Iran Focus

London, 26 Jul – On the anniversary of the massacre of some 30,000 political prisoners in Iran, July 26, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) looks back on the events that led to tens of thousands of political prisoners held in jails across Iran being summarily and extra-judicially executed in 1988.

“There are strong indications that Khomeini’s fatwa, which led to the massacre of some 30,000 political prisoners in Iran, was issued on July 26, 1988”, according to the NCRI.

Iran Focus

London, 26 Jul – An Iranian Christian woman held in the infamous Evin Prison since July 15, 2013, has now spent over three weeks on a hunger strike.

Maryam Zargaran, who has been denied release despite her developing Multiple Sclerosis and long-term heart condition began her second hunger strike on July 5 protesting the treatment she has received in prison. Reports say that she has become very weak. After their recent visit, Zargaran’s family said that she refuses to receive treatment at the prison clinic because staff mistreat her there.

Iran Focus

London, 25 Jul – The UK released a Human Rights Priority Country update report in which the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office said that in the last six months the human rights situation in Iran has only gotten worse.

The report based on the period January to June 2016 was published on July 21.

It states: “In many respects, the situation has worsened, despite President Rouhani pledging to improve the rights and freedoms of the citizens of Iran when he was elected.”

Iran Focus
Tehran, 25 Jul – Iranian officials arrested 150 young people for attending a mixed-gender birthday party in Islamshahr, near Tehran.

In a statement given to the regime-affiliated news agency, Tasnim, on July 25, Colonel Mohsen Khancherli, the regime’s police commander for the west of Tehran Province, said: “After we obtained a report about a mixed-gender party in a garden in the vicinity of Islamshahr in the west of Tehran Province, an operation was carried out by the police and another organization, leading to the arrest of dozens of boys and girls.”

Iran Focus

24 Jul – Authorities in Iran have arrested at least 50 young men and women who attended a mixed-gender party.

“Families must be more vigilant regarding their children to make sure they do not end up in such circumstances”, says Mojtaba Vahedi, the head of the judiciary in Damavand, east of Tehran.

A report on Friday, July 22, by the state-run Tasnim news agency said more than 50 young men and women were arrested at a party that was organized via social networking.