Amnesty International report on widespread and systematic human rights violations in Iran

Amnesty International presented its annual report on widespread and systematic human rights violations in Iran.

Amnesty International released its annual report on widespread and systematic human rights violations in 2024 on April 29, 2025, corresponding to Ordibehesht 9, 1404. According to the organization: “Over the past year, world powers have deliberately undermined the international rules-based system and obstructed the resolution of crises that affect the lives of millions of people.”

The report, which examines the human rights situation in 150 countries, documents growing cases of repression, discrimination, climate injustice and the misuse of technology for control and surveillance. “At this historic juncture, when authoritarian laws and practices are spreading around the world in favor of a small minority, governments and civil society must act urgently to put humanity back on a safer path,” Amnesty International Secretary-General Agnes Callamard warned.

Part of this 410-page report is also dedicated to Iran, and Amnesty International has presented a picture of widespread repression, violations of the rights of women, minorities, and political opponents, and in particular, widespread cases including attacks on house churches, deprivation of child custody by Christian parents, false and dangerous accusations including apostasy, and widespread repression in the past year (2024).

Regarding false and dangerous accusations, including apostasy, Amnesty International says in its report: "People who are considered by the government to be born Muslims face charges of apostasy if they convert to other religions or declare their atheism, which can lead to torture, imprisonment, and in some cases the death penalty. Persian-speaking Christians and converts still lack a shrine or even an official place of worship. Church properties have been confiscated since the beginning of the Islamic Republic's revolution and remain under seizure to this day."

Despite the fact that "apostasy" is not mentioned in the Islamic Penal Code, judges can, according to Article 167 of the Constitution, cite jurisprudential sources and issue apostasy sentences for these citizens.

Amnesty International also spoke in its report about the severe repression of Baha'is, numerous arrests, and confiscation of their property.

Another part of the report, which refers to intelligence agents' attacks on house churches, states: "Baha'is, Christians, Gonabadi Dervishes, Jews, Sunnis, and Yarsan followers face widespread legal and practical discrimination. This discrimination includes deprivation of education, employment, and child custody, destruction of religious sites and personal property, unfair prosecution, and the issuance of harsh sentences simply for performing religious rituals."

Christian converts in Iran are systematically subjected to attacks on their homes, arbitrary arrests, and destruction of house churches, and are prosecuted for holding religious gatherings. In addition, Armenian and Assyrian citizens who come into contact with them are targeted by the government and face arrest and imprisonment, including Joseph Shahbazian, his wife Lida Aleksani, and Hakob Gochomian.

The report states regarding the revocation of child custody: "One of the shocking cases of violation of minority rights is the revocation of adoption from the Christian convert couple Maryam Fallahi and Sam Khosravi in ​​Bushehr. Despite acknowledging the strong emotional relationship between the child and the parents, the court annulled the adoption simply because the couple was Christian."

It should be noted that this ruling provoked a strong reaction from legal activists, and over 120 lawyers and civil activists wrote a letter to the head of the judiciary, stating that this decision violates the Iranian Constitution and international treaties.

Amnesty International also stated in its report on widespread repression in 2024: “Unfair judicial processes were widespread in the protests and repression last year, including lack of access to lawyers, confessions extracted under torture and summary trials in Iran. During this time, access to platforms such as Instagram, WhatsApp and independent media was restricted or blocked. Hundreds of people were prosecuted for their online activities, criticizing the compulsory hijab or supporting the families of victims.”

The report also states about the hijab law: "The program known as the 'Light Project', which was implemented in the spring, 'used surveillance cameras and facial recognition technology' to target women without a hijab. In July, a woman named Arezo Badri was shot while riding in a private car and suffered a spinal cord injury because she did not observe the government's required hijab."

In September, the Guardian Council approved a bill titled "Supporting the Family through Promoting a Culture of Chastity and Hijab," which formalizes prison sentences, fines, and community service for opponents of compulsory hijab.

The organization also added that the severe suppression of protests, arrests of gatherings of union activists, families of those killed, teachers, students, and other citizens opposed to the regime, continue.