Amnesty International: 2018 a year of shame for Iran in history

Amnesty International has published a report accusing the Iranian government of launching a "shameless" campaign of suppressing the protests of thousands of protesters in 2018, following a wave of nationwide protests against poverty, corruption, and authoritarianism in Iran.

Amnesty International released a report saying that Iranian government authorities launched a "brazen" campaign of suppressing protests and arresting thousands of protesters in 2018, following a wave of nationwide protests against poverty, corruption, and authoritarianism in Iran.

Amnesty International released this report on January 24, 2019, revealing a "new face" of the extent of repression by Iranian authorities.

The organization's report mentions the arrest of more than 7,000 protesters, including students, journalists, media and environmental activists, workers and human rights defenders, lawyers and women's rights defenders, minority rights activists, and trade and labor unions, in 2018.

Amnesty International stated in its new report: “Meanwhile, hundreds of Iranian citizens have been sentenced to flogging and imprisonment. At least 26 protesters have been killed. Nine people have been arrested in connection with the suspicious deaths of a number of protesters.”

Amnesty International has called 2018 "a year of shame for Iran in history."

Philip Luther, Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa Research and Advocacy Director, said that Iranian authorities have continued to crack down on freedom of expression, prevent peaceful gatherings, and arrest large numbers of protesters this year.

The organization's report states that "the staggering number of arrests, imprisonments, and flogging sentences indicates that the Iranian authorities are extremely prepared to suppress peaceful dissent."

Amnesty International also noted that throughout 2018, and particularly in January, July and August, Iranian authorities responded with “violence to peaceful protests,” using tear gas and water cannons to beat unarmed protesters. Thousands of people were also “arbitrarily” arrested and detained during these peaceful protests.

The report further noted the “arrest and detention of students, human rights defenders and activists, journalists,” as well as some protesters during the January protests, and added: “On the other hand, administrators of Telegram channels that published news related to the protests, rallies, and protesters were targeted by Iranian authorities.”

The report added that in 2018, 11 lawyers were also arrested for performing their professional duties, 50 media activists, and 91 students for participating in demonstrations.

According to this report, in 2018, at least 20 media activists were sentenced to harsh sentences and long prison terms in unfair trials.

Azerbaijani journalist Mohammad Hossein Sodagar was sentenced to 74 lashes in the West Azerbaijan city of Khoy on charges of spreading lies. Another media activist, Mustafa Abdi, director of the Majzooban Noor website, was sentenced to 26 years and three months in prison and 148 lashes.

On this website, he published reports about human rights violations against Gonabadi Dervishes.

Meanwhile, at least 112 women human rights defenders were arrested by Iranian authorities in 2018.

 Women's rights defenders

In another part of its report, Amnesty International referred to the unprecedented protest movement of Iranian women against the compulsory and discriminatory hijab laws, stating that in 2018, courageous women's rights defenders across the country joined this protest movement.

The report referred to the protest of girls and women known as “Girls of Revolution Street,” who stood in the streets and on top of some public places, silently waving their headscarves at the ends of bars, and were ultimately “arrested, tortured, and mistreated after a violent crackdown by officers. Some of these protesters were also sentenced to prison after unfair trials.”

Shaparak Shajarizadeh, one of the "Girls of Revolution Street", was sentenced to 20 years in prison by a court verdict.

Nasrin Sotoudeh, a human rights lawyer and women's rights advocate who represented Shaparak Shajarizadeh, was also arrested on June 13, 2018, on charges of defending protesters against compulsory hijab.

 Workers' rights and trade unions

The Amnesty International report also noted the labor crises in Iran in 2018, which erupted as a result of severe economic crises and led to widespread strikes. These poor conditions brought thousands of workers to the streets, demanding that the government provide support and improve working conditions.

Delays and non-payment of wages commensurate with inflation, rising costs of living, and economic hardship became the grounds for nationwide protests by these workers.

In response to these demands, Iranian authorities arrested at least 467 workers, including teachers, truck drivers, and factory workers. A number of these protesters were also summoned for questioning and detained, and many were tortured and ill-treated.

Dozens of these protesters were also sentenced to prison. Iranian courts also responded against 38 labor activists, sentencing them to a total of 3,000 lashes.

 Ethnic and religious minorities

The report continues by mentioning the intensification of racial discrimination and deprivation of religious and ethnic minorities in Iran, emphasizing that Iranian authorities have arrested and imprisoned hundreds of citizens of religious and ethnic minorities, depriving them of education, employment, and other services.

The arrest of at least 171 Christian converts and the continued persecution of Baha'is in Iran are also other issues highlighted in Amnesty International's new report.

The arrest and detention of environmental activists in Iran is another issue mentioned and noted in the Amnesty International report, which states that in 2018, at least 63 environmental activists and researchers were arrested in Iran.

Source: DW