WASHINGTON — President Obama predicted on Tuesday that he would be able to persuade the United Nations to “move forcefully” against Iran with new sanctions within weeks, not months, as he turned up the pressure on Tehran to back off its nuclear program. “We think that we can get sanctions within weeks,” Mr. Obama told reporters after meeting [...]

By Gilbert Mercier On Tuesday, Amnesty International released its report concerning death sentences and executions in 2009. The report reveals that at least 714 people were executed in 18 countries and at least 2001 people were sentenced to death in 56 countries last year. The report shows that countries that still carry out executions are [...]

Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon says G8 ministers have called for greater pressure on Iran to halt its suspect uranium enrichment program. Cannon’s remarks came as foreign ministers of the Group of Eight leading industrialized nations wrapped up a two-day meeting in the Quebec town of Gatineau. “While G8 ministers agreed to remain open to [...]

An Iranian nuclear scientist who has been missing since June has defected to the United States and is helping the CIA, ABC News reported today. Citing unnamed sources briefed on the defection, the network said Shahram Amiri, a nuclear physicist in his early 30s, defected as part of a long-planned operation to get him to [...]

Human Right Activists News Agency (HRANA)- More than twelve Afghan immigrants arrested by security forces in wake of the June presidential election remain in prison. According to reports by Kaleme, for the past ten months, the Afghan immigrants were working on construction sites across the city of Tehran. [Afghan immigrants] have been significantly harmed during the [...]

Human Right Activists News Agency (HRANA) – Payam Fanaian, a Baha’i follower arrested in the wake of Ashura protests on December 27, 2009, has been sentenced to six years in prison by the Revolutionary Court. According to HRANA, Fanaian is a victim of the mass arrests conducted by security and intelligence agents against the Baha’i [...]

After more than 100 days after the arrest of Koohyar Goodarzi, the CHRR member is still detained while in a state of limbo. Reports indicate that the interrogators of the case are maintaining pressure on him. According to Koohyar Goodarzi’s family, Evin prison officials refuse to receive clothes, books, and personal items to pass on [...]

Abdolreza Ghanbari, a school teacher and a university lecturer for over 14 years, has been sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court. According to HRANA, judge Salavati issued the execution order due to accusations of mohareb for suspicious ties with various groups. The evidence for the accusation was emails and connection to foreign television stations. [...]

More than nine months after the June presidential election, five members of the Council to Defend the Right to Education remain in prison; some of them are facing long sentences. On the official weblog of the Council to Defend the Right to Education, it states, “The association was formed in 2007 by a group of [...]

Based on reports received by Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran (HRDAI),  36 year old political prisoner Zahra Jabbari’s physical condition is critical due to heart disease, anemia, and rheumatism. Zahra Jabbari is unable to walk and other political prisoners help her perform [daily] tasks. Authorities have refused to treat her. The clinic at [...]