GENEVA (17 April 2020) – UN human rights experts* today called on Iran to expand its temporary release of thousands of detainees to include prisoners of conscience and dual and foreign nationals still being held despite serious risk of COVID-19 infection. The country has been hit hard by COVID-19, with Health Ministry officials reporting one person dies every 10 minutes from the virus.
UN Urges Iran to “Immediately Release” Political Prisoners and Dual, Foreign Nationals
Iran furloughs imprisoned US Navy vet amid virus concerns
March 20.2020 – AP – By ERIC TUCKER- WASHINGTON (AP) — Iran has granted a medical furlough to a U.S. Navy veteran who has been imprisoned in for more than a year, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Thursday.
Michael White of Imperial Beach, California, is now in the custody of the Swiss Embassy and must remain in Iran as a condition of his furlough, which was granted as the Islamic republic works to curb the spread of coronavirus. The U.S. government will seek his full release, Pompeo said, as he called on Iran to free other Americans who remain jailed there.
Iran to pardon 10,000 including ‘security’ prisoners
Announcement follows temporary release of 85,000 to ease pressure on prisons amid coronavirus crisis
03.18.2020- Guardian – Iran is to pardon 10,000 prisoners including political ones in honour of the Iranian new year on Friday, according to state TV.
It was not stated whether the pardons would include the British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – who was released on Tuesday for two weeks, when 85,000 were let out temporarily because of coronavirus – or the British-Australian academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert, who was not known to have been released.
Iran Releases 85,000 Prisoners But Not Siamak Namazi
March 18, 2020 – npr – Iran has released tens of thousands of prisoners because of the coronavirus outbreak. NPR’s Steve Inskeep talks to Babak Namazi, whose brother is still detained.
Where Is Iran’s Supreme Leader?
Senior leaders are sick with the coronavirus.
MARCH 17, 2020-Atlantic – Last week, I proposed that Iran’s coronavirus problem is much greater than commonly acknowledged, and that the true number of cases is perhaps hundreds of times greater than the official number. More signs of uncontrolled infection have emerged, and I fear I was optimistic.
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe released from Iran prison
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been temporarily released from prison in Iran because of the coronavirus outbreak, her husband says.
17 March 2020 – BBC – The British-Iranian charity worker will be required to wear an ankle tag and remain within 300m (984ft) of her parents’ home in Tehran.
“The issue now is to make it permanent,” her husband Richard Ratcliffe said.
He added: “It is hard to relax just yet.”
COVID-19: Iran warns that ‘millions’ could be killed
The death toll in Iran saw another 13% increase Tuesday.
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | March 17, 2020- The Mercury News- By Nasser Karimi and John Gambrell | Associated Press
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran issued its most dire warning yet Tuesday about the new coronavirus ravaging the country, suggesting “millions” could die in the Islamic Republic if people keep traveling and ignore health guidance.
A state TV journalist who also is a medical doctor gave the warning only hours after hard-line Shiite faithful on Monday night pushed their way into the courtyards of two major shrines that were finally closed due to the virus. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a religious ruling prohibiting “unnecessary” travel.
Grave Concerns for Prisoners in Iran Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
Tehran Prison Lacks Medicines, Sanitary Supplies as Some Inmates Exhibit “Severe” Cold Symptoms
February 28, 2020 – The Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) is extremely concerned by reports that prisoners in Iran lack access to medicines as well as hygiene and sanitary products amid a rapidly rising death toll from a coronavirus outbreak in the country.
“Torture” and “Sexual Threats” Detailed in Letters by Jailed Former UN Environment Consultant
Conservation Scientist Niloufar Bayani: “Every time I… sought help from the authorities, the pressures, threats, and acts of torture increased.”
Appeals Court Upheld Prison Sentences Against Conservationists on Baseless Charges and Coerced “Confessions”
February 20, 2020 – A female former UN Environment consultant’s complaints of physical and psychological torture at the hands of her male interrogators were ignored by Iranian judicial officials, and forced “confessions” obtained as a result of torture were used to imprison her and seven fellow wildlife conservationists, according to her newly published letters from Tehran’s Evin Prison.
Appeals Court Upholds Baseless Prison Sentences Against Wildlife Conservationists
Prison Terms Range from 4-10 Years Based on No Evidence and False “Confessions”
February 18, 2020 – The Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) condemns the Iranian appeals court’s decision to uphold lengthy prison sentences against eight wildlife conservationists detained since January 2018 without due process on charges that were refuted by three major Iranian state agencies including the Intelligence Ministry.
