeh

Arab news, 11 August 2017 - North Korea is in the international news spotlight because of its mutual saber-rattling with Donald Trump, and the widely publicized test of a long-range ballistic missile. But it is critical to point out that these events are equally significant in relation to Iran and the threat it poses to peace and stability.

UN rights expert outraged at Iran execution of a young man sentenced as a child

GENEVA, United Nations , Office of the  High Commissionar, 11 August 2017  – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, Asma Jahangir, has expressed outrage at the execution of a young man who received the death penalty as a child.

How Iran Fears MEK as Its Opposition

 Pooya Stone

The regime in Iran has come under immense domestic and international pressure recently. Most vivid are the sweeping sanctions imposed by US Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump.

These developments are sparking an endless stream of reactions from Iran’s senior officials and various media outlets. Over 500 interviews, reports, posts, sessions, book introductions and others events have been discussed in this regime’s official outlets, all regarding the opposition People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).

Iran Regime's Officials Express Their Fear About PMOI/MEK Activities in Propagating Information on 1988 Massacre

NCRI - In response to “the justice seeking Movement for victims of 1988 massacre” and along with the three-day Iranian Resistance Satellite TV ‘Simay Azadi's’ event on the anniversary of the Massacre, state run Basij News writes," The People's Mojahedin of Iran (MEK/PMOI) has organized the maximum propagandas and military activities against the Islamic Republic of Iran."

Executioner Replaces Another Executioner

Rouhani appoints another 1988 massacre executioner as justice minister

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has appointed Alireza Avaie, involved directly in the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran’s Khuzestan Province, to replace Mostafa Pourmohammadi as justice minister in the new cabinet. Pourmohammadi was one of the three members of the massacre 1988 massacre “Death Commission.

Europe must not turn a blind eye to Iran’s human rights abuses

Amnesty International has just published a 94-page report entitled “Caught in a web of repression: Iran’s human rights defenders under attack.” It details 45 specific instances of what the organization has described as a “vicious crackdown” coinciding with the supposedly moderate presidency of Hassan Rouhani, who begins his second term in office this week

How Iran's people get around the mullahs' social media censorship Read more: http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2017/08/how_irans_people_get_around_the_mullahs_social_media_censorship.html#ixzz4oyzOjNLg Follow us: @AmericanThinker on Twitter | AmericanThinker on Facebook

Despite the "enemies of the internet" designation of shame, only six countries actively block social media networks around the world.
Iran is the leading country that blocks its citizens from accessing internet.  In Iran, the internet and social media apps are heavily restricted and censored, because the government views any form of internet freedom as a threat to its mullah regime.
Iran bars social media and internet, yet it has long been a battleground there between the jubilant Iranians who seek freedom and the authorities who feel they must protect the regime from dangerous influences that could topple it.  Websites and social media have been blocked in Iran since huge antigovernment protests exploded after the disputed presidential election in 2009.
In the absence of a free and unrestrained press in Iran, users inside the country utilize Twitter to bypass state censorship mechanisms and challenge government narratives aiming at concealing the brutality of the government's violent crackdown on the protesters.  They also use a social media app called Telegram to discuss news and politics.
According to the recent report by the National Council of Resistance of Iran, as the regime in Iran faces a variety of crises, the deputy public prosecutor said concerns about cyberspace have become extremely worrisome for Tehran.
Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei is cited in this report as saying, in his usual violent language, that cyberspace is the "killing ground" of the country's youth, in reality meaning that this is where they learn the truth about the regime ruling Iran.  The mullahs claim to be concerned about the youth and Islamic values and how cyberspace activities and social media undermine them, but the reality is, they are thinking of themselves.
With all the media assets at its disposal, why can't the regime properly confront this threat?
The truth is that concerns about "religion and faith" are not the regime's concerns, as its own officials have in interviews acknowledged the fact that improper posts are blocked by Telegram administrators.
"More than 30% of these Telegram channels are involved in criminal activities against the country's security and disrupting the entire nation," said Iran's deputy public prosecutor, Abdolsamad Khoramabadi.
Of course, the main target of these remarks are the Telegram channels belonging to the Iranian opposition People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).
"[W]e are left incapable on the internet.  The supreme leader has said time and again that this cyberspace is uncontrollable. ... [I]t is unacceptable to have 8,000 orders in this regard and not being able to do anything," Khoramabadi said.
This official also admits that the MEK will continue its activities even without Telegram, yet this platform has provided the MEK the means to accelerate the pace of its efforts.
In addition to speed, the Iranian people having access to MEK criteria has left the regime terrified.
"The MEK Telegram channel inside Iran is very active[.] ... [A]ll the regime's opponents are providing the people all their books and written material through this online platform.  If you seek to purchase them, you have to pay huge amounts of money.  If you wanted to publish a book, it would be very demanding, but on the internet, it is quite easy," Khoramabadi added.
While the Iranian regime can completely block these websites, why has this issue reached the media?
The regime in Tehran is truly facing an impasse in the face of Telegram.  It can't completely block the website, as it needs the platform for its own purposes, and it also cannot block only certain channels.
If Iran blocks Telegram in its entirety, it will come with heavy political and social impacts, leaving this regime facing 40 million angry users.  Furthermore, this will not resolve the entire issue, and these users will most certainly find another platform.
The Iranian regime has time and again negotiated with Telegram's managers to block the MEK website and associated channels, only to be rejected each time.  This has left Tehran facing an impasse.
Either accept the MEK's vast network with all its grave consequences, or pay the ultimate price of blocking Telegram.  The latter would raise even more questions.
Hassan Mahmoudi is a human rights advocate, specializing in political and economic issues relating to Iran and the Middle East.  @hassan_mahmou1

Social media websites are fantastic tools that allow us to share the joy of fabulous news from friends, family, and neighbors, whether birthday greetings, wishes for the New Year, or thanksgiving.  We are able to sympathize with our companions when they share their sad stories

Read more: http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2017/08/how_irans_people_get_around_the_mullahs_social_media_censorship.html#ixzz4oyzWSChN
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Those who met their appointment with FREEDOM

On the anniversary of the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners in Iran

The 1988 massacre of over 30,000 political prisoners in Iran

has been described as the worst crime against humanity since World War II. [1]

Iran executes 100 people in one month alone

 Al Arabiya, 2 August 2017--  The Iranian Human Rights Organization announced that the Iranian authorities executed over one hundred people during the month of July.

In a report received by Al Arabiya, the organization reported that the Iranian authorities only declared eight executions.

IRAN'S FEAR OF REGIME CHANGE BY IRANIAN PEOPLE AND THEIR RESISTANCE (PMOI/MEK)

Lethal international, economic and social crises that has plunged the Iranian regime into the dilemma it is currently facing on one hand, and the expanding support for the Iranian opposition MEK that can realize regime change in Iran on the other, have all injected utter fear amongst Tehran’s mullahs

Why Iran Apologists Demonize the MEK?

The U.S. Senate voted almost unanimously on Thursday to pass new sanctions on Russia, North Korea and Iran.

The officials of Iranian regime are already afraid of the consequences of the new sanctions. In addition to economic implications of the sanctions, what worries them the most is the actions against the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps 

Iran: Christian woman not released despite termination of sentence

With the completion of the prison sentence of prisoner of conscience Maryam Naghash Zargaran, her family were informed on Friday, July 28, 2017, to go to Evin Prison to receive their prisoner.

The family waited long hours, but prison authorities did not release Ms. Zargaran. Neither did they give a clear answer in response to Maryam Zargaran’s protest.

Maryam Naghash Zargaran was first summoned and interrogated by the Ministry of Intelligence in Tehran inn February 2011. She was Subsequently transferred to Evin Prison on November 10, 2012 and has remained in prison to date.

Iran: Security forces prevent young women from riding bicycles

The State Security forces of Marivan stopped and confiscated the bicycles of young women who were riding their bikes around the Zaribar Lake in this city in the western Iranian Kurdistan Province.

Around the same time last year, the State Security forces in Marivan prevented the bicycling campaign of young women to promote the protection of the environment. The SSF’s measure also met with widespread protests at the time.